nPostednon June 30, 2014
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Therenare two “Congos” in Africa. The Republic of the Congo isnsometimes called Congo and sometimes Congo-Brazzaville.
Therenare two “Congos” in Africa. The Republic of the Congo isnsometimes called Congo and sometimes Congo-Brazzaville. n
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nThisnCongo, the one that is celebrating its 1960 independence from Belgiumntoday, is sometimes referred to as DR Congo, DRC, Congo-kinshasa,nDROC, or RDC. (Hmmm…a lot of variation there!)
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nBut this Congo isnalso sometimes referred to as Congo, just like that other Congo. So I’m sure that at least oncenthere has been a misunderstanding about which Congo people arentalking about!
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nThendictator Mobutu Sese Seko had changed the country’s name to Zaire forna while, but DRC’s president Laurent Kabila restored the name whennSeko finally fell. It’s a bummer to acknowledge that Belgium and thenUnited States supported this authoritarian, corrupt “leader” -nbecause he was anti-communist. Seko amassed a personal fortune rathernthan helped his people, embezzling billions of dollars (up to $15nbillion!!!) during his reign.
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nSadly,neven after Seko was finally ousted, the nation was torn apart byncivil war…the worst kind of civil war, with nine different Africannnations and at least 20 different armed “sides” – with the usualnviolence of war coupled with a horrific amount of sexual violence andnatrocities – and with millions more dying from disease and malnutrition.nHopefully the democratic republic established in 2006 will be stable!
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nLet’snturn from the sad history of the DRC and talk, instead, about thengeography of the place. n
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nDidnyou know….?
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nThenDRC has more thunderstorms than anywhere else in the world!
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nThenannual rainfall of some areas of the DRC is almost 7 feet! Comparenthat to my own home, in Southern California, where we get only aroundn16 or 17 inches of rain a year (that’s one and a half feet rathernthan seven feet!).
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ThenCongo River and its basin, covered with tropical rainforest, dominatenthe entire country, although there are some “rift” mountains. ThenCongo Rainforest is the second largest in the world (after the AmazonnRainforest), and the Congo River’s flow is second largest in thenworld (again, after the Amazon).
ThenCongo River and its basin, covered with tropical rainforest, dominatenthe entire country, although there are some “rift” mountains. ThenCongo Rainforest is the second largest in the world (after the AmazonnRainforest), and the Congo River’s flow is second largest in thenworld (again, after the Amazon).n
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nThenrift mountains already mentioned, and the rift valley alongside thenmountain range, are the result of two tectonic plates pulling apart,ncausing lava to push upwards and making new land. Because of thisntectonic activity, there is a huge amount of minerals easilynaccessible in some parts of the Congo. Cobalt, copper, cadmium,ndiamonds, gold, silver, zinc, manganese, tin, germanium, uranium,nradium, bauxite, iron, and coal are all plentiful! (Fighting overnthis potential mineral wealth is one reason for the violence,nunfortunately.)
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Somenof the most familiar “African animals” live in the DRC, includingnchimpanzees and their cousins, the bonobos, gorillas, elephants,nrhinos, and okapis. The DRC is ranked as Africa’s most biodiversennation – but again, all the warring and violence have threatenednwildlife and their habitats.
Somenof the most familiar “African animals” live in the DRC, includingnchimpanzees and their cousins, the bonobos, gorillas, elephants,nrhinos, and okapis. The DRC is ranked as Africa’s most biodiversennation – but again, all the warring and violence have threatenednwildlife and their habitats.n
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nAlsonon this date:
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nAnniversary of the Tunguska Event
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nAnniversarynof the discovery of the Excelsior Diamond
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nAnniversarynof the 1859 crossing of Niagara Falls on a tightrope
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nPlannahead:
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nChecknout my Pinterest boards for:
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nJunen holidays
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nJunen birthdays
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nHistoricaln anniversaries in June
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nAndnhere are my Pinterest boards for:
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nJulyn holidays
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nJulyn birthdays
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nHistoricaln anniversaries in July
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