Republic of the Congo, Africa

The Republic of the Congo (also known as Congo-Brazzaville or the Congo) is a country in Central Africa. Not to be confused with  Democratic Republic of the Congo,
The region was dominated by Bantu tribes, who built trade links leading into the Congo River basin. The republic is a former French colony. Upon independence in 1960, the former French region of Middle Congo became the Republic of the Congo. It was a Soviet Bloc Marxist-Leninist single-party state from 1970 until the regime was replaced by multi-party elections in 1992. However, a civil war in 1997 resulted in the overthrowing of democratically elected president Pascal Lissouba and the installation of the country's former socialist dictator Denis Sassou Nguesso to power. About half the population live below the international poverty line of US$1.25 a day.
Brazzaville is the worst city in the world to live, according to a BBC survey in 2003. About half of the city's houses are still in ruins because of the civil war.

In Congo-Brazzaville, lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) persons usually face legal, religious and social discrimiantion. There is no law against homosexual behavior; it is not mentioned as a criminal offence in the penal code. But these people face harsh judgment and dishonor from their families.  The age of consent is equal at 14.