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From: The CIA'sTHE WORLD FACTBOOK 1996

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Congo

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Map

Location: 1 00 S, 15 00 E -- Western Africa, bordering the South Atlantic Ocean, between Angola and Gabon

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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

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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 area: 342,000 sq km
land area: 341,500 sq km
comparative area: slightly smaller than Montana
Land boundaries:
total: 5,504 km
border countries: Angola 201 km, Cameroon 523 km, Central African Republic 467 km, Gabon 1,903 km, Zaire 2,410 km
Coastline: 169 km
Maritime claims:
territorial sea: 200 nm
International disputes: long segment of boundary with Zaire along the Congo River is indefinite (no division of the river or its islands has been made)
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
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: 2%
permanent crops: 0%
meadows and pastures: 29%
forest and woodland: 62%
other: 7%
Irrigated land: 40 sq km (1989)
Environment:
current issues: air pollution from vehicle emissions; water pollution from the dumping of raw sewage; tap water is not potable; deforestation
natural hazards: seasonal flooding
international agreements: party to - Endangered Species, Ozone Layer Protection, Tropical Timber 83; signed, but not ratified - Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Law of the Sea, Tropical Timber 94
Geographic note: about 70% of the population lives in Brazzaville, Pointe Noire, or along the railroad between them

People

Population: 2,527,841 (July 1996 est.)
Age structure:
0-14 years: 43% (male 550,971; female 545,096)
15-64 years: 53% (male 657,035; female 688,441)
65 years and over: 4% (male 34,973; female 51,325) (July 1996 est.)
Population growth rate: 2.19% (1996 est.)
Birth rate: 39.19 births/1,000 population (1996 est.)
Death rate: 17.35 deaths/1,000 population (1996 est.)
Net migration rate: 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1996 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: 0.68 male(s)/female
all ages: 0.97 male(s)/female (1996 est.)
Infant mortality rate: 108.1 deaths/1,000 live births (1996 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 45.77 years
male: 44.21 years
female: 47.37 years (1996 est.)
Total fertility rate: 5.15 children born/woman (1996 est.)
Nationality:
noun: Congolese (singular and plural)
adjective: Congolese or Congo
Ethnic divisions:
south: Kongo 48%
north: Sangha 20%, M'Bochi 12%
center: Teke 17%, Europeans 8,500 (mostly French)
Religions: Christian 50%, animist 48%, Muslim 2%
Languages: French (official), African languages (Lingala and Kikongo are the most widely used)
Literacy: age 15 and over can read and write (1995 est.)
total population: 74.9%
male: 83.1%
female: 67.2%

Government

Name of country:
conventional long form: Republic of the Congo
conventional short form: Congo
local long form: Republique Populaire du Congo
local short form: Congo
former: Congo/Brazzaville
Data code: CF
Type of government: 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
Legal system: based on French civil law system and customary law
Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal
Executive branch:
chief of state: President Pascal LISSOUBA (since August 1992); elected for a five-year term by universal suffrage; election last held NA August 1992 (next to be held NA August 1997); results - President Pascal LISSOUBA won 61% of the vote
head of government: Prime Minister Jacques Joachim YHOMBI-OPANGO (since 23 June 1993) appointed by the president
cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president
Legislative branch: bicameral
National Assembly (Assemblee Nationale): election last held 3 October 1993 (next to be held NA); results - percent of vote by party NA; seats - (125 total) UPADS 64, URD/PCT 58, others 3
Senate: election last held 26 July 1992 (next to be held NA July 1998); results - percent of vote by party NA; seats - (60 total) UPADS 23, MCDDI 14, RDD 8, RDPS 5, PCT 2, others 8
Judicial branch: Supreme Court (Cour Supreme)
Political parties and leaders: of Congo's many political parties, the most important are Congolese Labor Party (PCT), Denis SASSOU-NGUESSO, president; Association for Democracy and Development (RDD), Joachim Yhombi OPANGO, president; Association for Democracy and Social Progress (RDPS), Jean-Pierre Thystere TCHICAYA, president; Congolese Movement for Democracy and Integral Development (MCDDI), Bernard KOLELAS, leader; Pan-African Union for Social Development (UPADS), Pascal LISSOUBA, leader; Union of Democratic Forces (UFD), David Charles GANAO, leader; Union for Democratic Renewal (URD); Union for Development and Social Progress (UDPS), Jean-Michael BOKAMBA-YANGOUMA, leader
Other political or pressure groups: Union of Congolese Socialist Youth (UJSC); Congolese Trade Union Congress (CSC); Revolutionary Union of Congolese Women (URFC); General Union of Congolese Pupils and Students (UGEEC)
International organization participation: ACCT, ACP, AfDB, BDEAC, CCC, CEEAC, ECA, FAO, FZ, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, ITU, NAM, OAU, UDEAC, UN, UNAMIR, UNAVEM III, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO
Diplomatic representation in US:
chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires Daniel MOUELLET
chancery: 4891 Colorado Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20011
telephone: [1] (202) 726-0825
FAX: [1] (202) 726-1860
US diplomatic representation:
chief of mission: Ambassador William C. RAMSEY
embassy: Avenue Amilcar Cabral, Brazzaville
mailing address: B. P. 1015, Brazzaville
telephone: [242] 83 20 70
FAX: [242] 83 63 38
Flag: 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

Economic overview: Congo's 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 about 90% of government revenues and exports. In the early 1980s, rapidly rising oil revenues enabled Congo to finance large-scale development projects with GDP growth averaging 5% annually, one of the highest rates in Africa. Subsequently, falling oil prices cut GDP growth by half. Moreover, the Congolese Government has mortgaged a substantial portion of its oil earnings, contributing to the government's shortage of revenues. The 12 January 1994 devaluation of Franc Zone currencies by 50% resulted in inflation of 61% in 1994. Recent efforts to implement economic reforms have begun to show progress; the IMF has recommended approval of an Enhanced Structural Adjustment Facility agreement in 1996.
GDP: purchasing power parity - $7.7 billion (1995 est.)
GDP real growth rate: 3.3% (1995 est.)
GDP per capita: $3,100 (1995 est.)
GDP composition by sector:
agriculture: 11.4%
industry: 35.2%
services: 53.4% (1993)
Inflation rate (consumer prices): 61% (1994 est.)
Labor force: 79,100 wage earners
by occupation: agriculture 75%, commerce, industry, and government 25%
Unemployment rate: NA%
Budget:
revenues: $2.18 billion (1994 est.)
expenditures: $NA, including capital expenditures of $NA
Industries: petroleum extraction, cement kilning, lumbering, brewing, sugar milling, palm oil, soap, cigarette making
Industrial production growth rate: 3.7% (estimated average annual growth rate for 1980-92)
Electricity:
capacity: 120,000 kW
production: 400 million kWh
consumption per capita: 201 kWh (1993)
Agriculture: cassava (tapioca) accounts for 90% of food output, sugar, rice, corn, peanuts, vegetables, coffee, cocoa; forest products
Exports: $1 billion (f.o.b., 1995)
commodities: crude oil 90%, lumber, plywood, sugar, cocoa, coffee, diamonds
partners: Italy, France, Spain, other EU countries, US, Taiwan
Imports: $600 million (c.i.f., 1995)
commodities: intermediate manufactures, capital equipment, construction materials, foodstuffs, petroleum products
partners: France, Italy, other EU countries, US, Japan, Thailand
External debt: $5 billion (1993)
Economic aid:
recipient: ODA, $NA
Currency: 1 Communaute Financiere Africaine franc (CFAF) = 100 centimes
Exchange rates: CFA francs (CFAF) per US$1 - 500.56 (January 1996), 499.15 (1995), 555.20 (1994), 283.16 (1993), 264.69 (1992), 282.11 (1991)
note: beginning 12 January 1994, the CFA franc was devalued to CFAF 100 per French franc from CFAF 50 at which it had been fixed since 1948
Fiscal year: calendar year
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Transportation

Railways:
total: 795 km (1995 est.)
narrow gauge: 795 km 1.067-m gauge (includes 285 km that are privately owned)
Highways:
total: 12,745 km
paved: 1,236 km
unpaved: 11,509 km (1992 est.)
Waterways: 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: Brazzaville, Impfondo, Ouesso, Oyo, Pointe-Noire
Merchant marine:
total: 1 cargo ship (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 2,218 GRT/4,100 DWT (1995 est.)
Airports:
total: 34
with paved runways over 3 047 m: 1
with paved runways 1 524 to 2 437 m: 3
with paved runways under 914 m: 9
with unpaved runways 1 524 to 2 437 m: 7
with unpaved runways 914 to 1 523 m: 14 (1995 est.)

Communications

Telephones: 18,000 (1983 est.)
Telephone system: services adequate for government use; key exchanges are in Brazzaville, Pointe-Noire, and Loubomo
domestic: primary network consists of microwave radio relay and coaxial cable
international: satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)
Radio broadcast stations: AM 4, FM 1, shortwave 0
Radios: NA
Television broadcast stations: 4 (1987 est.)
Televisions: 8,500 (1993 est.)

Defense

Branches: Army, Navy (includes Marines), Air Force, National Police
Manpower availability:
males age 15-49: 582,103
males fit for military service: 296,602
males reach military age (20) annually: 25,247 (1996 est.)
Defense expenditures: exchange rate conversion - $110 million, 3.8% of GDP (1993)

Congo

Original publicaton at http://www.odci.gov/cia/publications/nsolo/wfb-all.htm (June 17, 1997).