The Central African country previously known as Zaire between 1971 and 1997, is today the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). With a population of more than 83 million the Democratic Republic of Congo is Africa’s 4th most populous country, and 17th most populous in the world.

European colonization occurred in the region, under sponsorship of King Leopold II of Belgium. The family formally acquired rights to the Congo territory in 1885 at the Berlin Conference; in 1908 Belgium formally annexed the free-state, which became Belgian-Congo, which achieved independence on June 30, 1960, under the Republic of Congo.

The DRC has settled into a stable democratic republic, with the Constitution establishing a bicameral legislature. The 2006 Constitution, gave the government, not President, control over Parliament. Provincial government oversights were also established under the 2006 Constitution, to better maintain balance in power.

The DRC has a legal system based on the Napoleonic Civil Code, Belgian law and tribal law.  In many ways the legal system is a holdover from colonialism.  While the constitution subverts tribal law to state laws, the majority of personal status issues like marriage, divorce, and how property is inherited are governed by tribal law, or customary law.

In the DRC, human rights concerns and violence against women has limited development. The Central Bank of Congo is responsible for maintaining the franc which is the country’s formal form of currency. The DRC is considered one of the world’s richest in natural resources, with untapped natural resources holding a value of over $24 trillion. The DRC has extensive reserves of cobalt  and coltan, along with more than 30% of the world’s diamond reserves, are found in Congo. Approximately 10% of the world’s copper reserve is also established in the country.

EU sanctions against Congo, US sanctions, mineral conflicts and legislation, import and export law, and administrative agency news, are among the stories covered by the National Law Review, as it relates to the DRC and Africa. Visitors to the National Law Review can also find the latest human rights conflicts and concerns, violations, and international relations between Congo, Africa, and international partners throughout the world.