State

Zaire

1971–1997 · 20th century

Zaire was the official name of the Democratic Republic of the Congo from 1971 to 1997, adopted by Mobutu Sese Seko as part of his campaign of 'authenticity'. Under Mobutu's one-party rule the country, rich in copper, cobalt and diamonds, suffered from corruption and economic decline. In 1996–1997 an invasion by rebels under Laurent-Désiré Kabila, backed by Rwanda and Uganda, overthrew Mobutu, and the country resumed the name Democratic Republic of the Congo.

Zaire
Image: Moyogo · Public domain · Wikimedia Commons
Cite this entry
APA
The Epoch Institute. (2026). Zaire. In The Epoch Institute Encyclopedia. https://the-epoch-institute.org/encyclopedia/zaire
MLA
“Zaire.” The Epoch Institute Encyclopedia, The Epoch Institute, 2026, https://the-epoch-institute.org/encyclopedia/zaire. Accessed .
Chicago
The Epoch Institute. “Zaire.” The Epoch Institute Encyclopedia. 2026. https://the-epoch-institute.org/encyclopedia/zaire.
Harvard
The Epoch Institute (2026) ‘Zaire’, The Epoch Institute Encyclopedia. Available at: https://the-epoch-institute.org/encyclopedia/zaire (Accessed: ).

Last reviewed October 2026Random entry ↻