<P> The Democratic Republic of the Congo ( French : République démocratique du Congo ( kɔ̃ɡo ) ) , also known as DR Congo , the DRC , Congo - Kinshasa or simply the Congo , is a country located in Central Africa . It is sometimes referred to by its former name of Zaire , which was its official name between 1971 and 1997 . The DRC borders the Central African Republic and South Sudan to the north ; Uganda , Rwanda , Burundi and Tanzania to the east ; Zambia to the south ; Angola to the southwest ; and the Republic of the Congo and the Atlantic Ocean to the west . It is the second - largest country in Africa after Algeria , ( the largest in Sub-Saharan Africa ) by area and the 11th - largest in the world . With a population of over 78 million , the Democratic Republic of the Congo is the most populated officially Francophone country , the fourth-most - populated country in Africa and the 16th-most - populated country in the world . </P>
<P> The Democratic Republic of the Congo ( French : République démocratique du Congo ( kɔ̃ɡo ) ) , also known as DR Congo , the DRC , Congo - Kinshasa or simply the Congo , is a country located in Central Africa . It is sometimes referred to by its former name of Zaire , which was its official name between 1971 and 1997 . The DRC borders the Central African Republic and South Sudan to the north ; Uganda , Rwanda , Burundi and Tanzania to the east ; Zambia to the south ; Angola to the southwest ; and the Republic of the Congo and the Atlantic Ocean to the west . It is the second - largest country in Africa after Algeria , ( the largest in Sub-Saharan Africa ) by area and the 11th - largest in the world . With a population of over 78 million , the Democratic Republic of the Congo is the most populated officially Francophone country , the fourth-most - populated country in Africa and the 16th-most - populated country in the world . </P>
what was the former name of the democratic republic of congo
what was the former name of the democratic republic of congo
Zaire
Zaire