Officially name: Democratic Republic of the Congo
Capital: Kinshasa
Largest city: Kinshasa
Official language: French
Government: Semi-presidential republic
The Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) is located in central sub-Saharan Africa, bounded by (clockwise from the southwest) Angola, the South Atlantic Ocean, the Republic of Congo, the Central African Republic, South Sudan, Uganda, Rwanda, Burundi, Tanzania across Lake Tanganyika, and Zambia. The country lies between latitudes 6°N and 14°S, and longitudes 12° and 32°E. It straddles the Equator, with one-third to the North and two-thirds to the South.
The Congo celebrates the usual holidays – New Year’s Day, Labor Day and Christmas – plus local events commemorating heroes and significant dates in history.