Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC)

GS I – Geography

Geographical Location & Size:

• Situated in Central Africa, the DRC is Africa’s second-largest nation and ranks 11th globally in terms of land area.
• Has a narrow 40-km coastline along the Atlantic Ocean.
• Shares borders with nine nations: Republic of the Congo, Central African Republic, South Sudan, Uganda, Rwanda, Burundi, Tanzania, Zambia, and Angola.

Capital & Major Cities:

• Kinshasa, the nation’s capital and economic hub, lies along the Congo River, the only river in Africa that crosses the equator twice.

Notable Geographical Features:

• Congo River Basin: Encompasses the Congo River, Africa’s second-longest river.
• Mountains: The Albertine Rift region, featuring the Virunga Mountains and Mount Nyiragongo, an active volcano.
• Lakes: Major lakes include Lake Kivu, Lake Tanganyika, and Lake Edward.

Regions in the News:

• North Kivu & South Kivu: Resource-rich but frequently impacted by conflicts.
• Katanga Plateau: A major mining zone, producing cobalt, copper, tin, uranium, radium, and diamonds.

Historical Background:

• Gained independence from Belgium in 1960, but has faced continuous instability.
• First Congo War (1996-1997) and Second Congo War (1998-2003) resulted in millions of casualties.

M23 Rebel Group:

• The March 23 Movement (M23), formed in 2012, consists mainly of ethnic Tutsis.
• Claims to protect Tutsi interests and alleges that the government has violated peace agreements.

Primarily operates in eastern DRC, particularly North Kivu province.