Zaire

Also known as Republic of Zaire

Zaïre, officially the Democratic Republic of the Congo from 1965 to 1971 and Republic of Zaïre from 1971, was a country in Central Africa headed by Mobutu Sese Seko from 1965 to 1997. It was, by area, the third-largest country in Africa after Sudan and Algeria, and the 11th-largest country in the world from 1965 to 1991. With a population of over 23 million, Zaïre was the most populous Francophone country in Africa. Zaïre was strategically important to the West during the Cold War, particularly the U.S., as a counterbalance to Soviet influence in Africa. The U.S. and its allies supported the M

AI overview

Zaire was a large Central African country ruled by Mobutu Sese Seko from 1965 to 1997, notable for being Africa's most populous French-speaking nation and strategically important to Western powers during the Cold War. The country, which was the third-largest in Africa by area, eventually became the Democratic Republic of the Congo after Mobutu's regime fell in 1997.

AI-generated from the Wikipedia summary — may contain errors.

Key facts

Country.conventional_long_name: Democratic Republic of the Congo Republic of Zaire
Country.common_name: Zaire
Country.era: Cold War
Country.title_deputy: Prime Minister
Country.year_deputy1: 1965–1966
Country.deputy1: Léonard Mulamba (first)
Country.year_deputy2: 1977–1979
Country.deputy2: Mpinga Kasenda (second)
Country.year_deputy3: 1997
Country.deputy3: Likulia Bolongo (last)
Country.event_start: Coup d'état
Country.year_start: 1965
Country.date_start: 24 November
Country.event1: Constitution promulgated
Country.date_event1: 15 August 1974
Country.year_end: 1997
Country.date_end: 17 May
Country.event_end: Mobutu overthrown

via Wikipedia infobox

Wikidata facts

Demonym: zaireña
Population: 46498539
Area: 2345410

Show 5 more facts

inception: 1971-10-27
dissolved, abolished or demolished date: 1997-05-16
Commons category: Zaire
native label: République du Zaïre
P11012: Yurivka Raion

Sources (4)

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~28 min read

Article

19 sections

Contents

Etymology
History
Mobutu
Constitutional changes
Totalitarian expansion
Centralisation of power
Growing conflict
First Congo War and demise of Zaïre
Legacy
Government and politics
Mobutism
Administrative divisions
Economy
Culture
Standards and abbreviations
Notes
References
Works cited
Further reading and external links

The country was a one-party totalitarian and authoritarian military dictatorship, run by Mobutu Sese Seko and his Popular Movement of the Revolution. Mobutu seized power in a military coup in 1965, after five years of political upheaval following independence from Belgium known as the Congo Crisis. Zaïre had a strongly centralist constitution, and foreign assets were nationalized. The period is sometimes referred to as the Second Congolese Republic.