F. Scott Bobb - Historical dictionary of Democratic Republic of the Congo (Zaire)

Revised Edition of Historical Dictionary of Zaire.The Democratic Republic of the Congo (previously Zaire) is at Africas center, both geographically and economically. The territory that is Congo contains the population and the resources to be one of the continents richest countries. However, its political history has limited the large potential. In 1997, Mobutu Sese Seko, the longtime dictator of Zaire was thrown out of power. His successor Laurent Kabila has changed the name of the country, returned to the pre-Mobutu flag, and generally attempted to erase the thirty years of Mobutu rule. However, his rule has been challenged by ethnic unrest in the east and an offensive by rebels who accuse him of the same faults as his predecessor. The history of Congo/Zaire is at a crossroads. F. Scott Bobb has taken this historic moment as an opportunity to look back at 30 years of Mobutu rule, nearly 40 years of independence, over a century of colonial rule, and even earlier kingdoms and groups that shared the territory. The care and effort which drove the creation of the earlier edition have been maintained in this revision. The Dictionary includes a useful introduction by the author, and is followed by a detailed bibliography. The text includes helpful visuals including six tables, several maps and chronologies.