Zaire

Zaire, or Zaïre, was the former Democratic Republic of the Congo. It would be also become the future Democratic Republic of the Congo.

 File:Zaire 1972 defin.jpg|1972 40s definitive File:Zaire year of child.jpg|1979 20k Year of the Child File:Zaire 100z fish surch.jpg|1990 100z on 48k fish 
 * The country's first issue was a set commemorating UNICEF in December 1971. It was inscribed REPUBLIQUE DU ZAIRE.
 * With the next issue in 1972, inscriptions became REPUBLIQUE DU ZAÏRE.
 * Beginning in 1977, stamps began to be inscribed ZAIRE, though some sets still would have the older style inscriptions.
 * In mid-1984, the currency was changed from sengi/li-kuta ("K") to ma-kuta/zaire ("Z").
 * Beginning in 1990, many older stamps were surcharged in new values. With hyperinflation, some surcharges are in the millions of zaires.
 * In 1993, a wildlife set led off the currency revision to nouveau ma-kuta ("NK") and nouveau zaire ("NZ"). However, the only stamps issued to mid-1996 were more surcharges.
 * Following the death of President-for-life Mobutu in 1997, Zaire was renamed the Democratic Republic of the Congo. See the later issues under that name. Hyperinflation continued, in case you were wondering.

[[Category:Z]]