c 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 the use of
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. Joseph
KABILA as president and four vice presidents represented the former
government, former rebel groups, the political opposition, and civil
society. The transitional government held a successful
constitutional referendum in December 2005 and elections for the
presidency, National Assembly, and provincial legislatures in 2006.
KABILA was inaugurated president in December 2006. The National
Assembly was installed in September 2006. Its president, Vital
KAMERHE, was chosen in December. Provincial assemblies were
constituted in early 2007, and elected governors and national
senators in January 2007.

Geography
Congo, Democratic Republic of the

Location:

Central Africa, northeast of Angola

Geographic coordinates:

0 00 N, 25 00 E

Map references:

Africa

Area:

total: 2,345,410 sq km
land: 2,267,600 sq km
water: 77,810 sq km

Area - comparative:

slightly less than one-fourth the size of th