Lesson 1/55 min
Central Africa
The 9 countries of Central Africa (one source's list)
| Country | Capital | Currency | Ruled by | Independence |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chad | N'Djamena | CFA franc | France | 1960 |
| Central African Republic | Bangui | CFA franc | France | 1960 |
| Democratic Republic of the Congo | Kinshasa | Congolese franc | Belgium | 1960 |
| Angola | Luanda | Kwanza | Portugal | 1975 |
| Republic of the Congo | Brazzaville | CFA franc | France | 1960 |
| Gabon | Libreville | CFA franc | France | 1960 |
| São Tomé and Príncipe | São Tomé | Dobra | Portugal | 1975 |
| Equatorial Guinea | Malabo | CFA franc | Spain | 1968 |
| Cameroon | Yaoundé | CFA franc | France | 1960 |
Watch out: One source's table names France as the coloniser of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and the independence years are cut off at the page edge. It was in fact a Belgian colony (independent 30 June 1960). Every year and coloniser here has been checked separately.
Chad
- Independent on 11 August 1960; named after Lake Chad
- Chad is called the “Dead Heart of Africa”
Democratic Republic of the Congo
- Formerly Zaire; renamed on 17 May 1997
- Laurent Kabila overthrew Mobutu; he was shot dead by a bodyguard in January 2001
- The lasting name of the independence struggle is Patrice Lumumba, first prime minister of independent Congo
- The deadly Ebola virus was first identified in Congo
Republic of the Congo, Gabon, Cameroon
- The Republic of the Congo was formerly French Congo; capital Brazzaville
- The Pygmies of the Congo are the shortest people in the world (as one source says)
- Cameroon: an elongated triangle linking West and Central Africa; largest city Douala, capital Yaoundé
Watch out: The claim that Gabon tops Africa in the human development index could not be verified and is left out. The Pygmies' average height (1.4 m) is also one source's own figure.
Check yourself
Which country is called the “Dead Heart of Africa”?
At a glance
- 1
One source lists 9 countries in Central Africa.
- 2
Chad is the “Dead Heart of Africa”; independent on 11 August 1960.
- 3
Zaire is now the Democratic Republic of the Congo (renamed 17 May 1997); capital Kinshasa.
- 4
The Republic of the Congo's capital is Brazzaville; Cameroon's largest city is Douala.
- 5
The Ebola virus was first identified in Congo.