Congo, Democratic Republic of the (DROC) - Religions

Roman Catholic and Protestant missions have long been active in the country, with current figures showing that about 55% of the population are Roman Catholic and about 25% are Protestant. Until 1990, only three Christian churches were officially recognized denominations: the Roman Catholic Church; the Church of Christ; and the charismatic Kimbanguist Church, which claims to be the largest independent African church on the continent. Kimbanguists constituted about 10% of the population in 1998. Currently, there are other minority protestant groups, including Jehovah's Witnesses and the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. There is a Muslim minority in the northeast, accounting for about 3%. Others adhere to syncretic sects and traditional African beliefs.

During the 1970s, the regime of President Mobutu moved to curb the influence of the Roman Catholic Church. All church-affiliated schools and voluntary associations were either disbanded or taken over by the state. The power of the church was further eroded in 1974 with the cancellation of religious holidays, and as of January 1975, religious instruction in primary and secondary schools was abolished. As of the mid-1980s, however, the Roman Catholic Church, along with the smaller churches, remained independent of government apparatus. In 2002, the country did not have a constitution in effect, however, the government has generally provided for religious freedom through the Regulation of Nonprofit Associations and Public Utility Institutions statute.