Zaire (/zɑːˈɪər/, also UK: /zaɪˈɪər/), officially the Republic of Zaire (French: République du Zaïre, [ʁepyblik dy zaiʁ]), was the name of a sovereign state between 1971 and 1997 in Central Africa that was previously and is now again known as the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
What is the old name of Zaire?
(former Republic of Zaire) In accordance with the announcement on May 17 that the Republic of Zaire had changed its name, the new name, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, will be used from now on.
What was Zaire called before 1971?
A constitutional referendum the year before Mobutu’s coup of 1965 resulted in the country’s official name being changed to the “Democratic Republic of the Congo.” In 1971 Mobutu changed the name again, this time to “Republic of Zaire”.
What’s the capital of Zaire?
PIP: The capital of Zaire is Kinshasa. As of 1995, Zaire had a population of 43.9 million governed by a presidential regime. 1994 gross national product and per capita income were, respectively, $6 billion and $135.
Who changed the name of Congo to Zaire?
Mobutu Sese Seko is known for being a long-running president (1965–97) of the Democratic Republic of the Congo. He is also known for his push to Africanize names during his presidency, which included changing the country’s name to Republic of Zaire in 1971 (it was changed back in 1997) and his own name.
Is Zaire a boy or girl name?
The name Zaire is primarily a gender-neutral name of African – Kikongo origin that means River Or Person From Zaire.
Why is Zaire called the natural zoo of the world?
Ans. The Democratic Republic of Congo is ‘The Natural Zoo of the World’ because it provides habitat to a large number of animals, birds, reptiles, insects etc. A special mammal called the Okapi is found in the forest of Congo.
Why are there 2 Congos in Africa?
The DRC was formerly known as Zaire and earlier known as the Belgian Congo. … The name Congo stems from the Bakongo, a Bantu tribe that populate the area. The two countries are separated not only by different colonial roots, but by the Congo River (or Zaire River), the second-longest river in Africa.
What is the Belgian Congo called today?
The Belgian Congo (French: Congo belge, pronounced [kɔ̃ɡo bɛlʒ]; Dutch: Belgisch-Congo) was a Belgian colony in Central Africa from 1908 until independence in 1960. The former colony adopted its present name, the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), in 1964.
What is the official language of Congo?
The Democratic Republic of Congo is one of the most linguistically diverse countries in the world, with over 200 languages spoken in the country. While French is the official language and widely used in education and government, there are four national languages: Kikongo (Kituba), Lingala, Swahili, and Tshiluba.
Who colonized Zaire?
Belgian colonization of DR Congo began in 1885 when King Leopold II founded and ruled the Congo Free State. However, de facto control of such a huge area took decades to achieve. Many outposts were built to extend the power of the state over such a vast territory.
Is DRC and Congo the same?
Not everyone is aware that the Congo is split into two entirely different countries—The Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), and the Republic of Congo.
What is the deepest river in the world?
In addition, the Congo River is the world’s deepest recorded river at 720 feet (220 meters) deep in parts — too deep for light to penetrate, The New York Times reported. It’s also the second-longest river in Africa, spanning a length of approximately 2,920 miles (4,700 kilometers), according to Phys.org.
How do you say hello in Lingala?
The word you will probably hear most as you begin to speak Lingala is mbote (m-BOH-teh), which means ‘hello’. It can be used at any time of day or night and is most properly followed by the person’s name, such as ‘Mbote Jenny’ or ‘Mbote Helena’, although it just as often stands alone as a greeting.
What is the most popular religion in Republic of Congo?
Christianity is the predominant religion in Republic of the Congo. Different sources give varying population figures for various denominations.
Is English spoken in Congo?
The Democratic Republic of the Congo is a multilingual country where an estimated total of 242 languages are spoken. The official language is French. … During the colonial period Dutch and French were the official languages but French was by far the more important and so it has stayed the official language.
Why is Kinshasa so populated?
Much of the population growth has been the result of Congolese migration and government expansion, but widening of the city’s boundaries has caused some of the increase. Kinshasa has a young population. More than half the people are under 22 years of age, and only a tiny proportion of the population is over 50.
What is the staple food of DRC?
Maize and cassava are the main staple foods consumed by households in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), and is usually prepared in a dough-like consistency called fufu.
Which is the biggest seaport of Zaire?
Explanation: Matadi is the chief sea port of the Democratic Republic of the Congo and the capital of the Kongo Central province, adjacent to the border with Angola.
What is the new name of Zaire river?
Congo River, formerly Zaire River, river in west-central Africa.
Is Zaire a rare name?
Zaire was the 521st most popular boys name and 8325th most popular girls name. In 2020 there were 541 baby boys and only 12 baby girls named Zaire. 1 out of every 3,385 baby boys and 1 out of every 145,921 baby girls born in 2020 are named Zaire.
Is Zaire an African name?
An African place name (the former name of the Democratic Republic of the Congo), Zaire comes from the Portuguese interpretation of the Bantu word “nzere” – meaning “the river that swallows all rivers,” in reference to the Congo River.
What does Zara mean in English?
Zara is a girl’s name meaning “radiance.” The name Zara has multiple origins, but most notably it is a variation of Zahrah, a name derived from Arabic roots meaning “blooming flower.” … Origin: Zara has both Arabic and Hebrew origins.
Why hot wet dense forests are found in Zaire?
These forests are found near the equator.
They are hot and receive rainfall throughout the year. They remain evergreen as the trees do not lose their leaves due to a particularly dry season.
What are the main industries of Zaire?
Statistics | |
---|---|
Main industries | mining (copper, cobalt, gold, diamonds, coltan, zinc, tin, tungsten), mineral processing, consumer products (including textiles, plastics, footwear, cigarettes, processed foods, beverages), metal products, lumber, cement, commercial ship repair |
Who is the natural zoo of the world?
The Congo is considered as the natural zoo of the world because naturally there are many dense forests in the country. 70% to 80% of the land is covered by dense forests. It is also called as “The Land of The Dense Forests”.
Why is Congo split two?
The DRC was formerly known as Zaire and earlier known as the Belgian Congo. … The name Congo stems from the Bakongo, a Bantu tribe that populate the area. The two countries are separated not only by different colonial roots, but by the Congo River (or Zaire River), the second-longest river in Africa.
Why are two countries called Congo?
The name Congo stems from the Bakongo, a Bantu tribe that populates the area. The larger of the two countries, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, is located to the southeast, while the smaller nation, the Republic of the Congo, is situated to the northwest.
Is Republic of Congo poor?
The Democratic Republic of the Congo (DR Congo) is one of the most populous countries in Africa and one of its poorest. Nearly three in four people live on less than $1.90 per day, representing one of the largest populations in the world living in extreme poverty.
Did King Leopold ever go to the Congo?
At the Berlin Conference of 1884–1885, the colonial nations of Europe authorized his claim by committing the Congo Free State to improving the lives of the native inhabitants. Leopold ignored these conditions and ran the Congo using the mercenary Force Publique for his personal gain.
Which country did not acquire African territories?
Ethiopia and Liberia are widely believed to be the only two African countries to have never been colonized. Their location, economic viability, and unity helped Ethiopia and Liberia avoid colonization.
Was Leon rom a real person?
Léon Auguste Théophile Rom (1859–1924) was a Belgian soldier and colonial official who became prominent in the administration of the Congo Free State during the late 19th century.
How do you say hello in Congo?
Greeting and Leave-Taking
Hello – Mbote. Hello, friend – Mbote na yo, moninga. How is it going? – Ndenge nini? (It’s going) well.
Does Tunisia speak French?
Languages of Tunisia | |
---|---|
National | Tunisian Arabic |
Minority | Berber languages |
Foreign | French |
Signed | Tunisian Sign Language |
What country speaks Lingala?
Lingala is spoken by more than 10 million people in a region comprising the northwestern part of the Democratic Republic of the Congo south to its capital, Kinshasa, and the northern part of the Republic of the Congo, particularly in part of its capital, Brazzaville.
Who ruled Ghana before it gained its independence?
Kwame Nkrumah was elected the leader of the Gold Coast government in 1952 after he won the Gold Coast legislative election in 1951. Led by the big six, the Gold Coast declared its independence from the British on 6 March 1957.
Why was King Leopold ultimately forced to leave this colony?
Because the system’s effects in the Congo could so easily be blamed on one man, who could safely be attacked because he did not represent a great power, an international outcry focused on Leopold. That pressure finally forced him to relinquish his ownership of the territory, and it became the Belgian Congo in 1908.
Why did King Leopold want the Congo?
The king’s stated goal was to bring civilization to the people of the Congo, an enormous region in Central Africa. (Believing one people is more civilized than another is wrong.) Leopold’s reign over the Congo Free State, however, has become infamous for its brutality.