Central Africa.

Kinshasa and Mbandaka: GMT + 1.
Haut-Zaïre, Kasai, Kivu and Shaba: GMT + 2.

2,345,410 sq km (905,563 sq miles).

60.1 million (UN estimate 2005).

26 per sq km.

Kinshasa. Population: 6.5 million (UN estimate 2005).

The Democratic Republic of Congo is the third-largest country in Africa and is bordered to the north by the Central African Republic and Sudan, to the east by Uganda, Rwanda, Burundi and Tanzania, to the south by Zambia and Angola, and to the west by the Republic of Congo and the Angolan enclave, Cabinda. The country has a coastline of only 27km (17 miles), at the outlet of the Congo River, which flows into the Atlantic. The country straddles the Equator and has widely differing geographical features, including mountain ranges in the north and west, a vast central plain through which the Congo River flows, and the volcanoes and lakes of the Kivu region. The river has given rise to extensive tropical rainforests on the western border with the Republic of Congo.

A constitutional decree issued in May 1997 placed all executive and legislative powers in the hands of the President of the Republic.

Republic. Gained independence from Belgium in 1960. Head of State: President Joseph Kabila since 2001. Kabila took over following the assassination of his father, Laurent-Désiré Kabila. Recent history: The first democratic poll since the country gained independence in 1960 was held on 30 July 2006, but a second round of voting will be needed since no candidate won 50 per cent of the vote. Incumbent President Joseph Kabila took a 45 per cent share, while his nearest rival Jean-Pierre Bemba won 20 per cent. The pair are now set to face each other in a run-off on 29 October. In the parliamentary elections, Kabila's party won the biggest number of seats, but did not gain an overall majority.

The official language is French. There are many local languages, the most widely spoken being Lingala, Swahili, Tshiluba and Kikongo.

Roman Catholic 50 per cent, Islam 10 per cent, Protestant 20 per cent, indigenous beliefs 10 per cent and Kimbanguist 10 per cet.

Casual clothes are widely suitable although scanty beachwear should be confined to the beach or poolside. Photography: A permit is required. Even then, local authorities are likely to be sensitive. Avoid official areas, airports and riverbanks.

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