Congo gained its independence from Belgium on June 30, 1960. ¹⁾

The highest peak in the Congo is Mount Stanley 16,763 ft above sea level. ²⁾

The national animal of the Congo is the okapi. ³⁾

30% of all diamonds in the world were mined in the Democratic Republic of Congo. ⁴⁾

In Congo, compulsory education lasts 10 years. ⁵⁾

The most deadly disease in Congo is tuberculosis. ⁶⁾

Lake Tanganyika, located on the border of the Democratic Republic of Congo, Burundi, Tanzania, and Zambia, is the second deepest lake in the world. ⁷⁾

French is the official language of the Congo. ⁸⁾

In Congo, belief in witchcraft is so common that children are sometimes accused of being sorcerers. Some of these children are beaten and some are even killed. Most, however, become homeless after leaving their families. ⁹⁾

Congo once had a very strange form of currency. It was called the Katanga cross. The metal is made of copper and is shaped like an X. ¹⁰⁾

The Kahuzi-Biega park's vast savannas, grasslands, and forests, interspersed with woodlands along the riverbanks and wetland depressions, are home to four large mammals: elephants, giraffe, hippopotamus, and, most notably, white rhinos. ¹¹⁾

There are over 1000 species of birds in the DRC, more varieties than any other country in Africa. ¹²⁾

DRC's population is made up of hundreds of different groups, speaking 215 languages. ¹³⁾

The Congo River is one of the deepest rivers in the world, with parts of it reaching depths of over 720 feet. ¹⁴⁾

The official currency of the Republic of Congo is the Central African Franc (CAF). ¹⁵⁾

The country has many ports and harbors. Among the most important are Banana, Bumba, Goma, Kindu, Mbandaka, Matadi, Bukavu, Kinshasa and Kisangani. ¹⁶⁾

In Congo, taking pictures is not allowed. Locals are very nervous because they believe that “capturing an image of a person” takes away their spirit. ¹⁷⁾

Despite being a poor and conflict-ridden country, the DRC boasts a space program. Privately funded by the Développement Tous Azimuts (DTA) company, with significant government support, Troposphere rockets are expected to send payloads into space in the near future. ¹⁸⁾

The DRC makes coffee and sugar and produces palm oil, rubber, and wood products. ¹⁹⁾

The DRC exports diamonds, copper, oil, coffee, and cobalt. ²⁰⁾