Democratic Republic of Congo

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Quick Facts

[edit]

Capital

Kinshasa

Population

53,620,000

Government

Dictatorship

Religions

Christianity (Catholic, Protestant), Kimbanguism, Islam

Languages

Kongo, Lingala, Luba-Kasai, Congo Swahili, French

Calling Code

+243

Nationality

Congolese

Local name

Republique Democratique du Congo

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Introduction

Kinshasa

© All Rights Reserved aniel

Once known as Zaire, the Democratic Republic of Congo is Africa’s third largest country. The land is home to great stretches of savannah, as well as dramatic volcanic mountain peaks in the east.

Currently, the situation is volatile, particularly for foreigners. The United States recently renewed its recommendation for travellers to stay away from the country, especially areas outside the capital of Kinshasa.

Brief History

Geography

Regions

A new constitution approved in 2005 has divided the country into 26 reasonably autonomous provinces, one of which is the capital, Kinshasa. Until these new provinces are formed in February 2009, the existing 11 provinces are:

• Kinshasa
• Province Orientale
• Kasaï Oriental
• Kasaï Occidental
• Maniema
• Katanga
• Sud-Kivu
• Nord-Kivu
• Bas-Congo
• Équateur
• Bandundu

Cities

• Kinshasa
• Lubumbashi
• Kisangani
• Boma
• Bukavu
• Goma
• Kolwezi

Sights and Activities

Okapi Wildlife Reserve

The Okapi Wildlife Reserve is located in the Ituri Forest in the northeast of the country near Sudan and Uganda and is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. It is mainly a protected forest because of its special inhabitant: the Okapi. This animal is widely known because of its mix of zebra and giraffe characteristics and although it bears striped markings reminiscent of the zebra, it is most closely related to the giraffe. Unfortunately, because of the politicial and economical situation in this part of the country, the reserve sees just a few visitors and several of its staff have been gone since poachers and others entered the reserve. Apart from the Okapi, many monkey species and the forest elephant live here as well as several local tribes who actually live in peace with the natural environment.

Virunga National Park

Gorillas in the mist

© All Rights Reserved Raffe

The Virunga National Park is what Bwindi Impenetrable is to Uganda or the Volcanoes NP to Rwanda: a large protected mountainous wilderness, mainly to preserve the last several hundreds or so of the Moutain Gorilla and became a UNESCO World Heritage Site in the late seventies of the twentieth century. Chimpanzees, forest elephants, giraffe and even okapi can be found here, although there numbers have diminished in recent years because of the unstable political and economical situation. Still, travellers who can't get a permit in Rwanda or Uganda to visit the mountain gorillas, might be lucky to get one here as chances are better and it is cheaper, 'only' 350 USD compared to 500 USD in the other two countries. The main access point is from Rwanda to Goma but entries from Uganda might be possible as well, just check in advance regarding the visa and safety regulations during the time you will visit.

Kahuzi-Biéga National Park

The Kahuzi-Biéga National Park is located in the east of the country near Lake Kivu and the border with Rwanda and together with the frontier are of the DRC, Rwanda and Uganda, forms one of the last remaining areas to preserve the mountain gorilla. The park is not as much visited as the other mountain gorilla parks and numbers may have declined more seriously here since civil war started. It also a Unesco World Heritage Site.

Salonga National Park

Also a Unesco World Heritage Site, the Salonga National Park protects the largest tropical rainforest reserve in Africa and is located in the Congo Basin. Animals here include species like bonobos (one of four human apes) and rare special species like salonga monkeys, Tshuapa red colobus Zaire peacocks, forest elephants, and African slender-snouted crocodiles. Although you are likely to see many animals here you won't see anywhere else in Africa, the park is not visited that often and safety forms the main problem for travellers these days.

Events and Festivals

Weather

Apart from the higher parts of the country, the Democratic Republic of Congo has a tropical climate with generally hot and humid conditions. Rainfall is high throughout the country but there are some differences.
The northern parts of the country (for example Kisangani) has rain during every month, but with two season when rain is heaviest and more probable. These periods are March - April and September - November, though differences with other months are not that big. January is quite dry. Temperatures here are around 30 degrees Celsius during the day and 20 degrees Celsius at night with no considerable montly variation.
In the south on the other hand there is single wet season from November to March (for example Lubumbashi). Here, May to September are almost completely dry. In the case of Lubumbashi temperatures are around 25 to 30 degrees Celsius year round, but night can be very cool during the dry season, averaging only around 6 or 7 degrees Celsius. From October to April, nights are considerably warmer, around 15 to 16 degrees on average. Of course, here this also has to do with altitude (1300 meters above sea level). Lower areas have warmer nights (and days).
Kinshasa has temperatures of around 30 degrees celsius during the day, 20 degrees at night and there is a rainy season from November to April while June to September is almost completely dry as well.
A small coastal strip of the country has roughly the same climate as northern coastal areas of Angola, with warm weather but much less rain compared to places inland.

Getting there

Plane

N'Djili International Airport (FIH) near the capital Kinshasa is the main international airport in the country. Hewa Bora Airways is one of the largest airlines in the country, flying to and from Brussels, Douala, Johannesburg, Lagos and Lomé. Air France flies between Kinshasa and Paris. Other destinations with several airlines are Brussels, Harare, Bujumbura Brazzaville, Kigali, Pointe-Noire, Addis Ababa, Nairobi, Casablanca and Luanda.
KLM Royal Dutch Airlines flies to Kinshasa from Amsterdam via Nairobi.

By Train

There are no trains that travel into the country.

By Car

The land border with Angola is open via the town of Matadi, but expect harsh conditions, bad roads and bribing at borders. It's not advised to cross the DRC by car in general and few border crossings are open to independent travels by car. The best ones are with Rwanda and Uganda.

By Bus

Crossing to Rwanda is possible but only the one between Gisenyi and Goma is considered relatively safe at the moment. The one at the southern end of Lake Kiva, between Cyangugu and Bukavu is less safe, mainly on the DRC side. Crossings with Uganda are open but it's easier and safer to travel to Rwanda where it's just a short hop to the DRC and Goma.

By Boat

Boats travel across the Congo River between Kinshasa and Brazzaville, the capital of the Republic of Congo, roughly every two hours or so.

Getting around

Plane

Note that flights with any of the airlines of the DRC is amongst the most risky travelling business in the world. Although most planes of course will make it to the destination, accident rates are relatively high and all airlines are not welcome in Europe for example. That said, it is sometimes the only way and maybe even safer than travelling overland as this will impose risks of bandits or road accidents.

Hewa Bora Airways flies between Kinshasa, Lubumbashi and Mbuji Mayi and Wimbi Dira Airways between Gbadolite, Gemena, Goma, Isiro, Kananga, Kindu, Kinshasa, Lubumbashi, Kalemie Mbandaka and Mbuji-Mayi. Compagnie Africaine d'Aviation has an extensive network between Basankusu, Bumba, Goma, Kalemie, Kananga, Kikwit, Kinshasa, Kisangani, Lisala, Lodja, Lubumbashi, Mbandaka, Mbuji-Mayi and Tshikapa.

By Train

Train travel is possible, but really not recommended, as services are poor and slow.
The main domestic railway runs from Lubumbashi to Ilebo, with a branch to Kalemie and Kindu via Kabalo and Kisangani. Another one runs from the capital Kinshasa to the port of Matadi.

By Car

Getting around by a rental car or your own car is possible, but roads are in an extremely poor conditions and many parts are muddy. Sometimes, bridges which use to cross rivers or other geographical features, are damaged. Only in an immediately around bigger cities the roads are in an acceptable condition. You can rent a car on a few airports and you need an international driving permit. Traffic drives on the right.

By Bus

Buses travel between most major cities and towns, but are crowded, slow, uncomfortable and unreliable.

By Boat

Theoretically, there should be regular passenger services along the Congo River between Kinshasa, Kisangani and Ilebo. Services are not scheduled though and are very unreliable mainly due to shortages of petrol. Still, it might be one of the most memorable and even safest modes of transport, albeit the slowest as well. It is a great way to meet people, that's for sure.

Red Tape

All nationals need a visa to enter the DRC. Some people may obtain one on the international airport in Kinshasa or the most popular border crossing near Goma (with Rwanda).

Money

See also Money Matters

Work

Study

Language

Eat

Sleep

Drink

Health

See also Travel Health

Safety

See also Travel Safety

The Democratic Republic of Congo is a very unstable country. Some areas, like the capital Kinshasa and a few other places can be visited without too much trouble, though always check the latest safety situation. The eastern portion near the border with Rwanda (around Goma) is popular with people who want to visit the Mountain Gorillas in the DRC. Although it is mostly fine, things have been unsafe during parts of 2008 and early 2009.

Keep Connected

Internet

Phone

See also International Telephone Calls

The country calling code to the Democratic Republic of the Congo is: 243
To make an international call from the Democratic Rupublic of the Congo, the code is: 00

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