DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF CONGO: ZAIRE
There is a lot of confusion in the names of Democratic Republic of Congo (Zaire) and Republic of Congo which are two different neighboring countries bearing the same name but having major differences. Formerly known as Zaire, Democratic Republic of Congo is much larger than Congo both in area and population. It is located in Central Africa being the third largest country in area and fourth most populated country of the continent Africa. The country has remained in conflict in the past history due to which it is not very popular amongst the tourists. However, the recent peace and stability have made this country quite appealing for tourists who want to explore a new region of Africa.
This vast country has stunning landscapes, with waterfalls, lakes and tropical rain-forest having a variety of wildlife. The Congo River running through out the country has given rise to extensive tropical rainforest's on the west neighboring Republic of Congo. Joseph Kabila, son of the former president Laurent Kabila is now governing the country and bringing back normality and stability to this disputed country. The climate here is tropical because of its equatorial location due to which Zaire experiences the highest frequency of thunderstorms in the world. The heavy rainfall has provided Zaire with the second largest rain forest in the world. The temperature is warm and humid through out the year, so the tourists should carry lightweight clothing along with something to shelter from rains.
GOVERNMENT AND ECONOMY
The Democratic Republic of Congo has recently become a stable republic after the establishment of the new constitution in 2006. The country became independent from Belgium in 1960 though it still bears the imprint of the colonial past. The economy of Zaire was shattered due to continuous conflicts and wars leading to famine and malnutrition in the entire country. However, with the intervention of World Bank and IMF, the government is able to implement reforms and bring the country on the path of progress. Zaire is rich in mineral resources and is the world’s largest producer of cobalt ore. It also has significant deposits of copper, tantalum (used in computers and Mobile phones) and industrial diamonds. The world’s largest cobalt refinery, the Luilu Metallurgical Plant owned by a London based company is also situated here.
PEOPLE AND CULTURE
Zaire has as many as 250 different ethnic groups out of which Kongo, Luba and Mongo are the majority. French is the official language being ethnically neutral to ease communication between different tribes. There are many other local languages amongst which widely spoken are Lingala, Swahili, Tshiluba and Kikongo. 80% of the population are Christians out of which almost half of them are Roman Catholics. The rest 20% are Muslims and some follow traditional indigenous beliefs.
The culture of the Democratic Republic of Congo is very heterogeneous die to the diversity of the hundreds of ethnic groups in the country. Although the traditional way of living have undergone changes due to the wars and colonialism, the culture and customs of Congo has still retained much of its individuality. More than half of the country’s inhabitants are still rural and very few living in urban are subject to Western influences. Zaire is also famous for its traditional art and music which includes masks and wooden statues. Sui generis music is another remarkable feature of the Zaire culture. Soukous is the special ethnic music which is a good blend of Cuban rumba and merengue adopted by many rock stars like Franco Luambo, Tabu Ley and Ray Lema forming distinguished part of Zaire culture.
TRANSPORT AND COMMUNICATION
The public transportation in Zaire is still not very efficient and reliable. Rail and road construction has become difficult due to the geographic conditions and also because of internal conflicts. Water transport is the traditional prevailing way of moving around the country covering almost two-thirds of the country. Travellers can hire speed boats individually or in group at their own risk. Passenger and VIP ferries are also available with frequent services from the capital Kinshasa. The VIP ferries are brand new comfortable boats and are very spacious. Travelling by air is also advisable as there are many local airlines with Russian planes for travelling within this vast country. Kinshasa serves as the main international airport routing African and European airlines. It is hence easy to reach Zaire from any part of the world.
Zaire has developed its communication system with the advent of internet, mobile phones and telephone. Internal telephone service only exists in major towns and is not very reliable. Most of the international organizations use satellite or cellular telephones. Few international mobile companies also provide the mobile telephone service. Kinshasa has several internet cafes though power shortage may sometimes cause difficulties. There are daily newspapers in many African languages and many privately run TV and radio stations. Postal services to Europe by airmail are also available.
Kinshasa
Kinshasa being the capital city of the Democratic Republic of Congo is quite urban and modern in comparison to the rest of the country. There are one day cruise boat tours down the Congo River starting from Kinshasa. Travellers can explore the rain forests and do gorilla watching organised by some of the good hotels of Kinshasa. There are also many tour operators providing cruises and adventure trips. Kinshasa also has two museums where the visitors can go and learn about the history and culture of Zaire. The museum at Kinshasa University is a safe place where travellers can see the artefacts relating to history giving a sense of formation of the Kinshasa city. The other national museum in Kinshasa is Musee National De Kinshasa highlighting again the history and art of the country. The visit to the famous waterfall Zongo Falls located at about 90 kilometres from Kinshasa is another adventurous trip for the travellers. The nightlife in Kinshasa is also very appealing with local Congolese music and hundreds of dance clubs in the heart of the city.
ATTRACTIONS
The main attraction of this country is the dense tropical rainforests where the visitors can see the wildlife and explore the flora and fauna. They can also see the tiny pygmies if fortunate who live hidden in these forests.
Mount Nyiragongo, Goma
Nyiragongo is the most impressive lava lake one can find in the world. This live volcano with a lake of red lava is situated in Goma near the border of Rwanda. The volcano is accessible from the Virunga National Park and it is advisable for the visitors to spend the night to discover the spectacular activity of the lava lake inside the crater. Sleeping bags can be rented at Goma for those who wish to spend the night on top of the volcano and they should also carry warm and rain coats because of the
Cold weather.
Garamba National Park
This National Park is a worth watching place to see the wild animals like cheetah, elephants, lion, baboons and zebras roaming around at their liberty in the natural reserve. It is located in the north of the city Bunia which is a small, pretty area with established villas, restaurants and hotels. The tour of the park is not very expensive and gives the pleasure of watching wildlife in its original form. The highest falls of Africa are located inside the park on the Lofoi River at 384 m. Lake Albert containing maximum fish than any other African country is also found here. The main excursions into the jungles and mountains, the caves of Mount Hoyo and the Escaliers also depart from Bunia.
Southwest Congo and Bandundu
This region of Zaire has a beautiful resort called Mbanza- Ngungu which caters a pleasant stay with good climate. The tourists can go to Kisantu to visit the Frere Gillet Botanic Gardens renowned in the world for their rare orchids. The caves in this region and the Inkisi Falls at Zongo can also be visited by travellers in one day during their stay at the resort. On the west is the river with virginal beauty called Inga and the wild gorges of River Kwilu. Travellers can go further to the ocean beach of Moanda and visit the ancient Tombs of Tshela and the equatorial Mayumbe. The untouched natural splendour of the Tembo Falls can also be witnessed near the Kwango valley.
FOOD AND ACCOMMODATION
The tourists can find many good restaurants and snack bars in Kinshasa and Lubumbashi offering a range of international cuisines like Chinese, French and Belgium food. The visitors can also try the national specialities like fried yams, Moambe chicken with rice and spinach and corn and beans. Alcohol lovers can try their White Elephant which is their national drink made from coconut, rum and milk.
There is a range of hotels available in Zaire concentrating mainly in Kinshasa. There are expensive hotels offering many facilities and tour safaris. The clean, decent middle priced hotels are also available with good service. Bed and Breakfast is also available for the tourists who want to experience the true culture of the country. There are some good beach resorts also for water lovers with basic accommodation and facilities.
The tourists require a visa from The Zaire embassy to visit this country. They should carry light clothes, sunscreen, good walking shoes and insect repellent because of its geographical location. One must plan a trip to this thrilling country though some preparation is required prior to the travel.
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