Protected Areas & Parks
Virunga National Park
Overview
Africa's oldest national park, home to mountain gorillas, active volcanoes, diverse ecosystems from savanna to alpine
Location
North Kivu Province
Area
790,000 hectares
Established
1925
Managing Authority
ICCN
UNESCO Status
Yes – World Heritage Site (1979)
Key Species
Mountain gorillas, chimpanzees, forest elephants, okapi, 700+ bird species
Threats
Armed conflict, poaching, oil exploration pressure, deforestation
Conservation Measures
Ranger patrols, community programs, gorilla trekking tourism
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Kahuzi-Biega National Park
Overview
Primary habitat for Grauer's (eastern lowland) gorillas, the world's largest gorilla subspecies
Location
South Kivu Province
Area
600,000 hectares
Established
1970
Managing Authority
ICCN
UNESCO Status
Yes – World Heritage Site (1980)
Key Species
Eastern lowland gorillas, chimpanzees, forest elephants, endemic birds
Threats
Mining, deforestation, armed groups
Conservation Measures
Gorilla habituation, community engagement, ecotourism
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Salonga National Park
Overview
Africa's largest tropical rainforest reserve, critical bonobo habitat
Location
Équateur, Tshuapa, Mai-Ndombe Provinces
Area
3.6 million hectares
Established
1970
Managing Authority
ICCN
UNESCO Status
Yes – World Heritage Site (1984)
Key Species
Bonobos, forest elephants, Congo peacock, endemic primates
Threats
Poaching, illegal logging, limited access for protection
Conservation Measures
Community-based conservation, bonobo research and tourism
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Garamba National Park
Overview
Savanna ecosystem, last wild population of Kordofan giraffes in DRC
Location
Haut-Uele Province
Area
492,000 hectares
Established
1938
Managing Authority
ICCN / African Parks
UNESCO Status
Yes – World Heritage Site (1980)
Key Species
Kordofan giraffes, elephants, hippos, lions, chimpanzees
Threats
Poaching, transboundary pressure
Conservation Measures
African Parks management, anti-poaching operations
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Okapi Wildlife Reserve
Overview
Primary habitat for endemic okapi, critical Ituri forest conservation
Location
Ituri Province
Area
1.4 million hectares
Established
1992
Managing Authority
ICCN / Wildlife Conservation Society
UNESCO Status
Yes – World Heritage Site (1996)
Key Species
Okapi, forest elephants, chimpanzees, 13 primate species
Threats
Mining, deforestation, poaching
Conservation Measures
Research station, community programs, ranger training
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Cultural Groups & Communities
Kongo People
Overview
One of Africa's most influential historical kingdoms, rich artistic and spiritual traditions
Location
Kongo Central, Kinshasa, parts of Angola and Republic of Congo
Population
Approximately 10 million
Languages
Kikongo, Lingala, French
Cultural Heritage
Kingdom of Kongo (14th-19th century), Nkisi spiritual traditions, textile arts
Contemporary Challenges
Cultural preservation amid urbanization, diaspora connection
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Luba People
Overview
Historical Luba Empire, renowned artistic traditions
Location
Katanga region (Haut-Lomami, Lualaba provinces)
Population
Approximately 5-6 million
Languages
Kiluba, French
Cultural Heritage
Royal memory traditions (lukasa), wood sculpture, metalwork
Contemporary Challenges
Cultural continuity, preservation of oral traditions
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Kuba People
Overview
Sophisticated kingdom with elaborate art forms
Location
Kasaï region
Population
Approximately 250,000
Languages
Bushong, French
Cultural Heritage
Raffia textiles, geometric patterns, masks, royal traditions
Contemporary Challenges
Economic pressures, cultural transmission
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Twa (Pygmy) Forest Communities
Overview
Original forest inhabitants, traditional ecological knowledge
Location
Eastern DRC forests, various regions
Population
Estimated 30,000-50,000
Languages
Various Bantu languages, traditional languages
Cultural Heritage
Forest-based livelihoods, hunting-gathering traditions, medicinal knowledge
Contemporary Challenges
Land rights, forest access, marginalization, cultural preservation
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Licensing & Reuse
All fact sheets on this page are licensed under Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 (CC BY 4.0) and may be reused with attribution to DRCTourism.com.
Suggested citation: "DRC Parks & Peoples Fact Sheets." DRCTourism.com, January 2026.
Last updated: January 2026