1. The Republic of Congo 708A Johnny #47

2. Introduction The Republic of Congo is a country in Central Africa. The southwest of the country is a coastal plain and the interior of the country consists of central plateau. The government system is a republic. The chief of state and head of government is the President. The Republic of the Congo has a mixed economic system in which the economy includes a variety of private freedom, combined with centralized economic planning and government regulation. It is a member of the African Union (AU) and African Economic Community (AEC).

3. Geographic Location

4. History The first inhabitants are believed to have been forest dwellers such as the Teke. Other ethnic groups joined them to form the three kingdoms that ruled the area before the arrival of Europeans: the Kongo, Loango, and Teke. The mouth of the Congo River was the base for the Kongo Kingdom which encountered the Portuguese in 1484. Trading contracts gave the Congolese textiles, jewelry, and manufactured goods in return for ivory, copper, and slaves. Western education and Christianity were introduced into the region at that time. The Teke Kingdom of the interior signed a treaty with the French in 1883 that gave the French land in return for protection.

5. Ivory

6. Culture French is the official language and is used in governmental activities. Lingala and Monokutuba are commonly spoken trade languages. Families take a specific animal spirit and raise totem poles to signify them. The largest ethnic groups in Congo are the Bakongo. The Congolese are known for their singing. Songs fill the air during the performance of chores and recently have been recorded. Rumba and other forms of music are played with native and Western instruments.

7. Rumba

8. Personal Thoughts You can see Congolese women and men wearing pagne, or headscarfs. Every year on May 17 th, all offices and buisnesses are closed. In Christmas, you can attend church stage musicals with choir performances, by the way, there are no present exchanging in ChristmasIt pays tribute to the efforts of the liberation movement. In the streets I occasionally see homeless children left on the streets because of being suspected of witchcraft, otherwise the native feeling of the Republic of Congo is really fascinating.

9. Conclusion Through this project, I’ve learned the real differences between the Democratic Republic of Congo and the Republic of Congo. And also the beautiful yet sad history of the Rep. of Congo, such as children abandoned in the streets because of being accused of witchcraft, and rural poverty, which was a long term serious issue for the nation. Though the culture was a little negative, it still has its bright and colorful side, such as their music rumba, with their “nightclubish” dance and music

10. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_the_Republic_of _the_Congo http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_the_Republic_of _the_Congo http://www.dancecentral.co.uk/DanceNtral/Articles/rum ba.htm http://www.dancecentral.co.uk/DanceNtral/Articles/rum ba.htm http://www.nationsonline.org/oneworld/congo_roc.htm