The People

Most of the people are Bantus. Sudanese and Nilotic groups inhabit the eastern uplands. Pygmies follow a traditionally nomadic existence in the central rain forest. The Europeans are mainly of Belgian or Portuguese descent. There is also a small Asian population.

The country's overall density is about 52 persons per square mile (19 per km 2 ). However, more than half the country has fewer than 3 persons to the square mile (1 per km 2 ), and a tenth of the land was virtually uninhabited. Most of the population is rural, despite heavy migration to cities and towns since independence in 1960.

The Congo's official language is French, but its use is limited largely to government and the educational system. Indigenous languages consist mainly of Bantu tongues and dialects. A few Sudanic languages are spoken in the northeast.

Half of the country's inhabitants are Roman Catholics. There are also various Protestant denominations. Many of the Africans who profess Christianity tend to adhere to animistic beliefs, and several churches—of which the best known is the Church of Simon Kimbangu—combine Christian doctrine with animism. Most of the Asians are Muslims.

The government provides free, compulsory primary education. The major universities are located in Kinshasa, Kinshasa/Limete, Kisangani and Lubumbashi. There are several technical colleges.