First Direct Radiocarbon Dating of the Lower Congo Rock Art (Democratic Republic of the Congo)

Radiocarbon ◽  
2013 ◽  
Vol 55 (3) ◽  
pp. 1383-1390 ◽  
Author(s):  
Geoffroy Heimlich ◽  
Pascale Richardin ◽  
Nathalie Gandolfo ◽  
Eric Laval ◽  
Michel Menu
Keyword(s):  
Radiocarbon Dating ◽  
Democratic Republic ◽  
Rock Art ◽  
Atlantic Coast ◽  
Central Africa ◽  
Entire Region ◽  
Republic Of The Congo ◽  
Congo Brazzaville ◽  
The 19Th Century ◽  
Real Challenge

Lower Congo rock art is concentrated in a region that stretches from Kinshasa to the Atlantic coast and from northern Angola to southern Congo-Brazzaville. Although Lower Congo rock art was identified as early as the 19th century, it had never been a subject of thorough investigation. Presently inhabited by the Ndibu, one of the Kongo subgroups, the Lovo Massif is situated north of the ancient Kongo Kingdom. With 102 sites (including 16 decorated caves), the massif has the largest concentration of rock art in the entire region. In 2008 and 2010, we were able to collect pigment samples directly on the panels of the newly discovered decorated cave of Tovo. Unlike the Sahara and southern Africa, both extensively prospected, rock art of central Africa is still widely unknown and not dated. Radiocarbon dating of rock art in Africa is a real challenge and only a few direct dates have been obtained thus far. After verifying that the pigment samples were indeed charcoal, we proceeded to 14C date them using accelerator mass spectrometry (AMS). The results indicate dates between cal AD 1480 and 1800, confirming that the occupation of Tovo Cave was contemporaneous with the ancient Kongo Kingdom.

Congo (Republic of)

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Marius Schneider ◽  
Vanessa Ferguson
Keyword(s):  
Central African Republic ◽  
Democratic Republic ◽  
Central Africa ◽  
Official Language ◽  
Republic Of The Congo ◽  
Pointe Noire ◽  
The Republic ◽  
Congo Brazzaville

The Republic of the Congo, also known as Congo-Brazzaville, is found in Central Africa. It is bordered by Gabon, Cameroon, the Central African Republic, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and the enclave of Cabinda, which belongs to Angola. Its population of 5.12 million in 2016 over a territory of 342,000 square kilometres (km) makes it one of the least densely populated country in Africa. The population is highly urbanized with more than half of the population living in the two largest cities, Brazzaville and Pointe Noire. The capital and largest city is Brazzaville. The official language of the Congo is French, but the Constitution also recognizes Lingala and Kituba as national vernacular languages. The currency used is the Central African franc (CFA).

Democratic Republic of the Congo

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Marius Schneider ◽  
Vanessa Ferguson
Keyword(s):  
Central African Republic ◽  
Democratic Republic ◽  
Central Africa ◽  
National Currency ◽  
African Countries ◽  
The World ◽  
Time Zones ◽  
Republic Of The Congo ◽  
Congo Brazzaville

The Democratic Republic of the Congo, also known as the DRC or Congo-Kinshasa, is located in Central Africa. It borders nine African countries: Congo (Brazzaville), Central African Republic, Sudan, Uganda, Rwanda, Burundi, Tanzania, Zambia, and Angola. It has a small coastline on the Atlantic. It is the largest Francophone country in Africa, the second largest country in Africa, and the eleventh largest country in the world. The size of the country means that the DRC spans two time zones. Sparsely populated, the DRC had 81.3 million inhabitants in 2017. Business hours for most firms and government offices are from 0800 to 1700 Monday to Friday and Saturday from 0730 to 1200. The national currency in DRC is the Congolese franc (CDF).

scholarly journals Repenser Le Rôle Des Institutions De Conservation De La Nature À L’ère De La Globalisation En Afrique: À Propos Du Parc National De La Salonga (RDC)

2017 ◽  
Vol 13 (11) ◽  
pp. 92
Author(s):  
Mampeta Wabasa Salomon
Keyword(s):  
Protected Areas ◽  
National Park ◽  
Local Community ◽  
Democratic Republic ◽  
Central Africa ◽  
The Other ◽  
African Countries ◽  
Republic Of The Congo ◽  
Contemporary Management

In the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), the protectionist conservatism influenced by colonialism, which exploited African countries for the prosperity of the colonizing countries, still has a high visibility in the Salonga National Park (PNS). If, in theory, the Central Africans seem to free themselves from the colonial powers on their land, in practice they are still there. The hostility of settlers who have become neo-colonists to the development of Central Africa remains intact, he adds (Ndinga, 2003). This reflects a "logic from above" that has disregarded local values. Yet, in the era of sustainable development and globalization, African protected areas appear to be essential tools for States to reposition themselves in a complex set of actors with the aim of capturing and using the new environmental rent (Giraut, Guyot, & Houssay-Holzschuch, 2003). This is a "bottom-up logic", placing people at the heart of all activities and aiming to reorganize their long-term relationships with the environment. From these two logics, a third "logic from the other side" emerges, reflecting a collective awareness of the fragility of the planet. The restoration of the rights of Africans in the various national frameworks constitutes a major challenge for the contemporary management of African protected areas. Because the protected areas inherited from the different colonial systems must accompany the change in management methods and the redefinition of their functions in order to better serve the local community in the long-term.

Lurking in the Shadows: A New Species of Drypetes (Putranjivaceae) from Central Africa Hiding in Forest Plots and Herbaria

2021 ◽  
Vol 29 ◽  
pp. 14-23
Author(s):  
Alejandro Quintanar ◽  
Patricia Barberá ◽  
Diosdado Nguema ◽  
Vicent Medjibe ◽  
Zoë A. Goodwin ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
New Species ◽  
Democratic Republic ◽  
Conservation Status ◽  
Central Africa ◽  
Forest Tree ◽  
Wide Distribution ◽  
Morphological Description ◽  
Republic Of The Congo ◽  
Herbarium Collections ◽  
A New Species

Here we publish a new species of forest tree of the genus Drypetes Vahl (Putranjivaceae), D. umbricola D. J. Harris & Quintanar, which has a wide distribution in Central Africa (Cameroon, Central African Republic, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Gabon, and Republic of the Congo). It is known from 70 herbarium collections and additional sterile plot vouchers. A differential diagnosis, detailed morphological description, photographs, an illustration, and information about its habitat, distribution, and conservation status are provided.

Concentration of heavy metals in edible fishes from Atlantic Coast of Muanda, Democratic Republic of the Congo

2018 ◽  
Vol 73 ◽  
pp. 1-9 ◽  
Author(s):  
Robert B. Suami ◽  
Periyasamy Sivalingam ◽  
César D. Kabala ◽  
J.-P. Otamonga ◽  
Crispin K. Mulaji ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Heavy Metals ◽  
Democratic Republic ◽  
Atlantic Coast ◽  
Republic Of The Congo

Lung function in children with sickle cell disease from Central Africa

Thorax ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 74 (6) ◽  
pp. 604-606 ◽  
Author(s):  
Michele Arigliani ◽  
Robert Kitenge ◽  
Luigi Castriotta ◽  
Pathy Ndjule ◽  
Vincenzo Barbato ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Lung Function ◽  
Sickle Cell ◽  
Sickle Cell Anaemia ◽  
Democratic Republic ◽  
Central Africa ◽  
Sub Saharan Africa ◽  
Increased Risk ◽  
Republic Of The Congo ◽  
Sub Saharan ◽  
Restrictive Pattern

Lung function in patients with sickle cell anaemia (SCA) living in sub-Saharan Africa is largely unknown. Anthropometry and spirometry were cross-sectionally evaluated in patients with SCA (HbSS) aged 6–18 years and in schoolchildren from the Democratic Republic of the Congo. The Global Lung Initiative 2012 spirometry reference values were used. A total of 112 patients and 377 controls were included. Twenty-six per cent of patients with SCA had spirometry findings suggestive of a restrictive pattern and 41% had a FEV1 z-score <5th percentile. Wasting, increasing age and female sex were independently associated with increased risk of restrictive spirometry pattern in patients with SCA. Longitudinal studies could clarify the prognostic meaning of these findings.

Three new species of Graphidaceae from tropical Africa

Phytotaxa ◽  
2014 ◽  
Vol 189 (1) ◽  
pp. 325 ◽  
Author(s):  
DRIES VAN DEN BROECK ◽  
ROBERT LÜCKING ◽  
DAMIEN ERTZ
Keyword(s):  
New Species ◽  
Democratic Republic ◽  
Central Africa ◽  
Tropical Africa ◽  
Republic Of The Congo ◽  
Three New Species

Three new species of Graphidaceae are described as new to science from tropical Africa: Graphis aptrootiana Van den Broeck, Lücking & Ertz and Redingeria desseiniana Van den Broeck, Lücking & Ertz from the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and G. vandenboomiana Ertz, Lücking & Van den Broeck from Reunion. A key is presented to all known species of Redingeria. The lichenicolous fungus Etayoa trypethelii is mentioned as new to Central Africa.

scholarly journals Covering Post-Conflict Elections: Challenges for the Media in Central Africa

2011 ◽  
Vol 46 (1) ◽  
pp. 3-32 ◽  
Author(s):  
Marie-Soleil Frère
Keyword(s):  
Central Africa ◽  
Peace Building ◽  
The Past ◽  
Post Conflict ◽  
Conflict Situations ◽  
The Press ◽  
Republic Of The Congo ◽  
The Media ◽  
The Many ◽  
Congo Brazzaville

In the past ten years, elections were held in six countries of Central Africa experiencing “post-conflict” situations. The polls that took place in Burundi (2005), the Central African Republic (2005), the Democratic Republic of the Congo (2006), Congo-Brazzaville (2002, 2007), Chad (1996, 2001, 2006) and Rwanda (2003) were crucial for peace-building. In some cases, they were widely supported and supervised by the international community, being considered the last step of a peace process and the first step toward establishing a truly representative “post-conflict” regime. The media were expected to play a large part in supporting these elections, both to inform the citizens, so they could make an educated choice, and to supervise the way the electoral administration was organizing the polls. This paper attempts to show the many challenges faced by the media while covering these post-conflict electoral processes. In a context of great political tension, in which candidates are often former belligerents who have just put down their guns to go to the polls, the media operate in an unsafe and economically damaged environment, suffering from a lack of infrastructure, inadequate equipment and untrained staff. Given those constraints, one might wonder if the media should be considered actual democratic tools in Central Africa or just gimmicks in a “peace-building kit” (including “free and fair” elections, multipartism and freedom of the press) with no real impact on the democratic commitment of the elite or the political participation of the population.

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