Overview of the Country
Background:
- Official name: Democratic Republic of the Congo
- Acronym: DRC or Congo-Kinshasa
- Location: Central Africa; the largest country in Sub-Saharan Africa by land area
- Capital: Kinshasa
- Official language: French
- National languages: Lingala, Kiswahili, Kikongo and Tshiluba
- Population: 109,276,265 people (2024, World Bank)
- GDP: US$70.75 billion, current US$ (2024, World Bank/WDI)
- GNI per capita, PPP: US$1,760, current international $ (2024, World Bank/WDI)
- Economic structure: Low-income, resource-rich economy with a major mining base, especially cobalt and copper, alongside agriculture, hydropower potential and forest resources.
Membership:
- Regional Economic Communities (RECs):
- Economic Community of Central African States (ECCAS / CEEAC)
- Southern African Development Community (SADC)
- Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA)
- Regional Organizations:
- International Conference on the Great Lakes Region (ICGLR)
Sources:
- DRC Constitution
- Presidency of the DRC
- AU Member States
- ECCAS
- SADC DRC profile
- COMESA DRC profile
- ICGLR member states
- World Bank - Democratic Republic of Congo country overview
- World Bank Data - Democratic Republic of Congo
- World Bank/FRED - Population, total for DRC
- World Bank WDI - GDP current US$
- World Bank WDI - GNI per capita, PPP current international $
- Encyclopaedia Britannica - Democratic Republic of the Congo