Pan African Movement

Pan Af-ri-can Move-ment

-ment (the act of, state of, or result)

- Pan = all, whole, all-inclusive

Colonialism led to the Pan African Movement.

political and social movement that sought to unite black Africans across the globe

Partitioning Par-ti-tion-ing

-partit (to divide)-tion (act, result, or state of)

Europe was responsible for partitioning Africa in the 1850s.

splitting a country into two or more separate states

Before… After…

Gold

Gold

(no prefixes or suffixes)

Gold is one of the most valuable resources in the world.

South Africa is believed to produce 40 percent of the world’s gold. This, along with diamonds, has been very helpful for South Africa’s economic development.

Uranium

U-ra-ni-um

(no prefixes or suffixes)

Uranium is the element necessary to create a nuclear reaction.

an element that is an essential part of nuclear weapons, but it is also very useful in peaceful uses. Africa produces about 20 percent of the world’s uranium.

Democratic Republic of the Congo

Flag• Blue represents peace

and hope• Red the blood of the

country's martyrs• Yellow the country's

wealth and prosperity• Star symbolizes unity

and the brilliant future for the country

Map

Capital is Kinshasa

History

• Congo was a Belgian colony until 1960• When the country gained independence,

many Belgians left• Few teachers, doctors, and other

professionals were left in the former colony• Various ethnic groups fought each other for

power

Mobutu

• A military leader named Joseph Mobutu came to power in 1965

• He ruled as a dictator• He changed the name of the country to Zaire

– a name that was traditionally African rather than European

• He also changed his name to Mobutu Sese Seko

• During his rule, the government took over foreign-owned industries

• Most farmers suffered, and government and business leaders were corrupt

• While the economy collapsed, Mobutu became one of the richest men in the world and used violence against people who challenged him

• In 1997, after a civil war, a new government took over

• The new government named the country the Democratic Republic of the Congo

Government• Type of government – Republic

Executive Branch• Chief of State: President Joseph Kabila • Head of government: Prime Minister Adolphe

Muzito • Cabinet: Ministers of State appointed by the

president

Legislative Branch• Bicameral legislature consists of a Senate and

a National Assembly

Judicial Branch• Constitutional Court, Appeals Court, plus civil

and military courts and tribunals

Religious & Ethnic Groups

• Roman Catholic 50%• Protestant 20%• Kimbanguist 10%• Muslim 10%• Other 10%

• Over 200 African ethnic groups of which the majority are Bantu

• The four largest tribes - Mongo, Luba, Kongo , and the Mangbetu-Azande make up about 45% of the population

Language

• French (official)• Lingala • Kingwana (a dialect of Kiswahili or Swahili)

Economy

• DRC is a treasure chest of minerals that could bring wealth to the country

• However, civil war, bad government, and crime have scared many foreign businesses away.

• Most people in DRC are poor• They usually live in rural areas where they

must farm and trade for food (Traditional)

Major Industry

• Mining (diamonds, gold, copper, cobalt, coltan, zinc, tin)

• Consumer products (including textiles)• Cement• Commercial ship repair• Coffee, sugar, palm oil, rubber, tea, fruits;

wood products

Natural Resources

• Cobalt• Copper• Niobium• Tantalum• Petroleum• Industrial and gem

diamonds• Gold• Silver

• Zinc• Manganese• Tin• Uranium• Coal• Hydropower• Timber• Arable land: 2.86%

Geography

• Straddles equator• Has narrow strip of land that controls the

lower Congo River and is only outlet to South Atlantic Ocean

• Dense tropical rain forest in central river basin and eastern highlands

Climate

• Tropical• Hot and humid in equatorial river basin• Cooler and drier in southern highlands; cooler

and wetter in eastern highlands• North of Equator - wet season (April to

October), dry season (December to February)• Opposite seasons south of the Equator

Environmental Issues

• Periodic droughts in south• Congo River floods (seasonal)• Active volcanoes in the Great Rift Valley• Poaching threatens wildlife populations• Water pollution• Deforestation• Mining of minerals causing environmental

damage

• Literacy Rate– Total 67.2%– Male 80.9%– Female 54.1%

• Life Expectancy– Total 54.7– Male 52.9– Female 56.6

• GDP– $300 per capita

• Population70,916,439

note: estimates for this country explicitly take into account the effects of excess mortality due to AIDS

• Below Poverty Level– N/A

Directions

• In Textbook, Read silently pages 258-261• We will use this info tomorrow• Read AR