Republic of the Congo

The Republic of the Congo (République du Congo), also known as Congo-Brazzaville (locally, "Congo-Brazza") or the Congo, is a former French colony of western-central Africa. It borders Gabon, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Angola and the Gulf of Guinea. Upon independence in 1960, the former French region of Middle Congo became the Republic of the Congo. A quarter century of Marxism was abandoned in 1990 and a democratically elected government installed in 1992. A brief civil war in 1997 restored former Marxist President Denis Sassou Nguesso.