The term Congo's Name, 1971-1997 refers to the name of the country now known as the Democratic Republic of the Congo during the period from 1971 to 1997. During this time, the country was known as Zaire, a name derived from the Portuguese word for 'river' or 'great river'. The name was chosen by Mobutu Sese Seko, the country's leader from 1965 to 1997, in an effort to emphasize the country's African identity.