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The World Factbook 2002
| Congo, Republic of the |

Introduction | 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.

Geography | Congo, Republic of the

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 water: 500 sq km land: 341,500 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, hydropower
Land use: | arable land: 1% permanent crops: 0% other: 99% (1998 est.)
Irrigated land: | 10 sq km (1998 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, Desertification, Endangered Species, Ozone Layer Protection, 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

Population: | 2,958,448 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 2002 est.)
Age structure: | 0-14 years: 42.4% (male 630,985; female 622,024) 15-64 years: 54.3% (male 783,238; female 823,882) 65 years and over: 3.3% (male 39,369; female 58,950) (2002 est.)
Population growth rate: | 2.18% (2002 est.)
Birth rate: | 37.91 births/1,000 population (2002 est.)
Death rate: | 16.1 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.)
Net migration rate: | 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2002 est.)
Sex ratio: | at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.01 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.95 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.67 male(s)/female total population: 0.97 male(s)/female (2002 est.)
Infant mortality rate: | 97.91 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.)
Life expectancy at birth: | total population: 47.71 years female: 51.24 years (2002 est.) male: 44.27 years
Total fertility rate: | 4.94 children born/woman (2002 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: | 6.43% (1999 est.)
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: | 86,000 (1999 est.)
HIV/AIDS - deaths: | 8,600 (1999 est.)
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% 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
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 | Congo, Republic of the

Country name: | 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
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: | Independence Day, 15 August (1960)
Constitution: | constitution approved by referendum in January 2002
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
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)
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
election results: Denis SASSOU-NGUESSO reelected president; percent of vote - Denis SASSOU-NGUESSO 89.4%, Joseph Kignoumbi Kia MBOUNGOU 2.7%

Legislative branch:

unicameral National Transitional Council (75 seats, members elected by reconciliation forum of 1,420 delegates in January 1998); note - the National Transitional Council will be replaced by a bicameral Parliament, with a National Assembly and Senate, following elections in 2002
elections: National Transitional Council - last held NA January 1998 (next to be held in 2002); note - at that election the National Transitional Council is to be replaced by a bicameral legislature
election results: National Transitional Council - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - NA

Judicial branch: | Supreme Court or Cour Supreme

Political parties and leaders:

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 [leader NA]; 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, CEMAC, ECA, FAO, FZ, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ITU, NAM, OAU, OPCW (signatory), UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO
Diplomatic representation in the US: | chief of mission: Ambassador Serge MOMBOULI FAX: [1] (202) 726-1860 telephone: [1] (202) 726-5500 chancery: 4891 Colorado Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20011
Diplomatic representation from the US: | chief of mission: Ambassador David H. KAEUPER embassy: NA mailing address: NA telephone: [243] (88) 05176 FAX: [243] (88) 41036 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)
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 | Congo, Republic of the

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. 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. Given a fragile peace, agreements with the IMF and the World Bank, and general international support for reconstruction and development, prospects for structural reform and 4% growth in 2002-03 appear strong.

GDP: | purchasing power parity - $2.5 billion (2001 est.)
GDP - real growth rate: | 4.2% (2001 est.)
GDP - per capita: | purchasing power parity - $900 (2001 est.)
GDP - composition by sector: | agriculture: 10% industry: 48% services: 42% (2001 est.)
Population below poverty line: | NA%
Household income or consumption by percentage share: | lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA%
Inflation rate (consumer prices): | 3% (2001 est.)
Labor force: | NA
Unemployment rate: | NA%
Budget: | revenues: $870 million expenditures: $970 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (1997 est.)
Industries: | petroleum extraction, cement, lumber, brewing, sugar, palm oil, soap, flour, cigarettes
Industrial production growth rate: | NA%
Electricity - production: | 302 million kWh (1999)
Electricity - production by source: | fossil fuel: 0.66% hydro: 99.34% other: 0% (1999) nuclear: 0%
Electricity - consumption: | 406.9 million kWh (1999)
Electricity - exports: | 0 kWh (1999)
Electricity - imports: | 126 million kWh (1999)
Agriculture - products: | cassava (tapioca), sugar, rice, corn, peanuts, vegetables, coffee, cocoa; forest products
Exports: | $2.6 billion (f.o.b., 2001)
Exports - commodities: | petroleum 90%, lumber, plywood, sugar, cocoa, coffee, diamonds
Exports - partners: | US 20.9%, South Korea 15.5%, China 6.7%, Germany 3.2% (2000)
Imports: | $725 million (f.o.b., 2001)
Imports - commodities: | petroleum products, capital equipment, construction materials, foodstuffs
Imports - partners: | France 20.5%, US 9.8%, Italy 7.5%, Belgium 3.8% (2000)
Debt - external: | $5 billion (1999 est.)
Economic aid - recipient: | $159.1 million (1995)
Currency: | Communaute Financiere Africaine franc (XAF); note - responsible authority is the Bank of the Central African States
Currency code: | XAF
Exchange rates: | Communaute Financiere Africaine francs (XAF) per US dollar - 742.79 (January 2002), 733.04 (2001), 711.98 (2000), 615.70 (1999), 589.95 (1998), 583.67 (1997); note - from 1 January 1999, the XAF is pegged to the euro at a rate of 655.957 XAF per euro
Fiscal year: | calendar year

Communications | Congo, Republic of the

Telephones - main lines in use: | 22,000 (1997)
Telephones - mobile cellular: | 250,000 (2001)
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 domestic: primary network consists of microwave radio relay and coaxial cable international: satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)
Radio broadcast stations: | AM 1, FM 5, shortwave 3 (2001)
Radios: | 341,000 (1997)
Television broadcast stations: | 1 (2002)
Televisions: | 33,000 (1997)
Internet country code: | .cg
Internet Service Providers (ISPs): | 1 (2000)
Internet users: | 500 (2000)

Transportation | Congo, Republic of the

Railways: | total: 894 km narrow gauge: 894 km 1.067-m gauge (2000 est.)
Highways: | total: 12,800 km paved: 1,242 km unpaved: 11,558 km (1996)
Waterways: | 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
Pipelines: | crude oil 25 km
Ports and harbors: | Brazzaville, Impfondo, Ouesso, Oyo, Pointe-Noire
Airports: | 33 (2001)
Airports - with paved runways: | total: 4 over 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 3 (2001)
Airports - with unpaved runways: | total: 29 1,524 to 2,437 m: 7 914 to 1,523 m: 10 under 914 m: 12 (2001)

Military | Congo, Republic of the

Military branches: | Army, Air Force, Navy, Gendarmerie, National Police
Military manpower - military age: | 20 years of age (2002 est.)
Military manpower - availability: | males age 15-49: 702,048 (2002 est.)
Military manpower - fit for military service: | males age 15-49: 356,388 (2002 est.)
Military manpower - reaching military age annually: | males: 32,350 (2002 est.)
Military expenditures - dollar figure: | $84 million (FY01)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP: | 2.8% (FY01)

Transnational Issues | Congo, Republic of the

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)

This page was last updated on 1 January 2002