The Congo, formerly known as Zaire, is a country located in Central Africa. It is bordered by the Central African Republic, South Sudan, Uganda, Rwanda, Burundi, Tanzania, Zambia, Angola, and the Atlantic Ocean. It was formerly a colony of Belgium, and gained independence in 1960. In 1971, it was renamed Zaire by its then-dictator Mobutu Sese Seko. In 1997, it was renamed again to the Democratic Republic of the Congo.