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Background:
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 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, but ushered in a period of ethnic unrest.
Southern-based rebel groups agreed to a final peace accord in
March 2003. The Republic of Congo is one of Africa's largest
petroleum producers with significant potential for offshore
development. |
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Location:
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Western Africa,
bordering the South Atlantic Ocean, between Angola and Gabon |
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Map references:
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Africa |
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Area:
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total:
342,000 sq km
water: 500 sq km
land: 341,500 sq km |
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Area - comparative:
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slightly smaller
than Montana |
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Land boundaries:
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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 |
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Coastline:
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169 km |
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Climate:
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tropical; rainy
season (March to June); dry season (June to October);
constantly high temperatures and humidity; particularly
enervating climate astride the Equator |
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Terrain:
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coastal plain,
southern basin, central plateau, northern basin |
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Elevation extremes:
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lowest point:
Atlantic Ocean 0 m
highest point: Mount Berongou 903 m |
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Natural resources:
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petroleum,
timber, potash, lead, zinc, uranium, copper, phosphates,
natural gas, hydropower |
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Land use:
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arable land:
0.5%
permanent crops: 0.13%
other: 99.37% (1998 est.) |
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Irrigated land:
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10 sq km (1998
est.) |
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Natural hazards:
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seasonal flooding |
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Environment - current issues:
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air pollution
from vehicle emissions; water pollution from the dumping of
raw sewage; tap water is not potable; deforestation |
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Environment - international agreements:
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party to:
Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered
Species, Ozone Layer Protection, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical
Timber 94, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: Law of the Sea |
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Geography - note:
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about 70% of the
population lives in Brazzaville, Pointe-Noire, or along the
railroad between them |
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Population:
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2,998,040
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 and
death rates, lower population and growth rates, and changes in
the distribution of population by age and sex than would
otherwise be expected (July 2004 est.) |
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Age structure:
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0-14 years:
37.9% (male 571,224; female 563,723)
15-64 years: 58.5% (male 865,596; female 888,125)
65 years and over: 3.6% (male 45,093; female 64,279)
(2004 est.) |
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Median age:
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total:
20.4 years
male: 20 years
female: 20.9 years (2004 est.) |
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Population growth rate:
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1.42% (2004 est.) |
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Birth rate:
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28.66
births/1,000 population (2004 est.) |
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Death rate:
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14.49
deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.) |
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Net migration rate:
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0 migrant(s)/1,000
population (2004 est.) |
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Sex ratio:
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at birth:
1.03 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.01 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.98 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.7 male(s)/female
total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2004 est.) |
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Infant mortality rate:
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total:
93.86 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 87.59 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)
male: 99.95 deaths/1,000 live births |
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Life expectancy at birth:
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total
population: 49.51 years
male: 48.51 years
female: 50.55 years (2004 est.) |
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Total fertility rate:
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3.54 children
born/woman (2004 est.) |
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HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
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7.2% (2001 est.) |
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HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
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110,000 (2001
est.) |
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HIV/AIDS - deaths:
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11,000 (2001
est.) |
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Nationality:
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noun:
Congolese (singular and plural)
adjective: Congolese or Congo |
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Ethnic groups:
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Kongo 48%, Sangha
20%, M'Bochi 12%, Teke 17%, Europeans and other 3%
note: Europeans estimated at 8,500, mostly French,
before the 1997 civil war; may be half that in 1998, following
the widespread destruction of foreign businesses in 1997 |
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Religions:
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Christian 50%,
animist 48%, Muslim 2% |
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Languages:
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French
(official), Lingala and Monokutuba (lingua franca trade
languages), many local languages and dialects (of which
Kikongo is the most widespread) |
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Literacy:
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definition:
age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 83.8%
male: 89.6%
female: 78.4% (2003 est.) |
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Country name:
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conventional
long form: Republic of the Congo
conventional short form: Congo (Brazzaville)
local short form: none
former: Middle Congo, Congo/Brazzaville, Congo
local long form: Republique du Congo |
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Government type:
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republic |
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Capital:
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Brazzaville |
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Administrative divisions:
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10 regions
(regions, singular - region) and 1 commune*; Bouenza,
Brazzaville*, Cuvette, Cuvette-Ouest, Kouilou, Lekoumou,
Likouala, Niari, Plateaux, Pool, Sangha |
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Independence:
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15 August 1960
(from France) |
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National holiday:
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Independence Day,
15 August (1960) |
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Constitution:
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constitution
approved by referendum 20 January 2002 |
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Legal system:
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based on French
civil law system and customary law |
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Executive branch:
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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: 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
cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the
president
elections: president elected by popular vote for a
seven-year term (eligible for a second seven-year term);
election last held 10 March 2002 (next to be held NA 2009)
election results: Denis SASSOU-NGUESSO reelected
president; percent of vote - Denis SASSOU-NGUESSO 89.4%,
Joseph Kignoumbi Kia MBOUNGOU 2.7% |
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Legislative branch:
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bicameral
Parliament consists of the Senate (66 seats; members are
elected by popular 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 NA July 2007); National Assembly - last held 27 May and
26 June 2002 (next to be held by NA May 2007)
election results: Senate - percent of vote by party -
NA%; seats by party - FDP 56, other 10; National Assembly -
percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - FDP 83, UDR
6, UPADS 3, other 45 |
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Judicial branch:
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Supreme Court or
Cour Supreme |
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Political parties and leaders:
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the most
important of the many parties are the Democratic and Patriotic
Forces or FDP (an alliance of Convention for Alternative
Democracy, Congolese Labor Party or PCT, Liberal Republican
Party, National Union for Democracy and Progress, Patriotic
Union for the National Reconstruction, and Union for the
National Renewal) [Denis SASSOU-NGUESSO, president]; Congolese
Movement for Democracy and Integral Development or MCDDI
[Michel MAMPOUYA]; 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 [leader NA]; Union of
Democratic Forces or UFD [Sebastian EBAO] |
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Political pressure groups and leaders:
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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 |
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Diplomatic representation in the US:
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chief of
mission: Ambassador Serge MOMBOULI
FAX: [1] (202) 726-1860
telephone: [1] (202) 726-5500
chancery: 4891 Colorado Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20011 |
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Diplomatic representation from the US:
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chief of
mission: Ambassador Robin R. SANDERS
embassy: NA
mailing address: NA
telephone: [243] (88) 43608
note: the embassy is temporarily collocated with the US
Embassy in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (US Embassy
Kinshasa, 310 Avenue des Aviateurs, Kinshasa) |
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Economy - overview:
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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. The government has mortgaged a substantial portion of
its oil earnings, contributing to a 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 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 problems of
stimulating recovery and reducing poverty. |
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GDP:
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purchasing power
parity - $2.186 billion (2003 est.) |
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GDP - real growth rate:
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2% (2003 est.) |
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GDP - per capita:
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purchasing power
parity - $700 (2003 est.) |
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GDP - composition by sector:
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agriculture:
10%
industry: 48%
services: 42% (2001 est.) |
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Population below poverty line:
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NA% |
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Inflation rate (consumer prices):
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4% (2002 est.) |
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Labor force:
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NA (2000 est.) |
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Unemployment rate:
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NA% (2003) |
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Budget:
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revenues:
$870 million
expenditures: $970 million, including capital
expenditures of $NA (1997 est.) |
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Industries:
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petroleum
extraction, cement, lumber, brewing, sugar, palm oil, soap,
flour, cigarettes |
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Industrial production growth rate:
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0% (2002 est.) |
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Electricity - production:
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358.1 million kWh
(2001) |
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Electricity - production by source:
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fossil fuel:
0.3%
hydro: 99.7%
other: 0% (2001)
nuclear: 0% |
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Electricity - consumption:
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633 million kWh
(2001) |
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Electricity - exports:
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0 kWh (2001) |
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Electricity - imports:
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300 million kWh
(2001) |
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Oil - production:
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275,000 bbl/day
(2001 est.) |
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Oil - consumption:
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5,000 bbl/day
(2001 est.) |
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Natural gas - production:
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0 cu m (2001
est.) |
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Natural gas - consumption:
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0 cu m (2001
est.) |
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Agriculture - products:
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cassava
(tapioca), sugar, rice, corn, peanuts, vegetables, coffee,
cocoa; forest products |
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Exports:
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$2.293 billion
f.o.b. (2003 est.) |
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Exports - commodities:
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petroleum,
lumber, plywood, sugar, cocoa, coffee, diamonds |
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Exports - partners:
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South Korea
24.1%, Taiwan 16.3%, China 11%, US 10%, Germany 6.9%, France
6.1% (2002) |
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Imports:
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$666.9 million
f.o.b. (2003 est.) |
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Imports - commodities:
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capital
equipment, construction materials, foodstuffs |
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Imports - partners:
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France 21.9%,
Italy 8.5%, Belgium 6%, US 5.2%, India 4.1% (2002) |
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Debt - external:
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$5 billion (2000
est.) |
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Economic aid - recipient:
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$159.1 million
(1995) |
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Currency:
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Communaute
Financiere Africaine franc (XAF); note - responsible authority
is the Bank of the Central African States |
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Currency code:
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XAF |
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Exchange rates:
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Communaute
Financiere Africaine francs (XAF) per US dollar - 581.2
(2003), 696.99 (2002), 733.04 (2001), 711.98 (2000), 615.7
(1999) |
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Fiscal year:
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calendar year |
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Telephones - main lines in use:
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22,000 (2002) |
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Telephones - mobile cellular:
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221,800 (2002) |
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Telephone system:
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general
assessment: services barely adequate for government use;
key exchanges are in Brazzaville, Pointe-Noire, and Loubomo;
intercity lines frequently out of order
domestic: primary network consists of microwave radio
relay and coaxial cable
international: country code - 242; satellite earth
station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) |
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Radio broadcast stations:
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AM 1, FM 5,
shortwave 3 (2001) |
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Television broadcast stations:
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1 (2002) |
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Internet country code:
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.cg |
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Internet hosts:
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36 (2002) |
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Internet users:
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5,000 (2002) |
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Railways:
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total: 894
km
narrow gauge: 894 km 1.067-m gauge (2002) |
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Highways:
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total:
12,800 km
paved: 1,242 km
unpaved: 11,558 km (1999 est.) |
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Waterways:
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1,120 km
note: the Congo and Ubangi (Oubangui) rivers provide
1,120 km of commercially navigable water transport; other
rivers are used for local traffic only |
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Pipelines:
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gas 53 km; oil
673 km (2003) |
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Ports and harbors:
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Brazzaville,
Impfondo, Ouesso, Oyo, Pointe-Noire |
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Airports:
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32 (2003 est.) |
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Airports - with paved runways:
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total: 4
over 3,047 m: 1
1,524 to 2,437 m: 3 (2003 est.) |
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Airports - with unpaved runways:
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total: 28
1,524 to 2,437 m: 6
914 to 1,523 m: 11
under 914 m: 11 (2003 est.) |
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Military branches:
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Congolese Armed
Forces (FAC): Army, Air Force, Navy |
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Military manpower - military age:
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20 years of age
(2004 est.) |
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Military manpower - availability:
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males age
15-49: 773,790 (2004 est.) |
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Military manpower - fit for military service:
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males age
15-49: 390,884 (2004 est.) |
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Military manpower - reaching military age annually:
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males:
31,964 (2004 est.) |
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Military expenditures - dollar figure:
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$68.6 million
(2003) |
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Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
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2.8% (2003) |
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Disputes - international:
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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 |
This page was last updated on 11 May, 2004
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