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PlaceTypeAsNotedInArea
PlaceTypeAsNotedInArea
Congo Basin Physiographic Section
Congo River
Garamba National Park
Kahuzi-Biega National Park
Okapi Wildlife Reserve
Salonga National Park
Virunga National Park

Timeline

Y/M/D Person Association Description Composition Food Event
Y/M/D Person Association Description Composition Food Event
1885/00/00 Leopold II of Belgium Sovereign At the Berlin West Africa Conference of 1884-85, Association Internationale du Congo sphere of influence in Africa becomes the Congo Free State, and European powers recognize Leopold as its sovereign.

Geography »

Physiographic FeaturesTypeAsNotedIn
Congo Basin Physiographic Section
Congo River

Information »

Location

Central Africa, northeast of Angola - The World Factbook

Data »

Particulars for Democratic Republic of the Congo:
Locale Type Nation

Data
Corruption Perceptions Index - 2014, Transparency International: 154


History »

Established as a Belgian colony in 1908, the then-Republic of the Congo gained its independence in 1960, but its early years were marred by political and social instability. Col. Joseph MOBUTU seized power and declared himself president in a November 1965 coup. He subsequently changed his name - to MOBUTU Sese Seko - as well as that of the country - to Zaire. MOBUTU retained his position for 32 years through several sham elections, as well as through brutal force. Ethnic strife and civil war, touched off by a massive inflow of refugees in 1994 from fighting in Rwanda and Burundi, led in May 1997 to the toppling of the MOBUTU regime by a rebellion backed by Rwanda and Uganda and fronted by Laurent KABILA. He renamed the country the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), but in August 1998 his regime was itself challenged by a second insurrection again backed by Rwanda and Uganda. Troops from Angola, Chad, Namibia, Sudan, and Zimbabwe intervened to support KABILA's regime. A cease-fire was signed in July 1999 by the DRC, Congolese armed rebel groups, Angola, Namibia, Rwanda, Uganda, and Zimbabwe but sporadic fighting continued. Laurent KABILA was assassinated in January 2001 and his son, Joseph KABILA, was named head of state. In October 2002, the new president was successful in negotiating the withdrawal of Rwandan forces occupying eastern Congo; two months later, the Pretoria Accord was signed by all remaining warring parties to end the fighting and establish a government of national unity. A transitional government was set up in July 2003; it held a successful constitutional referendum in December 2005 and elections for the presidency, National Assembly, and provincial legislatures took place in 2006. In the most recent national elections, held in November 2011, disputed results allowed Joseph KABILA to be reelected to the presidency . - The World Factbook

Creative Works »

WorkTypeAsNotedInCreatorNote
Haut de Gamme Koweit Rive Gauche Album Koffi Olomide Koffi Olomide is from Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of the Congo.
Heart of Darkness (book) Mezzobula Joseph Conrad
King Leopold's Soliloquy Pamphlet
Mark Twain In "King Leopold's Soliloquy", Mark Twain condemns King Leopold's rule over the Congo Free State.

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