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This page was last updated on 19 June 2008
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| Introduction | Congo, Republic of the | Top of Page

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 took office in 1992. A brief civil war in 1997 restored former Marxist President Denis SASSOU-NGUESSO, and ushered in a period of ethnic and political unrest. Southern-based rebel groups agreed to a final peace accord in March 2003, but the calm is tenuous and refugees continue to present a humanitarian crisis. The Republic of Congo was once one of Africa's largest petroleum producers, but with declining production it will need new offshore oil finds to sustain its oil earnings over the long term.

| Geography | Congo, Republic of the | Top of Page

Location: | Western Africa, bordering the South Atlantic Ocean, between Angola and Gabon
Geographic coordinates: | 1 00 S, 15 00 E
Map references: | Africa
Area: | total: 342,000 sq km land: 341,500 sq km water: 500 sq km
Area - comparative: | slightly smaller than Montana
Land boundaries: | total: 5,504 km border countries: Angola 201 km, Cameroon 523 km, Central African Republic 467 km, Democratic Republic of the Congo 2,410 km, Gabon 1,903 km
Coastline: | 169 km
Maritime claims: | territorial sea: 200 nm
Climate: | tropical; rainy season (March to June); dry season (June to October); persistent high temperatures and humidity; particularly enervating climate astride the Equator
Terrain: | coastal plain, southern basin, central plateau, northern basin
Elevation extremes: | lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m highest point: Mount Berongou 903 m
Natural resources: | petroleum, timber, potash, lead, zinc, uranium, copper, phosphates, gold, magnesium, natural gas, hydropower
Land use: | arable land: 1.45% permanent crops: 0.15% other: 98.4% (2005)
Irrigated land: | 20 sq km (2003)
Total renewable water resources: | 832 cu km (1987)
Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural): | total: 0.03 cu km/yr (59%/29%/12%) per capita: 8 cu m/yr (2000)
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: | party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: Law of the Sea
Geography - note: | about 70% of the population lives in Brazzaville, Pointe-Noire, or along the railroad between them

| People | Congo, Republic of the | Top of Page

Population: | 3,903,318 note: estimates for this country explicitly take into account the effects of excess mortality due to AIDS; this can result in lower life expectancy, higher infant mortality, higher death rates, lower population growth rates, and changes in the distribution of population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July 2008 est.)
Age structure: | 0-14 years: 46.1% (male 906,345/female 894,568) 15-64 years: 51% (male 989,126/female 1,002,682) 65 years and over: 2.8% (male 45,560/female 65,037) (2008 est.)
Median age: | total: 16.7 years male: 16.5 years female: 17 years (2008 est.)
Population growth rate: | 2.696% (2008 est.)
Birth rate: | 41.76 births/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Death rate: | 12.28 deaths/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Net migration rate: | -2.52 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Sex ratio: | at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.01 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.99 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.7 male(s)/female total population: 0.99 male(s)/female (2008 est.)
Infant mortality rate: | total: 81.29 deaths/1,000 live births male: 86.9 deaths/1,000 live births female: 75.51 deaths/1,000 live births (2008 est.)
Life expectancy at birth: | total population: 53.74 years male: 52.52 years female: 55 years (2008 est.)
Total fertility rate: | 5.92 children born/woman (2008 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: | 4.9% (2003 est.)
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: | 90,000 (2003 est.)
HIV/AIDS - deaths: | 9,700 (2003 est.)
Major infectious diseases: | degree of risk: very high food or waterborne diseases: bacterial and protozoal diarrhea, hepatitis A, and typhoid fever vectorborne disease: malaria and African trypanosomiasis (sleeping sickness) animal contact disease: rabies (2008)
Nationality: | noun: Congolese (singular and plural) adjective: Congolese or Congo
Ethnic groups: | Kongo 48%, Sangha 20%, M'Bochi 12%, Teke 17%, Europeans and other 3%
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 is the most widespread)
Literacy: | definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 83.8% male: 89.6% female: 78.4% (2003 est.)

| Government | Congo, Republic of the | Top of Page

Country name: | conventional long form: Republic of the Congo conventional short form: Congo (Brazzaville) local long form: Republique du Congo local short form: none former: Middle Congo, Congo/Brazzaville, Congo
Government type: | republic
Capital: | name: Brazzaville geographic coordinates: 4 15 S, 15 17 E time difference: UTC+1 (six hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)
Administrative divisions: | 10 regions (regions, singular - region) and 1 commune*; Bouenza, Brazzaville*, Cuvette, Cuvette-Ouest, Kouilou, Lekoumou, Likouala, Niari, Plateaux, Pool, Sangha
Independence: | 15 August 1960 (from France)
National holiday: | Independence Day, 15 August (1960)
Constitution: | approved by referendum 20 January 2002
Legal system: | based on French civil law system and customary law; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
Suffrage: | 18 years of age; universal
Executive branch: | chief of state: President Denis SASSOU-NGUESSO (since 25 October 1997, following the civil war in which he toppled elected president Pascal LISSOUBA); head of government: Prime Minister Isidore MVOUBA (since 7 January 2005) cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president elections: president elected by popular vote for a seven-year term (eligible for a second term); election last held 10 March 2002 (next to be held in 2009) election results: Denis SASSOU-NGUESSO reelected president; percent of vote - Denis SASSOU-NGUESSO 89.4%, Joseph Kignoumbi Kia MBOUNGOU 2.7%
Legislative branch: | bicameral Parliament consists of the Senate (66 seats; members are elected by indirect vote to serve five-year terms) and the National Assembly (137 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms) elections: Senate - last held 11 July 2002 (next to be held in July 2008); National Assembly - last held 24 June and 5 August 2007 (next to be held in 2012) election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - FDU 56, other 10; National Assembly - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - PCT 46, MCDDI 11, UPADS 11, MAR 5, MSD 5, independents 37, other 22
Judicial branch: | Supreme Court or Cour Supreme
Political parties and leaders: | Action Movement for Renewal or MAR; Congolese Movement for Democracy and Integral Development or MCDDI [Michel MAMPOUYA]; Congolese Labour Party or PCT; Movement for Solidarity and Development or MSD; Pan-African Union for Social Development or UPADS [Martin MBERI]; Rally for Democracy and Social Progress or RDPS [Jean-Pierre Thystere TCHICAYA, president]; Rally for Democracy and the Republic or RDR [Raymond Damasge NGOLLO]; Union for Democracy and Republic or UDR; United Democratic Forces or FDU [Sebastian EBAO]; many less important parties
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, AU, BDEAC, CEMAC, FAO, FZ, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ITSO, ITU, ITUC, MIGA, NAM, OIF, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNWTO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
Diplomatic representation in the US: | chief of mission: Ambassador Serge MOMBOULI chancery: 4891 Colorado Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20011 telephone: [1] (202) 726-5500 FAX: [1] (202) 726-1860
Diplomatic representation from the US: | chief of mission: Ambassador Robert WEISBERG embassy: BDEAC Building, 4th Floor, Brazzaville note - a new Embassy is expected to open in 2009 mailing address: NA telephone: [242] 81-1480 FAX:: [243] 81-5324; note - until the new embassy in Brazzaville is operational, some duties are still handled in the US embassy in Kinshasha, Democratic Republic of the Congo
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 note: uses the popular pan-African colors of Ethiopia

| Economy | Congo, Republic of the | Top of Page

Economy - overview: | The economy is a mixture of subsistance agriculture, an industrial sector based largely on oil, and 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. The government has mortgaged a substantial portion of its oil earnings through oil-backed loans that have contributed to a growing debt burden and chronic revenue shortfalls. Economic reform efforts have been undertaken with the support of international organizations, notably the World Bank and the IMF. However, 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. Economic progress was badly hurt by slumping oil prices and the resumption of armed conflict in December 1998, which worsened the republic's budget deficit. The current administration presides over an uneasy internal peace and faces difficult economic challenges of stimulating recovery and reducing poverty. Recovery of oil prices has boosted the economy's GDP and near-term prospects. In March 2006, the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund (IMF) approved Heavily Indebted Poor Countries (HIPC) treatment for Congo.
GDP (purchasing power parity): | $13.23 billion (2007 est.)
GDP (official exchange rate): | $7.657 billion (2007 est.)
GDP - real growth rate: | -1.6% (2007 est.)
GDP - per capita (PPP): | $3,700 (2007 est.)
GDP - composition by sector: | agriculture: 5.6% industry: 57.1% services: 37.3% (2006 est.)
Labor force: | NA
Unemployment rate: | NA%
Population below poverty line: | NA%
Household income or consumption by percentage share: | lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA%
Inflation rate (consumer prices): | 2.6% (2007 est.)
Investment (gross fixed): | 30.8% of GDP (2007 est.)
Budget: | revenues: $3.522 billion expenditures: $2.377 billion (2007 est.)
Agriculture - products: | cassava (tapioca), sugar, rice, corn, peanuts, vegetables, coffee, cocoa; forest products
Industries: | petroleum extraction, cement, lumber, brewing, sugar, palm oil, soap, flour, cigarettes
Industrial production growth rate: | -6% (2007 est.)
Electricity - production: | 352 million kWh (2005)
Electricity - consumption: | 572 million kWh (2005)
Electricity - exports: | 0 kWh (2005)
Electricity - imports: | 418 million kWh (2005)
Oil - production: | 235,900 bbl/day
Oil - consumption: | 7,000 bbl/day (2005 est.)
Oil - exports: | 229,700 bbl/day (2004 est.)
Oil - imports: | 11,410 bbl/day (2004)
Oil - proved reserves: | 1.506 billion bbl (1 January 2006 est.)
Natural gas - production: | 115.1 million cu m (2005 est.)
Natural gas - consumption: | 115.1 million cu m (2005 est.)
Natural gas - exports: | 0 cu m (2005 est.)
Natural gas - imports: | 0 cu m (2005)
Natural gas - proved reserves: | 86.9 billion cu m (1 January 2006 est.)
Current account balance: | -$1.49 billion (2007 est.)
Exports: | $6.251 billion f.o.b. (2007 est.)
Exports - commodities: | petroleum, lumber, plywood, sugar, cocoa, coffee, diamonds
Exports - partners: | US 35.9%, China 31.4%, Taiwan 9.9%, South Korea 8% (2006)
Imports: | $1.762 billion f.o.b. (2007 est.)
Imports - commodities: | capital equipment, construction materials, foodstuffs
Imports - partners: | France 23.5%, China 13.2%, US 7.6%, India 7%, Italy 5.6%, Belgium 5.3% (2006)
Economic aid - recipient: | $1.449 billion (2005)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: | $2.197 billion (31 December 2007 est.)
Debt - external: | $5 billion (2000 est.)
Market value of publicly traded shares: | $NA
Currency (code): | Communaute Financiere Africaine franc (XAF); note - responsible authority is the Bank of the Central African States
Exchange rates: | Communaute Financiere Africaine francs (XAF) per US dollar - 483.6 (2007), 522.59 (2006), 527.47 (2005), 528.29 (2004), 581.2 (2003)
Fiscal year: | calendar year

| Communications | Congo, Republic of the | Top of Page

Telephones - main lines in use: | 15,900 (2005)
Telephones - mobile cellular: | 490,000 (2005)
Telephone system: | general assessment: services barely adequate for government use; key exchanges are in Brazzaville, Pointe-Noire, and Loubomo; intercity lines frequently out of order; fixed-line infrastructure inadequate providing less than 1 connection per 100 persons; mobile-cellular subscribership has surged reaching 16 per 100 persons domestic: primary network consists of microwave radio relay and coaxial cable international: country code - 242; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)
Radio broadcast stations: | AM 1, FM 5, shortwave 3 (2001)
Television broadcast stations: | 1 (2001)
Internet country code: | .cg
Internet hosts: | 3 (2007)
Internet users: | 70,000 (2006)

| Transportation | Congo, Republic of the | Top of Page

Airports: | 31 (2007)
Airports - with paved runways: | total: 5 over 3,047 m: 2 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 (2007)
Airports - with unpaved runways: | total: 26 1,524 to 2,437 m: 7 914 to 1,523 m: 10 under 914 m: 9 (2007)
Pipelines: | gas 89 km; liquid petroleum gas 4 km; oil 758 km (2007)
Railways: | total: 894 km narrow gauge: 894 km 1.067-m gauge (2006)
Roadways: | total: 17,289 km paved: 864 km unpaved: 16,425 km (2004)
Waterways: | 1,125 km (commercially navigable on Congo and Oubanqui rivers) (2006)
Merchant marine: | registered in other countries: 1 (Congo, Democratic Republic of the 1) (2007)
Ports and terminals: | Brazzaville, Djeno, Impfondo, Ouesso, Oyo, Pointe-Noire

| Military | Congo, Republic of the | Top of Page

Military branches: | Congolese Armed Forces (Forces Armees Congolaises, FAC): Army, Navy, Congolese Air Force (Armee de l'Air Congolaise), Gendarmerie, Special Presidential Security Guard (GSSP) (2008)
Military service age and obligation: | 18 years of age for voluntary military service; women allowed to serve (2007)
Manpower available for military service: | males age 16-49: 842,771 females age 16-49: 833,624 (2008 est.)
Manpower fit for military service: | males age 16-49: 519,296 females age 16-49: 509,564 (2008 est.)
Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually: | males age 16-49: 45,671 females age 16-49: 45,248 (2008 est.)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP: | 3.1% (2006)

| Transnational Issues | Congo, Republic of the | Top of Page

Disputes - international: | Congo hosts about 63,000 refugees from neighboring states, primarily from the Pool border area of the Democratic Republic of the Congo; the location of the boundary in the broad Congo River with the Democratic Republic of the Congo is indefinite except in the Pool Malebo/Stanley Pool area
Refugees and internally displaced persons: | refugees (country of origin): 46,341 (Democratic Republic of Congo); 6,564 (Rwanda) IDPs: 48,000 (multiple civil wars since 1992; most IDPs are ethnic Lari) (2007)
Trafficking in persons: | current situation: tier rating: Tier 2 Watch List - (2008)

This page was last updated on 19 June 2008