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  Congo, Republic of the  
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This page was last updated on 18 December 2008


Map of Congo, Republic of the



Legend: DefinitionDefinition Field ListingField Listing Rank OrderRank Order
   Introduction    Congo, Republic of the Top of Page
Background:
Definition Field Listing
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:
Definition Field Listing
Western Africa, bordering the South Atlantic Ocean, between Angola and Gabon
Geographic coordinates:
Definition Field Listing
1 00 S, 15 00 E
Map references:
Definition Field Listing
Africa
Area:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
total: 342,000 sq km
land: 341,500 sq km
water: 500 sq km
Area - comparative:
Definition Field Listing
slightly smaller than Montana
Land boundaries:
Definition Field Listing
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:
Definition Field Listing
169 km
Maritime claims:
Definition Field Listing
territorial sea: 200 nm
Climate:
Definition Field Listing
tropical; rainy season (March to June); dry season (June to October); persistent high temperatures and humidity; particularly enervating climate astride the Equator
Terrain:
Definition Field Listing
coastal plain, southern basin, central plateau, northern basin
Elevation extremes:
Definition Field Listing
lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m
highest point: Mount Berongou 903 m
Natural resources:
Definition Field Listing
petroleum, timber, potash, lead, zinc, uranium, copper, phosphates, gold, magnesium, natural gas, hydropower
Land use:
Definition Field Listing
arable land: 1.45%
permanent crops: 0.15%
other: 98.4% (2005)
Irrigated land:
Definition Field Listing
20 sq km (2003)
Total renewable water resources:
Definition Field Listing
832 cu km (1987)
Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural):
Definition Field Listing
total: 0.03 cu km/yr (59%/29%/12%)
per capita: 8 cu m/yr (2000)
Natural hazards:
Definition Field Listing
seasonal flooding
Environment - current issues:
Definition Field Listing
air pollution from vehicle emissions; water pollution from the dumping of raw sewage; tap water is not potable; deforestation
Environment - international agreements:
Definition Field Listing
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:
Definition Field Listing
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:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
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:
Definition Field Listing
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:
Definition Field Listing
total: 16.7 years
male: 16.5 years
female: 17 years (2008 est.)
Population growth rate:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
2.696% (2008 est.)
Birth rate:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
41.76 births/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Death rate:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
12.28 deaths/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Net migration rate:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
-2.52 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Sex ratio:
Definition Field Listing
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:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
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:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
total population: 53.74 years
male: 52.52 years
female: 55 years (2008 est.)
Total fertility rate:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
5.92 children born/woman (2008 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
4.9% (2003 est.)
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
90,000 (2003 est.)
HIV/AIDS - deaths:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
9,700 (2003 est.)
Major infectious diseases:
Definition Field Listing
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:
Definition Field Listing
noun: Congolese (singular and plural)
adjective: Congolese or Congo
Ethnic groups:
Definition Field Listing
Kongo 48%, Sangha 20%, M'Bochi 12%, Teke 17%, Europeans and other 3%
Religions:
Definition Field Listing
Christian 50%, animist 48%, Muslim 2%
Languages:
Definition Field Listing
French (official), Lingala and Monokutuba (lingua franca trade languages), many local languages and dialects (of which Kikongo is the most widespread)
Literacy:
Definition Field Listing
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 83.8%
male: 89.6%
female: 78.4% (2003 est.)
School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):
Definition Field Listing
total: 9 years
male: 10 years
female: 8 years (2003)
Education expenditures:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
1.9% of GDP (2005)
   Government    Congo, Republic of the Top of Page
Country name:
Definition Field Listing
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:
Definition Field Listing
republic
Capital:
Definition Field Listing
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:
Definition Field Listing
10 regions (regions, singular - region) and 1 commune*; Bouenza, Brazzaville*, Cuvette, Cuvette-Ouest, Kouilou, Lekoumou, Likouala, Niari, Plateaux, Pool, Sangha
Independence:
Definition Field Listing
15 August 1960 (from France)
National holiday:
Definition Field Listing
Independence Day, 15 August (1960)
Constitution:
Definition Field Listing
approved by referendum 20 January 2002
Legal system:
Definition Field Listing
based on French civil law system and customary law; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
Suffrage:
Definition Field Listing
18 years of age; universal
Executive branch:
Definition Field Listing
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:
Definition Field Listing
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:
Definition Field Listing
Supreme Court or Cour Supreme
Political parties and leaders:
Definition Field Listing
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:
Definition Field Listing
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:
Definition Field Listing
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, UNITAR, UNWTO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
Diplomatic representation in the US:
Definition Field Listing
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:
Definition Field Listing
chief of mission: Ambassador Allan EASTHAM
embassy: Boulevard de la Revolution, BDEAC Building, 4th Floor, Brazzaville; note - a new embassy is expected to open in 2009
mailing address: B.P. 1015, Brazzaville
telephone: [242] 281-1481, [242] 281-3368; note - until the new embassy in Brazzaville becomes operational, some duties will still be handled in the US embassy in Kinshasha, Democratic Republic of the Congo
Flag description:
Definition Field Listing
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:
Definition Field Listing
The economy is a mixture of subsistence 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):
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
$12.86 billion (2007 est.)
GDP (official exchange rate):
Definition Field Listing
$7.657 billion (2007 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
-1.6% (2007 est.)
GDP - per capita (PPP):
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
$3,400 (2007 est.)
GDP - composition by sector:
Definition Field Listing
agriculture: 5.6%
industry: 57.1%
services: 37.3% (2006 est.)
Labor force:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
NA
Unemployment rate:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
NA%
Household income or consumption by percentage share:
Definition Field Listing
lowest 10%: NA%
highest 10%: NA%
Investment (gross fixed):
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
40.4% of GDP (2007 est.)
Budget:
Definition Field Listing
revenues: $3.295 billion
expenditures: $2.444 billion (2007 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
2.7% (2007 est.)
Commercial bank prime lending rate:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
15% (31 December 2007)
Stock of money:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
$1.4 billion (31 December 2007)
Stock of quasi money:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
$204.3 million (31 December 2007)
Stock of domestic credit:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
NA
Agriculture - products:
Definition Field Listing
cassava (tapioca), sugar, rice, corn, peanuts, vegetables, coffee, cocoa; forest products
Industries:
Definition Field Listing
petroleum extraction, cement, lumber, brewing, sugar, palm oil, soap, flour, cigarettes
Industrial production growth rate:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
-12% (2007 est.)
Electricity - production:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
444 million kWh (2006 est.)
Electricity - consumption:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
564 million kWh (2006 est.)
Electricity - exports:
Definition Field Listing
0 kWh (2007 est.)
Electricity - imports:
Definition Field Listing
411 million kWh (2006 est.)
Oil - production:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
261,000 bbl/day
Oil - consumption:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
7,677 bbl/day (2006 est.)
Oil - exports:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
230,200 bbl/day (2005 est.)
Oil - imports:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
1,702 bbl/day (2005)
Oil - proved reserves:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
1.6 billion bbl (1 January 2008 est.)
Natural gas - production:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
180 million cu m (2006 est.)
Natural gas - consumption:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
180 million cu m (2006 est.)
Natural gas - exports:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
0 cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - imports:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
0 cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - proved reserves:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
90.61 billion cu m (1 January 2008 est.)
Current account balance:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
-$1.491 billion (2007 est.)
Exports:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
$5.8 billion f.o.b. (2007 est.)
Exports - commodities:
Definition Field Listing
petroleum, lumber, plywood, sugar, cocoa, coffee, diamonds
Exports - partners:
Definition Field Listing
US 41%, China 36.5%, Taiwan 3.6% (2007)
Imports:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
$2.634 billion f.o.b. (2007 est.)
Imports - commodities:
Definition Field Listing
capital equipment, construction materials, foodstuffs
Imports - partners:
Definition Field Listing
France 18.1%, South Korea 14.7%, China 12.6%, Italy 10.3%, India 4.7%, US 4.2% (2007)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
$2.206 billion (31 December 2007 est.)
Debt - external:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
$5 billion (2000 est.)
Market value of publicly traded shares:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
$NA
Currency (code):
Definition Field Listing
Communaute Financiere Africaine franc (XAF); note - responsible authority is the Bank of the Central African States
Exchange rates:
Definition Field Listing
Communaute Financiere Africaine francs (XAF) per US dollar - 483.6 (2007), 522.59 (2006), 527.47 (2005), 528.29 (2004), 581.2 (2003)
   Communications    Congo, Republic of the Top of Page
Telephones - main lines in use:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
15,900 (2005)
Telephones - mobile cellular:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
1.334 million (2007)
Telephone system:
Definition Field Listing
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; in the absence of an adequate fixed line infrastructure, mobile-cellular subscribership has surged reaching 35 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:
Definition Field Listing
AM 1, FM 5, shortwave 3 (2001)
Television broadcast stations:
Definition Field Listing
1 (2001)
Internet country code:
Definition Field Listing
.cg
Internet hosts:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
5 (2008)
Internet users:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
70,000 (2006)
   Transportation    Congo, Republic of the Top of Page
Airports:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
31 (2007)
Airports - with paved runways:
Definition Field Listing
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:
Definition Field Listing
total: 26
1,524 to 2,437 m: 7
914 to 1,523 m: 10
under 914 m: 9 (2007)
Pipelines:
Definition Field Listing
gas 89 km; liquid petroleum gas 4 km; oil 758 km (2007)
Railways:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
total: 894 km
narrow gauge: 894 km 1.067-m gauge (2006)
Roadways:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
total: 17,289 km
paved: 864 km
unpaved: 16,425 km (2004)
Waterways:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
1,125 km (commercially navigable on Congo and Oubanqui rivers) (2006)
Merchant marine:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
registered in other countries: 1 (Congo, Democratic Republic of the 1) (2008)
Ports and terminals:
Definition Field Listing
Brazzaville, Djeno, Impfondo, Ouesso, Oyo, Pointe-Noire
   Military    Congo, Republic of the Top of Page
Military branches:
Definition Field Listing
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:
Definition Field Listing
18 years of age for voluntary military service; women allowed to serve (2007)
Manpower available for military service:
Definition Field Listing
males age 16-49: 842,771
females age 16-49: 833,624 (2008 est.)
Manpower fit for military service:
Definition Field Listing
males age 16-49: 519,296
females age 16-49: 509,564 (2008 est.)
Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:
Definition Field Listing
male: 45,671
female: 45,248 (2008 est.)
Military expenditures:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
3.1% of GDP (2006)
   Transnational Issues    Congo, Republic of the Top of Page
Disputes - international:
Definition Field Listing
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:
Definition Field Listing
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:
Definition Field Listing
current situation: Republic of the Congo is a source and destination country for children trafficked for the purposes of forced labor and commercial sexual exploitation; girls are trafficked from rural areas within the country for commercial sexual exploitation, forced street vending, and domestic servitude; children are trafficked from other African countries for domestic servitude, forced market vending, and forced labor in the fishing industry
tier rating: Tier 2 Watch List - Republic of the Congo is on the Tier 2 Watch List for its failure to show evidence of increasing efforts to combat trafficking in persons in 2007; struggling to recover from six years of civil conflict that ended in 2003, the Republic of the Congo's capacity to address trafficking is handicapped; the government neither monitors its borders for trafficking activity nor provides specialized anti-trafficking training for law enforcement officials; the government does not encourage victims to assist in trafficking investigations or prosecutions, and has not taken measures to reduce demand for commercial sex acts in the Republic of the Congo (2008)

This page was last updated on 18 December 2008


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