The Origin of Ethnolinguistic Diversity: Evidence From Subnational Data From the <scp>DRC</scp>

Abstract

ABSTRACT This research has two aims: on the one hand, it seeks to measure ethnolinguistic diversity in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) at a disaggregated level, with a granularity that corresponds to the second Congolese administrative scale; on the other hand, it explains this fragmentation based on recent empirical literature. We therefore present the first estimates of ethnic diversity at the subnational level and examine their origins in the DRC. First, the data clearly reveal a strong and nonhomogenized ethnolinguistic diversity across the national landscape, while also acknowledging the real presence of ethnic dominance and significant ethnic polarization in certain territories. Second, based on our data, our empirical evidence suggests that ethnolinguistic diversity in the DRC can be primarily explained by geoclimatic factors, followed by historical‐institutional factors, mixed variables, and finally, modern variables. Related Articles Ishiyama, J., and K. Fox. 2006. “What Affects the Strength of Partisan Identity in Sub‐Saharan Africa?” Politics &amp; Policy 34, no. 4: 748–773. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1747‐1346.2006.00039.x . Koos, A. K. 2016. “Constitutional Definition of the Demos and Inter‐Ethnic Relations.” Politics &amp; Policy 44, no. 4: 639–676. https://doi.org/10.1111/polp.12170 . Ondoua Beyene, B., T. Mamadou Asngar, B. E. Ongo Nkoa, C. B. Kamdem, and P. K. Fosso. 2025. “Cultural Diffusion and Democracy: What Lessons in Sub‐Saharan Africa's Experience?” Politics &amp; Policy 53, no. 1: e70012. https://doi.org/10.1111/polp.70012 .