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Why is the Democratic Republic of the Congo sometimes called Congo-Kinshasa?
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The Democratic Republic of the Congo is often referred to as Congo-Kinshasa to distinguish it from its neighbor, the Republic of the Congo, which has its capital at Brazzaville.12
Because both nations are frequently called "Congo," adding the capital city in parenthesesâCongo (Kinshasa) or Congo (Brazzaville)âserves as a clear and standard way to differentiate between the two countries in international contexts.12