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Congo, Republic of the
Background: Upon independence in 1960, the former French region of Middle Congo became the Republic of the Congo. A quarter century of experimentation with Marxism was abandoned in 1990 and a democratically elected government installed in 1992. A brief civil war in 1997 restored former Marxist President SASSOU-NGUESSO.
Location: Western Africa, bordering the South Atlantic Ocean, between Angola and Gabon Geographic coordinates: 1 00 S, 15 00 E Map references: Africa Area:
Area - comparative: slightly smaller than Montana Land boundaries:
Coastline: 169 km Maritime claims:
Climate: tropical; rainy season (March to June); dry season (June to October); constantly high temperatures and humidity; particularly enervating climate astride the Equator Terrain: coastal plain, southern basin, central plateau, northern basin Elevation extremes:
Natural resources: petroleum, timber, potash, lead, zinc, uranium, copper, phosphates, natural gas, hydropower Land use:
Irrigated land: 10 sq km (1993 est.) Natural hazards: seasonal flooding Environment - current issues: air pollution from vehicle emissions; water pollution from the dumping of raw sewage; tap water is not potable; deforestation Environment - international agreements:
Geography - note: about 70% of the population lives in Brazzaville, Pointe-Noire, or along the railroad between them
Population:
2,830,961
Age structure:
Population growth rate: 2.23% (2000 est.) Birth rate: 38.61 births/1,000 population (2000 est.) Death rate: 16.35 deaths/1,000 population (2000 est.) Net migration rate: 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2000 est.) Sex ratio:
Infant mortality rate: 101.55 deaths/1,000 live births (2000 est.) Life expectancy at birth:
Total fertility rate: 5.06 children born/woman (2000 est.) Nationality:
Ethnic groups: Kongo 48%, Sangha 20%, M'Bochi 12%, Teke 17%, Europeans NA%; note - Europeans estimated at 8,500, mostly French, before the 1997 civil war; may be half of that in 1998, following the widespread destruction of foreign businesses in 1997 Religions: Christian 50%, animist 48%, Muslim 2% Languages: French (official), Lingala and Monokutuba (lingua franca trade languages), many local languages and dialects (of which Kikongo has the most users) Literacy:
Country name:
Data code: CF Government type: republic Capital: Brazzaville Administrative divisions: 9 regions (regions, singular - region) and 1 commune*; Bouenza, Brazzaville*, Cuvette, Kouilou, Lekoumou, Likouala, Niari, Plateaux, Pool, Sangha Independence: 15 August 1960 (from France) National holiday: Congolese National Day, 15 August (1960) Constitution: new constitution approved by referendum March 1992 but is now being redrafted by President SASSOU-NGUESSO Legal system: based on French civil law system and customary law Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal Executive branch:
Legislative branch:
unicameral National Transitional Council (75 seats, members elected by reconciliation forum of 1,420 delegates on NA January 1998); note - the National Transitional Council replaced the bicameral Parliament
Judicial branch: Supreme Court (Cour Supreme) Political parties and leaders: the most important of the many parties are the Congolese Labor Party or PCT [Denis SASSOU-NGUESSO, president]; Association for Democracy and Social Progress or RDPS [Jean-Pierre Thystere TCHICAYA, president]; Congolese Movement for Democracy and Integral Development or MCDDI [Michel MAMPOUYA]; Pan-African Union for Social Development or UPADS [Martin MBERI]; Union of Democratic Forces or UFD [Sebastian EBAO] Political pressure groups and leaders: Congolese Trade Union Congress or CSC; General Union of Congolese Pupils and Students or UGEEC; Revolutionary Union of Congolese Women or URFC; Union of Congolese Socialist Youth or UJSC International organization participation: ACCT, ACP, AfDB, BDEAC, CCC, CEEAC, ECA, FAO, FZ, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, IOM (observer), ITU, NAM, OAU, OPCW, UDEAC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO Diplomatic representation in the US:
Diplomatic representation from the US:
Flag description: divided diagonally from the lower hoist side by a yellow band; the upper triangle (hoist side) is green and the lower triangle is red; uses the popular pan-African colors of Ethiopia
Economy - overview: The economy is a mixture of village agriculture and handicrafts, an industrial sector based largely on oil, support services, and a government characterized by budget problems and overstaffing. Oil has supplanted forestry as the mainstay of the economy, providing a major share of government revenues and exports. In the early 1980s, rapidly rising oil revenues enabled the government to finance large-scale development projects with GDP growth averaging 5% annually, one of the highest rates in Africa. Moreover, the government has mortgaged a substantial portion of its oil earnings, contributing to the government's shortage of revenues. The 12 January 1994 devaluation of Franc Zone currencies by 50% resulted in inflation of 61% in 1994 but inflation has subsided since. Economic reform efforts continued with the support of international organizations, notably the World Bank and the IMF. The reform program came to a halt in June 1997 when civil war erupted. Denis SASSOU-NGUESSO, who returned to power when the war ended in October 1997, publicly expressed interest in moving forward on economic reforms and privatization and in renewing cooperation with international financial institutions. However, economic progress was badly hurt by slumping oil prices in 1998, which worsened the Republic of the Congo's budget deficit. A second blow was the resumption of armed conflict in December 1998. Even with high world oil prices, Congo is unlikely to realize growth of more than 5% in 2000-01. GDP: purchasing power parity - $4.15 billion (1999 est.) GDP - real growth rate: 5% (1999 est.) GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $1,530 (1999 est.) GDP - composition by sector:
Population below poverty line: NA% Household income or consumption by percentage share:
Inflation rate (consumer prices): 4% (1999 est.) Labor force: NA Unemployment rate: NA% Budget:
Industries: petroleum extraction, cement kilning, lumbering, brewing, sugar milling, palm oil, soap, cigarette making Industrial production growth rate: NA% Electricity - production: 503 million kWh (1998) Electricity - production by source:
Electricity - consumption: 588 million kWh (1998) Electricity - exports: 0 kWh (1998) Electricity - imports: 120 million kWh (1998) Agriculture - products: cassava (tapioca), sugar, rice, corn, peanuts, vegetables, coffee, cocoa; forest products Exports: $1.7 billion (f.o.b., 1999) Exports - commodities: petroleum 50%, lumber, plywood, sugar, cocoa, coffee, diamonds Exports - partners: US 23%, Benelux 14%, Germany, Italy, Taiwan, China (1998) Imports: $770 million (f.o.b., 1999) Imports - commodities: petroleum products, capital equipment, construction materials, foodstuffs Imports - partners: France 23%, US 9%, Belgium 8%, UK 7%, Italy (1997 est.) Debt - external: $5 billion (1997) Economic aid - recipient: $159.1 million (1995) Currency: 1 Communaute Financiere Africaine franc (CFAF) = 100 centimes Exchange rates: Communaute Financiere Africaine francs (CFAF) per US$1 - 647.25 (January 2000), 615.70 (1999), 589.95 (1998), 583.67 (1997), 511.55 (1996), 499.15 (1995) Fiscal year: calendar year
Telephones - main lines in use: 21,000 (1995) Telephones - mobile cellular: NA Telephone system:
services barely adequate for government use; key exchanges are in Brazzaville, Pointe-Noire, and Loubomo; intercity lines frequently out-of-order
Radio broadcast stations: AM 1, FM 5, shortwave 1 (1999) Radios: 341,000 (1997) Television broadcast stations: 1 (1999) Televisions: 33,000 (1997) Internet Service Providers (ISPs): NA
Railways:
Highways:
Waterways: the Congo and Ubangi (Oubangui) rivers provide 1,120 km of commercially navigable water transport; other rivers are used for local traffic only Pipelines: crude oil 25 km Ports and harbors: Brazzaville, Impfondo, Ouesso, Oyo, Pointe-Noire Airports: 36 (1999 est.) Airports - with paved runways:
Airports - with unpaved runways:
Military branches: Army, Air Force, Navy, Gendarmerie Military manpower - military age: 20 years of age Military manpower - availability:
Military manpower - fit for military service:
Military manpower - reaching military age annually:
Military expenditures - dollar figure: $110 million (FY93) Military expenditures - percent of GDP: 3.8% (FY93)
Disputes - international: most of the Congo river boundary with the Democratic Republic of the Congo is indefinite (no agreement has been reached on the division of the river or its islands, except in the Stanley Pool/Pool Malebo area) Please click here for a guide to the country profiles Click here for all other countries
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