The DRC: An Overview
Geography: KS3, topic 4.3.1
Development in the DRC
The Democratic Republic of Congo is a large country in Africa. It is also known as the DRC.
What is the DRC's population?
- In 2017, the DRC's population was 81.3 million.
- The DRC is the 11th largest country by land area in the world.
Does the DRC have natural resources?
- The Congo has a warm climate, rainforest biome, and fertile soil.
- The Congo River is one of the largest in the world.
- There are gold, copper, diamonds, uranium, and oil in the DRC.
- Bananas, peanuts, coffee, sugar, cotton, and palm oil can all be grown in the DRC.
What is the DRC's HDI score?
- In 2018, the DRC's Human Development Index was 0.459.
- The Republic of the Niger (or known as Niger) is the country with the lowest HDI score, 0.377.
Is the DRC landlocked?
- If a country is landlocked, then it doesn't have access to the sea.
- Most of world trade happens by sea in container ships. If a country cannot physically export its good because it is landlocked, then it is likely to develop more slowly.
- The DRC is an enormous country, but only has a 25 mile coastline.
- Unsurprisingly, the capital of the DRC, Kinshasa, is close to this 25 mile strip of coast.
Test yourself on The DRC: An Overview
According to 2017 data, roughly what is the population in the Democratic Republic of Congo?
Which of the following is not a natural resource in rich supply in the DRC?
Which resources are in rich supply in the DRC?