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*The Democratic Republic of Congo is
politically unstable, with violence, protests, and an increase in
military presence. Most governments advise against all travel to
the eastern regions. Travellers should keep updated on the
situation and take note of travel warnings from official government
sources before visiting.*
The Democratic Republic of Congo has been inhabited
by people for almost 90,000 years. It is home to fascinating
biodiversity and dramatic vistas, as well as a complex history
involving Bantu kings, slavers, colonisers, dictators, and
conservationists.
Kinshasa, the sprawling capital of the DRC, is
situated on the banks of the Congo River - opposite Brazzaville,
capital of the neighbouring Republic of the Congo. The Congo River,
made famous by the explorer Henry Morton Stanley, runs across the
north of the country and remains an important transportation artery
into the country's impenetrable interior - the roads and railway
built by the Belgium colonial regime have long-since been reclaimed
the by the jungle. Kinshasa, the sprawling capital of the DRC, is
situated on the banks of the Congo River - opposite Brazzaville,
capital of the neighbouring Republic of the Congo. The Congo River,
made famous by the explorer Henry Morton Stanley, runs across the
north of the country and remains an important transportation artery
into the country's impenetrable interior - the roads and railway
built by the Belgium colonial regime have long-since been reclaimed
the by the jungle.
Everyday life in the Democratic Republic of Congo can
be extremely chaotic. This vast country (the third largest on the
continent) currently exists in a state of fragile peace after
decades of civil war. However, this peace has come at the cost of a
functioning democracy with current president, Joseph Kabila,
thwarting attempts at a new democratic election; as a result,
clashes between police and protesters can break out. Despite these
tensions international investors are slowly returning to the
country, drawn by its enormous mineral wealth.
Tourists are also trickling back. Most are drawn to the Virunga
National Park in the far east of the country, one of the few places
where you can still find mountain gorillas in their natural
habitat. Bordering Uganda's Rwenzori Mountains and the Volcanoes
National Park in Rwanda, Virunga was established in 1925 as
Africa's first national park. Most of the DRC is off limits for
mainstream tourism; however, businessmen, diplomats, aid workers
and others with essential business are well-catered for in some
good hotels and restaurants, chiefly in Kinshasa's affluent Gombe
district.