Democratic republic of the Congo Vanessa Hunert

DEMOCRACTIC REPUBLIC OF THE CONGO LOCATION CENTRAL AFRICA SECOND LARGEST COUNTRY IN AFRICA (AFTER ALGERIA) LARGEST COUNTRY IN SUB-SAHARAN AFRICA PEOPLE OVER 200 AFRICAN ETHNIC GROUPS FRENCH OFFICIAL LANGUAGE MAJORITY ROMAN CATHOLIC

DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF THE CONGO POPULATION ECONOMY 77,433,744 AGRICULTURE: 44.3% coffee, sugar, palm oil, rubber, tea, cotton, cocoa, quinine, cassava, bananas, plantains, peanuts, root crops, corn, fruits; wood products INDUSTRY: 21.7% Mining, mineral processing, consumer products, metal products, processed foods and beverages, timber, cement, commercial ship repair SERVICES: 34% Exports- diamonds, copper, gold, cobalt, wood products, crude oil, coffee

DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF THE CONGO EDUCATION POVERTY AGE 15 AND OVER THAT CAN READ AND WRITE total population: 66.8% male: 76.9% female: 57% SCHOOL LIFE EXPECTANCY total: 10 years male: 11 years female: 8 years GDP (PURCHASING POWER PARITY) United States $ 16,720,000,000,000 Democratic Republic of the Congo $ 29,390,000,000 GDP per capita/rank comparison $52,800 #14 Democratic Republic of the Congo $400 #228

CAUSES OF POVERTY IN THE DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF THE CONGO Population below poverty line: 71% EFFECTS OF WAR Civil war Killed over 5.4 million Rebel control HEALTH Malnutrition Malaria Pneumonia POLITICS Political instability Corrupt leaders sg.entertainment.yahoo.com content.time.com jillee-thoughts.blogspot.com indigo-alliance.com flickr.com msf.org

CAUSES OF POVERTY IN THE U.S. Population below poverty line: 15.1% EDUCATION Lack of education Lack skills Job opportunities HEALTH Mental/Physical disabilities Limited access to health care Barriers to education 57% Nccp.org

STRATEGIES TO REDUCE POVERTY THE WORLD BANK Reopened in 2001 after being suspended for almost 10 years because of political instability and corruption Committed $3.1 billion Aiming to rebuild country’s infrastructure Decrease corruption in public and private sectors Rehabilitate country’s health/education systems THE UNITED NATIONS Established MONUSCO in 1999 Supplies peacekeeping troops to region Emergency assistance to address displaced population, food security, democracy, education, environment, and global health

OTHER SOLUTIONS PUBLIC EDUCATION SYSTEM START TO REBUILD Higher employment START TO REBUILD Roads Bridges New homes Schools Improve living conditions Clean water systems CORRUPT GOVERNMENT Taking advantage Abusing resources Killing millions worldlyrise.blogspot.com un.org realfilmcareer.com

SOURCES republic-of-the-congo democratic-republic-of-congo CIA (2013). The World Factbook. Retrieved from https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world factbook/geos/cg.html Global Edge (2015). Democratic Republic of the Congo. Retrieved from http://globaledge.msu.edu/countries/democratic- republic-of-the-congo The World Bank (2015). Poverty & Equity. Retrieved from http://povertydata.worldbank.org/poverty/home/ National Poverty Center (2010). How Does the U.S. Measure Poverty? Retrieved from http://www.npc.umich.edu/poverty/ Shah, Anup (2010). The Democratic Republic of the Congo. Retrieved from http://www.globalissues.org/article/87/the democratic-republic-of-congo