Democratic Republic of the Congo Government

Map showing the location of Republic of the Congo

The political system of the Democratic Republic of the Congo has transitioned from a nation embattled in a civil war into a semi-presidential republic that holds elections. The Constitution of the Democratic Republic of the Congo was voted in through a nationwide referendum and this document aimed to decentralise authority, creating 25 somewhat autonomous provinces in the nation. The government is separated into three branches of power: the executive, legislative, and judiciary.

The first national democratic elections in the country in 46 years were held on 30 July 2006 and for the most part, the voting on this day was peaceful. The international community donated approximately $460 million to fund the 2006 national elections in the country, and the UN deployed an extensive peacekeeping operation during the voting process. Subsequent elections have been held in 2007 and 2011, and the next presidential election is scheduled (although it has been delayed several times) for 2018. Elections in the country are highly scrutinized, and voting can be hard to access for some in the country due to lack of infrastructure.

The national parliament of the Democratic Republic of the Congo meets at the People's Palace in the capital city of Kinshasa. The structure was completed in 1979 with a loan from China. In January 2015, protesters gathered outside the People's Palace to protest President Kabila's delayed elections which caused the government to respond with brutal violence, killing 42 people. The delayed elections also lead to U.S-backed sanctions on specific members of government as well as the United Nations condemning the delay in the democratic process.

There are over 250 political parties registered in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

This page was last modified on May 1st, 2018

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Published on 2019-11-06


Capital	Brazzaville
Languages	French (official), Lingala and Monokutuba (lingua franca trade languages), many local languages and dialects (of which Kikongo is the most widespread)
Ethnic Groups	Kongo 48%, Sangha 20%, M'Bochi 12%, Teke 17%, Europeans and other 3%
Religion	Roman Catholic 33.1%, Awakening Churches/Christian Revival 22.3%, Protestant 19.9%, Salutiste 2.2%, Muslim 1.6%, Kimbanguiste 1.5%, other 8.1%, none 11.3% (2010 est.)
Government	Presidential republic
Independance	15 August 1960 (from France)
Area	342,000.00 km²
Water Area	500.00 km²
Land Area	341,500.00 km²
Population	4,852,412.00
Location	Central Africa, bordering the South Atlantic Ocean, between Angola and Gabon
No. Bordering Countries	5
Bordering Countries	Angola 231 km, Cameroon 494 km, Central African Republic 487 km, Democratic Republic of the Congo 1,229 km, Gabon 2,567 km
GDP(PPP)	$30,270,000,000.00 (USD)
Export Partners	Its major export partners are China, Italy, and India.
Export Commodities	Its main exports are petroleum, lumber, and plywood.
Import Partners	Its major import partners are China, France, and South Korea.
Import Commodities	Its major imports include capital equipment, construction materials, and foodstuffs.
Climate	Tropical; rainy season (March to June); dry season (June to October); persistent high temperatures and humidity; particularly enervating climate astride the Equator
Terrain	Coastal plain, southern basin, central plateau, northern basin
Learn More	Republic of the Congo

Democratic Republic of the Congo Government

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