DR CONGO TRAVEL GUIDE
The Democratic Republic of Congo lies in the fertile river basin of the mighty Congo River, straddling the equator. Steep mountains stand sentinel in the north and west while volcanoes rumble in the lake district of Kivu. The steamy tropical rainforests in the west house a virtual treasury of rare animals and plants and if perchance, you dig deep into the earth, it yields a bounty of mineral and agricultural wealth unparalleled in the harsh and hostile African terrain. So what compulsion tears this country apart, what drives its people to destroy each other and what will make them stop? The answers have eluded Congo for the past centuries as its people continue to struggle against exploitation, bloody war and abject poverty. Sadly travel to this country is not recommended due to the level of violence by armed groups in which civilians are indiscriminately targeted.
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DR CONGO QUICK FACTS
Capital: Kinshasa
Currency: Congolese Franc (CDF)
Area: total: 2,344,858 km2
Population: 84,07 million (2018)
Language: French (official), Lingala (a lingua franca trade language), Kingwana (a dialect of Swahili), Kikongo, and Tshiluba.
Religion: Roman Catholic 50%, Protestant 20%, Kimbanguist 10%, Muslim 10%, other syncretic sects and indigenous beliefs 10%
Electricity: 220V/50Hz (European plug)
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DR CONGO WEATHER SYNOPSIS
Except in the high elevation areas, its latitudinal location gives the DR Congo an equatorial, hot, humid climate with minimal variation in temperature. The DR Congo is cooler and drier in the southern highlands and cool but wetter in the eastern highlands. Average temperatures in the central basin have a very narrow range between a high of 25°C and a low of 24°C, which also applies to the northeast. The southeast range has a low of 23.5°C in July to a high of 26.9°C in October. To the north of the equator, the wet season extends from April to October with two rainfall peaks in May and October, and the dry season extends from December to February. In the southeastern part of the country, the wet season is from November to March and the dry season is from April to October. The central parts of the country receive the highest precipitation with less variability. The southeast has a distinct dry season, receiving almost no rainfall during June, July, and August.
HEALTH RISKS IN DR CONGO
Be aware of possible health risks in
DR Congo
Yellow fever - The yellow fever virus is found in tropical and subtropical areas of Africa and South America. The virus is spread to people by the bite of an infected mosquito. There is no medicine to treat or cure an infection. To prevent getting sick from yellow fever, use insect repellent, wear long-sleeved shirts and long pants, and get vaccinated.
Malaria - Malaria is a serious and sometimes fatal disease caused by a parasite that commonly infects a certain type of mosquito which feeds on humans. People who get malaria are typically very sick with high fevers, shaking chills, and flu-like illness. Although malaria can be a deadly disease, illness and death from malaria can usually be prevented.
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