▁( 1 9 9 3 – 2 0 0 5 ), ▁the ▁ 1 9 9 8 ▁emb ass y ▁bomb ings , ▁and ▁the ▁R wand an ▁Civil ▁War ▁( 1 9 9 4 ). ▁The ▁U g and an ▁Civil ▁War ▁and ▁the ▁Dar fur ▁conflict , ▁among ▁other ▁local ▁conflicts , ▁continue . ▁ ▁Military ▁history ▁of ▁Central ▁Africa ▁See : ▁Central ▁Africa . ▁Central ▁Africa , ▁at ▁times ▁also ▁called ▁Middle ▁Africa , ▁is ▁almost ▁entirely ▁land locked ; ▁it ▁lies ▁ast ride ▁the ▁equ ator ▁with ▁heavy ▁rain for est ▁j ung les ▁and ▁is ▁rich ▁in ▁min er als ▁and ▁natural ▁products . ▁In ▁ancient ▁times ▁there ▁had ▁been ▁a ▁Kingdom ▁of ▁K ongo ▁which ▁confront ed ▁invas ions ▁from ▁expl or ers ▁and ▁sett lers ▁from ▁Portugal ▁starting ▁in ▁the ▁ 1 5 th ▁century . ▁ ▁The ▁har sh ▁colonial ▁era ▁of ▁the ▁Belg ian ▁Congo ▁( 1 9 0 8 – 1 9 6 0 ) ▁gave ▁way ▁to ▁the ▁Congo ▁Cris is ▁( 1 9 6 0 – 1 9 6 5 ) ▁that ▁brought ▁in ▁UN ▁peace keep ers , ▁particularly ▁after ▁the ▁min eral - rich ▁Kat anga ▁Province ▁failed ▁to ▁se ced e ▁in ▁ 1 9 6 0 , ▁even ▁though ▁it ▁had ▁the ▁support ▁of ▁Belg ian ▁business ▁interests ▁and ▁over ▁ 6 0 0 0 ▁Belg ian ▁troops . ▁ ▁Sub sequ ent ▁conflicts ▁in ▁the ▁Congo ▁were ▁the ▁First ▁Congo ▁War ▁( 1 9 9 6