Modern Day Zaire
Antonina Contreras, Sabina Lirtsman, Ian Cano
Zaire
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The Democratic Republic of the Congo (Modern-day Zaire) is the third largest country in Africa.
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It is located in central Africa.
The Belgian Congo
- In 1877- Henry Stanley explores the region for Belgium.
- In 1908- The Belgian Congo is established.
- King Leopold of Belgium enacted harsh discipline and violent colonization methods, including the mass murder of women.
INDEPENDENCE
- The Congolese win independence from the Belgian Empire in 1959-1960.
- Decolonization was the cause of this independence.
- The Congolese started riots in 1959 and started to demand their autonomy.
- Belgium, exhausted after World War II, could not resist and Lumumba took power in 1960.
Zaire
- Weeks after taking office, Lumumba was assassinated and was replaced by Mobutu Sese Seko.
- In 1971, Mobutu established a 30-year dictatorship.
- The country was renamed Zaire.
- Mobutu established his own religion, Mobutuism, and created his own currency.
Independence from mobutu
- 1996- General Laurent Kabila and rebels attacked the Zairean army.
- May 17, 1997- Kabila and his troops take the capital. Mobutu goes into exile.
- 1997- Mobutu died from prostate cancer
- 1997- Kabila took control of Zaire and reverted its name to the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
Democratic Republic of the Congo
- The names of the Democratic Republic of the Congo have changed three times in the last century.
- From 1908-1960, the country was the Belgian Congo.
- From 1960-1971, the country was named the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
- From 1971-1997, the country was named Zaire under the harsh dictatorship of Mobutu Sese Seko.
- From 1997- present day, it was renamed the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
Facts about the Democratic Republic of the Congo
- The official language is French.
- Cassava, corn, and rice are staples of the Congo diet.
- There are 198 airports , and only 26 of them are paved. (This shows the primitive nature of the Congo).
- The Democratic Republic of the Congo, in terms of size, is slightly smaller than one-fourth the size of the United States of America.
- The Democratic Republic of the Congo functions under a semi-presidential republic and is currently headed by President Joseph Kabila and Prime Minister Adolphe Muzito.
Modern Dar Zaire
By Ian cano
