Map Of The Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) The CIA No Longer Wants You To See

The map of The Democratic Republic of the Congo above comes from the CIA World Factbook which has now been taken offline with the following statement:

One of CIA’s oldest and most recognizable intelligence publications, The World Factbook, has sunset. The World Factbook served the Intelligence Community and the general public as a longstanding, one-stop basic reference about countries and communities around the globe.

Link to the History of The World Factbook.

Where Is The Democratic Republic of the Congo? Location Map

List of Land & Sea Borders For DR Congo

Angola (Land + Sea): 2,646 km (1,644 miles) land / 874 km (543 miles) sea
Zambia (Land): 2,332 km (1,449 miles)
Republic of the Congo (Land + Sea): 1,775 km (1,103 miles) land / 19 km (11.8 miles) sea
Central African Republic (Land): 1,747 km (1,086 miles)
Uganda (Land): 877 km (545 miles)
South Sudan (Land): 714 km (444 miles)
Tanzania (Land): 479 km (298 miles)
Burundi (Land): 236 km (147 miles)
Rwanda (Land): 221 km (137 miles)

The Democratic Republic of the Congo Facts

Full Official Name: Democratic Republic of the Congo
Demonym: Congolese

Flag:

Area

Total Area: 2,344,858 km²
Total Land Area: 2,267,048 km²
Total Water Area: 77810 km²

Demographics

Population: 115,403,027

Population Growth Rate: 3.11% (2024 est.)

Largest City: Kinshasa (Population: 17,071,000)

Ethnic Groups: more than 200 African ethnic groups of which the majority are Bantu; the four largest groups – Mongo, Luba, Kongo (all Bantu), and the Mangbetu-Azande (Hamitic) – make up about 45% of the population

Languages: French (official), Lingala (a trade language), Kingwana (a dialect of Kiswahili or Swahili), Kikongo, Tshiluba

Religions: Christian 93/1% (Roman Catholic 29.9%, Protestant 26.7%, other Christian 36.5%), Kimbanguist 2.8%, Muslim 1.3%, other (includes syncretic sects and indigenous beliefs) 1.2%, none 1.3%, unspecified 0.2% (2014 est.)

Economy

Currency: Congolese franc

Real GDP at Purchasing Power Parity ($ PPP): $154.012 billion (2023 est.)

GDP per capita (PPP): $1,500 (2023 est.)

Exports Value Per Year: $22.354 billion (2021 est.)

Biggest Export Partners: China 55%, Singapore 5%, UAE 5%, Hong Kong 4%, Tanzania 4% (2022)

Imports Value Per Year: $22.193 billion (2021 est.)

Biggest Import Partners: China 33%, Zambia 10%, South Africa 10%, UAE 5%, India 4% (2022)

Government

Type: semi-presidential republic

Capital City: Kinshasa (Population: 17,071,000)

Other Facts

Time Zone: UTC+1 to +2 (WAT and CAT)

Country Code: CD

Internet TLD: .cd

Climate Map of The Democratic Republic of the Congo

The climate map of The Democratic Republic of the Congo above was created by Beck, H.E., Zimmermann, N. E., McVicar, T. R., Vergopolan, N., Berg, A., & Wood, E. F.Climate: tropical; hot and humid in equatorial river basin; cooler and drier in southern highlands; cooler and wetter in eastern highlands; north of Equator – wet season (April to October), dry season (December to February); south of Equator – wet season (November to March), dry season (April to October)

Topographic Map of The Democratic Republic of the Congo

The topographic map of The Democratic Republic of the Congo was created by Sadalmelik

Flag Map Of The Democratic Republic of the Congo

Map created by Darwinek

Odd Shape?

The Democratic Republic of the Congo was included in my list of The 17 Oddest Shaped Countries In The World & How They Came To Be.

The Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) has an oddly shaped, large, irregular boundary characterized by a prominent bulge and an unusual narrow corridor extending westward to the Atlantic Ocean.

Rather than a neatly compact shape, it has a somewhat “blob-like,” sprawling outline.

Here’s clearly why and how the DRC ended up this way:

What’s Odd About the DRC’s Shape?

It’s enormous and irregularly shaped, resembling a large bulge or blob in Central Africa.
It has a unique feature: a narrow corridor of territory stretching to the west, reaching the Atlantic coast, known as the “Congo Pedicle.”
Its shape doesn’t follow clear geographic boundaries like rivers or mountain ranges neatly; rather, borders appear artificial and abrupt.

How Did the DRC Get Its Odd Shape?

Colonial History (Main Reason):

The DRC’s shape was primarily created during the colonial “Scramble for Africa” (1880s-1900s).
King Leopold II of Belgium established the colony as his personal property (Congo Free State) without regard for local geography or cultural groups.
Europeans drew borders arbitrarily during negotiations, creating unnatural straight lines and odd protrusions.

Access to the Atlantic (Congo Pedicle):

Belgium insisted on having a direct connection to the Atlantic Ocean, resulting in the narrow corridor reaching westward, through territory now bordering Angola and the Republic of Congo.
This corridor allowed the export of resources to Europe, which shaped the unusual “tail” of the DRC.

Natural Geographic Features:

Although political and colonial boundaries largely dictated the DRC’s odd shape, certain large rivers (especially the Congo River) provided partial natural boundaries in the interior, influencing its irregular outline.

Consequences of the Odd Shape:

Difficulty in administration and governance: The irregular borders complicated infrastructure, transportation, and communication, especially in remote areas.
Ethnic and linguistic fragmentation: Arbitrary boundaries grouped diverse ethnic groups into one country, causing internal conflicts and tensions.

More DRC maps:

Why Are There Two Congos? Republic of the Congo vs Democratic Republic of the Congo