Congo, Democratic Republic of the

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 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: Margherita Peak (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

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, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Tropical Timber 83, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: Desertification, Environmental Modification, Tropical Timber 94

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

Population: 47,440,362 (July 1997 est.)

Age structure:
0-14 years : 48% (male 11,418,713; female 11,378,403)
15-64 years: 49% (male 11,412,269; female 11,980,993)
65 years and over: 3% (male 541,435; female 708,549) (July 1997 est.)

Population growth rate: 2.34% (1997 est.)

Birth rate: 47.66 births/1,000 population (1997 est.)

Death rate: 16.61 deaths/1,000 population (1997 est.)

Net migration rate: -7.66 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1997 est.)
note: in 1994, about a million refugees fled into Democratic Republic of the Congo, formerly Zaire, to escape the fighting between the Hutus and the Tutsis in Rwanda and Burundi; the outbreak of widespread fighting between rebels and government forces in October 1996 spurred about 720,000 refugees to return to Rwanda in late 1996 and early 1997; additionally, Democratic Republic of the Congo is host to about 100,000 Angolan, and about 100,000 Sudanese refugees

Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.95 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.76 male(s)/female
total population: 0.97 male(s)/female (1997 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 105.7 deaths/1,000 live births (1997 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 47.03 years
male: 45.16 years
female: 48.95 years (1997 est.)

Total fertility rate: 6.58 children born/woman (1997 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 in French, Lingala, Kingwana, or Tshiluba
total population: 77.3%
male: 86.6%
female: 67.7% (1995 est.)

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

Data code: CG

Government type: republic with a strong presidential system

National capital: Kinshasa

Administrative divisions: 10 regions (regions, singular - region) and 1 town* (ville); Bandundu, Bas-Zaire, Equateur, Haut-Zaire, Kasai-Occidental, Kasai-Oriental, Kinshasa*, Maniema, Nord-Kivu, Shaba, Sud-Kivu

Independence: 30 June 1960 (from Belgium)

National holiday: Anniversary of the Regime (Second Republic), 24 November (1965)

Constitution: 24 June 1967, amended August 1974, revised 15 February 1978, amended April 1990; transitional constitution promulgated in April 1994; new draft constitution approved by Transitional Parliament in October 1996, subject to ratification by popular referendum scheduled for February 1997; draft constitution provides for multiparty elections by July 1997

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: Gen. Laurent-DESIRE KABILA (since 17 May 1997); note - the president is both chief of state and head of government
head of government: Gen. Laurent-DESIRE KABILA (since 17 May 1997); note - the president is both chief of state and head of government
cabinet : National Executive Council normally appointed by mutual agreement of the president and the prime minister; note - Gen. KABILA's cabinet was appointed by him and has no prime minister
elections: president elected by popular vote for a seven-year term; election last held 29 July 1984 (next was to be held in May 1997); prime minister elected by the High Council of the Republic; note - the term of the former government expired in 1991, elections were not held, and MOBUTU continued in office until his government was militarily defeated by Gen. Laurent-DESIRE 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 17 May 1997 when his government was overturned in a coup by Gen. Laurent-DESIRE KABILA, who immediately assumed sole governing authority

Legislative branch: unicameral parliament consisting of the combined High Council of the Republic and the Parliament of the Transition (739 seats)
elections: the country's first multi-party presidential and legislative elections had been scheduled for May 1997 but were not held; instead the MOBUTO government was overthrown and control of the governing apparatus was seized by Gen. Laurent-DESIRE KABILA

Judicial branch: Supreme Court (Cour Supreme)

Political parties and leaders: sole legal party until January 1991 - Popular Movement of the Revolution or MPR; other parties include Union for Democracy and Social Progress or UDPS [Etienne TSHISEKEDI wa Mulumba]; Democratic Social Christian Party or PDSC; Union of Federalists and Independent Republicans or UFER; Unified Lumumbast Party or PALU [Antoine GIZENGA]; Union of Independent Democrats or UDI [Leon KENGO wa Dondo]

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, ITU, NAM, OAU, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO

Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission : Charge d'Affaires ad interim Etienne B. J. K. MUKENDI
chancery: 1800 New Hampshire Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20009
telephone: [1] (202) 234-7690, 7691
FAX: [1] (202) 686-3631

Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission : Ambassador Daniel H. SIMPSON
embassy: 310 Avenue des Aviateurs, Kinshasa
mailing address: Unit 31550, APO AE 09828
telephone: [243] (12) 21533 through 21535
FAX: [243] (88) 43805, ext. 2308 or 43467

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 - overview: The economy of Democratic Republic of the Congo has continued to disintegrate, although former Prime Minister KENGO had had some success in slowing the rate of economic decline. While meaningful economic figures are difficult to come by, the high rate of inflation, chronic large government deficits, and plunging mineral production have made it one of the world's poorest countries. Most formal transactions are conducted in hard currency as indigenous bank notes have lost almost all value, and a barter economy now flourishes in all but the largest cities. During the bitter civil strive of 1996-97 most individuals and families have hung on grimly through subsistence farming and petty trade. The new KABILA government will be hard pressed to meet its financial obligations to the IMF or to put in place the financial measures advocated by it. Improved political stability would boost the country's long-term potential to effectively exploit its vast mineral and agricultural resources.

GDP: purchasing power parity - $16.5 billion (1995 est.)

GDP - real growth rate: -0.7% (1995 est.)

GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $400 (1995 est.)

GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 59%
industry: 15%
services: 26% (1995 est.)

Inflation rate - consumer price index: 542% (1995)

Labor force:
total: 14.51 million (1993 est.)
by occupation : agriculture 65%, industry 16%, services 19% (1991 est.)

Unemployment rate: NA%

Budget:
revenues: $479 million
expenditures : $479 million, including capital expenditures of $99 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 - capacity: 2.83 million kW (1994)

Electricity - production: 5.48 billion kWh (1994)

Electricity - consumption per capita: 87 kWh (1995 est.)

Agriculture - products: coffee, sugar, palm oil, rubber, tea, quinine, cassava (tapioca), palm oil, bananas, root crops, corn, fruits; wood products

Exports:
total value : $1.47 billion (f.o.b., 1995 est.)
commodities: diamonds, copper, coffee, cobalt, crude oil
partners: Belgium, US, France, Germany, Italy, UK, Japan, South Africa

Imports:
total value: $1.25 billion (c.i.f., 1995 est.)
commodities : consumer goods, foodstuffs, mining and other machinery, transport equipment, fuels
partners: Belgium, South Africa, US, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, UK

Debt - external: $13.8 billion (1995 est.)

Economic aid:
recipient: ODA, $NA

Currency: 1 zaire (Z) = 100 makuta

Exchange rates: new zaires (Z) per US$1 - 83,764 (October 1996), 7,024 (1995), 1,194 (1994), 3 (1993); zaire (Z) per US$1 - 645,549 (1992)
note: on 22 October 1993 the new zaire, equal to 3,000,000 old zaires, was introduced

Fiscal year: calendar year

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

Televisions: 55,000 (1992 est.)

Railways:
total: 5,138 km (1995); note - severely reduced trackage in use because of 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: 216 (1996 est.)

Airports - with paved runways:
total : 104
over 3,047 m: 4
2,438 to 3,047 m: 3
1,524 to 2,437 m: 15
914 to 1,523 m: 2
under 914 m : 80 (1996 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 112
1,524 to 2,437 m: 18
914 to 1,523 m: 94 (1996 est.)

Military branches: Army, Navy, Air Force, National Gendarmerie, paramilitary Civil Guard, Special Presidential Division

Military manpower - availability:
males age 15-49 : 10,232,612 (1997 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service:
males: 5,213,941 (1997 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure: $46 million (1990)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP: 1.5% (1990)

Disputes - international: Democratic Republic of the Congo-Tanzania-Zambia tripoint in Lake Tanganyika may no longer be indefinite since it has been informally reported that the indefinite section of the Democratic Republic of the Congo-Zambia boundary has been settled; long section with Republic of the Congo along the Congo river is indefinite (no division of the river or its islands has been made)

Illicit drugs: illicit producer of cannabis, mostly for domestic consumption