Millions 'on the edge' in DR Congo, now in even greater danger of tipping over: WFP". UN News. 12 August 2020. Archived from the original on 1 December 2020 . Retrieved 14 August 2020.

Payanzo, Ntsomo. "Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC)". britannica.com. Encyclopædia Britannica. Archived from the original on 9 October 2015 . Retrieved 2 October 2015. Philippe Brousmiche (2010). Bortaï: journal de campagne: Abyssinie 1941, offensive belgo-congolaise, Faradje, Asosa, Gambela, Saio (in French). Harmattan. ISBN 978-2-296-13069-2. Archived from the original on 12 August 2020 . Retrieved 21 May 2020– via Google Books. The geographical area now known as the Democratic Republic of the Congo was populated as early as 90,000 years ago, as shown by the 1988 discovery of the Semliki harpoon at Katanda, one of the oldest barbed harpoons ever found, believed to have been used to catch giant river catfish. [33] [34] Democratic Republic of the Congo, Epidemiological profile, World Malaria Report 2014" (PDF). World Health Organization. Archived (PDF) from the original on 19 April 2015 . Retrieved 10 March 2015.

A tour de force on the Congo’s forever war by one of the world’s leading experts on violence. This book is dripping with intimate details and bold arguments that reflect Jason Stearns’s extensive engagement with the Congo. Stearns upends conventional wisdom while offering a nuanced and detailed take on a struggle that can often appear indecipherable. Penetrating, perceptive, and deeply personal, this book is a model for engaged and compassionate research on one of the world’s most intractable conflicts.”—Zachariah Mampilly, author of Rebel Rulers: Insurgent Governance and Civilian Life during War Mobutu had the staunch support of the United States because of his opposition to communism; the U.S. believed that his administration would serve as an effective counter to communist movements in Africa. [57] A single-party system was established, and Mobutu declared himself head of state. He periodically held elections in which he was the only candidate. Although relative peace and stability were achieved, Mobutu's government was guilty of severe human rights violations, political repression, a cult of personality and corruption. Gonzales, Richard; Schwartz, Matthew S. (9 January 2019). "Surprise Winner Of Congolese Election Is An Opposition Leader". NPR. Archived from the original on 10 January 2019 . Retrieved 11 January 2019. Cobalt: World Mine Production, By Country". Archived from the original on 27 March 2008 . Retrieved 30 June 2008. Mwanamilongo, Saleh; Anna, Cara (24 January 2019). "Congo's surprise new leader in 1st peaceful power transfer". Associated Press. Archived from the original on 18 May 2021 . Retrieved 29 May 2021.

Katanga: Fighting for DR Congo's cash cow to secede". BBC News. 11 August 2013. Archived from the original on 10 September 2013 . Retrieved 12 September 2013. Congo, Democratic Republic of the". The World Factbook (2023ed.). Central Intelligence Agency . Retrieved 24 September 2022. a b c Migration en République Démocratique du Congo: Profil national 2009 (in French). International Organization for Migration. 2010. ISBN 978-92-9068-567-8. Archived from the original on 11 May 2011 . Retrieved 17 August 2010. As a result of the First and Second Congo Wars in the late 1990s—early 2000s, over 5.2million children in the country did not receive any education. [222] Since the end of the civil war, the situation has improved tremendously, with the number of children enrolled in primary schools rising from 5.5million in 2002 to 16.8million in 2018, and the number of children enrolled in secondary schools rising from 2.8million in 2007 to 4.6million in 2015 according to UNESCO. [223]French is the official language of the Democratic Republic of the Congo. It is culturally accepted as the lingua franca, facilitating communication among the many different ethnic groups of the Congo. According to a 2018 OIF report, 49million Congolese people (51% of the population) could read and write in French. [198] A 2021 survey found that 74% of the population could speak French, making it the most widely spoken language in the country. [199]