Democratic People's Republic of the Congo
From Roach Busters
| République Populaire Démocratique du Congo Democratic People's Republic of the Congo | |
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| Flag | Coat of arms |
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| Motto "Travail, Égalité, Socialisme" (French) "Work, Equality, Socialism" | |
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| Anthem Congo, Le Fleuve Beau (French) (Congo, The Beautiful River) | |
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| Capital Largest city | Nkuna 4°14′S, 15°14′E Kinchassa |
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| Official languages | French |
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| Recognized regional languages | Kongo/Kituba, Lingala, Kingwana, Tshiluba |
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| Government - President - Vice President - Prime Minister - General-Secretary of PSRC | Socialist state to be determined to be determined to be determined to be determined |
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| Establishment | August 11, 1964 |
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| Area - Total - Water (%) | 2,686,858 km² 1,037,398 sq mi 3.3 |
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| Population - July 2008 estimate - Density | 70,417,824 26.2 /km² 67.9 /sq mi |
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| GDP (PPP) - Total - Per capita | 2008 estimate $75.417 billion $1,071 |
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| GDP (nominal) - Total - Per capita | 2008 estimate $96.402 billion $1,369 |
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| Gini (2006) |  34.5 (medium)
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| HDI (2005) |  0.699 (medium)
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| Currency | Ebale (COE)
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| Time zone - Summer (DST) | WAT, CAT (UTC +1 to +2) not observed (UTC +1 to +2) |
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| Internet TLD | .cg |
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| Calling code | +243 |
The Democratic People's Republic of the Congo (French: République Populaire Démocratique du Congo) is a large, developing nation in Central Africa. It borders Cameroon, Central African Republic, and Sudan to the north; Uganda, Rwanda, Burundi, and Tanzania to the east; Zambia and Angola to the south; and Cabinda (an enclave of Angola) and Gabon to the west. Formed in 1964 by a merger of the former French and Belgian Congos, the Democratic People's Republic of the Congo has followed the principles of Marxism-Leninism for most of its existence, and remains one of the most militant, revolutionary states in the Third World.
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[edit] History
[edit] Unification
The immediate post-independence years were difficult for both Congos; within days, the former Belgian Congo descended into chaos, plagued by secession, tribal warfare, white flight, economic upheaval, Cold War meddling that effectively internationalized the conflict, and a death toll that quickly mounted into the tens, and eventually hundreds, of thousands. Extreme instability ensued, with frequent coups and counter-coups, an insurgency growing like wildlife, and militant unrest among the young and disaffected. The country was ripe for revolution.
The former French Congo fared slightly better; while its government was hopelessly corrupt, and immensely unpopular, there was a tenuous peace. It did not last long, however. Three days of nation-wide protests prompted the resignation of President Fulbert Youlou; the shaky interim government that followed lasted less than a week before being toppled by a military coup staged by radical officers with pro-Soviet leanings.
In the former Belgian Congo, the officers' counterparts, Pierre Mulele, Christophe Gbenye, and Gaston Soumialot, secretly plotted with the new junta in Brazzaville to unite the two Congos as Africa's first Marxist-Leninist state. A multinational "Party of Social Progress" was formed in both countries. Mulele, Gbenye, and Soumialot maintained a hidden profile, as their radicalism and penchant for committing atrocities (they had tortured and massacred thousands in the east of the country) were well known. Easily amenable moderates, including some staunch anticommunists, were duped into assuming the "leadership" of the new party - where Mulele and his cohorts controlled it behind the scenes. The party, presenting itself as a moderate social democratic party committed to pan-Africanism, liberal democracy, a mixed economy, and neutrality in the Cold War, soon attracted broad support. Meanwhile, the ongoing unrest and violence continued to take their toll on the government of President Joseph Kasavubu, whose popularity plummeted.
In 1964, under increasing domestic and international pressure, Kasavubu resigned, and nationwide elections were held. The Party of Social Progress won a landslide victory, and within days of assuming power, arranged a binational referendum, to be held in both Congos. Voters were offered the question: "Do you support a union of Congo-Léopoldville and Congo-Brazzaville?" A majority of both countries' electorates voted "yes," and in August 1964, the United Republic of the Congo (French: République Unie du Congo) was born.
[edit] Dictatorship and civil war
Shortly afterwards, the party showed its true colors, and announced that henceforth the new country would be a one-party state aligned with the forces of "progress and anti-colonialism." Moderate politicians were arrested in droves, the media was gagged, and even the mildest protests against the regime were met with extreme brutality. Soviet and Eastern bloc money poured in, Cuban advisors arrived to begin training a secret police force, and both the U.S.S.R. and the People's Republic of China provided extensive military aid. An attempted coup by Lieutenant General Joseph Mobutu in November 1965 prompted the government to begin a nation-wide purge of anticommunists, "capitalist roaders," and other "counterrevolutionaries." Massacres on a scale unseen since the hey-day of Nazi Germany soon followed, embroiling the country in a five year civil war. Mobutu himself barely escaped the country with his life. When it ended in 1970, more than 3 million Congolese had died, almost all of them civilians. Most opponents of the government were now either dead, in exile, or in prison.
[edit] The 1970s: The boom decade
The civil war had left the country's economy and infrastructure in a shambles. Only massive influxes of humanitarian aid by the international community averted complete economic collapse and saved millions from starvation (interestingly, more than 85% of this aid came from the West). The country's misfortunes were short-lived, however; a rapid surge in copper and oil prices provided enough stimulus to revitalize the economy, and provided the government with huge revenues. Roads, railroads, ports, harbors, and bridges were built; expenditures earmarked for education, healthcare, and social services increased 250%; an ambitious immunization program was launched nation-wide; and several public works programs were launched, including the construction of new hydroelectric dams, steel mills, and skyscrapers, provided abundant job opportunities for the populace. The nationalization of former French and Belgian properties, which had begun in the mid-1960s but was interrupted by the outbreak of civil war, continued, and was complete by 1973.
While there was a noticeable rise in Congolese living standards, the main beneficiaries of the economic boom were the members of the upper echelons of the Congolese Revolutionary Socialist Party, many of whom became millionaires overnight. Corruption became endemic, and the gap between rich and poor grew ever wider, in spite of the government's repeated insistence that it was committed to egalitarianism. to be continued
[edit] Politics
The DPRC is a single-party socialist republic. Suffrage is universal and compulsory at the age of eighteen.
[edit] Congolese Revolutionary Socialist Party
The only legal political party in the Congo is the Congolese Revolutionary Socialist Party (Parti Socialiste Révolutionnaire Congolaise), better known by its French language acronym, PSRC. The central role of the party is codified in the constitution. The PSRC is a Marxist-Leninist party run on democratic centralist lines.
Party policy is set by the twelve-member Political Bureau (Politburo), headed by the General-Secretary. Politburo members are elected by the party's 150-member Central Committee, and the Central Committee is elected by the National Congress. The National Congress of the PSRC is held every five years. The Party Secretariat, which consists of five Politburo members (including the General-Secretary), oversees day-to-day policy implementation.
[edit] President
The head of state of the Congo is the President, who is elected to a five year term by the National Revolutionary Assembly (his term in office corresponds with the term of the National Revolutionary Assembly). His functions are mainly ceremonial. The President is responsible for appointing the Prime Minister and the Council of Ministers from among the members of the National Revolutionary Assembly, basing his decision upon indications from the National Revolutionary Assembly itself. Other offices the president holds include (nominal) commander-in-chief of the Congolese People's Armed Forces (Forces armées Populaire Congolaise) and Head of the Council on National Defense and Security.
[edit] Prime Minister
The head of government of the Democratic People's Republic of the Congo is the Prime Minister (Premier ministre), in whom the constitution invests with central executive authority. The Prime Minister and the Council of Ministers are appointed by the President from among the members of the National Revolutionary Assembly. The Prime Minister determines the composition of the Council of Ministers (cabinet). The President formally appoints and dismisses Ministers, at the recommendation of the National Revolutionary Assembly. The Prime Minister dictates the Ministers' specific duties and is responsible for all government policies. Any formal policy guidelines issued by him are legally binding directives that Ministers must implement. Ministers are expected to introduce specific policies at the ministerial level that reflect the Prime Minister's broader guidelines.
[edit] Council of Ministers
| Portfolio | Minister |
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| Prime Minister Minister of Youth and Sports | Pierre Manianga |
| Minister of Agriculture, Animal Husbandry, and Fisheries | Oscar Katumbi Sendwe |
| Minister of Civil Service | Lt.-Gen. Laurent Nyamatomwa |
| Minister of Communications and Media | Nzimbi Ngbanda |
| Minister of Construction, Town Planning, Housing, and Land Reform | Lt.-Gen. Jacques Yoka |
| Minister of Culture and Arts | Brig.-Gen. Honoré Bolongo |
| Minister of Environment and Conservation | Évariste Adoula |
| Minister of Finance and Budget | Jean-Claude Nsilou |
| Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation | Denis Mulele Nguesso |
| Minister of Foreign Trade | Lt.-Gen. Stéphane Ngayabaseka |
| Minister of Health and Disease Control | Dr. Kapenda Nguza |
| Minister of Higher Education and Scientific Research | Emmanuel Kibassa wa Mulumba |
| Minister of Industrial Development and Public Enterprises | Gen. Isidore Nguimbi |
| Minister of Infrastructure and Public Works | François Koumba |
| Minister of Interior and Communal Development | Brig.-Gen. Kisula Mbingho |
| Minister of Justice and Human Rights and Keeper of the Seals | Albert Kasenda |
| Minister of Labor, Employment, and Social Security | Étienne Mihambo |
| Minister of Minerals, Energy, and Water Resources | Antoine Gakosso |
| Minister of National Defense and Veterans’ Affairs Minister of Security and Public Order | Gen. Christophe Sassou Ngouabi |
| Minister of National Economy | Lt.-Gen. Gilbert Ntsiba |
| Minister of Planning and National Development | Gen. Paul Ndombasi |
| Minister of Population and Social Work | Lt.-Gen. Mathieu Mulamba |
| Minister of Post, Telephones, and Telecommunications | Col. Justin Mvouba |
| Minister of Primary Education, Literacy, and National Languages | Koloso Ruberwa |
| Minister of Public Service and Modernization | Gen. Joseph Ndolou |
| Minister of Rural Development | Jean Kimba |
| Minister of Secondary Education, Vocational Training, and Technical Training | Gérard Mabwava |
| Minister of Social Development and Solidarity | Dr. Célestin Bemba |
| Minister of Tourism and National Parks | Brig.-Gen. Henri Oba |
| Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation | Juvénal Ndongola |
| Minister of Urban Development and Hygiene | Florent Ossebi |
| Minister of Women’s Affairs and Entrepreneurship | Bernadette Untubu |
[edit] National Revolutionary Assembly
The National Revolutionary Assembly (Assemblee Nationale Revolutionnaire, or "ANR") is a unicameral parliament and the only body in the Congo that is invested with constituent and legislative authority. It has 219 members elected from single-member electoral districts for a term of five years.
It holds two regular sessions a year, which are public unless the ANR itself votes to hold them behind closed doors for reasons of state. It has permanent commissions to look after issues of legislative interest at times when it is not in session.
The ANR has the power to amend the constitution; to pass, amend, and repeal laws; to elect the President and Vice President; to elect the President of the People's Supreme Court and the Procurator General of the People's Supreme Procuracy; to decide upon national economic plans and approve the state budget; to levy taxes; to grant amnesties; and to declare war or make peace.
The Prime Minister and the Council of Ministers are accountable to the ANR, and must report regularly to it on all their work and tasks.
[edit] People's Supreme Court
The People's Supreme Court (Cour Supreme Populaire) is the highest court and the court of final appeal in the Congo. Its members are appointed by the National Revolutionary Assembly and are accountable to it. The court supervises the work of lower courts and gives interpretation of laws and elucidations concerning their implementations, which are compulsory for lower courts.
[edit] People's Supreme Procuracy
The People's Supreme Procuracy is responsible for prosecutions and legal matters. It functions like the prosecutor’s office or attorney general’s office in Western countries. The People's Supreme Procuracy has the power of supervision of legal compliance by other Ministries within the government of the Congo, ministerial and other governmental departments, local departments, economic bodies, social organizations, people’s and armed units and Congolese citizens. It has the power to initiate public prosecution and ensures uniform implementation of the law.
[edit] Administrative divisions
The Democratic People's Republic of the Congo is a unitary state comprising 7 provinces, which in turn are subdivided into 238 municipalities.
[edit] Provinces
The provinces (and their capitals) are listed as follows:
- Congo-Ouest (Nkuna)
- Haut-Congo (Lumumbaville)
- Kasaï (Mbuji-Mayi)
- Kinchassa (Kinchassa)
- Kivu (Bukavu)
- Shaba (Lubumbashi)
- Ubangi (Mbandaka)
To see a map of the provinces, please click here.
[edit] Municipalities
The municipalities of the Congo are:
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