democratic republic of the congo
democratic republic of the congo Lexical Profile
• noun
A large country located in Central Africa, bordered by nine other nations and featuring a very short coastline on the Atlantic Ocean; renowned for its vast rainforests, the immense Congo River basin, and abundant mineral resources.
"The Democratic Republic of the Congo is the second-largest country in Africa by land area."
Word Nuance & Usage
Often confused with the neighboring, much smaller 'Republic of the Congo' (Congo-Brazzaville). To distinguish the two, the Democratic Republic of the Congo is frequently referred to as the DRC or Congo-Kinshasa.
• Nearby Words
Word Origin & Etymology
Named after the Congo River, which in turn was named after the indigenous Kongo kingdom situated at its mouth. It was formerly known as Zaire between 1971 and 1997.
Usage Trend
Historical frequency of usage in published text.