General Information

The Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), also known as the DR Congo, Congo-Kinshasa, or simply the Congo, or less often Zaire, is a country in Central Africa. By land area, it is the second-largest country in Africa and the 11th-largest in the world. With a population of around 112 million people, the DR Congo is the fourth-most populous in Africa and most populous Francophone country in the world. French is the official and most widely spoken language, though there are over 200 indigenous languages, the most popular among them being Lingala. The capital, largest city, and economic center is Kinshasa. The DRC is bordered by the Republic of the Congo, the Cabinda exclave of Angola, and the South Atlantic Ocean to the west; the Central African Republic and South Sudan to the north; Uganda, Rwanda, Burundi, and Tanzania to the east; and Zambia and Angola to the south. Centered on the Congo Basin, most of the country's terrain is covered by dense rainforests and is crossed by many rivers, while the east and southeast are mountainous.

• Population: 110,000,000+
• Area: 2,345,409 km²
• Currency: Congolese Franc (CDF)
• Coordinates: Latitude: -4.3166666030884 , Longitude: 15.316666603088
• Timezone: Africa/Kinshasa
• Current Local Time: 05:16

Cost of Living (Kinshasa)

• Rent 1 Bedroom (City Center - Kinshasa): CDF 700,000 – 1,500,000
• Rent 1 Bedroom (Outside Center): CDF 400,000 – 900,000
• Rent 3 Bedroom (City Center): CDF 1,500,000 – 3,000,000
• Monthly Groceries (1 Person): CDF 300,000 – 600,000
• Cheap Restaurant Meal: CDF 10,000 – 25,000
• Utilities (Monthly Avg): CDF 150,000 – 300,000
• Internet (Monthly): CDF 120,000 – 250,000
• Gasoline (1 Liter): CDF 3,000 – 4,500

Salaries

• Average Monthly Net Salary: CDF 400,000 – 1,200,000
• Engineer: CDF 1,000,000 – 3,000,000
• Doctor: CDF 1,500,000 – 4,000,000
• Teacher: CDF 300,000 – 800,000
• Retail Worker: CDF 200,000 – 500,000
• Administrative Staff: CDF 350,000 – 900,000

Top Attractions

• Virunga National Park
• Mount Nyiragongo
• Congo River
• Lola ya Bonobo Sanctuary
• Kahuzi-Biega National Park

Major Events

• Fête de l'Indépendance (June 30)
• Kinshasa Jazz Festival
• Cultural Festivals in Goma
• National Arts and Music Celebrations