Major differences exist between the two equatorial neighbors. The Democratic Republic of the Congo is much larger in both population and area. The population of the Democratic Republic of the Congo is 47.4 million but the Republic of the Congo has a mere 2.6 million. The official language of both Congos is French. Mobutu is in Europe with prostate cancer so rebels, led by General Laurent Kabila attacked the Zairian army.
Zaire becomes the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
There is worldwide confusion about the change. The brand new Democratic Republic of the Congo has an web site which includes a nice map. Currently, most information is only available in French. Subscribe to the free weekly Geography Newsletter to stay updated about this site. Visit the Geography Bulletin Board to discuss any geographical topic.