Middle Africa
Vast · Jungle · Turbulent
Democratic Republic of the Congo is a country located in Middle Africa. Its capital city is Kinshasa, with other major cities including Lubumbashi and Mbuji-Mayi. With a population of approximately 99.0M, the main language spoken is French. The country covers an area of 2,344,858 km². The official currency is the Congolese franc (FC). Traffic drives on the right side.
The Congo River is the world's deepest river, with measured depths exceeding 220 m, and discharges more water into the ocean than any river except the Amazon.
Kinshasa serves as the political, cultural and economic heart of Democratic Republic of the Congo, positioned in Middle Africa. As the seat of government and often the most populous city, it concentrates the country's main institutions, universities and cultural landmarks. Beyond the capital, major cities include Lubumbashi, Mbuji-Mayi, Goma — each a hub of regional culture, economy and history. Kinshasa with 17 million residents is Africa's third-largest city and faces Brazzaville across the Congo River — the world's two closest capitals separated only by 4 kilometres of water — creating one of the globe's most striking urban dyads, where the DRC's vast territory and population dwarfs its neighbour while sharing the same river geography.
With a population of approximately 99.0M, Democratic Republic of the Congo is a vibrant society with a rich mix of traditions and communities. The official language is French, which reflects the country's cultural heritage and connects it with a wide international community. Internationally, Democratic Republic of the Congo is reached via the dialling code +243. Congolese identity encompasses over 200 ethnic groups and four main languages (Lingala, Swahili, Tshiluba, Kikongo) within the borders inherited from King Leopold II's brutal private colony — the rubber terror of the 1880s-1900s killing an estimated 10 million people and leaving a legacy of extractive governance that continues to shape the DRC's relationship with both its colonial history and its enormous natural resource wealth.
Democratic Republic of the Congo spans 2,344,858 km², in the Middle Africa subregion of Africa. Geographically centred around 0.0°N, 25.0°E, the country offers a diverse range of landscapes shaped by its location, climate and geology. Road traffic follows the right-hand rule, in line with surrounding Africa convention.
The official currency is the Congolese franc (FC), used for everyday transactions and commerce throughout the country. Democratic Republic of the Congo's economy is shaped by its geography, natural resources and trade relationships. Business and daily life operate under UTC+01:00, aligning the country with its regional neighbours.
Football holds a special place in the heart of Democratic Republic of the Congo's national identity. Football is the DRC's passion, with AS Vita Club and TP Mazembe among the continent's most successful clubs — TP Mazembe winning consecutive CAF Champions League titles in 2009-10 and reaching the FIFA Club World Cup final in 2010, the first time an African club reached that stage, defeating Pachuca before losing to eventual winner Internazionale.
The highest point in Democratic Republic of the Congo is Margherita Peak, rising to 5,109 metres above sea level. The Congo Basin rainforest is the world's second largest tropical forest after the Amazon — absorbing 1.1 billion tonnes of carbon annually — while the Congo River carries more water than any river except the Amazon and its basin contains hydroelectric potential sufficient to power the entire African continent, a resource whose development remains perpetually deferred by instability.