Chapter 30
Population below poverty line: NA%
Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA%
Inflation rate (consumer prices): 2.5% (1997)
Labor force: 144,500 (1996 est.)
Labor force--by occupation: agriculture 80%, government 3%
Unemployment rate: 20% (1996 est.)
Budget: revenues: $48 million expenditures: $53 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (1997)
Industries: tourism, perfume distillation, textiles, furniture, jewelry, construction materials, soft drinks
Industrial production growth rate: NA%
Electricity--production: 15 million kWh (1996)
Electricity--production by source: fossil fuel: 86.67% hydro: 13.33% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (1996)
Electricity--consumption: 15 million kWh (1996)
Electricity--exports: 0 kWh (1996)
Electricity--imports: 0 kWh (1996)
Agriculture--products: vanilla, cloves, perfume essences, copra, coconuts, bananas, cassava (tapioca)
Exports: $11.4 million (f.o.b., 1996 est.)
Exports--commodities: vanilla, ylang-ylang, cloves, perfume oil, copra
Exports--partners: France 43%, US 43%, Germany 7% (1996)
Imports: $70 million (f.o.b., 1996 est.)
Imports--commodities: rice and other foodstuffs, consumer goods; petroleum products, cement, transport equipment
Imports--partners: France 59%, South Africa 15%, Kenya 6% (1996)
Debt--external: $219 million (1996 est.)
Economic aid--recipient: $43.3 million (1995)
Currency: 1 Comoran franc (CF) = 100 centimes
Exchange rates: Comoran francs (CF) per US$1--420.01 (December 1998), 442.46 (1998), 437.75 (1997), 383.66 (1996), 374.36 (1995), 416.40 (1994)
Fiscal year: calendar year
Communications
Telephones: 4,000 (1993 est.)
Telephone system: sparse system of microwave radio relay and HF radiotelephone communication stations domestic: HF radiotelephone communications and microwave radio relay international: HF radiotelephone communications to Madagascar and Reunion
Radio broadcast stations: AM 2, FM 1, shortwave 0
Radios: 81,000 (1994)
Television broadcast stations: 0 (1998)
Televisions: 200 (1994
Transportation
Railways: 0 km
Highways: total: 880 km paved: 673 km unpaved: 207 km (1996 est.)
Ports and harbors: Fomboni, Moroni, Moutsamoudou
Merchant marine: none
Airports: 4 (1998 est.)
Airports--with paved runways: total: 4 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 3 (1998 est.)
Military
Military branches: Comoran Security Force
Military manpower--availability: males age 15-49: 132,969 (1999 est.)
Military manpower--fit for military service: males age 15-49: 79,224 (1999 est.)
Military expenditures--dollar figure: $3 million (1994 est.)
Military expenditures--percent of GDP: NA%
Transnational Issues
Disputes--international: claims French-administered Mayotte; the islands of Anjouan (Nzwani) and Moheli (Mwali) have moved to secede from Comoros
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@Congo, Democratic Republic of the ---------------------------------
Geography
Location: Central Africa, northeast of Angola
Geographic coordinates: 0 00 N, 25 00 E
Map references: Africa
Area: total: 2,345,410 sq km land: 2,267,600 sq km water: 77,810 sq km
Area--comparative: slightly less than one-fourth the size of the US
Land boundaries: total: 10,271 km border countries: Angola 2,511 km, Burundi 233 km, Central African Republic 1,577 km, Republic of the Congo 2,410 km, Rwanda 217 km, Sudan 628 km, Uganda 765 km, Zambia 1,930 km
Coastline: 37 km
Maritime claims: exclusive economic zone: boundaries with neighbors territorial sea: 12 nm
Climate: tropical; hot and humid in equatorial river basin; cooler and drier in southern highlands; cooler and wetter in eastern highlands; north of Equator--wet season April to October, dry season December to February; south of Equator--wet season November to March, dry season April to October
Terrain: vast central basin is a low-lying plateau; mountains in east
Elevation extremes: lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m highest point: Pic Marguerite on Mont Ngaliema (Mount Stanley) 5,110 m
Natural resources: cobalt, copper, cadmium, petroleum, industrial and gem diamonds, gold, silver, zinc, manganese, tin, germanium, uranium, radium, bauxite, iron ore, coal, hydropower potential, timber
Land use: arable land: 3% permanent crops: 0% permanent pastures: 7% forests and woodland: 77% other: 13% (1993 est.)
Irrigated land: 100 sq km (1993 est.)
Natural hazards: periodic droughts in south; volcanic activity
Environment--current issues: poaching threatens wildlife populations; water pollution; deforestation; refugees who arrived in mid-1994 were responsible for significant deforestation, soil erosion, and wildlife poaching in the eastern part of the country (most of those refugees were repatriated in November and December 1996)
Environment--international agreements: party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: Environmental Modification
Geography--note: straddles Equator; very narrow strip of land that controls the lower Congo river and is only outlet to South Atlantic Ocean; dense tropical rain forest in central river basin and eastern highlands
People
Population: 50,481,305 (July 1999 est.)
Age structure: 0-14 years: 48% (male 12,200,532; female 12,136,372) 15-64 years: 49% (male 12,135,901; female 12,692,057) 65 years and over: 3% (male 564,084; female 752,359) (1999 est.)
Population growth rate: 2.96% (1999 est.)
Birth rate: 46.37 births/1,000 population (1999 est.)
Death rate: 14.99 deaths/1,000 population (1999 est.)
Net migration rate: -1.78 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1999 est.) note: in 1994, about a million refugees fled into Zaire (now called the Democratic Republic of the Congo or DROC), to escape the fighting between the Hutus and the Tutsis in Rwanda and Burundi; the outbreak of widespread fighting in the DROC between rebels and government forces in October 1996 spurred about 875,000 refugees to return to Rwanda in late 1996 and early 1997; additionally,the DROC is host to 200,000 Angolan, 110,000 Burundi, 100,000 Sudanese, and 15,000 Ugandan refugees; renewed fighting in the DROC in August 1998 resulted in more internal displacement and refugee outflows
Sex ratio: at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.01 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.96 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.75 male(s)/female total population: 0.97 male(s)/female (1999 est.)
Infant mortality rate: 99.45 deaths/1,000 live births (1999 est.)
Life expectancy at birth: total population: 49.44 years male: 47.28 years female: 51.67 years (1999 est.)
Total fertility rate: 6.45 children born/woman (1999 est.)
Nationality: noun: Congolese (singular and plural) adjective: Congolese or Congo
Ethnic groups: over 200 African ethnic groups of which the majority are Bantu; the four largest tribes--Mongo, Luba, Kongo (all Bantu), and the Mangbetu-Azande (Hamitic) make up about 45% of the population
Religions: Roman Catholic 50%, Protestant 20%, Kimbanguist 10%, Muslim 10%, other syncretic sects and traditional beliefs 10%
Languages: French (official), Lingala (a lingua franca trade language), Kingwana (a dialect of Kiswahili or Swahili), Kikongo, Tshiluba
Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write French, Lingala, Kingwana, or Tshiluba total population: 77.3% male: 86.6% female: 67.7% (1995 est.)
Government
Country name: conventional long form: Democratic Republic of the Congo conventional short form: none local long form: Republique Democratique du Congo local short form: none former: Belgian Congo, Congo/Leopoldville, Congo/Kinshasa, Zaire abbreviation: DROC
Data code: CG
Government type: dictatorship; presumably undergoing a transition to representative government
Capital: Kinshasa
Administrative divisions: 10 provinces (provinces, singular--province) and one city* (ville); Bandundu, Bas-Congo, Equateur, Kasai-Occidental, Kasai-Oriental, Katanga, Kinshasa*, Maniema, Nord-Kivu, Orientale, Sud-Kivu
Independence: 30 June 1960 (from Belgium)
National holiday: anniversary of independence from Belgium, 30 June (1960)
Constitution: 24 June 1967, amended August 1974, revised 15 February 1978, amended April 1990; transitional constitution promulgated in April 1994; following successful rebellion the new government announced on 29 May 1997 a program of constitutional reform and, in November 1998, a draft constitution was approved by President KABILA and awaits ratification by national referendum
Legal system: based on Belgian civil law system and tribal law; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal and compulsory
Executive branch: chief of state: Laurent Desire KABILA (since 17 May 1997); note--the president is both chief of state and head of government head of government: Laurent Desire KABILA (since 17 May 1997); note--the president is both chief of state and head of government cabinet: National Executive Council, appointed by the president elections: before Laurent Desire KABILA seized power, the president was elected by popular vote for a seven-year term; election last held 29 July 1984 (next was to be held in May 1997); formerly, the prime minister was elected by the High Council of the Republic; note--the term of the former government expired in 1991, elections were not held, and former president MOBUTU continued in office until his government was militarily defeated by KABILA on 17 May 1997 election results: MOBUTU Sese Seko Kuku Ngbendu wa Za Banga reelected president in 1984 without opposition note: Marshal MOBUTU Sese Seko Kuku Ngbendu wa Za Banga was president from 24 November 1965 until forced into exile on 16 May 1997 when his government was overturned militarily by Laurent Desire KABILA, who immediately assumed governing authority; in his 29 May 1997 inaugural address, President KABILA announced a two-year time table for political reform leading to elections by April 1999; subsequently, in December 1998, President KABILA announced that elections would be postponed until all foreign military forces attempting his overthrow had withdrawn from the country
Legislative branch: legislative activity has been suspended pending the establishment of KABILA's promised constitutional reforms and the elections to be held by April 1999 (now postponed indefinitely) elections: the country's first multi-party presidential and legislative elections had been scheduled for May 1997 but were not held; instead KABILA overthrew the MOBUTU government and seized control of the country
Judicial branch: Supreme Court (Cour Supreme)
Political parties and leaders: sole legal party until January parties include Union for Democracy and Social Progress or UDPS note: President KABILA, who has banned political party activity indefinitely, currently leads the Alliance of Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Congo-Zaire or AFDL
International organization participation: ACCT, ACP, AfDB, CCC, CEEAC, CEPGL, ECA, FAO, G-19, G-24, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, IOM (observer), ITU, NAM, OAU, OPCW, PCA, SADC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO
Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Faida MITIFU chancery: 1800 New Hampshire Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20009
Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador William Lacy SWING embassy: 310 Avenue des Aviateurs, Kinshasa mailing address: Unit 31550, APO AE 09828
Flag description: light blue with a large yellow five-pointed star in the center and a columnar arrangement of six small yellow five-pointed stars along the hoist side
Economy
Economy--overview: The economy of the Democratic Republic of the Congo--a nation endowed with vast potential wealth--has declined significantly since the mid-1980s. The new government instituted a tight fiscal policy that initially curbed inflation and currency depreciation, but these small gains were quickly reversed when the foreign-backed rebellion in the eastern part of the country began in August 1998. The war has dramatically reduced government revenue, and increased external debt. Foreign businesses have curtailed operations due to uncertainty about the outcome of the conflict and because of increased government harassment and restrictions. Poor infrastructure, an uncertain legal framework, corruption, and lack of transparency in government economic policy remain a brake on investment and growth. A number of IMF and World Bank missions have met with the new government to help it develop a coherent economic plan but associated reforms are on hold.
GDP: purchasing power parity--$34.9 billion (1998 est.)
GDP--real growth rate: -3.5% (1998 est.)
GDP--per capita: purchasing power parity?$710 (1998 est.)
GDP--composition by sector: agriculture: 59% industry: 15% services: 26% (1995 est.)
Population below poverty line: NA%
Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA%
Inflation rate (consumer prices): 147% (1998 est.)
Labor force: 14.51 million (1993 est.)
Labor force--by occupation: agriculture 65%, industry 16%, services 19% (1991 est.)
Unemployment rate: NA%
Budget: revenues: $269 million expenditures: $244 million, including capital expenditures of $24 million (1996 est.)
Industries: mining, mineral processing, consumer products (including textiles, footwear, cigarettes, processed foods and beverages), cement, diamonds
Industrial production growth rate: NA%
Electricity--production: 6.4 billion kWh (1996)
Electricity--production by source: fossil fuel: 6.25% hydro: 93.75% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (1996)
Electricity--consumption: 6.265 billion kWh (1996)
Electricity--exports: 195 million kWh (1996)
Electricity--imports: 60 million kWh (1996)
Agriculture--products: coffee, sugar, palm oil, rubber, tea, quinine, cassava (tapioca), palm oil, bananas, root crops, corn, fruits; wood products
Exports: $1.6 billion (f.o.b., 1998 est.)
Exports--commodities: diamonds, copper, coffee, cobalt, crude oil
Exports--partners: Benelux 43%, US 22%, South Africa 8%, France, Germany, Italy, UK, Japan (1997)
Imports: $819 million (f.o.b., 1998 est.)
Imports--commodities: consumer goods, foodstuffs, mining and other machinery, transport equipment, fuels
Imports--partners: South Africa 21%, Benelux 14%, China 8%, Netherlands, US, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, UK (1997)
Debt--external: $15 billion (1997 est.)
Economic aid--recipient: $195.3 million (1995)
Currency: Congolese franc (CF)
Exchange rates: Congolese francs (CF) per US$1--2.5 (January 1999); new zaires (Z) per US$1--115,000 (January 1998), 83,764 (October 1996), 7,024 (1995), 1,194 (1994) note: on 30 June 1998 the Congolese franc (CF) was introduced, replacing the new zaire; 1 Congolese franc (CF)=100,000 new zaires
Fiscal year: calendar year
Communications
Telephones: 34,000 (1991 est.)
Telephone system: domestic: barely adequate wire and microwave radio relay service in and between urban areas; domestic satellite system with 14 earth stations international: satellite earth station--1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)
Radio broadcast stations: AM 10, FM 4, shortwave 0
Radios: 3.87 million (1992 est.)
Television broadcast stations: 18 (1997)
Televisions: 55,000 (1992 est.)
Transportation
Railways: total: 5,138 km (1995); note--severely reduced route-distance in use because of damage to facilities by civil strife narrow gauge: 3,987 km 1.067-m gauge (858 km electrified); 125 km 1.000-m gauge; 1,026 km 0.600-m gauge
Highways: total: 145,000 km paved: 2,500 km unpaved: 142,500 km (1993 est.)
Waterways: 15,000 km including the Congo, its tributaries, and unconnected lakes
Pipelines: petroleum products 390 km
Ports and harbors: Banana, Boma, Bukavu, Bumba, Goma, Kalemie, Kindu, Kinshasa, Kisangani, Matadi, Mbandaka
Merchant marine: none
Airports: 233 (1998 est.)
Airports--with paved runways: total: 23 over 3,047 m: 4 2,438 to 3,047 m: 3 1,524 to 2,437 m: 14 914 to 1,523 m: 2 (1998 est.)
Airports--with unpaved runways: total: 210 1,524 to 2,437 m: 21 914 to 1,523 m: 95 under 914 m: 94 (1998 est.)
Military
Military branches: Army, Navy, Air Force, Presidential Security Group, Gendarmerie
Military manpower--availability: males age 15-49: 10,874,744 (1999 est.)
Military manpower--fit for military service: males age 15-49: 5,536,277 (1999 est.)
Military expenditures--dollar figure: $250 million (1997)
Military expenditures--percent of GDP: 4.6% (1997)
Transnational Issues
Disputes--international: the Democratic Republic of the Congo is in the grip of a civil war that has drawn in military forces from neighboring states, with Uganda and Rwanda supporting the rebel movement which occupies much of the eastern portion of the state; most of the Congo River boundary with the Republic of the Congo is indefinite (no agreement has been reached on the division of the river or its islands, except in the Pool Malebo/Stanley Pool area)
Illicit drugs: illicit producer of cannabis, mostly for domestic consumption
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@Congo, Republic of the ----------------------
Geography
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); constantly 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, natural gas
Land use: arable land: 0% permanent crops: 0% permanent pastures: 29% forests and woodland: 62% other: 9% (1993 est.)
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: party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Endangered Species, Ozone Layer Protection, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94 signed, but not ratified: Desertification, Law of the Sea
Geography--note: about 70% of the population lives in Brazzaville, Pointe-Noire, or along the railroad between them
People
Population: 2,716,814 (July 1999 est.)
Age structure: 0-14 years: 42% (male 579,940; female 573,847) 15-64 years: 54% (male 718,820; female 751,911) 65 years and over: 4% (male 36,987; female 55,309) (1999 est.)
Population growth rate: 2.16% (1999 est.)
Birth rate: 37.96 births/1,000 population (1999 est.)
Death rate: 16.33 deaths/1,000 population (1999 est.)
Net migration rate: 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1999 est.)
Sex ratio: at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.01 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.96 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.67 male(s)/female total population: 0.97 male(s)/female (1999 est.)
Infant mortality rate: 100.58 deaths/1,000 live births (1999 est.)
Life expectancy at birth: total population: 47.14 years male: 45.42 years female: 48.92 years (1999 est.)
Total fertility rate: 4.89 children born/woman (1999 est.)
Nationality: noun: Congolese (singular and plural) adjective: Congolese or Congo
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: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 74.9% male: 83.1% female: 67.2% (1995 est.)
Government
Country name: conventional long form: Republic of the Congo conventional short form: none local long form: Republique du Congo local short form: none former: Congo/Brazzaville, Congo
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: chief of state: President Denis SASSOU-NGUESSO (since 25 October 1997, following the civil war in which he toppled elected president Pascal LISSOUBA); note--the president is both the chief of state and head of government head of government: normally the prime minister, appointed from the majority party by the president; however, since his inauguration, President Denis SASSOU-NGUESSO has been both chief of state and head of government cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term; election last held 16 August 1992 (next was to be held 27 July 1997 but will be delayed for several years pending the drafting of a new constitution) election results: Pascal LISSOUBA elected president in 1992; percent of vote--Pascal LISSOUBA 61%, Bernard KOLELAS 39%; note--LISSOUBA was deposed in 1997, replaced by Denis SASSOU-NGUESSO
Legislative branch: unicameral National Transitional Council (75 seats, members elected by reconciliation forum of 1,420 delegates; note--the National Transitioanl Council replaced the bicameral Paarliament in mid-1997 elections: National Transitional Council--last held NA January 1998 (next to be held NA 2001); note--at that election the National Transitional Council is to be replaced by a bicameral assembly election results: National Transitional Council--percent of vote by party--NA; seats by party--NA
Judicial branch: Supreme Court (Cour Supreme)
Political parties and leaders: the most important of the many SASSOU-NGUESSO, president]; Association for Democracy and TCHICAYA, president]; Congolese Movement for Democracy and Integral BOKAMBA-YANGOUMA]
Political pressure groups and leaders: Union of Congolese Socialist Youth or UJSC; Congolese Trade Union Congress or CSC; Revolutionary Union of Congolese Women or URFC; General Union of Congolese Pupils and Students or UGEEC