Geography Quiz Arcade

Capital of Democratic Republic of the Congo: Kinshasa

The capital of Democratic Republic of the Congo is Kinshasa. Democratic Republic of the Congo sits in Africa, has a population of 99,010,212, and uses the CDF. Official languages include French.

Quick facts

  • Capital: Kinshasa
  • Continent: Africa
  • Population: ~99,010,212
  • Area: 2,344,858 km²
  • Population density: 42.2 people per km²
  • Official language: French
  • Currency: CDF
  • ISO code: CD

How big is Democratic Republic of the Congo?

By population, Democratic Republic of the Congo ranks 15th in the world, holding roughly 1.24% of all people on Earth. By land area it ranks 11th.

Those two numbers rarely match, and the gap between them is the interesting part. Democratic Republic of the Congo has 42.2 people per square kilometre, which is about 1.4 times below the world average of 59.4. It is more spacious than its population alone would suggest.

Within Africa, Democratic Republic of the Congo is the 4th most populous country of 54.

Countries of a similar size

The two countries closest to Democratic Republic of the Congo in population are Vietnam (98,186,856) and Iran (88,550,570).

By land area, its closest counterparts are Algeria (2,381,741 km²) and Saudi Arabia (2,149,690 km²).

Comparisons like these are worth more than raw figures when you are trying to remember them. A number on its own is hard to hold; a number next to a country you already have a feel for is much easier.

Language and currency

French is spoken officially in 30 countries in this dataset, including Belgium, Benin, Burkina Faso, Burundi and Cameroon, and 24 others.

Democratic Republic of the Congo uses the CDF, and it is the only country that does, which makes the currency name a reliable one-to-one clue.

How to remember Democratic Republic of the Congo

Kinshasa, once called Léopoldville, faces Brazzaville, the capital of the other Congo, across the Congo River: the two are the world's closest pair of capital cities. Big Congo (DRC) has Kinshasa; little Congo has Brazzaville.

The flag of Democratic Republic of the Congo: sky blue, red and yellow

🇨🇩 The flag is a sky-blue flag crossed diagonally from bottom left to top right by a red stripe edged in yellow, with a yellow five-pointed star in the top left. Blue stands for peace and hope, red for the blood of the country's martyrs, and yellow for its wealth. The star stands for unity and a bright future.

Region and neighbours

Democratic Republic of the Congo is a very large country in Central Africa, centred on the Congo Basin, reaching the Atlantic Ocean in the west, with mountains in the east and southeast. It shares land borders with 9 countries: Congo, Central African Republic, South Sudan, Uganda, Rwanda, Burundi, Tanzania, Zambia and Angola. Part of the border with Angola is around Cabinda, an Angolan exclave north of the Congo River mouth.

Three facts about Democratic Republic of the Congo

  1. The DRC is the second-largest country in Africa by area and the most populous French-speaking country in the world.
  2. Its rainforests are the second-largest in the world, and the okapi that lives there was unknown to science until 1901.
  3. From 1971 to 1997 the country was officially called Zaire.

Sources: Wikipedia: Democratic Republic of the Congo, Wikipedia: Flag of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Wikipedia: Kinshasa, CIA World Factbook.

Quiz yourself on Democratic Republic of the Congo

Democratic Republic of the Congo capital quiz

  1. What is the capital of Democratic Republic of the Congo 🇨🇩?

    • Pretoria
    • Porto-Novo
    • Kinshasa
    • Yaoundé
    Show answer

    Kinshasa

  2. What is the capital of Egypt 🇪🇬?

    • Yaoundé
    • Tripoli
    • Antananarivo
    • Cairo
    Show answer

    Cairo

  3. What is the capital of Ethiopia 🇪🇹?

    • Bissau
    • Addis Ababa
    • Khartoum
    • Dodoma
    Show answer

    Addis Ababa

  4. What is the capital of Tanzania 🇹🇿?

    • Freetown
    • Dodoma
    • Antananarivo
    • Dakar
    Show answer

    Dodoma

  5. What is the capital of South Africa 🇿🇦?

    • Khartoum
    • Pretoria
    • Tripoli
    • Djibouti
    Show answer

    Pretoria

Democratic Republic of the Congo in Africa

The largest countries by population sharing this continent are Nigeria, Ethiopia, Egypt and Tanzania.

If you are learning capitals region by region — far more effective than working alphabetically — Africa is the block Democratic Republic of the Congo belongs to, and its neighbours are the ones worth learning alongside it.

Try the Country to Capital Quiz, or the harder reverse direction. There is also a full country profile for Democratic Republic of the Congo.

Frequently asked questions

What is the capital of Democratic Republic of the Congo?

The capital of Democratic Republic of the Congo is Kinshasa.

What is the population of Democratic Republic of the Congo?

About 99,010,212, making it the 15th most populous country in the world.

How big is Democratic Republic of the Congo?

2,344,858 square kilometres, ranking 11th by land area, at a density of 42.2 people per square kilometre.

What currency does Democratic Republic of the Congo use?

The CDF, which no other country uses.

What are the colours of the Democratic Republic of the Congo flag?

The flag of Democratic Republic of the Congo is a sky-blue flag crossed diagonally from bottom left to top right by a red stripe edged in yellow, with a yellow five-pointed star in the top left. Blue stands for peace and hope, red for the blood of the country's martyrs, and yellow for its wealth. The star stands for unity and a bright future.

Which countries border Democratic Republic of the Congo?

Democratic Republic of the Congo shares land borders with Congo, Central African Republic, South Sudan, Uganda, Rwanda, Burundi, Tanzania, Zambia and Angola. Part of the border with Angola is around Cabinda, an Angolan exclave north of the Congo River mouth.

How can I remember the capital of Democratic Republic of the Congo?

Kinshasa, once called Léopoldville, faces Brazzaville, the capital of the other Congo, across the Congo River: the two are the world's closest pair of capital cities. Big Congo (DRC) has Kinshasa; little Congo has Brazzaville.

More capitals to learn

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