DRC People & Tribes in DRC

DRC's People

DRC's people are diverse, with about 200 different ethnic groups in the country.

The four largest tribes are the Mongo, the Luba, the Kongo and the Mangbetu-Azande, which together make up about 45% of the entire population.

There are also smaller groups of forest Pygmies, who are extremely rural and live in the deepest recesses of the forests. Many Pygmies face major discrimination and abuse however, and some are taken as slaves by other tribes in the areas.

Tribal conflict is rife in the DRC, and with the number of Rwandan Hutu rebels present in the country, and a large number of Tsutsi refugees and military also taking refuge in DRC, the level of ethnic fighting is fairly high.

There is also a lot of discrimination against women, who are considered below men in almost all tribal cultures. Many women face sexual violence and rape, especially in the eastern areas whey they are often taken as slaves by militant groups.

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