According to ehistorylib, Congo-Kinshasa (Democratic Republic of the Congo) (French: République démocratique du Congo) is a country in Africa bordering Congo-Brazzaville, Central African Republic, Sudan, Uganda, Rwanda, Burundi, Tanzania and Zambia. Until 1960 Congo-Kinshasa was a Belgian colony, better known as Belgian Congo. After that, the country was called Zaire. The capital of Congo-Kinshasa is Kinshasa. A number of major cities in Congo-Kinshasa are: Bandundu, Bakuva, Ilebo, Isiro and Kananga.
Congo-Kinshasa is known for its beautiful nature with volcanoes, mountains, jungles, waterfalls and tropical rainforests. Two important National Parks in Congo-Kinshasa are Virunga National Park and Garamba National Park. Animals found in the country include rhinoceroses, elephants, lions, giraffes, hippos, zebras, crocodiles and the endangered gorillas. In Congo-Kinshasa, several tribes still live in the wilderness. Unfortunately, the country has not been safe in recent years, because rebels are active in some areas.
Where is Congo-Kinshasa located?
Travel information of Congo-Kinshasa
Official name: Democratic Republic of the Congo
Continent: Africa
Area: 2,344,858 km²
Capital: Kinshasa
Country code: CD, COD
Population: 92,377,993 inhabitants (2021)
Form of government: Republic
Highest point: 5,110 m (Mount Stanley)
Distance (Amsterdam – Kinshasa): 6,354 km
Flight time: approximately 8 hours
Travel advice
Current status: All travel to certain areas in Congo-Kinshasa is discouraged.
Current color code: Orange and red.
Due to this status, a partially negative travel advice is in effect for Congo-Kinshasa.
Corona
Due to the coronavirus (COVID-19), (temporary) measures may apply in Congo-Kinshasa that you as a tourist may have to deal with. For the most up-to-date corona travel advice, please refer to our special coronavirus travel advice page. For the number of current corona infections, number of deaths and various corona-related graphs of Congo-Kinshasa, please visit Countryaah.
Travel offer
At the moment there are no travel organizations that offer travel to Congo-Kinshasa. For separate travel components (hotels and airline tickets) please visit our travel offer page.
Travel guides and maps
Are you looking for a travel guide, map, walking map, cycling map, book or DVD about Congo-Kinshasa?
Weather and climate
Congo-Kinshasa has a tropical climate. Temperatures in Congo-Kinshasa average between 25 and 30 degrees.
The current weather (weather forecast) and a weather forecast for Congo-Kinshasa can be found on our extensive weather page.
Extensive information about the climate of Congo-Kinshasa can be found at Climate info.
Best time
June, July and August are the best months to travel to Congo-Kinshasa. This avoids the prolonged rainy season.
Language
Tshiluba, French, Lingala, Kikongo and Swahili are the official languages in Congo-Kinshasa.
Travel documents
You must have a passport that is valid for at least 1 year upon arrival in Congo-Kinshasa.
A visa is required. You can request this in person at the consulate of Congo-Kinshasa in Brussels.
Embassies and consulates
Below is an overview of relevant diplomatic representations, including addresses and contact details.
Netherlands Embassy in Congo-Kinshasa: netherlandsworldwide.nl.
Embassy of Congo-Kinshasa in Belgium (also for the Netherlands): rijksoverheid.nl.
For urgent assistance, you can contact the Ministry of Foreign Affairs 24/7 on +31247247247.
Vaccination (inoculation)
Before visiting Congo-Kinshasa, it is mandatory to get vaccinated against yellow fever.
In addition, there are one or more vaccinations that are recommended.
For extensive vaccination advice and to make a vaccination appointment at home, please visit Thuisvaccinatie.nl. You can also see here whether your health insurance reimburses the vaccination(s).
Malaria
Malaria occurs in Congo-Kinshasa. Malaria is an infectious disease transmitted by malaria mosquitoes. This infectious disease can lead to death if not treated in time and/or incorrectly.
For prevention and control of malaria, please visit our malaria page.
Money and Currency
In Congo-Kinshasa, people pay with the Congolese franc (CDF).
The current position of this currency (currency, currency) can be found on our exchange rate page.
An overview of all ATMs in Congo-Kinshasa can be found on our ATMs page.
Price level
Prices in Congo-Kinshasa are much higher than in the Netherlands. The price difference with the Netherlands is +43% on average. Some examples are: restaurants (9% cheaper), food (72% more expensive), imported beer in catering (32% cheaper), cigarettes (54% cheaper) and public transport (86% cheaper). Please note that the price difference in tourist areas, especially during high season, may vary.
Time difference
Congo-Kinshasa falls in two different time zones:
– Western part (Kinshasa): no time difference (winter time), 1 hour earlier (summer time).
– Eastern part (Lubumbashi): 1 hour later (winter time), no time difference (summer time).
Above we talk about the time difference during our winter and summer time, because Congo-Kinshasa does not use summer time.
Find the local times, dates and time zones for Congo-Kinshasa on our time difference page.
Traffic and route
In Congo-Kinshasa you have to drive on the right.
To drive and/or rent a motor vehicle in Congo-Kinshasa you must have an international driver’s license. The international driver’s license is available at an ANWB shop.
With the Google route planner you can compile a route description from, to or within Congo-Kinshasa.
Electricity In Congo-Kinshasa you may need a travel plug
in some cases. More information about common plugs and sockets in Congo-Kinshasa can be found on our electricity page.
Emergency services
If you need help from the police, fire brigade and/or ambulance in an emergency, you can use the emergency numbers below.
– Police: Local numbers
– Fire: Local numbers
– Ambulance: Local numbers
Tap water
It is not recommended to drink water from the tap.
If you are unable to buy bottled water, use a water purifier to purify the water or boil the water for 5 minutes. After this you can safely use it as drinking water and for things like brushing teeth, cleaning lenses and washing vegetables and / or fruit. More information about drinking water and/or the purchase of water purification products can be found on our drinking water page.
News and newspapers
The latest news regarding Congo-Kinshasa can be found on Google news.
An overview of the newspapers from Congo-Kinshasa can be found on Abyznewslinks.
Internet
Congo-Kinshasa websites end in.cd.
Telephone
The country code (international access code) to call someone in Congo-Kinshasa is 00243 or +243.
Do you want to call the Netherlands from Congo-Kinshasa? Then use the Dutch country code 0031 or +31.
(If using a country code, omit the leading 0 of the number to be called.)
Company details can be found in the Congo-Kinshasa Yellow Pages.
Photos and videos
On Flickr you will find a nice collection of photos of Congo-Kinshasa.
On Youtube you will find a nice collection of videos from Congo-Kinshasa.
Holidays
An overview of all public holidays in Congo Kinshasa can be found on Beleven.org.
Reviews and travel experiences
On Zoover and TripAdvisor you will find reviews from travelers about accommodations (eg hotels and holiday homes), restaurants and destinations in Congo-Kinshasa, supplemented with photos, videos and places of interest.
Travelogues
Are you looking for a travelogue about Congo-Kinshasa?
Here you will find travel reports and experiences of travelers who have previously visited Congo-Kinshasa. It is also possible to keep a free diary of your trip for family and/or friends.
Nature and world heritage
An overview of the protected nature areas (including national parks, reserves and wildlife parks) in Congo-Kinshasa can be found on Protected Planet.
An overview of the world heritage sites in Congo-Kinshasa can be found on the UNESCO World Heritage List.
Customs rules
Do you want to know how much you are allowed to import and export when traveling to Congo-Kinshasa? On the IATA website you will find an overview with the maximum quantities of cigarettes, alcohol, perfume and money, among other things. If you stick to these quantities, you don’t have to declare anything to customs. You will also find the laws and regulations regarding the entry of pets on this website.
Entrepreneurship and doing business
If you are planning to do business in Congo-Kinshasa, it is wise to prepare well. The Netherlands Enterprise Agency can help you with this. On PaulSourcing.com you will find a large amount of information about Congo-Kinshasa, including: opportunities, import and export rules, trade figures, do’s and don’ts, current sanctions, business partners and subsidies.
Relevant legislation
Below you will find relevant legislation and regulations that you may encounter during your visit to Congo-Kinshasa.
– Alcohol: Buying and/or drinking from the age of 18.
– Alcohol and traffic: The maximum permitted alcohol content is 0.5.
– Tobacco: Unknown
– Smoking ban: No
– Homosexuality: Allowed
Did you know that…
…Congo-Kinshasa has been independent from Belgium since 1960?
…Congo-Kinshasa was called Zaire in the period from 1971 to 1997?
…Congo-Kinshasa was already inhabited 10,000 years ago?
…It is not polite in Congo-Kinshasa to just take pictures of someone?
…Congo-Kinshasa reclassified the provinces in 2015?
