Congo River and "Congo" is the preferred English name in 19th-century literature, although references to "Zahir" or "Zaire" as the name used by the inhabitants remained common. The Democratic Republic of the Congo and the Republic of the Congo are named after it, as was the previous Republic of the Congo which had gained independence in 1960 from the Belgian Congo. The Republic of Zaire during 1971–1997 was also named after the river, after its name in French and Portuguese. The Congo's drainage basin covers , an area larger than India. The Congo's discharge at its mouth ranges from , with an
27th Iowa Volunteer Infantry Regiment 27th Iowa Volunteer Infantry Regiment The 27th Regiment Iowa Volunteer Infantry was an infantry regiment that served in the Union Army during the American Civil War. The 27th Iowa Infantry was organized at Dubuque, Iowa and mustered in for three years of Federal service on October 3, 1862. The regiment was mustered out on August 8, 1865. A total of 1172 men served in the 27th Iowa at one time or another during its existence. It suffered 1 officer and 23 enlisted men who were killed in action or who died of their wounds and 2 officers and 167 enlisted