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Countries > Congo Republic Congo Republic Flag

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Capital: Brazzaville
Population: 2,590,000
Congo Republic Map

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: 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

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

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, Endangered Species, Ozone Layer Protection, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94
signed, but not ratified: Desertification, Law of the Sea

Geography - note: about 70% of the population lives in Brazzaville, Pointe Noire, or along the railroad between them

People

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
male:44.27 years
female: 51.24 years (2002 est.)

Total fertility rate: 4.94 children born/woman (2002 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), African languages (Lingala and Kikongo are the most widely used)

Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 74.9%
male: 83.1%
female : 67.2% (1995 est.)

Government

Country name:
conventional long form: Republic of the Congo
conventional short form: none
local long form : Republique du Congo
local short form: none
former: Congo/Brazzaville, Congo

Data code: CF

Government type: republic

National 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: 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
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%

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 (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, ECA, FAO, FZ, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, ITU, NAM, OAU, UDEAC, UN, UNAVEM III, UNCTAD, UNESCO, NIDO, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO

Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: AmbassadorSerge 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: Avenue Amilcar Cabral, Brazzaville
mailing address: B. P. 1015, Brazzaville
telephone: [242] 83 20 70
FAX: [242] 83 63 38

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

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.)

Inflation rate - consumer price index: 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 kilning, lumbering, brewing, sugar milling, palm oil, soap, cigarette making

Industrial production growth rate: NA%

Electricity - capacity: 165,000 kW (1995)

Electricity - production: 302 million kWh (1999)

Electricity - consumption per capita: 406.9 million kWh (1999)

Agriculture - products: cassava (tapioca) accounts for 90% of food output, sugar, rice, corn, peanuts, vegetables, coffee, cocoa; forest products

Exports:
total value: $2.6 billion (f.o.b., 2001)
commodities: crude oil 90%, lumber, plywood, sugar, cocoa, coffee, diamonds
partners:US 20.9%, South Korea 15.5%, China 6.7%, Germany 3.2% (2000)

Imports:
total value: $725 million (f.o.b., 2001)
commodities : intermediate manufactures, capital equipment, construction materials, foodstuffs, petroleum products
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: 1 Communaute Financiere Africaine franc (CFAF) = 100 centimes

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

Telephones: 22,000 (1997)

Telephone system: services barely adequate for government use; key exchanges are in Brazzaville, Pointe-Noire, and Loubomo; inter-city 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)

Transportation

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: 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

Merchant marine:
total : 1 cargo ship (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 2,218 GRT/4,100 DWT (1996 est.)

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

Military branches: Army, Navy (includes Marines), Air Force, 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 : 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)

Military - note: under the terms of a 1994 peace agreement, which ended two years of civil strife, members of militias who supported the three main political parties are being integrated into the military forces

Transnational Issues

Disputes - international: long segment of boundary with Democratic Republic of the Congo along the Congo River is indefinite (no division of the river or its islands has been made)

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