Quick Facts

© Copyright 2006 SASI Group (University of Sheffield)
and Mark Newman (University of Michigan).

Demography

Population: 66.5 million

Languages: French (official), Lingala, Kingwana, Kikongo, Tshiluba Religions: Roman Catholic 50%, Protestant 20%, Kimbanguist 10%, Muslim 10%, other 10%

Ethnic groups:

Over 200 African ethnic groups of which the majority are Bantu; the 4 largest tribes—Mongo, Luba, Kongo (all Bantu) and the Mangbetu-Azande (Hamitic) make up 45% of the population

Life expectancy: 53.98 years

Median age: 16.3 years

Population Growth Rate: 3.2%

Literacy (age 15+ can read and write): 67.2%

Geography

Capital: Kinshasa

Area: 2,345,410 sq. km; slightly less than one-fourth the size of the US

Natural resources: cobalt, copper, niobium, tantalum, petroleum, industrial and gem diamonds, gold, silver, zinc, manganese, tin, uranium, hydropower, timber

Economy

GDP (purchasing power parity): $19.03 billion

Currency: Congolese Franc

Population below the Poverty line: NA

Government and Political

Date of Independence: June 30, 1960 (from Belgium)

Type of government: republic

Displacement

Refugees (country of origin): Angola 132,295, Rwanda 37,313, Burundi 17,777, Uganda 13,904, Sudan 6181, Republic of Congo 5243

According to Worldmapper.org  DRC ranked 2nd in the world for War Deaths in 2002

© Copyright 2006 SASI Group (University of Sheffield) and Mark Newman (University of Michigan).