Africa

Zaire

Zaire (spelled Zaïre in French) was the name of the Second Republic of Democratic Republic of the Congo between 1971 and 1997. Although it came into use in 1971, the name Zaire is often still used for the portion of the Congo controlled by Mobutu since 1965. This article addresses this subsequent usage.

Full country name: Republique Democratique du Congo
Area: 905,563 sq mi (2,345,410 sq km)
Population: 60,085,004 (growth rate: 3.0%); birth rate: 44.4/1000; infant mortality rate: 92.9/1000; life expectancy: 49.4; density per sq mi: 66
Capital City: Kinshasa
Ethnicity/race: over 200 African ethnic groups, the majority are Bantu; the four largest tribes—Mongo, Luba, Kongo (all Bantu), and the Mangbetu-Azande (Hamitic)—make up about 45% of the population
Language: French (Lingala, Kikongo, Swahili, Tshiluba are national languages)
Religion: Roman Catholic 50%, Protestant 20%, Kimbanguist 10%, Islam 10%; other syncretic and indigenous 10%
Government: dictatorship
Literacy rate: 66% (2003 est.)
Head of State: Joseph Kabila (2001)

History of Zaire

In 1960 the Belgian Congo gained its independence as the "Republic of the Congo" from Belgium. This was the same name as that of a former French colony, Congo, with which it shares a border. In 1966 the Republic of the Congo added Democratic to become Democratic Republic of the Congo. However, the two countries are commonly distinguished by their capitals: Congo (Kinshasa) (then Congo (Leopoldville)) and Congo (Brazzaville).

Unrest and rebellion plagued the government until 1965, when Lieutenant General Mobutu, by then commander in chief of the national army, seized control of the country and declared himself president for five years. Mobutu quickly consolidated his power and was elected unopposed as president in 1970. Embarking on a campaign of cultural awareness, Mobutu renamed the country the Republic of Zaire. This decision was curious, given that the name Congo, which referred both to the river Congo and to the ancient Kongo Empire, was fundamentally "authentic" to pre-colonial African roots, while Zaire is in fact a Portuguese corruption of another African word, Nzere ("river", by Nzadi o Nzere, "the river that swallow all the other rivers", another name of the Congo river). General Mobutu became Mobutu Sese Seko and forced all his citizens to adopt African names and many cities were also renamed. More on Zaire's History.

Overview of Zaire's Economy

GDP: $42.74 billion
GDP per capita: $700
Member of EU: No

Also Read: A short note on Economy of Zaire

Political System of Algeria

- Government of Zaire

Climate, Vegetation and Fauna

Deforestation has been extensive in northern Algeria, with forests receding to the upper Tell Atlas and the Saharan Atlas.. Trees like pines, Atlas cedar, oaks, form the main vegetation. The High Plateau is mainly barren with scattered turfs of esparto grass and brushwood here and there. Even the wild life is limited due to limited vegetation. Scavengers, such as jackals, hyenas, and vultures, are found in many regions. Antelopes, hare, gazelles, and reptiles are also present in smaller numbers.
Juniper and other shrubs grow on the lower slopes of mountain ranges, and esparto grass and brushwood grow on parts of the otherwise desolate High Plateau. Saharan plant life is sparse and typical of desert vegetation, including acacia, jujube and desert grasses.

In the north the wildlife is typical of Mediterranean regions, including red deer and wild boar. The desert wildlife, while limited, is richer in variety, including leopards and panthers, gazelles, hyenas, jackals and antelope, as well as desert reptiles such as snakes, vipers and monitor lizards.


Climate:

Hot and humid all year round.
Dry season in the north is from December to March, in the south from May to October.
Average annual rainfall in the interior is 1,700 mm / 67 inches.
Average maximum daily temperatures 31 Celsius / 88 Fahrenheit.

 

Facts for the Traveler

Visas:Visa are required by all nationals except those of France and can be obtain from neighbouring countries but these are expensive. Best obtained from your home country if possible.
Health:Kelle, Mbomo, Etoumbi and the Odzala Park in the Cuvette region suffered from outbreaks of the human form of the Ebola fever. 10 people died in an outbreak in May 2005. On 21 June 2005, the WHO declared the most recent outbreak of the disease over, but have warned that another outbreak could occur soon...more

Also Read:Transportation in Zaire | Public holidays in Zaire

 

Also Read: Getting Around in Algeria | Getting There & Away

What to See in Algeria

Other Tourist Attractions in Algeria

more...

What to do in Algeria

Algeria has a wide range of features that would be of interest to tourists. These include cultural centers, museums, and memorials filled with historical backgrounds and items of interest. A small seaside village, Bou Ismail, is a favorite of visitors who enjoy a great fishing experience. And, for the water sports lovers, Alger-Plage beach (Algiers- Beach) gives you an opportunity for sailing and boating. A visit to Tipaza and Berard villages provides a wealth of insights into the fascinating Algerian history, from the Phoenicians to Roman times. In the northern part of Algiers, (Kasbah), Stand Ketchaoua (a restored ottoman mosque) and Bitchin mosque with a museum of traditional arts, all offer interesting sights to explore and marvel at.

Algiers, the capital city of Algeria, has never been knows as an exciting place to visit. But, the name alone conjures up interesting thoughts. The Medina is of course one place to visit with the markets and buildings of French origin and some magnificent Turkish palaces. Check the area near the Ketchaoua Mosque on Rue Hadj Omar. The Museum of Popular Arts and Traditions is also worth a visit. For a good view of the city head out of the city center to Martyrs’ Monument.

The earliest inhabitants of the area were Khoisan hunter-gatherers. They were largely replaced by Bantu tribes during a series of migrations. The southern part of the country was named Matabeleland after the Ndebele tribe who occupied the area in the early 1800’s under a loose confederation of Ndebele-speaking tribes headed by the Khumalo tribe under [...]
Countries in Africa Algeria Angola Benin Botswana Burkina Faso Burundi Cameroon Cape Verde Central African Republic Chad Cote d’Ivoire Democratic Republic of the Congo Djibouti Egypt Equatorial Guinea Eritrea Ethiopia Gabon The Gambia Ghana Guinea Guinea-Bissau Kenya Lesotho Liberia Libya Madagascar Malawi Mali Mauritania Mauritius Morocco Mozambique Namibia Niger Nigeria Republic of the Congo Rwanda Senegal Seychelles Sierra Leone Somalia South Africa Sudan Swaziland Tanzania Togo Tunisia Uganda Zambia Zimbabwe
Religion in Africa Africans profess a wide variety of religious beliefs, with Christianity and Islam being the most widespread. Approximately 40% of all Africans are Christians and another 40% Muslims. Roughly 20% of Africans primarily follow indigenous African religions. A small number of Africans also have beliefs from the Judaic tradition, such as the Beta Israel [...]
Culture of Africa Africa has a number of overlapping cultures. The most conventional distinction is that between sub-Saharan Africa and the northern countries from Egypt to Morocco, who largely associate themselves with Arabic culture. In this comparison, the nations to the south of the Sahara are considered to consist of many cultural areas, in particular [...]
Demographics of Africa Africans may be grouped according to whether they live north or south of the Sahara Desert; these groups are called North Africans and Sub-Saharan Africans, respectively. Afro-Asiatic speaking peoples predominate in North Africa, while Sub-Saharan Africa is dominated by a number of disparate populations grouped according to their diverse languages–Niger-Congo predominantly in West [...]
Economy of Africa Africa is the world’s poorest inhabited continent: the United Nations’ Human Development Report 2003 (of 175 countries) found that positions 151 (Gambia) to 175 (Sierra Leone) were taken up entirely by African nations. It has had (and in some ways is still having) a shaky and uncertain transition from colonialism, with increases in corruption [...]
Politics in Africa Colonial Africa Colonialism had a destabilizing effect on what had been a number of ethnic groups that is still being felt in African politics. Prior to European influence, national borders were not much of a concern, with Africans generally following the practice of other areas of the world, such as the Arabian peninsula, where [...]
History of Africa Africa is home to the oldest inhabited territory on earth, with the human race originating from this continent. During the mid 20th century, anthropologists discovered many fossils and evidence of human occupation perhaps as early as 7 million years ago. The famous Leakey family, with ties to both Britain and Africa, discovered fossil [...]
Geography of Africa Africa is the largest of the three great southward projections from the main mass of the Earth’s surface. It includes within its remarkably regular outline an area, of c. 30,360,288 km² (11,722,173 mi²), including the islands. Separated from Europe by the Mediterranean Sea, it is joined to Asia at its northeast extremity by the [...]
Etymology of Africa The name Africa came into Western use through the Romans, who used the name Africa terra - “land of the Afri” (plural, or “Afer” singular) - for the northern part of the continent, as the province of Africa with its capital Carthage, corresponding to modern-day Tunisia. The Afri were a tribe - possibly Berber [...]

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Africa Travel Guide