Flag of the Democratic Republic of Congo. Photo Credit: OurAfrica.com |
The reason I chose to study the DRC is because my church recently helped a family resettle here as refugees from the country and I wanted to learn more about the DRC’s history, culture and people. As a part of this assignment I was also able to meet a fellow Notre Dame of Maryland University student, Hussein, who is from the DRC.
How to Navigate this project:I’ve set up pages that can be viewed in any order you like, but if it’s helpful here is what you’ll find:
- Geography & History – This page contains a brief history of the DRC as well as a map.
- People & Society - Learn more about the people who live in the DRC.
- Daily Life -What kinds of food do people in the DRC eat? What are the forms of traditional dress? How do people socialize, date and get ahead in life?
- One Student's Perspective - Meet Hussein, a student at NDM who is from the DRC!
- My "Aha!" Moment - What I learned about myself from doing this project.
Here are a few fast facts about the DRC that you might find interesting. On the above linked pages you'll take a deeper dive!
- Capital: Kinshasa
- Main Languages: French (official), Kikongo, Lingala,Tshiluba and Swahili
- Current Population: 67.5 million (Source: World Bank)
- Average Life Expectancy:49.62 years (source)
- Main Religions: Christianity (Catholicism), Animism, Islam
***In accordance with NDM's Honor Code, I hereby affirm that I have neither given nor received unauthorized help on this project.***