Democratic Republic Congo Map
DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF THE CONGO
The Democratic Republic of the Congo, formerly Zaire, is a nation located in Central Africa, with a short Atlantic coastline. It is the second largest country in Africa by area after Algeria and the 11th largest in the world.

In order to distinguish it from the neighboring Republic of the Congo to the west, the Democratic Republic of the Congo is often referred to as DR Congo, DROC, DRC, or RDC (from its French abbreviation), or is called Congo-Kinshasa after the capital of Kinshasa (in contrast to Congo-Brazzaville for its neighbor).

It also borders the Central African Republic and Sudan to the north; Uganda, Rwanda, and Burundi in the east; Zambia and Angola to the south; the Atlantic Ocean to the west; and is separated from Tanzania by Lake Tanganyika in the east.

The country has access to the ocean through a 40 km stretch of Atlantic coastline at Muanda and the roughly 9 km wide mouth of the Congo River which opens into the Gulf of Guinea.