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Guide
Introduction
| |
| 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. |
| Location: |
Western Africa, bordering the
South Atlantic Ocean, between Angola and Gabon |
| Geographic
coordinates: |
1 00 S, 15 00 E |
| 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 |
| 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: 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, 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 |
| Population: |
2,894,336
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 2001
est.) |
| Age
structure: |
0-14 years:
42.43% (male 618,411; female 609,633)
15-64 years: 54.23% (male 765,501; female 804,125)
65 years and over: 3.34% (male 38,772; female 57,894) (2001
est.) |
| Population
growth rate: |
2.2% (2001 est.) |
| Birth
rate: |
38.24 births/1,000 population
(2001 est.) |
| Death
rate: |
16.22 deaths/1,000 population
(2001 est.) |
| Net
migration rate: |
0 migrant(s)/1,000 population
(2001 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 (2001 est.) |
| Infant
mortality rate: |
99.73 deaths/1,000 live
births (2001 est.) |
| Life
expectancy at birth: |
total population:
47.57 years
male: 44.38 years
female: 50.85 years (2001 est.) |
| Total
fertility rate: |
5 children born/woman (2001
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 NA%; note - Europeans estimated at
8,500, mostly French, before the 1997 civil war; may be half that of
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.) |
| Country
name: |
conventional long form:
Republic of the Congo
conventional short form: none
local long form: Republique du Congo
local short form: none
former: Middle Congo, Congo/Brazzaville, Congo |
| Government
type: |
republic |
| 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: |
Draft constitution approved
by transitional parliament in September 2000 |
| 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: 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
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 61.3%, Bernard KOLELAS 38.7%;
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 on NA January 1998); note - the National Transitional
Council replaced the bicameral Parliament
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 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]; Association for
Democracy and Social Progress or RDPS [Jean-Pierre Thystere TCHICAYA,
president]; Congolese Movement for Democracy and Integral Development or
MCDDI [Michel MAMPOUYA]; Pan-African Union for Social Development or
UPADS [Martin MBERI]; 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, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, IOM (observer), ITU,
NAM, OAU, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO,
WMO, WToO, WTrO |
| Diplomatic
representation in the US: |
chief of mission:
(vacant); Charge d'Affaires ad interim Serge MOMBOULI
chancery: 4891 Colorado Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20011
telephone: [1] (202) 726-5500
FAX: [1] (202) 726-1860 |
| Diplomatic
representation from the US: |
chief of mission:
Ambassador David H. KAEUPER
embassy: NA
mailing address: NA
telephone: [243] (88) 43608
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
- 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. Moreover, the
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, 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 of the
Congo's budget deficit. Even with the IMF's renewed confidence and high
world oil prices, Congo is unlikely to realize growth of more than 5% in
2001-02. With the return to fragile peace, the IMF approved a $14
million credit in November 2000 to aid post-conflict reconstruction. |
| GDP: |
purchasing power parity -
$3.1 billion (2000 est.) |
| GDP
- real growth rate: |
3.8% (2000 est.) |
| GDP
- per capita: |
purchasing power parity -
$1,100 (2000 est.) |
| GDP
- composition by sector: |
agriculture: 10%
industry: 48%
services: 42% (1999 est.) |
| Population
below poverty line: |
NA% |
| Household
income or consumption by percentage share: |
lowest 10%: NA%
highest 10%: NA% |
| Inflation
rate (consumer prices): |
3.5% (2000 est.) |
| Budget: |
revenues: $870
million
expenditures: $970 million, including capital expenditures
of $NA (1997 est.) |
| Industries: |
petroleum extraction, cement
kilning, lumbering, brewing, sugar milling, palm oil, soap, flour,
cigarette making |
| Industrial
production growth rate: |
NA% |
| Electricity
- production: |
302 million kWh (1999) |
| Electricity
- production by source: |
fossil fuel:
0.66%
hydro: 99.34%
nuclear: 0%
other: 0% (1999) |
| 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., 2000) |
| Exports
- commodities: |
petroleum 50%, lumber,
plywood, sugar, cocoa, coffee, diamonds |
| Exports
- partners: |
US 23%, Benelux 14%, Germany,
Italy, Taiwan, China (1998) |
| Imports: |
$870 million (f.o.b., 2000) |
| Imports
- commodities: |
petroleum products, capital
equipment, construction materials, foodstuffs |
| Imports
- partners: |
France 23%, US 9%, Belgium
8%, UK 7%, Italy (1997 est.) |
| 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 |
| Exchange
rates: |
Communaute Financiere
Africaine francs (XAF) per US dollar - 699.21 (January 2001), 711.98
(2000), 615.70 (1999), 589.95 (1998), 583.67 (1997), 511.55 (1996); 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 |
| Telephones
- main lines in use: |
22,000 (1997) |
| Telephones
- mobile cellular: |
1,000 (1996) |
| 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 1
(1999) |
| Television
broadcast stations: |
1 (1999) |
| Televisions: |
33,000 (1997) |
| Internet
country code: |
.cg |
| Internet
Service Providers (ISPs): |
1 (2000) |
| Internet
users: |
500 (2000) |
| Railways: |
total: 894 km
narrow gauge: 894 km 1.067-m gauge (2000) |
| 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
- with paved runways: |
total: 4
over 3,047 m: 1
1,524 to 2,437 m: 3 (2000 est.) |
| Airports
- with unpaved runways: |
total: 29
1,524 to 2,437 m: 7
914 to 1,523 m: 12
under 914 m: 10 (2000 est.) |
| Military
branches: |
Army, Air Force, Navy,
Gendarmerie |
| Military
manpower - military age: |
20 years of age |
| Military
manpower - availability: |
males age 15-49:
684,922 (2001 est.) |
| Military
manpower - fit for military service: |
males age 15-49:
347,946 (2001 est.) |
| Military
manpower - reaching military age annually: |
males: 32,350
(2001 est.) |
| Military
expenditures - dollar figure: |
$110 million (FY93) |
| Military
expenditures - percent of GDP: |
3.8% (FY93) |
| 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) |
|
