Yet, for all that the DRC has by way of resources and possibly because of its wealth of resources, its recent history has been a saga of misfortune that has left it struggling for survival. The fight for control over the DRC and its resources has lasted several decades and left the country without much of a functional government.
The conflict has left over 6 million dead in what is the bloodiest conflict since World War II. The lack of an effective government at the various levels translates to lack of infrastructure to the extent that there is no transportation system, lack of employment coupled with employment that can no longer pay, lack of a communication system less than telephone 1 line per inhabitants, , lack of healthcare 0.
Because of all these factors, in October , the United Nations placed the DRC on its Level 3 emergency list, the highest level that denotes unacceptable living conditions. The DRC has one of the highest birthrates in the world with an average of 6.
The lack of healthcare infrastructure is exacerbated by lack of adequate nutrition. The Congolese social structure and the place of women in Congolese society harkens back to a time when women were considered less than, yet, performed more than their share of the work to keep the family functioning. Men are the head of the household and the financial decision makers. Women are expected to marry and to bear and raise children.
This is so central to the purpose of being female among the Congolese that a single woman past what is considered the marriageable age is seen as a woman of ill repute. Until they marry, women are considered the property of their fathers, and after marriage, that of their husbands.
Female children as young as 5 years of age are sometimes responsible for caring for their infant siblings, carrying an infant on their back in cloth slings.
Male children are likewise expected to emulate male adults. The role of men is to provide food for the family by way of hunting and fishing, the role of women is to essentially do everything else that ensures that the home and family is cared for. It is believed that the spirits of departed family members linger with the family and act as a liaison between the family and the Gods. Kinshasa and Brazzaville are the world's closest capitals.
Kinshasa and Brazzaville, the capital of the neighboring Republic of Congo, are the world's closest capitals. They're separated by the Congo River, the world's second-largest river by volume, which widens to five kilometers more than three miles at this point. There's been talk for decades of building a bridge to connect the cities, but traffic between the two is still by boat.
Passengers can choose between a more upmarket and tranquil crossing in a speedboat, or in one of the large, overladen ferries. The ferries transport goods such as flour and dried fish but also cars and furniture. People with disabilities are allowed to make the crossing for free and are heavily involved in the goods trade.
The two cities are separated by only a few kilometers of water, and their inhabitants speak the same language, but residents of the two capitals often act like they come from different worlds.
People from Brazzaville, a tranquil city of just more than 1 million, look warily upon their "noisy, partying" neighbors in Kinshasa. On traveling from Kinshasa to Brazzaville, it's not uncommon to be asked, "How's the weather over there? The wildlife is phenomenal. The rare okapi is one of 1, animal species endemic to the Congo.
It makes its home in the remote Ituri Forest in the northeastern part of the country. Built more like a deer with stripes similar to a zebra's, this forest giraffe measures 6 feet at the head and 5 feet at the shoulder. The okapi is an endangered animal, and the Okapi Wildlife Reserve was established in to protect the remaining animal population as well as the habitat of the Mbuti pygmies, one of the continent's last forest-dwelling peoples.
On the Epulu River, the reserve, about 1. Successive civil wars have taken a heavy toll on the human and animal population, but for the past few years the reserve has been largely free of the armed groups that caused the insecurity. The Okapi Conservation Project manages the reserve and its tourism facilities, which have recently been rebuilt. The Congo isn't overrun by the Ebola virus. Films such as " Outbreak " and " Congo " have perpetuated the impression that it's as easy to catch the Ebola virus in the Congo as it is to catch a common cold in New York.
The country has been the scene of outbreaks -- the most notable being the outbreak in Kikwit that killed people -- but more recent ones have been quickly contained and remain rare. Ebola is highly lethal and is transmitted from animals to humans when they eat infected meat.
Bushmeat remains an important source of protein for many Congolese living outside urban areas, and public health campaigns are ongoing to educate the population about the dangers. Bourdain: 'Congo is a place where everything is fine -- until it isn't'. Potential to be tourist paradise.
Sadly, these days the eastern part of the country is probably best known for its warlords, rebel groups and mineral conflicts. But before the s, when it was largely stable, the region was a prime tourist destination. Surrounded by the Virunga Mountains, the area around Goma bears a beautiful resemblance to alpine lakes in Europe. The Virunga National Park encompasses numerous habitats, from lowland plains to the Rwenzori Mountains, which reach heights of 5, meters more than 16, feet.
It's home to the world's largest concentration of hippos and also to the continent's most active volcanoes -- the Nyiragongo and the Nyamulagira. The Kahuzi Biega National Park is home to one of the last troops of eastern lowland gorillas, a subspecies indigenous to the country.
What is it: This fermented bread is prepared from cassava and wrapped in banana leaves. What does it taste like: This sticky and tasteless item is used only as an accompaniment to soup or gravy preparations. What is it: Baked bread in small cubes. It is a well-known Ethiopian fried item that is quite popular in Congo as well. In Ethiopia, this is a festive food and so in Congo.
What does it taste like: The deep-fried item is full of a taste of barley, peanuts, and chickpeas. What is it: Famously known as puff puff, bofrot, togbei, and kala, this is a round fried dough of flour, eggs, yeast, and butter. What does it taste like: These sweet fried balls are dipped in peanut butter before the consumption or served with sprinkled sugar.
What is it: A soup with okra as the basic ingredient. Although the inclusion of fish or meat is not compulsory, there are variations regarding the use of them.
What does it taste like: The spicy soup has a sauce-like consistency that goes well with rice or fufu. What is it: A preparation combining cooked rice and beans along with other taste enhancers. What does it taste like: Besides the main two ingredients, the tomato paste, red pepper, bell pepper make the dish a fantastic culmination of spices.
Congolese foods are a result of various foreign influences like any other cuisine. Although it is a starch-based cuisine, still there are some mouth-watering dishes to drool over. Your email address will not be published.
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