The Democratic Republic of the Congo, also known as Congo-Kinshasa, Zaire, DR Congo, DRC (the official acronym), or simply the Congo, is a country located in the African Great Lakes region of Central Africa. It was formerly called Zaire (1971–1997). It is, by area, the largest country in sub-Saharan Africa, the second-largest in all of Africa (after Algeria), and the 11th-largest in the world. With a population of over 101 million, the Democratic Republic of the Congo is the fourth most populous in Africa, and the 15th most populous country in the world.
Population (2020 est) – 89,561,403
Area – 905,567 sq mi
Capital – Kinshasa
Ethnic Background – Over 200 African ethnic groups of which the majority are Bantu; the four largest tribes – Mongo, Luba, Kongo (all Bantu), and the Mangbetu-Azande (Hamitic) make up about 45% of the population. The Kongo people are the largest ethnic group in the Democratic Republic of Congo.
Exports – gold, diamonds, copper, cobalt, coltan, zinc, tin, tungsten, crude oil, wood products, coffee
Imports – foodstuffs, mining, machinery, medications and medical supplies, transport equipment, palm oil, fuels
Life Expectancy (2020 est) – M 57 F 60
Infant Mortality (2020 est) – 63 deaths/1,000 live births
Adult Illiteracy Rate – 33%
