in 1997. Laurent Kabila took power
and changed Zaire’s name to the Democratic
Republic of the Congo. However,
rebels continued to fight the government,
and Kabila was assassinated in
2001. His son and successor, Joseph
Kabila, worked to end the civil war that
had killed millions.
..More to explore
Africa • Kinshasa • Rain Forest
The Enya people fish in the rapids of the
Congo River near Kisangani, Democratic
Republic of the Congo.
Elephants wade across a stream in the
Democratic Republic of the Congo.
Facts About
DEMOCRATIC
REPUBLIC OF THE
CONGO
Population
(2008 estimate)
66,515,000
Area
905,354 sq mi
(2,344,858 sq
km)
Capital
Kinshasa
Form of
government
Transitional
regime
Major cities
Kinshasa, Lubumbashi,
Mbuji-
Mayi, Kolwezi,
Kisangani
180 Congo, Democratic Republic of the BRITANNICA STUDENT ENCYCLOPEDIA
Congo, Republic of the
The Republic of the Congo lies on both
sides of the equator in west-central
Africa. Its capital is Brazzaville.
Geography
Congo shares borders with Gabon,
Cameroon, the Central African Republic,
the Democratic Republic of the
Congo, and Angola. It has a short coastline
on the Atlantic Ocean. The north
contains thick rain forests and swamps.
Savannas, or grasslands, cover the center.
Mountains and plateaus rise in the
southwest.
Plants and Animals
African oaks, red cedars, walnuts, and
other trees fill the rain forests. Coconut
palms and mangrove forests grow near
the coast and the swamps. Grasses and
widely spaced trees cover the savannas.
The forests contain monkeys, chimpanzees,
gorillas, elephants, and wild boars.
Antelope, jackals, hyenas, and cheetahs
roam the savannas. Rhinoceroses and
giraffes live on the plateaus.
People
About half of Congo’s people are
Bakongo, or Kongo, the ethnic group
that gave Congo its name. Other major
groups include the Sanga, the Teke, and
the Mboshi. French is the official language,
but most of the people speak
African languages. Most people are
Christians. About two thirds of the
people live in cities.
Economy
The economy of Congo depends on its
petroleum (oil) industry. Congo also
produces natural gas, wood, and gold.
Most people, however, are farmers.
Crops include cassava, sugarcane, oil
palm, bananas, and mangoes.
History
Before Portuguese explorers arrived in
1483, the Kingdom of Kongo ruled part
of what is now Congo. In 1880 France
took control of the region.
Congo gained independence in 1960. In
1992 Congo became a democracy, but
fighting soon erupted between government
forces and rebel groups. After the
civil war, voters approved a new constitution
in 2002.
..More to explore
Brazzaville
Facts About
REPUBLIC OF THE
CONGO
Population
(2008 estimate)
3,847,000
Area
132,047 sq mi
(342,000 sq km)
Capital
Brazzaville
Form of
government
Republic
Major cities
Brazzaville,
Pointe-Noire,
Dolisie, Nkayi,
Mossendjo
BRITANNICA STUDENT ENCYCLOPEDIA Congo, Republic of the 181
Congress of the
United States
#see United States Government.
Conifer
Conifers are a group of trees and shrubs
that produce cones. The cones carry
their seeds. Most conifers are
evergreens, or trees that keep their
leaves year-round. Their thin leaves are
usually called needles. There are more
than 550 types of conifer. Some of the
most well-known are cedars, cypresses,
firs, junipers, larches, pines, redwoods,
and yews. The tallest, heaviest, and
oldest living things on Earth are all
conifers.
Where Conifers Grow
Conifers grow all over the world. Forests
of conifers grow in many cool regions,
including the northern parts of Europe,
Asia, and North America. Some types of
conifer grow in tropical rain forests in
Asia. Others grow in warm parts of Australia
and Africa.
Physical Features
Conifers have woody trunks and stems.
They may be low shrubs or very tall
trees. Their leaves often look like
needles, but some types have leaves
shaped like scales, blades, or wedges. A
waxy coating keeps the leaves from losing
water. Most conifers have shallow
roots that spread out wide.
Conifers grow cones instead of flowers
or fruits. Most conifers’ cones are oval in
shape. Scales cover the outside of the
cone. Some types of conifer grow male
and female cones on the same tree. Others
have male or female cones on separate
trees. The male cones, which are
smaller than female cones, produce pollen.
Wind carries this pollen to the
female cones. Then the female cones
develop seeds under the scales. The
scales slowly open until the seeds fall
out.Wind or animals carry the seeds to
spots where new conifers can grow.
Amazing Conifers
The redwood trees in California are the
tallest conifers and the tallest trees in the
world. Some redwoods are taller than
360 feet (110 meters). The giant
sequoias, also in California, are the
heaviest conifers. They sometimes weigh
more than 4 million pounds (2 million
kilograms). The pygmy pines of New
Zealand are the smallest of all conifers.
They grow to only 2 inches (5 centimeters)
tall.
A large forest of conifers stands in the
northern European country of Finland.
182 Congress of the United States BRITANNICA STUDENT ENCYCLOPEDIA
Bristlecone pines are the oldest conifers,
as well as the oldest living things on
