 | OGOHLANTIRISH: Ning tarqalishi tufayli COVID-19 va davolanish uchun tibbiy muassasalarning etishmasligi, DRCga zarur bo'lmagan sayohat tavsiya etilmaydi. 2020 yil iyun oyida yangi kasallik avj oldi Ebola virusi Ekvator provinsiyasida e'lon qilindi. Sayohatchilar sayohatdan oldin tibbiy maslahat olishlari kerak. Sen ... kerak barcha sayohatlardan qoching sharqiy DRCda Kasai, Kasaï Central, Kasaï Oriental, Haut-Uele, Haut Lomami, Ituri, Shimoliy Kivu, Janubiy Kivu, Maniema va Tanganyika provintsiyalariga, Kananga g'arbiy va sharqiy joylariga, shu jumladan Tsikapa va Mvene-Ditu, yoki Markaziy Afrika Respublikasi va Janubiy Sudan bilan chegaradan 50 km uzoqlikda. 2020 yilda siyosiy vaziyat tufayli har qanday ommaviy yig'ilish zo'ravonlikka aylanish xavfi hali ham mavjud. Agar vaziyat yomonlashadigan bo'lsa, mamlakatni tark etish qiyin bo'lishi mumkin. Muhim materiallar zaxirasini saqlash tavsiya etiladi. Batafsil ma'lumotni bu erda topishingiz mumkin Xavfsiz bo'ling Bo'lim. |
Hukumatning sayohat bo'yicha maslahatlari | |
| (Axborot oxirgi marta 2020 yil avgustda yangilangan) |
The Kongo Demokratik Respublikasi (Frantsuz: République Démocratique du Congo (yoki RDC); ko'pincha qisqartiriladi DRC yoki D.R. Kongo) eng katta va eng ko'p aholiga ega mamlakatdir Markaziy Afrika. DRC faqat eng tajribali, eng zo'r Afrikalik sayohatchilar uchun mo'ljallangan joy bo'lib qolmoqda. Bu emas tasodifiy sayyoh uchun mamlakat: o'rtacha xalta, dam oluvchi va ayniqsa hashamatli safari yoki uyushgan madaniy tajribalarni izlayotganlar. Tuproq tropik o'rmonlari bilan keng qamrab olingan, DRC yuragi bilan taqqoslanadi Amazon (Yerdagi yagona yirik yomg'ir o'rmoni). Kongo (va vaqti-vaqti bilan avantyurist Evropaga) to'lib toshgan barjalar va o'zlarining katta savdogarlarini olib kelgan kuchli Kongo daryosi mamlakatning asosiy qismini tashkil qiladi. piroglar barjalarda bo'lganlarga sotish uchun mollar, mevalar va mahalliy bushmeat bilan to'ldirilgan.
Mamlakat ko'plab tabiiy resurslarga ega va ularning qiymati 24 trillion AQSh dollaridan oshadi. Mamlakat hozirgi zamonga qaraganda ancha boyib ketishi mumkin, ammo asosan siyosiy beqarorlik, korruptsiya va urushlar tufayli dunyodagi eng qashshoq va kam rivojlangan davlatlardan biri bo'lib qolmoqda.
Mamlakat shafqatsizlarcha talon-taroj qilindi Belgiya Afrika uchun Scramble paytida va millionlab Kongoliklar (shu jumladan bolalar) qiynoqqa solingan, zo'rlangan va o'ldirilgan. Mustamlaka izlari bugungi kungacha ham sezilib kelmoqda va Belgiya bilan munosabatlar bu borada nosog'lomligicha qolmoqda.
1960 yilda mustaqillikka erishganidan bir necha hafta o'tgach, mamlakat parchalanib ketdi va uning rahbarlari shundan buyon infratuzilma qurish, ta'lim va sog'liqni saqlashni yaxshilash yoki Kongo aholisining hayotini yaxshilash uchun boshqa biron bir ish qilishdan ko'ra isyonchilarni bostirish va mamlakatni birlashtirib turish bilan ovora bo'lishdi. ularning aksariyati qashshoqlikda yashaydi. 1994 yildan 2003 yilgacha Ikkinchi Jahon urushi tugaganidan beri eng qonli mojaro mamlakatning sharqiy o'rmonlarida bo'lib o'tdi va shu paytgacha zo'ravonliklar davom etmoqda. Ommaviy qotillik va ommaviy zo'rlashdan qochgan millionlab odamlar uylarini tark etishdi va yuz minglab odamlar BMTning dunyodagi eng katta tinchlikparvarlik missiyasi (MONUC) tomonidan boshpana topgan holda shu kungacha qochqinlar lagerlarida qolmoqdalar.
Bu erga sayohat qilish uchun jasur bo'lganlar juda ko'p sarguzashtlarga duch kelishadi. Sharqda vulqon cho'qqilari atrofni o'rmon o'rmonidan minglab metr balandlikda ko'tarilib, ko'pincha tuman bilan o'ralgan. Sayyohlar yuqorida turgan Nyiragongo tog'iga ko'tarilishlari mumkin Goma, va faol lava ko'lining yuqori qismida (butun dunyo bo'ylab to'rttadan bittasi!) Kechani o'tkazing. Yaqin atrofdagi o'rmonlarda har kuni oz sonli sayyohga gorilla oilalariga borishga ruxsat beriladi - bu bizning turimizning eng yaqin qarindoshlaridan biri. Qudratli Kongo daryosi bo'ylab har yili bir nechta sayohatchilar bir necha hafta davomida yuk va Kongo yuklangan barjalarda yuzlab kilometr suzib yurishadi. Mamlakat bo'ylab jonli bozorlarda maskalar va boshqa hunarmandchilik buyumlarini olishni unutmang.
Ushbu mamlakatga tez-tez qo'ng'iroq qilishadi Kongo-Kinshasa uni shimoliy-g'arbiy qo'shnidan farqlash uchun Kongo Respublikasi (shuningdek, "Kongo-Brazzavil" nomi bilan ham tanilgan). Ilgari, DRC Kongo Erkin Shtati, Belgiya Kongosi, Kongo Respublikasi, Kongo-Leopoldvill yoki Zair nomi bilan tanilgan. Ushbu va DRC tarkibidagi boshqa qo'llanmalar bo'yicha "Kongo" Kongo Demokratik Respublikasini nazarda tutadi.
Mintaqalar
| G'arbiy DRC (Kinshasa) uy poytaxt Kinshasa va millatning yagona porti. Ko'pincha tropik o'rmonlar va yaylovlar. |
| Katanga mamlakatning qayta tiklanadigan foydali qazilmalarining ko'p qismi joylashgan qishloq xo'jaligi va chorvachilik uchun asosan unumdor platolar; 1960-1966 yillarda "Katanga inqirozi" davrida amalda mustaqil |
| Kasai muhim olmos qazib olish, juda ko'p emas. |
| Kivu (Bukavu, Goma, Kahuzi-Biega milliy bog'i,Virunga milliy bog'i,) qo'shni ta'sir ko'rsatgan Burundi, Ruandava Uganda bu mintaqa vulqonlari, tog 'gorillalari va fojiali ravishda, tushunib bo'lmaydigan to'qnashuvlari bilan tanilgan. |
| Kongo havzasi (Garamba milliy bog'i, Maiko milliy bog'i, Okapi yovvoyi tabiat qo'riqxonasi, Salonga milliy bog'i) DRC qismi va dunyodagi eng katta o'rmonlarning aksariyati Amazondan keyin. |
Shaharlar
Boshqa yo'nalishlar
Bir nechta bog'lar YuNESKOning Jahon merosi ro'yxati.
- 1 Virunga milliy bog'i
- 2 Kahuzi-Biega milliy bog'i
- 3 Garamba milliy bog'i
- 4 Salonga milliy bog'i
- 5 Okapi yovvoyi tabiat qo'riqxonasi
- 6 Maiko milliy bog'i
Tushuning
 | |
| Poytaxt | Kinshasa |
| Valyuta | Kongo franki (CDF) |
| Aholisi | 86,7 million (2019) |
| Elektr | 220 volt / 50 gerts (Europlug, o'zgaruvchan tok vilkalari va rozetkalari: britaniyaliklar va shunga o'xshash turlari, E turi) |
| Mamlakat kodi | 243 |
| Vaqt zonasi | UTC 01:00, UTC 02:00 |
| Favqulodda vaziyatlar | 113 (o't o'chirish bo'limi), 114 (politsiya), 118 (politsiya) |
| Haydash tomoni | to'g'ri |
| Wikidata-da tahrirlash | |
Geografiya
.JPG/300px-Sunrise_near_Mossaka_(Congo).JPG)
DRC haqiqatan ham ulkan. 2,345,408 kvadrat kilometrga (905,567 sqm), bu maydonlarning umumiy maydonlaridan kattaroqdir Ispaniya, Frantsiya, Germaniya, Shvetsiyava Norvegiya- yoki o'lchamidan deyarli uch yarim baravar ko'p Texas.
Mamlakatning o'ziga xos xususiyati dunyodagi ikkinchi o'rmon o'rmonidir. Butun mamlakat bo'ylab katta va kichik ilon daryolari va yo'l tarmog'i kambag'al bugungi kungacha asosiy transport vositasi bo'lib qolmoqda. Kongo daryosi - bu oqim bilan o'lchanadigan dunyodagi uchinchi eng katta daryo - u hatto Atlantika okeanigacha davom etadi va kontinental shelfning chetiga taxminan 50 milya (80 km) dengiz osti kanyoni hosil qiladi! Shuningdek, u 220 m (720 fut) gacha chuqurlikdagi dunyodagi eng chuqur daryolardan biri bo'lish xususiyatiga ega. Kongo daryosi juda katta miqdordagi suv, chuqurlik va tez suv oqimlari tufayli juda ko'p sonli endemik turlarga ega. Kongo daryosi yaqinidagi Boyoma sharsharasidan "boshlanadi" Kisangani. Ushbu yomg'irlar ustida daryo Lualaba daryosi deb nomlanadi, uning eng uzun irmog'i quyqa cho'zilgan Zambiya. Obangui daryosi DRC bilan chegarani tashkil qiladi CAR / Kongo-Brazzavil Kongo daryosiga quyilishidan oldin.
Albertine Rift - Sharqiy Afrika Riftining bir bo'lagi - DRCning sharqiy chegarasi bo'ylab harakatlanadi. Bu ko'llar uchun javobgardir Tanganika, Kivu, Edvard va Albert. Bu yoriqning yonida bir qator o'chib ketgan vulqonlar va bugungi kunda ham faol bo'lgan ikkita vulqon joylashgan. Bilan chegaradosh Rvenzori va Virunga tog'lari Ruanda go'zal tropik o'rmonlar orasida ko'tarilib, ba'zan dahshatli tuman bilan o'ralgan juda manzarali. Bir necha cho'qqilar 4000 m dan yuqori (13000 fut). Nyiragongo tog'ida dunyodagi to'rtta doimiy lava ko'llaridan biri mavjud.
Mamlakatning serqatnov o'rmonlar bilan qoplanmagan yagona qismi bu janub, Kasay viloyati atrofida bo'lib, unda asosan savanna va o'tloqlar mavjud.
Tarix
Bir necha ming yillar davomida hozirgi DRCni tashkil etadigan er yuzlab kichik ovchi / yig'uvchi qabilalari yashagan. Zich, tropik o'rmonlarning landshafti va yomg'irli iqlim mintaqa aholisini past darajada ushlab turdi va rivojlangan jamiyatlarning barpo bo'lishiga to'sqinlik qildi va natijada bugungi kunda ushbu jamiyatlarning ozgina qoldiqlari qolmoqda. Birinchi va yagona muhim siyosiy kuch 13-14 asrlarda tashkil etilgan Kongo qirolligi edi. Kongo qirolligi, hozirgi shimoliy hududga tarqaldi Angola, Kabinda, Kongo-Brazzavilva Bas-Kongo, boshqa Afrika xalqlari bilan fil suyagi, mis buyumlari, mato, sopol idishlar va qullarda (evropaliklar kelishidan ancha oldin) savdo qilish orqali juda boy va qudratli bo'ldi. Portugaliyaliklar 1483 yilda Kongolar bilan aloqa o'rnatgan va ko'p o'tmay, aholining aksariyati ergashgan holda qirolni nasroniy diniga aylantirishga muvaffaq bo'lishgan. Kongo qirolligi Kongo qonunlariga muvofiq sotilgan va asosan urush asirlari bo'lgan qullarning asosiy manbai edi. 15-asr oxiri - 16-asr boshlarida Kongo qirolligi taxtga o'tirish uchun shiddatli raqobatni, sharqda qabilalar bilan urushni va portugallar bilan qator urushlarni ko'rdi. Kongo qirolligi 1665 yilda portugallar tomonidan mag'lubiyatga uchradi va amalda o'z faoliyatini to'xtatdi, garchi Kongo qirolining asosan marosimdagi mavqei 1880 yillarga qadar saqlanib qolgan va "Kongo" Kongo daryosi deltasi atrofidagi erkin qabilalar to'plamining nomi bo'lib qolgan. Kivu va unga yaqin joylar Uganda, Ruanda, & Burundi dan kelgan arab savdogarlari uchun qullar manbai bo'lgan Zanzibar. Kuba Federatsiyasi, janubiy DRCda, qullikdan qochish va hatto Belgiyaning ular bilan aloqa o'rnatishga bo'lgan urinishlarini 1884 yildan boshlab qaytarish uchun etarli darajada izolyatsiya qilingan edi. 19-asr boshlarida hokimiyat tepaligidan so'ng, Kuba Federatsiyasi 1900 yilga kelib ajralib chiqdi. Boshqa joylarda , faqat kichik qabilalar va qisqa muddatli shohliklar mavjud edi.
Hozirgi DRC bo'lgan er Afrikaning evropaliklar tomonidan o'rganilgan so'nggi mintaqasi edi. Portugaliyaliklar hech qachon Atlantika qirg'og'idan bir-ikki yuz kilometrdan ko'proq masofani bosib o'tishga muvaffaq bo'lmadilar. Kongo daryosi bo'ylab sayohat qilish uchun tadqiqotchilar tomonidan o'nlab urinishlar qilingan, ammo tezkor suvlar, ularning atrofidagi o'tib bo'lmaydigan o'rmon, tropik kasalliklar va dushman qabilalar hatto eng yaxshi jihozlangan partiyalarning ham birinchi kataraktadan 160 km uzoqlikda sayohat qilishlariga to'sqinlik qildilar. Mashhur ingliz sayohatchisi doktor Livingstone 1860 yillarning o'rtalarida Nil bilan bog'langan, ammo aslida Kongoning yuqori qismi deb hisoblagan Lualaba daryosini o'rganishni boshladi. 1867 yilda Genri Morton Stenli bilan bo'lgan mashhur uchrashuvidan so'ng Livingstone Kongo daryosi bo'ylab Stenli hovuziga bordi, u Kinshasa & Brazzavil endi chegara. U erdan u quruqlikdan Atlantika okeaniga sayohat qildi.
In Belgiya, g'ayratli qirol Leopold II Belgiyani boshqa Evropa qudratlari bilan hamnafas bo'lish uchun mustamlaka olishini juda xohlar edi, lekin Belgiya hukumati tomonidan bir necha bor to'xtatildi (u Konstitutsiyaviy monarx edi). Nihoyat, u oddiy fuqaro sifatida o'zi koloniyani olishga qaror qildi va Kongoga da'vo qilish maqsadini belgilash uchun "gumanitar" tashkilotni tashkil qildi va keyin buni amalga oshirish uchun bir nechta qobiq kompaniyalarini tuzdi. Ayni paytda, Stenli o'zining orzu qilgan loyihasi - Kongo daryosining pastki kataraktasi orqali temir yo'lni moliyalashtiruvchini izladi, bu Kongoning yuqori 1000 millik qismida paroxodlarga imkon beradi va "Afrika yuragi" boyligini ochadi. Leopold Stenlidan gugurt topdi va unga Kongo daryosining yuqori qismida bir qator qal'alar qurishni va qabila rahbarlaridan suverenitetni sotib olishni (yoki xohlamaganlarni o'ldirishni) topshirdi. Kongoning yuqori qismida bir necha qal'alar qurilgan, ishchilar va materiallar Zanzibardan sayohat qilishgan. 1883 yilda Stenli Atlantika okeanidan Stenli hovuzigacha quruqlik bo'ylab sayohat qilishga muvaffaq bo'ldi. U ko'tarilgach, qudratli Zanzibari qulining ishidan shamol borligini va Lualaba daryosi atrofini egallab olganini bilib, Stenliga Stenli sharsharasi (zamonaviy joy Kisangani).
Kongo ozod shtati
1885 yilda Berlin konferentsiyasida Evropa davlatlari Afrikani o'zaro bo'lishganda, soyaboni ostida Association Internationale du Congo, Leopold, yagona aktsiyador, Kongo ustidan nazoratni rasmiy ravishda qo'lga kiritdi. The Kongo ozod shtati zamonaviy DRC-ni o'z ichiga olgan tashkil etilgan. Endi AICga muhtoj bo'lmagan Leopold uni do'stlari va tijorat sheriklari guruhi bilan almashtirdi va tezda Kongo boyliklarini topishga kirishdi. Aholi punkti bo'lmagan har qanday er Kongoning mulki hisoblangan va davlat har qanday evropalik 10-15 yillik er ijarasini sotib olib, barcha daromadlarini ushlab turishi mumkin bo'lgan shaxsiy zonaga (davlatning eksklyuziv mulki) va Erkin savdo zonasiga bo'lingan. o'z erlaridan. Britaniyaning Keyp Koloniyasi Katanga qo'shilishidan qo'rqib (unga huquqni Kongo amalga oshirmagan), Leopold Katanga zinapoyalar ekspeditsiyasini yubordi. Mahalliy Yeke Qirolligi bilan muzokaralar to'xtaganda, Belgiyaliklar qisqa muddatli urush olib bordilar va bu shohning boshini olish bilan tugadi. Yana bir qisqa urush 1894 yilda Lualaba daryosini bosib olgan Zanzibari qullari bilan olib borildi.
Urushlar tugagach, belgiyaliklar endi mintaqalardan maksimal darajada foyda ko'rishga intildilar. Ma'murlar maoshlari minimal darajaga tushirildi, ularning tumanlari foydasiga qarab katta komissiyalarni mukofotlash tizimi bilan, keyinchalik ular ma'murlarning xizmatlari oxiriga kelib, ularning rahbarlari tomonidan tasdiqlanganiga qarab komissiyalar tizimi bilan almashtirildi. Davlatga tegishli bo'lgan "Xususiy domen" da yashovchi odamlarga davlatdan boshqa hech kim bilan savdo qilish taqiqlangan va ular belgilangan kauchuk va fil suyagi kvotalarini arzon, belgilangan narxlarda etkazib berishlari kerak edi. Kongoda kauchuk yovvoyi uzumzordan kelib chiqqan va ishchilar ularni maydalab, tanasiga suyuq kauchukni surtib, qattiqlashganda og'riqli jarayonda qirib tashlashgan. Bu jarayonda yovvoyi uzumzorlar o'ldirildi, ya'ni rezina kvotalari ko'paygani sayin ularni topish qiyinlashdi.
Hukumat Majburiy publique qamoqqa olish, qiynoqqa solish, qamchilash va itoatsiz / isyonkor qishloqlarni zo'rlash va yoqish orqali ushbu kvotalarni amalga oshirdi. Biroq, FPning eng jirkanch harakati, qo'llarni olish edi. Kauchuk kvotalarni bajarmaganlik uchun jazo o'lim edi. Askarlar qimmatbaho o'qlarini sport ovida ishlatayotganidan xavotirlanib, qo'mondonlik askarlardan o'qni birovni o'ldirish uchun ishlatganligi uchun ishlatilgan har bir o'q uchun bitta qo'lini topshirishini talab qildi. Butun qishloqlar qurshab olingan va kesilgan qo'llar savati bilan o'ldirilgan aholi qo'mondonlarga qaytarilgan. Askerlar boshqalarga qaraganda ko'proq qo'llarini qaytarish uchun bonuslarni olishlari va uylariga erta qaytib kelishlari mumkin edi, ba'zi qishloqlar esa haqiqiy bo'lmagan kauchuk kvotalarga duch kelishgan, xuddi shunday taqdirni oldini olish uchun qo'shni qishloqlarni FPga taqdim etish uchun qo'l to'plash uchun. Kauchuk narxi 1890-yillarda ko'tarilib, Leopold va Kongo oqlariga katta boylik keltirdi, ammo oxir-oqibat Amerika va Osiyodan arzon kauchuk narxlar pasayib ketdi va CFSdagi operatsiya foydasiz bo'lib qoldi.
Asr boshiga kelib, ushbu vahshiyliklar haqidagi xabarlar Evropaga etib bordi. Bir necha yil davomida jamoatchilikni ushbu hisobotlar alohida voqealar va tuhmat ekanligiga ishontirgandan so'ng, boshqa Evropa davlatlari Leopoldning Kongo Erkin shtatidagi faoliyatini tekshirishni boshladilar. E'tiborga loyiq jurnalistlar va mualliflarning nashrlari (masalan, Konradnikidek) Zulmatning yuragi va Doylniki Kongo jinoyati) bu masalani Evropa jamoatchiligiga etkazdi. Belgiya hukumati xijolat bo'lib, nihoyat Kongo ozod davlatini qo'shib oldi, Leopold egaliklarini egallab oldi va shtat nomini o'zgartirdi. Belgiya Kongosi (hozir Frantsiya Kongosidan farq qilish uchun Kongo Respublikasi). Hech qachon ro'yxatga olish o'tkazilmagan, ammo tarixchilar Kongo aholisining taxminan 10 million kishiga qadar bo'lgan yarmining 1885-1908 yillarda o'ldirilganligini taxmin qilishmoqda.
Belgiya Kongosi
Belgiya hukumati majburiy mehnat va unga tegishli jazolarni bekor qilishdan tashqari, avvaliga jiddiy o'zgarishlarni amalga oshirmadi. Kongoning ulkan mineral boyliklaridan foydalanish uchun belgiyaliklar butun mamlakat bo'ylab avtomobil va temir yo'llar qurishni boshladilar (ularning aksariyati bugungi kunda asr davomida ozgina parvarish qilingan holda qolmoqda). Belgiyaliklar Kongoga ta'lim va sog'liqni saqlash xizmatlaridan foydalanish imkoniyatini berish uchun ham ishladilar. Davomida Ikkinchi Jahon UrushiKongo Belgiya hukumatiga hijratda sodiq qoldi London italiyaliklarni Efiopiyaga va nemislarni jalb qilish uchun qo'shin yubordi Sharqiy Afrika. Kongo shuningdek, dunyodagi asosiy kauchuk va rudalarni etkazib beruvchilardan biriga aylandi. Belgiya Kongosida qazib olingan uran AQShga yuborilgan va tashlangan atom bombalarida ishlatilgan Xirosima va Nagasaki bu tugadi Tinch okeani urushi.
Ikkinchi Jahon Urushidan keyin Belgiya Kongosi gullab-yashnagan va 1950-yillar Kongo tarixidagi eng tinch yillar bo'lgan. Belgiya hukumati sog'liqni saqlash muassasalari, infratuzilma va uy-joylarga sarmoya kiritdi. Kongoliklar mulkni sotib olish / sotish huquqiga ega bo'lishdi va ajratish deyarli yo'q bo'lib ketdi. Kichik o'rta sinf hatto katta shaharlarda rivojlandi. Belgiyaliklar qilmagan bir narsa, qora tanli rahbarlar va davlat xizmatchilarining o'qimishli sinfini tayyorlash edi. Qora tanli saylovchilar va nomzodlar uchun birinchi saylovlar 1957 yilda yirik shaharlarda o'tkazilgan. 1959 yilga kelib boshqa afrikalik mamlakatlarning muvaffaqiyatli mustaqillik harakatlari kongoliklarni ilhomlantirdi va mustaqillikka da'vatlar tobora kuchayib bordi. Belgiya mustamlakachilik urushi Kongo ustidan nazoratni saqlab qolishini istamadi va 1960 yil yanvar oyida Bryusselda bo'lib o'tadigan muzokaralarga bir nechta Kongo siyosiy rahbarlarini taklif qildi. Belgiyaliklar 1960 yilda parlament saylovlarini o'tkazish uchun 5-6 yillik o'tish rejasini yodda tutdilar va asta-sekin 1960 yil o'rtalarida mustaqillik bilan Kongo oldida ma'muriy javobgarlik. Puxta ishlab chiqilgan reja Kongo vakili tomonidan rad etildi va belgiyaliklar oxir-oqibat may oyida saylovlar o'tkazishni va 30 iyunda shoshilinch ravishda mustaqillikni berishlarini tan oldilar. Mintaqaviy va milliy siyosiy partiyalar bir paytlar qamoqqa olingan rahbar Patris Lumumba Bosh vazir va hukumat rahbari etib saylangan holda paydo bo'ldi.
Mustaqillik "Kongo Respublikasi" ga (shu nom bilan qo'shni Frantsiya mustamlakasi O'rta Kongo qabul qilingan) 1960 yil 30 iyunda berilgan edi. Ushbu kun Belgiya qiroliga qarshi shoh Leopold II dahosini maqtaganidan keyin istehzo va og'zaki hujum bilan ajralib turdi. . Mustaqillik haftalari ichida armiya oq tanli ofitserlarga qarshi isyon ko'tardi va qolgan oqlarga qarshi kuchaygan zo'ravonlik 80 ming Belgiyaliklarning deyarli barchasini mamlakatdan qochishga majbur qildi.
Kongo inqirozi
Mustaqillikdan keyin mamlakat tezda parchalanib ketdi. 14 iyun kuni Janubiy Kasay viloyati va Katanga viloyati 11 iyulda kuchli Moise Tshombe tomonidan mustaqilligini e'lon qildi. Tsombe Belgiyaning qo'g'irchog'i bo'lmasa-da, unga Belgiyaning moliyaviy va harbiy yordami katta yordam bergan. Katanga asosan Belgiya va Belgiya konchilik kompaniyalari manfaatlari tomonidan qo'llab-quvvatlanadigan neo-mustamlaka davlat edi. 14-iyul kuni BMT Xavfsizlik Kengashi BMTning tinchlikparvar kuchlariga va Belgiyaga Kongodan qolgan qo'shinlarini olib chiqishga vakolatli qaror qabul qildi. Belgiya qo'shinlari ketishdi, ammo ko'pgina ofitserlar yollanma ishchilar sifatida qolishdi va Kongo armiyasining hujumlarini oldini olishda muhim rol o'ynashdi (ular uyushmagan va ommaviy qotillik va zo'rlashda aybdor edilar). Prezident Lumumba SSSRdan yordam so'rab, harbiy yordam va 1000 sovet maslahatchisini oldi. Tinchlikni saqlash uchun BMT kuchlari keldi, lekin dastlab unchalik qilmadi. 1961 yil dekabrdagi qonli kampaniyadan so'ng Janubiy Kasay qaytarib olindi. Katangan armiyasiga yordam berish uchun Evropaning yollanma askarlari butun Afrikadan va hatto Evropadan kelishdi. Birlashgan Millatlar Tashkilotining kuchi yollanma askarlarni to'plash va vataniga qaytarishga harakat qildi, ammo bu hech qanday ta'sir ko'rsatmadi. Katanga kuch bilan Kongo tarkibiga qo'shilishi uchun BMT missiyasi oxir-oqibat o'zgartirildi. Bir yildan ko'proq vaqt davomida BMT va Katanga kuchlari turli to'qnashuvlarda kurashdilar. BMT kuchlari Katanga poytaxti Elisabetvillni o'rab oldi va qo'lga kiritdi (Lubumbashi) 1962 yil dekabrda. 1963 yil yanvarga kelib Tsxombe mag'lub bo'ldi, chet ellik yollanma askarlarning oxirgisi Angolaga qochib ketdi va Katanga Kongo tarkibiga qo'shildi.
Ayni paytda, Leopoldvillda (Kinshasa) Bosh vazir Lumumba va prezident Kasa-Vubu o'rtasidagi qarama-qarshi partiyalar o'rtasidagi munosabatlar tobora keskinlashib bordi. 1960 yil sentyabrda Kasa-Vubu Lumumbani Bosh vazir lavozimidan ozod qildi. Lumumba bu qonuniylikka qarshi chiqdi va Kasa-Vubuni prezident lavozimidan ozod qildi. Sotsialistik davlatni istagan Lumumba yordam so'rab SSSRga murojaat qildi. 14 sentyabrda - mustaqillikdan atigi ikki yarim oy o'tgach, Kongo armiyasi bosh shtabi boshlig'i general Mobutiga bosim o'tkazilib, davlat aralashuvi uyushtirdi va Lumumbani uy qamog'iga oldi. Mobutu Belgiya va AQSh elchixonalaridan askarlariga maosh to'lash va ularning sadoqatini qozonish uchun pul olgan edi. Lumumba qochib, Stenlivilga qochib ketdi (Kisangani) qo'lga olinishidan oldin va Elizabethville (Lubumbashi) ga olib borilishidan oldin, u omma oldida kaltaklangan, g'oyib bo'lgan va 3 hafta o'tgach vafot etgani haqida e'lon qilingan. Keyinchalik u Belgiya va AQSh rasmiylari (ular SSSRdan yordam so'ragan paytdan beri uni yashirincha o'ldirmoqchi bo'lgan) huzurida qatl etilganligi va Markaziy razvedka boshqarmasi va Belgiya uning qatl etilishida ishtirok etgani ma'lum bo'ldi.
Prezident Kasa-Vubu hokimiyatda qoldi va Katanganing Tsxombe oxir-oqibat bosh vazir bo'ldi. Lumumbist va maoist Per Myulle 1964 yilda isyon ko'tarib, mamlakatning uchdan ikki qismini muvaffaqiyatli egallab oldi va yordam uchun Maoist Xitoyga murojaat qildi. AQSh va Belgiya yana bu safar kichik harbiy kuch bilan ishtirok etishdi. Mulele qochib ketdi Kongo-Brazzavil, ammo keyinchalik Mobutuning amnistiya haqidagi va'dasi bilan Kinshasaga qaytariladi. Mobutu va'dasidan qaytdi va Mulele omma oldida qiynoqqa solindi, uning ko'zlari chiqib ketdi, jinsiy a'zolar kesildi va oyoq-qo'llari tirikligida birma-bir amputatsiya qilindi; keyin uning jasadi Kongo daryosiga tashlangan.
1960-1965 yillarda butun mamlakat keng mojarolar va isyonlarni ko'rdi va bu davrga "Kongo inqirozi" deb nom berishga olib keldi.
Mobutu
General Mobutu, qasamyodga qarshi antikommunist, Sovuq Urush avjida AQSh va Belgiya bilan do'stlashdi va o'z askarlarining sadoqatini sotib olish uchun pul olishni davom ettirdi. 1965 yil noyabr oyida Mobutu prezident va bosh vazir o'rtasidagi navbatdagi hokimiyat uchun kurash paytida, AQSh va Belgiyaning qo'llab-quvvatlashi bilan to'ntarishni boshladi. "Siyosatchilar" mamlakatni buzish uchun besh yil sarflagan deb da'vo qilib, "Besh yil davomida mamlakatda endi siyosiy partiyalar faoliyati bo'lmaydi" deb e'lon qildi. Mamlakat favqulodda holatga keltirildi, parlament zaiflashdi va tez orada yo'q qilindi va mustaqil kasaba uyushmalari bekor qilindi. 1967 yilda Mobutu ruxsat berilgan yagona siyosiy partiyani (1990 yilgacha) tashkil qildi, u tez orada hukumat bilan birlashdi va shu bilan hukumat amalda partiyaning vazifasiga aylandi. 1970 yilga kelib Mobutining hokimiyatiga bo'lgan barcha tahdidlar bartaraf etildi va prezidentlik saylovlarida u yagona nomzod bo'ldi va saylovchilarga umid uchun yashil rang yoki tartibsizlik uchun qizil rang berildi (Mobutu, yashil, 10,131,699 dan 157 gacha g'alaba qozondi). Mobutu va uning yaqinlari tomonidan ishlab chiqilgan yangi konstitutsiya 97 foizga ma'qullandi.
1970-yillarning boshlarida Mobutu nomli kampaniyani boshladi Haqiqiylikunda boshlangan millatchilik mafkurasini davom ettirdi N'Sele manifesti 1967 yilda Authenticité ostida Kongoliklarga afrikalik ismlarni qabul qilish buyurilgan, erkaklar an'anaviy abakost uchun Evropa kostyumlaridan voz kechishgan va geografik nomlar mustamlakachilikdan afrikalikka o'zgartirilgan. Mamlakat bo'ldi Zair 1972 yilda Leopoldvil Kinshasa, Elisabetvill Lubumbashi va Stenlivil Kisangani bo'ldi. Hammasidan ham ta'sirli bo'lib, Jozef Mobuto bo'ldi Mobutu Sese Seko Nkuku Ngbendu Va Za Banga ("O'zining chidamliligi va g'alaba qozonish uchun egilmas irodasi tufayli fathdan tortib fathga o'tib, o'z izida olov qoldirib ketadigan eng kuchli jangchi.") Yoki oddiygina Mobutu Sese Seko. Boshqa o'zgarishlar bilan bir qatorda barcha Kongoliklar teng deb e'lon qilindi va manzilning ierarxik shakllari yo'q qilindi, Kongo fuqarolari boshqalarga "fuqaro" deb murojaat qilishlari kerak edi va chet ellik mehmonlar evropaliklarga xos 21-miltiqdan ko'ra afrikalik qo'shiq va raqslar bilan kutib olindi.
70-80-yillar davomida hukumat Mobutuning qattiq quchog'i ostida qoldi, u siyosiy va harbiy rahbarlarni raqobatdan qochish uchun doimo aralashtirib turdi, shu bilan birga Authenticité ko'rsatmalarining bajarilishi susayib ketdi. Mobutu asta-sekin raqiblarini qiynash va o'ldirishdan ularni sotib olishgacha bo'lgan usullarga o'tdi. Kongoliklar hayotini yaxshilashga ozgina e'tibor berildi. Yagona partiyali davlat aslida jirkanch darajada boyib ketgan Mobutu va uning do'stlariga xizmat qilish vazifasini bajargan. Mobutuning haddan tashqari ko'pligi orasida u tug'ilgan shahardagi Concorde samolyotlarini boshqarish uchun etarlicha uzoq bo'lgan uchish-qo'nish yo'lagi bor edi, u vaqti-vaqti bilan chet elga rasmiy safarlari va Evropada xarid qilish uchun ijaraga olgan; u lavozimini tark etgach, uning 5 milliard AQSh dollaridan ortiq xorijiy hisobvaraqlari borligi taxmin qilingan. Shuningdek, u shaxsiyat kultiga asos solishga harakat qildi, hamma joyda uning qiyofasi, ommaviy axborot vositalariga boshqa har qanday davlat amaldorlarini ism-shariflari bilan aytishni taqiqlash (faqat sarlavha) va "Xalq Otasi", "Xalq Najotkori" kabi unvonlarni kiritdi. va "Oliy jangchi". Sovet uslubidagi yagona partiya davlati va avtoritar boshqaruviga qaramay, Mobutu vokal jihatdan antikommunist edi va Sovet qo'g'irchoq hukumatlarining Afrikada ko'tarilishidan qo'rqib (qo'shni Angola singari) AQSh va boshqa G'arbiy Blok kuchlari iqtisodiy yordam va siyosiy qo'llab-quvvatlashni davom ettirdilar. Mobutu rejimi.
Sovuq urush susaygach, Mobutuni xalqaro qo'llab-quvvatlash uning hukmronligini tanqid qilishga yo'l qo'ydi. Yashirin ravishda ichki muxolifat guruhlari ko'payib bordi va Kongo xalqi hukumat va tanazzulga uchragan iqtisodiyotga qarshi norozilik namoyishini boshladi. 1990 yilda birinchi partiyaviy saylovlar bo'lib o'tdi, ammo bu o'zgarishlarga ozgina ta'sir qildi. Ish haqi to'lanmagan askarlar 1991 yilda Kinshasada tartibsizliklar va talonchiliklarni boshladilar va aksariyat chet elliklar evakuatsiya qilindi. Oxir-oqibat, raqib hukumat oppozitsiya bilan muzokaralardan kelib chiqib, turg'un va ishlamay qolgan hukumatga olib keldi.
Birinchi va ikkinchi Kongo urushlari
1990-yillarning o'rtalariga kelib Mobutining hukmronligi oxiriga yaqin qolgani aniq edi. Endi Sovuq Urush siyosati ta'sirida bo'lmagan, xalqaro hamjamiyat unga qarshi chiqdi. Ayni paytda, Zair iqtisodiyoti yomon ahvolda edi (va hozirgi kungacha biroz yaxshilangan). Markaziy hukumat mamlakat ustidan zaif nazoratga ega edi va ko'plab muxolif guruhlar Kinshasadan uzoqda joylashgan Sharqiy Zairda boshpana topdilar.
Kivu mintaqasi uzoq asrlar davomida Ruandadan Belgiyaliklar tomonidan olib kelingan turli "mahalliy" qabilalar va tutsislar o'rtasidagi etnik nizolarga sabab bo'lgan. Mustaqillikdan keyin bir necha kichik mojarolar yuz bergan, natijada minglab odamlar o'lgan. Ammo 1994 yil Ruandadagi genotsid qo'shni Ruandada sodir bo'lganida, Sharqiy Zairga 1,5 milliondan ortiq etnik tutsi va xutu qochqinlari kirib keldi. Jangari Xutus - genotsidning asosiy tajovuzkorlari - tutsi qochqinlariga va Kongo tutsi aholisiga ( Banyamulenge) va shuningdek, Ruandaga hokimiyat tepasiga qaytish umidida hujumlar uyushtirish uchun militsiyalar tuzgan. Mobutu nafaqat zo'ravonlikni to'xtata olmadi, balki Ruandaga bostirib kirishi uchun xutlarni qo'llab-quvvatladi. 1995 yilda Zairiya parlamenti Ruanda yoki Burundiya millatiga mansub barcha odamlarni vataniga qaytarish uchun qaytarishni buyurdi. Tutsi boshchiligidagi Ruanda hukumati esa Zairda tutsi jangarilarini o'qitishni va qo'llab-quvvatlashni boshladi.
1996 yil avgust oyida janglar boshlanib, Kivu provinsiyasida istiqomat qiluvchi tutsislar isyon boshladilar va Shimoliy va Janubiy Kivu ustidan nazoratni qo'lga kiritish hamda xutu jangarilariga qarshi hujum qilishmoqda. Tez orada isyon mahalliy aholini qo'llab-quvvatladi va ko'plab Zairiya oppozitsiya guruhlarini to'pladi, ular oxir-oqibat birlashdilar Kongoni ozod qilish uchun demokratik kuchlar ittifoqi (AFDL) Mobutuni haydab chiqarish maqsadi bilan. Yil oxiriga kelib Ruanda va Uganda yordami bilan isyonchilar Sharqiy Zairning Ruanda va Ugandani Xutu hujumlaridan himoya qiladigan katta qismini nazorat qilishga muvaffaq bo'lishdi. Zairiya armiyasi kuchsiz edi va 1997 yil boshida Angola o'z qo'shinlarini yuborganida, isyonchilar mamlakatning qolgan qismini egallab olish va Mobutuni haydab chiqarish ishonchiga ega bo'lishdi. May oyiga kelib, isyonchilar Kinshasa yaqinida bo'lib, Lubumbashini egallab olishdi. Tomonlar o'rtasida tinchlik muzokaralari to'xtaganda, Mobutu qochib ketdi va AFDL rahbari Loran-Desir Kabila Kinshasaga yurish qildi. Kabila mamlakat nomini Kongo Demokratik Respublikasi deb o'zgartirdi, tartibni tiklashga harakat qildi va chet el qo'shinlarini 1998 yilda chiqarib yubordi.
Gomada 1998 yil avgust oyida tutsi askarlari o'rtasida g'alayon boshlandi va Sharqiy DRCning katta qismini nazoratga olgan yangi isyonchilar guruhi tuzildi. Kabila yangi isyonchilarni bostirishda yordam berish uchun Xutu militsiyalariga murojaat qildi. Ruanda buni tutsi aholisiga qilingan hujum sifatida ko'rdi va ularni himoya qilish uchun chegaradan qo'shinlarni yubordi. Oyning oxiriga kelib, isyonchilar Sharqiy DRCning katta qismini va poytaxt yaqinidagi kichik maydonni, shu jumladan Kinshasa uchun elektr energiyasini o'chirishga imkon beradigan Inga to'g'onini egallab oldilar. Kabila hukumati va poytaxt Kinshasa isyonchilar qo'liga o'tishi aniq bo'lganida, Angola, Namibiya va Zimbabve Kabilani himoya qilishga kelishib oldilar va Zimbabvedagi qo'shinlar poytaxtni isyonchilar hujumidan himoya qilish uchun o'z vaqtida etib kelishdi; Chad, Liviya va Sudan ham Kabilaga yordam berish uchun o'z qo'shinlarini yubordi. Tanglik yaqinlashganda, KXDRda janglarda qatnashgan chet el hukumatlari 1999 yil yanvarida o't ochishni to'xtatish to'g'risida kelishib oldilar, ammo isyonchilar uni imzolamagani uchun, janglar davom etdi.
1999 yilda isyonchilar axloqiy yoki Uganda / Ruanda tarafdori yo'nalishlarda birlashtirilgan ko'plab guruhlarga bo'linib ketishdi. Iyul oyida oltita urushayotgan davlat (DRC, Angola, Namibiya, Zimbabve, Ruanda va Uganda) va bitta isyonchi guruh o'rtasida tinchlik shartnomasi imzolandi va barchasi janglarni tugatishga va barcha isyonchi guruhlarni, ayniqsa 1994 yil bilan bog'liq bo'lganlarni ta'qib qilishni va qurolsizlantirishga kelishib oldilar. Ruanda genotsidi. Ruanda tarafdorlari va Uganda tarafdori bo'lgan guruhlar bir-biriga qarshi turganda va BMT 2000 yil boshida tinchlikparvarlik missiyasiga (MONUC) vakolat berganida kurash davom etdi.
2001 yil yanvar oyida Prezident Loran Kabila tansoqchi tomonidan o'qqa tutilgan va keyinchalik vafot etgan. Uning o'rnini uning o'g'li Jozef Kabila egalladi. Qo'zg'olonchilar kichik guruhlarga bo'linishni davom ettirdilar va DRC va chet el qo'shinlaridan tashqari bir-birlari bilan jang qildilar. Ko'plab isyonchilar o'zlari egallab olgan hududlardan olmos va boshqa "ziddiyatli minerallarni" (mis, rux va koltan kabi) kontrabanda yo'li bilan, xavfli sharoitlarda majburiy va bolalar mehnati bilan ko'p marta mablag 'topishga muvaffaq bo'lishdi. DRC 2002 yilda Ruanda va Uganda bilan tinchlik shartnomalarini imzolagan. 2002 yil dekabrda asosiy fraksiyalar Global va hamma narsani qamrab olgan shartnoma jangni tugatish. Shartnoma asosida mamlakatni birlashtiradigan, isyonchi guruhlarni birlashtiradigan va qurolsizlantiradigan va 2005 yilda yangi konstitutsiya va siyosatchilarga saylovlar o'tkazadigan Jozef Kabila qolgan prezident bo'lib o'tadigan o'tkinchi DRC hukumati tuzildi. Birlashgan Millatlar Tashkilotining tinchlikparvar kuchlari soni tobora ko'payib bordi va ularga qurolsizlanish vazifasi yuklatildi, ularning aksariyati 2003 yildan ancha oldin o'z qurolli guruhlarini saqlab qolishdi. Mojaro Shimoliy va Janubiy Kivu, Ituriya va Katanga shimoliy viloyatlarida saqlanib qolmoqda.
Jang paytida Birinchi Kongo urushi 250,000-800,000 halok bo'ldi. Ikkinchi Kongo urushi urush tufayli qochqinlar orasida ochlik va kasallik natijasida (1998-2008) 350 mingdan ziyod zo'ravonlik o'limiga (1998-2001) va 2,7-5,4 millionga "ortiqcha o'limga" olib keldi (1998-2008), bu uni eng xavfli mojaroga aylantirdi. Ikkinchi Jahon urushi tugaganidan beri dunyo.
Zamonaviy DRC
Jozef Kabila 2006 yilda yangi Konstitutsiya, parlament va prezident uchun xalqaro miqyosdagi saylovlar o'tkazilgunga qadar xalqaro hamjamiyat tomonidan katta moliyaviy va texnik ko'mak bilan o'tish davri hukumatining prezidenti bo'lib qoldi. Kabila won (and was re-elected in 2011). While corruption has been greatly reduced and politics have become more inclusive of minority political views, the country remains little improved from its condition at the end of Mobutu's rule. The DRC has the dubious distinction of having the lowest or second-lowest GDP per capita in the world (only Somalia ranks lower) and the economy remains poor. China has sought a number of mining claims, many of which are paid for by building infrastructure (railroads, roads) and facilities like schools & hospitals. The UN and many NGOs have a very large presence in the Kivu provinces, but despite a large amount of aid money, many still live in refugee camps and survive on foreign/UN aid. Fighting in Kivu & Ituri waned by the end of the decade, although many former militia members remain militant. Few have been tried and convicted for war crimes, although many former rebel leaders are accused of crimes against humanity & the use of child soldiers.
Soldiers formerly members of a militia that fought in Kivu from 2006 until a peace agreement in 2009 mutinied in April 2012 and a new wave of violence followed as they took control of a large area along the Uganda/Rwanda borders. Rwanda has been accused of backing this M23 movement and the UN is investigating their possible involvement.
Iqlim
The country straddles the Equator, with one-third to the north and two-thirds to the south. As a result of this equatorial location, the Congo experiences large amounts of precipitation and has the highest frequency of thunderstorms in the world. The annual rainfall can total upwards of 80 inches (2,032 mm) in some places, and the area sustains the second largest rain forest in the world (after that of the Amazon). This massive expanse of lush jungle covers most of the vast, low-lying central basin of the river, which slopes toward the Atlantic Ocean in the west. This area is surrounded by plateaus merging into savannahs in the south and southwest, by mountainous terraces in the west, and dense grasslands extending beyond the Congo River in the north. High, glaciated mountains are found in the extreme eastern region.
Read
- Heart of Darkness by Joseph Conrad. A short novel published in 1903 based on the experiences of Conrad while working in the Congo Free State.
- Through the Dark Continent by Henry Morton Stanley. An 1878 book documenting his trip down the Congo River.
- King Leopold's Ghost by Adam Hochschild. A non-fiction popular history book which examines the activities of Leopold and the men who ran the Congo Free State. A best-seller with 400,000 copies printed since publication in 1998. It is the basis of a 2006 documentary of the same name.
- Blood River: A Journey to Africa's Broken Heart by Tim Butcher. The author carefully retraces the route of Stanley's expedition in Through the Dark Continent and describes the challenges he faces.
- Dancing in the Glory of Monsters by Jason Stearns. Written by a member of the UN panel investigating Congolese rebels, this is a meticulously researched yet accessible account of the Congo wars.
People
More than 200 ethnic groups live in the Democratic Republic of Congo, including the Kongo, Mongo, Mangbetu, Azande, and Luba, who constitute 45% of the population of the Democratic Republic of Congo.
Holidays
- January 1 - New Year's Day
- January 4 - Martyrs Day
- Easter - moveable
- May 17 - Liberation Day
- June 30 - Independence Day
- August 1 - Parents Day
- November 17 - Army Day
- December 25 - Christmas
- December 30 - St. Paul's Day
Chiqinglar
Entry requirements
As with a lot of countries in Afrika, the DRC offers very few visa-free arrangements, and thus visas are required for virtually all nationalities.
Citizens of Burundi, Rwanda va Zimbabwe can enter the DRC visa free for up to 90 days. Citizens of Kenya, Mauritius va Tanzania can obtain a visa on arrival, valid for only 7 days.
You can find the visa requirements on the Interior Ministry website (in French). However, getting a visa—like most government services—isn't straightforward and can be a messy process, with different officials telling you different stories in different places around the country and at different embassies/consulates worldwide. And then there are immigration officials trying to get more money out of you for their own gain. What follows are the requirements that seem to be in place as of June 2012, although you may hear stories telling you otherwise.
If arriving by air (Kinshasa or Lubumbashi), you will need to have a visa before arrival and proof of yellow fever vaccination. Visas on arrival are not issued, or at least not commonly enough that you risk being placed on the next plane back. You should also have one passport-sized photograph, and evidence that you have sufficient funds to cover your stay, which includes evidence of a hotel reservation. The requirements and costs for visas vary from embassy to embassy, with some requiring a letter of invitation, others an onward air ticket, proof of funds for travel, and others nothing beyond an application. If planning to get a visa in a third country (e.g.: an American arriving by air from Ethiopia), wait for a visa before booking the airfare, since DRC embassies in some African countries only issue visas to citizens or residents of that country.
As for arriving overland, you're best off if your home country doesn't have a DRC embassy (such as Australia & New Zealand) in which case you can apply for a visa in neighbouring countries without too much trouble. If your passport is from a country with a DRC embassy then embassies in neighbouring countries (Uganda, Rwanda, etc.) may tell you that you can only apply for a visa in your country of citizenship or residence.
If you're entering the DRC from Uganda or Rwanda (especially at Goma), the visa process seems different for everyone. You can apply for a visa at the embassies in Kigali, Kampala, or Nairobi with a 1-7 day turnaround for US$50–80. Applying for a transit visa at the border no longer appears to be practical. Travellers trying to get a visa at the border have been asked for as much as US$500! (2012). The actual cost depends on who's working at the post that day, your nationality, and how persistent you are, with US$100 seeming to be the real price, but many being told US$200–300 either as just the "fee" or a fee plus "tip" for the officials. These visas are either "transit" visas valid for 7 days or visas only valid to visit the Goma and border areas. Given the bad security situation in North/South Kivu, you probably shouldn't venture outside Goma or the national parks anyways. If you visit Virunga National Park (official site), you can get a visa for USD50 and apply on-line or through your tour operator. If you can't get a visa at Goma for a reasonable price, you can travel south and try to cross at Bukavu and take a boat across the lake to Goma (do not go by road: too dangerous). Also, be sure if you cross the border to the DRC immigration post, you have officially left Uganda or Rwanda, so ensure you have a multiple-entry visa before leaving.
When exiting the country by air, there is a US$50 departure tax that you'll need to pay in cash at the airport. If you travel by boat from Kinshasa to Brazzaville, you must have a special exit permit and a visa for Congo-Brazzaville. To save time, money and stress, you should probably contact your embassy in Kinshasa before taking the ferry.
Samolyotda
The main gateway to the DRC is Kinshasa-N'djili airport (FIH IATA). Built in 1953, it hasn't had much in the way of upgrades and certainly doesn't rank among the continent's better airports.
Kimdan Afrika: South African Airways, Kenyan Airways, Ethiopian Airlines, & Royal Air Maroc serve Kinshasa-N'djili multiple times a week from Johannesburg, Nairobi, Addis Ababa, & Casablanca (via Douala), respectively.
Other African airlines serving Kinshasa-N'Djili are: Afriqiyah Airways (Tripoli); Air Mali (Douala, Bamako); Benin Gulf Air (Cotonou, Pointe-Noire); Camair-co (Douala); CAA (Entebe); Ethiopian/ASKY (Brazzaville, Cotonou, Douala, Lagos, Lome); RwandAir (Kigali); TAAG Angola Airways (Luanda); Zambezi Airlines (Lusaka).
Kimdan Evropa: Air France & Brussels Airlines have regular direct flights. Turkish Airlines will begin service from Istanbul in August 2012. You can also try booking travel through one of the major African airlines like Eithiopian, South African, Kenyan, or Royal Air Maroc.
The DRC's second city Lubumbashi (FBM IATA) has an international airport served by Ethiopian Airlines (Lilongwe, Addis Ababa), Kenya Airways (Harare, Nairobi), Korongo (Johannesburg), Precision Air (Dar es Salaam, Lusaka), & South African Express (Johannesburg).
Other airports with international service are Goma (GOM IATA) with service by CAA to Entebbe (Kampala) & Kisangani (FKI IATA) which is served by Kenya Airways from Nairobi.
Poyezdda
There are no international passenger trains from neighboring countries, and limited freight traffic, despite two international railway lines, one from Angola and one from Zambia into the Katanga region. Lines are in various state of disrepair and others are simple abandoned. While some repairs, mainly with Chinese help, have taken place it's unlikely that new cross-border services will materialize in the next few years. However, for the intrepid traveler it's possible to catch a train to the border town of Luao, yilda Eastern Angola, and cross the border by other means. There are also trains to Kitwe va Ndola ichida Copperbelt of northern Zambia, from where it's possible to cross the border.
Mashinada
The roads as a whole are too rocky or muddy for cars without 4 wheel drive. Decent paved roads connect the Katanga region with Zambia and Kinshasa down to Matadi and Angola. Roads enter the DRC from Uganda, Rwanda, & Burundi, although travelling far past the border is very difficult and parts of the Eastern DRC remain unsafe. There are ferries to take vehicles across the Congo River from Congo-Brazzaville and it may be possible to find a ferry from the CAR to the remote, unpaved roads of the northern DRC. Do not entirely trust your map. Many display an unfortunate wishful thinking. Roads are frequently washed out by rains, or were simply never built in the first place. Ask a local or a guide whether or not a route is passable.
Avtobusda
From Uganda to Congo via Bunagana Kisoro Border.There are many buses which operate daily between Bunagana /Uganda and Goma every day 07:00-13:00. Prices for the bus is USD5. A valid visa for both countries is required in either direction. Entry and exit procedures at Bunagana border are "easy" and straight forward, and people are very helpful in assisting visitors to get through without troubles.
Qayiqda
Passenger and VIP ferries also locally known as 'Carnot Rapide' operate daily between Brazzaville and Kinshasa roughly every two hours 08:00-15:00. Prices for the ferries are: USD15 for the passenger and USD25 for the VIP ferry (Carnot Rapide). The latter is recommended as these are brand new boats and not cramped. A valid visa for both countries is required in either direction as well as (at least "officially") a special permit. The bureaucracy at either end require some time. Entry and exit procedures in Brazzaville are "easy" and straight forward and people are very helpful in assisting to get through without troubles. In contrast, these procedures are a bit difficult in Kinshasa and depend much on whether you are an individual traveller or assisted by an organisation or an official government representative.
There are also speed boats to hire, either in a group or alone (price!), however, it is not advisable to book them as they really speed across the river along the rapids.
Atrofga boring
Samolyotda
Due to the immense size of the country, the terrible state of the roads and the poor security situation, the only way to get around the country quickly is by plane. This is not to say that it's safe — Congolese planes crash with depressing regularity, with eight recorded crashes in 2007 alone — but it's still a better alternative to travelling overland or by boat.
The largest and longest-operating carrier is Compagnie Africain d'Aviation, with service to Goma, Kananga, Kindu, Kinshasa-N'djili, Kisangani, Lubumbashi, Mbandaka, Mbuji-Maya, & Entebbe(Kampala), Uganda.
Formed in 2011, Stellar Airlines operates one Airbus A320 plane between Kinshasa-N'djili and Goma and Lubumbashi.
FlyCongo was formed in 2012 from the remnants of former national airline Hewa Bora, operating from Kinshasa-N'djili to Gemena, Goma, Kisangani, Lubumbashi, & Mbandaka.
Air Kasaï operates from Kinshasa-N'Dolo to Beni, Bunia, Goma, & Lubumbashi.
Congo Express was formed in 2010 and flies only between Lubumbashi and Kinshasa.
Wimbi Dira Airways was once the second-largest carrier, but does not appear to be operating as of June 2012. Others that may or may not be operating are: Air Tropiques, Filair, Free Airlines, and Malift Air all operating out of Kinshasa-N'Dolo airport.
By truck
As smaller vehicles are unable to negotiate what remains of the roads, a lot of travel in the Congo is done by truck. If you go to a truck park, normally near the market, you should be able to find a truck driver to take you where ever you want, conflict zones aside. You travel on top of the load with a large number of others. If you pick a truck carrying bags of something soft like peanuts it can be quite comfortable. Beer trucks are not. If the trip takes days then comfort can be vital, especially if the truck goes all night. It helps to sit along the back, as the driver will not stop just because you want the toilet. The cost has to be negotiated so ask hotel staff first and try not to pay more than twice the local rate. Sometimes the inside seat is available. Food can be bought from the driver, though they normally stop at roadside stalls every 5/6 hours. Departure time are normally at the start or end of the day, though time is very flexible. It helps to make arrangements the day before. It is best to travel with a few others. Women should never ever travel alone. Some roads have major bandit problems so check carefully before going.
At army checkpoints locals are often hassled for bribes. Foreigners are normally left alone, but prepare some kind of bribe just in case. By the middle of the afternoon the soldiers can be drunk so be very careful and very polite. Never lose your temper.
By ferry
A ferry on the Congo River operates, if security permits, from Kinshasa to Kisangani, every week or two. You can pick it up at a few stops en route, though you have to rush as it doesn't wait. A suitable bribe to the ferry boss secures a four bunk cabin and cafeteria food. The ferry consists of 4 or so barges are tied around a central ferry, with the barges used as a floating market. As the ferry proceeds wood canoes paddled by locals appear from the surrounding jungle with local produce - vegetables, pigs, monkeys, etc. - which are traded for industrial goods like medicine or clothes. You sit on the roof watching as wonderful African music booms out. Of course it is not clean, comfortable or safe. It is however one of the world's great adventures.
Poyezdda
.jpg/220px-Matadi_train_station_(21236934082).jpg)
The few trains which still operate in the DRC are in very poor condition and run on tracks laid by the Belgian colonial government over a half century ago. The rolling stock is very old and dilapidated. You are lucky to get a hard seat and even luckier if your train has a dining car (which probably has limited options that run out halfway through the trip). Expect the car to be overcrowded with many sitting on the roof. Trains in the DRC operate on an erratic schedule due to lack of funds or fuel and repairs/breakdowns that are frequent. On many lines, there can be 2–3 weeks between trains. If there's any upside, there haven't been too many deaths due to derailments (probably less than have died in airplane crashes in the DRC). There's really no way to book a train ride in advance; simply show up at the station and ask the stationmaster when the next train will run and buy a ticket on the day it leaves. The Chinese government in return for mining rights has agreed to construct US$9 billion in railroads and highways, but there is little to show for this as of 2012.
As of 2019, the following lines are in operation...but as mentioned above, that doesn't imply frequent service:
- Kinshasa-Matadi — The busiest and best equipped route in the whole country. As of 2019 there is one "express" service per week in each direction. Trains are semi-modern and has both a first-class carriages and a dining car. The railway line was first built in the 1890s and is infamous for the enormous human cost, where thousands of the forced laborers perished.
- Lubumbashi-Ilebo — Possible weekly service, with the journey taking 6–8 days. In 2007, the Chinese agreed to extend the line to Kinshasa, but current progress in unknown. Ilebo lies at the end of the navigable portion of the Kasai River, allowing travellers to transfer to ferry to reach Western DRC.
- Kamina-Kindu — Unusable after the war, this line has been rehabilitated. The line connects with the Lubumbashi-Ilebo line, so there may be trains running from Lubumbashi-Kindu.
- Kisangani-Ubundu — A portage line to bypass the Stanley Falls on the Congo, service only runs when there is freight to carry when a boat arrives at either end which may be once every 1–2 months. There are no passenger ferries from Ubundu to Kindu, but you may be able to catch a ride on a cargo boat.
- Bumba-Isiro — An isolated, narrow-gauge line in the northern jungles, service has restarted on a small western section from Bumba-Aketi (and possibly Buta). There were reports of trains running in the eastern section in 2008, but this part is most likely abandoned.
Lines that are most likely inoperable or very degraded/abandoned are:
- A branch of the Lubumbashi-Ilebo line that runs to the Angolan border. It once connected with Angola's Benguela railway and ran to the Atlantic until the 1970s when the Angolan side was destroyed by a civil war. The western half of the Benguela railway, in Angola has been rehabilitated and trains run up to the border with DRC.
- The Kabalo-Kalemie line runs from the Kamina-Kindu line at Kabalo to Kalemie on Lake Tanganyika. The easternmost section has been abandoned. Although unlikely, there may be service on the western half of the line.
Gapir
French is the lingua franca of the country and nearly everyone has a basic to moderate understanding of French. In Kinshasa and much of the Western DRC, nearly everyone is fluent in French with Kinshasa being the second or third largest French-speaking city in the world (depending on your source), although locals may be heard speaking Lingala amongst themselves. Much of the eastern half speaks Swahili as a regional language. The other major regional languages in the country are Kikongo va Tshiluba, and the Congo also has a wide range of smaller local languages. Like the regional languages, the local languages are mostly in the Bantu family. If you are travelling to the southwestern border near Angola you can find some Portugal speakers.
Qarang
The "Academie des Beaux-Arts" is often considered a touristic site and is in itself and with its gallery a good place to meet the famous artists of this country. Big names like Alfred Liyolo, Lema Kusa oder Roger Botembe are teaching here as well as the only purely abstract working artist Henri Kalama Akulez, whose private studio is worth a visit.
Qil
Congo is the centre of popular African music. Try visiting a local bar or disco, in Bandal or Matonge (both in Kinshasa), if possible with live soukouss music, and just hit the dance floor!
Sotib oling
There are some supermarkets in Gombe commune of Kinshasa that sell food and drinks, soap, kitchen devices and bazar: City Market, Peloustore, Kin Mart, Hasson's.
SIM cards and prepaid recharge for mobile phones are available in the street and at Ndjili airport, at a reasonable price.
Pul
Exchange rates for Congolese franc As of January 2021:
Exchange rates fluctuate. Current rates for these and other currencies are available from XE.com |
The local currency is the Congolese franc, sometimes abbreviated FC and sometimes just with a capital F placed after the amount (ISO international currency code: CDF). The currency is freely convertible (but impossible to get rid of outside the country).
Banknotes are issued in denominations of FC50, 100, 200, 500, 1,000, 5,000, 10,000 and 20,000. The only Congolese bank notes in circulation in most places are the 50, 100, 200 and 500 franc notes. They are almost worthless, as the highest valued banknote (the 500 franc note) is worth only about US$0.55.
US dollars in denominations above US$2 are much preferred to francs. In contrast, US coins and one and two US dollar bills are considered worthless. If you pay in dollars, you will get change in francs. Though francs may sometimes come as notes so old they feel like fabric, US dollar bills must be crisp (less than 3 folds) and be printed in or after 2003, or they will not be accepted.
In some shops, the symbol FF is used to mean 1,000 francs.
MasterCard/Maestro ATMs are available now in Kinshasa at the "Rawbank" on boulevard du 30 Juin (Gombe District), and in Grand Hotel. It dispenses US dollars. Visa card is also usable with "Procredit" bank ATMs in Kinshasa, avenue des Aviateurs, or outside in front of Grand Hotel (only US$20 and US$100 bills).
You can withdraw money with a Mastercard or Visa card at all Ecobank or Equity banks ATMs in DRC.
Yemoq
Congo has one national dish: moambe. It's made of eight ingredients (moambe is the Lingala word for eight): palm nuts, chicken, fish, peanuts, rice, cassave leaves, bananas and hot pepper sauce.
Ichish
The usual soft drinks (called sucré in Congo) such as Coke, Pepsi and Mirinda are available in most places and are safe to drink. Local drinks like Vitalo are amazing. Traditional drinks like ginger are also common.
The local beer is based on rice, and tastes quite good. It comes in 75 cl bottles. Primus, Skol, Castel are the most common brands. Tembo, Doppel are the local dark beers.
In rural areas, you may try the local palm wine, an alcoholic beverage from the sap of the palm tree. It is tapped right from the tree, and begins fermenting immediately after collection. After two hours, fermentation yields an aromatic wine of up to 4% alcohol content, mildly intoxicating and sweet. The wine may be allowed to ferment longer, up to a day, to yield a stronger, more sour and acidic taste, which some people prefer.
Beware of the local gin. Sometimes unscrupulous vendors mix in methanol which is toxic and can cause blindness. Some people believe that the methanol is a by product of regular fermentation. This is not the case as regular fermentation can not yield methanol in toxic amounts.
Uyqu
There are more and more hotels in Kinshasa, with smaller hotels available in Gombe and Ngaliema area.In many small towns the local church or monastery may have beds available. You may also encounter the occasional decaying colonial hotel. Not all are safe.
Xavfsiz bo'ling
See also War zone safety va Tips for travel in developing countries.
.jpg/220px-MONUSCO_peacekeepers_-_Last_line_of_defense_near_Goma._Photo_MONUSCO_(8229506972).jpg)
DR Congo remains one of the most underdeveloped countries in Africa and a significant portion of the DRC is not safe for any travel or sightseeing. In addition to active conflicts, the country has very limited health care and tourism facilities, even by African standards.
The Democratic Republic of the Congo has seen more than its fair share of violence. A number of ongoing wars, conflicts, and episodes of fighting have occurred since independence, with sporadic, regional violence continuing today. As a result, significant sections of the country should be considered off-limits to travellers.
In the northeastern part of the country, the LRA (of child-soldier & 'Kony' fame) continues to roam the jungles near the border with the CAR/South Sudan/Uganda. Although a few areas very close to the Ugandan border are relatively safe to visit, travel anywhere north and east of Kisangani & Bumba is dangerous.
The regions of North & South Kivu have been in a state of continuous conflict since the early 1990s. The days of the notoriously bloody violence that occurred during the First and Second Congo Wars (during which 5 million died in fighting or through resulting disease/famine) officially ended with a peace treaty in 2003. However, low-level violence spurred by several warlords/factions has occurred ever since and this region is home to the largest UN peacekeeping mission in the world (as of 2012). Hundreds of thousands live in refugee camps near Goma. In April 2012, a new faction—"M23"—arose, led by Gen.Ntaganda (wanted by the ICC for war crimes) and has captured/attacked many towns in the region, where they are accused of killing civilians and raping women. This has been the most serious crisis since the end of war in 2003. In mid-July, they threatened to invade Goma to protect the Tutsi population there from "harassment"; the UN peacekeeping mission quickly responded that they would reposition 19,000 peacekeepers to protect Goma & nearby refugee camps. How serious the threat of fighting in Goma remains to be seen BBC report) The only safe areas in North/South Kivu are the cities of Goma & Bukavu and Virunga National Park, all on the Rwandan border.
The dangers to visitors are far beyond conflicts, though. After Somalia, the DRC is most likely the least developed country in Africa. The road network is pathetic. The country's roads are in very poor condition and travel over long distances by road can take weeks, especially during the wetter months. Even some of the country's "main" roads are little more than mud tracks that can only be travelled by 4x4 or 6x6 trucks. The DRC has just 2250 km of sealed roads, of which the UN considers only 1226 km to be in "good" condition. To put this in perspective, the road distance east-west across the country in any direction is over 2500 km (e.g. Matadi to Lubumbashi is 2700 by road)! Another comparison is that there are just 35 km of paved highway per 1 000 000 people—Zambia (one of the poorest African countries) and Botswana (one of the richest) have 580 km and 3427 km per 1 000 000 people, respectively. Public transportation is almost non-existent and the primary means of travel is catching a ride on an old, overloaded truck where several paying passengers are allowed to sit atop the cargo. This is very dangerous.
Congolese planes crash with depressing regularity, with eight recorded crashes in 2007 alone. Despite this, the risks of air travel remain on par with travel by road, barge, or rail. The notorious Hewa Bora airlines has gone out of business and the creation of a handful of new airlines between 2010 and 2012 should lead to improvement in the safety of air travel in the DRC. Avoid at all costs, old Soviet aircraft that are often chartered to carry cargo and perhaps a passenger or two and stick with the commercial airlines operating newer aircraft (listed above under "Get around/By plane"). If you are still fearful of getting on a Congolese plane and aren't as concerned about cost, you can try flying with a foreign carrier such as Kenyan Airways (which flies to Kinshasa, Lubumbashi, & Kisangani) or Ethiopian (Kinshasha, Lubumbashi). Just be sure to check the visa requirements to transit.
Travel by river boat or barge remains somewhat risky, although safer than by road. Overcrowded barges have sunk and aging boats have capsized travelling along the Congo River, resulting in hundreds of deaths. Before catching a ride, take a look at the vessel you will be boarding and if you don't feel safe, it is better to wait for the next boat, even if you must wait several days. Most of the country's rail network is in disrepair, with little maintenance carried out since the Belgians left. A few derailings have occurred, resulting in large numbers of casualties. Trains in the DRC are also overloaded, don't even think about joining the locals riding on the roof!
Crime is a serious problem across much of the country. During the waning years of Mobutu's rule, Kinshasa had one of the highest murder rates in the world and travel to Kinshasa was comparable to Baghdad during the Iraq War! While violence has subsided considerably, Kinshasa remains a high crime city (comparable to Lagos or Abidjan). Keep anything that can be perceived as valuable by a Congolese out of sight when in vehicles, as smash-and-grab crime at intersections occurs. Markets in larger cities are rife with pickpockets. Keep in mind that the DRC remains among the 3-4 poorest countries in Africa and compared to the locals, every white person is perceived as rich. Be vigilant of thieves in public places. If travelling in remote areas, smaller villages are usually safer than larger ones. Hotel rooms outside the biggest cities often don't have adequate safety (like flimsy locks on doors or ground-level windows that don't lock or have curtains).
Taking photos in public can be cause for suspicion. By some accounts, an official permit is needed to take photos in the DRC. Actually they will likely be difficult or impossible to find or obtain. Do not photograph anything that can be perceived as a national security threat, such as bridges, roadblocks, border crossings, and government buildings.
Additionally, the DRC has very poor health care infrastructure/facilities. Outside the capital Kinshasa, there are very few hospitals or clinics for sick or injured travellers to visit. If you are travelling on one of the country's isolated, muddy roads or along the Congo River, you could be over a week away from the nearest clinic or hospital! A number of tropical diseases are present—see "Stay healthy" below.
Those visiting for business, research, or international aid purposes should consult with their organization and seek expert guidance before planning a trip. Travellers visiting on their own should consult the advice of your embassy for any travel to the DRC.
Stay healthy
Shuningdek qarang: Tropical diseases, Malaria, Dengue fever, Yellow fever, & Mosquitoes.
Medical facilities in the DRC are in extremely poor condition.
Ebola Virus – a virus which killed 49 people in DRC during a three-month outbreak in 2014 – remains present in the equatorial forest region of Bas-Uele province (bordering Central African Republic/CAR). On 1 August 2018, the Ministry of Health of the Democratic Republic of the Congo declared a new outbreak of Ebola virus disease in North Kivu and Ituri Provinces. Travellers should avoid eating bushmeat, avoid contact with persons that appear ill, practice good personal hygiene and seek medical advice before travel. As of September 2019, this outbreak is still ongoing with more than 3,000 cases and 2,000 deaths.
You will need a yellow fever vaccination in order to enter the country by air (this requirement is often ignored at land entry points, particularly the smaller ones). There are health officials at some major entry points, such as the airport in Kinshasa, who check this before you are allowed to enter.
Congo is malarial, although slightly less in the Kivu region due to the altitude, so use insect repellent and take the necessary precautions such as sleeping under mosquito nets. The riverside areas (such as Kinshasa) are quite prone to malaria.
If you need emergency medical assistance, it is advised that you go to your nation's embassy. The embassy doctors are normally willing and skilled enough to help. There are safe hospitals in Kinshasa, like "CMK" (Centre Medical de Kinshasa), which is private and was established by European doctors (a visit costs around US$20). Another private and non-profit hospital is Centre Hospitalier MONKOLE, in Mont-Ngafula district, with European and Congolese doctors. Dr Léon Tshilolo, a paediatrician trained in Europe and one of the African experts in sickle-cell anaemia, is the Monkole Medical Director.
Drink lots of water when outside. The heat and close proximity to the equator can easily give those not acclimated heatstroke after just a few hours outside without water. There are many pharmacies that are very well supplied but prices are a few times higher than in Europe.
Do not drink tap water. Bottled water seems to be cheap enough, but sometimes hard to find for a good price.
Respect
Photography is officially illegal without an official permit — the last known price for it was US$60. Even with this permit, photography is very difficult with the Congolese becoming extremely upset when photographed without permission or when one is taking a picture of a child. These confrontations can be easily diffused by apologizing profusely and not engaging in the argument. Sometimes a small bribe might be needed to "grease the wheels" as well.
Never under any circumstances photograph government buildings or structures. This includes but is not limited to police stations, presidential palaces, border crossings, and anywhere in the airport. You will be detained by police if caught and unable to bribe them for your transgression.
When motorcades pass, all vehicular traffic is expected to provide a clear path. Do not photograph these processions.
At dawn and dusk (c. 06:00 and 18:00 daily), the national flag is raised and lowered. All traffic and pedestrians are required to stop for this ceremony, with reports indicating that those who do not are detained by security personnel.