1989 Edition

Administrative divisions

9 regions (regions, singular — region); Bouenza, Cuvette, Kouilou, Lekoumou, Likouala, Niari, Plateaux, Pool, Sangha; note — there may be a new capital district of Brazzaville

Capital

Brazzaville

Climate

tropical; moderated by trade winds

tropical

Coastline

120 km

3,095 km

Communists

unknown number of Communists and sympathizers

Comparative area

slightly less than 1.5 times the size of Washington, DC

undetermined

Constitution

8 July 1979

Contiguous zone

12 nm

Continental shelf

200 meters or edge of continental margin

200 meters or to depth of exploitation

Diplomatic representation

Ambassador Benjamin BOUNKOULOU; Chancery at 4891 Colorado Avenue NW, Washington DC 2001 1; telephone (202) 726-5500; US— Ambassador Leonard G. SHURTLEFF; Embassy at Avenue Amilcar Cabral, Brazzaville (mailing address is B. P. 1015, Brazzaville, or Box C, APO New York 09662-0006); telephone 83-20-70 or 83-26-24

Elections

President — last held 26-31 July 1989 (next to be held July 1993); resultsPresident Sassou-Nguesso unanimously reelected leader of the PCT by the Party Congress, which automatically makes him president; People's National Assembly — last held 24 September 1989 (next to be held 1993); results — PCT is the only party; seats — (153 total) single list of candidates nominated by the PCT

Environment

subject to typhoons from November to March

subject to occasional tropical cyclones; no permanent fresh water; important nesting area for birds and turtles

Exclusive fishing zone

200 nm

Executive branch

president, prime minister, Council of Ministers (cabinet)

Extended economic zone

200 nm

Flag

red with the national emblem in the upper hoist-side corner; the emblem includes a yellow five-pointed star above a crossed hoe and hammer (like the hammer and sickle design) in yellow, flanked by two curved green palm branches; uses the popular pan-African colors of Ethiopia

Independence

1 5 August 1 960 (from France; formerly Congo/ Brazzaville)

Judicial branch

Supreme Court (Cour Supreme)

Land boundaries

none

none

Land use

4% arable land; 22% permanent crops; 0% meadows and pastures; 0% forest and woodland; 74% other

0% arable land; 0% permanent crops; 0% meadows and pastures; 0% forest and woodland; 100% other, mostly grass or scrub cover; Lihou Reef Reserve and Coringa-Herald Reserve were declared National Nature Reserves on 3 August 1982

Leaders

Chief of State and Head of Government— President Denis SASSOU-NGUESSO (since 8 February 1979); Prime Minister Alphonse POATYSOUCHLATY (since 6 August 1989) Political parties and leaders: only party — Congolese Labor Party (PCT), President Denis Sassou-Nguesso, leader

Legal system

based on French civil law system and customary law

Legislative branch

unicameral People's National Assembly (Assemblee Nationale Populaire)

Member of

ACP, AfDB, CCC, Conference of East and Central African States, EAMA, ECA, EIB (associate), FAO, G77, GATT, IBRD, ICAO, ICO, IDA, IFAD, IFC, ILO, IMF, IMO, INTELSAT, INTERPOL, ITU, NAM, OAU, UDEAC, UEAC, UN, UNESCO, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO

National holiday

National Day, 1 5 August (1960)

Natural resources

negligible

negligible

Note

located 4,500 km south of Hawaii in the South Pacific Ocean

the islands are located just off the northeast coast of Australia in the Coral Sea

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)

Suffrage

universal at age 18

Terrain

low coral atolls in north; volcanic, hilly islands in south

sand and coral reefs and islands (or cays)

Territorial sea

1 2 nm

3 nm

Total area

240 km2; land area: 240 km2

undetermined; includes numerous small islands and reefs scattered over a sea area of about 1 million km2, with Willis Islets the most important

Type

people's republic

Birth rate

22 births/ 1,000 population (1990)

Death rate

7 deaths/ 1 ,000 population (1990)

Ethnic divisions

81.3% Polynesian (full blood), 7.7% Polynesian and European, 7.7% Polynesian and other, 2.4% European, 0.9% other

Infant mortality rate

24 deaths/ 1,000 live births (1990)

Labor force

5,810; agriculture 29%, government 27%, services 25%, industry 1 5%, and other 4% (1981)

Language

English

Life expectancy at birth

66 years male, 72 years female (1990)

Literacy

NA%

Nationality

noun — Cook Islander(s); adjective— Cook Islander

Net migration rate

— 10 migrants/ 1 ,000 population (1990)

Organized labor

NA

Population

18,187 (July 1990), growth rate 0.5% (1990)

3 meteorologists

Religion

Christian, majority of populace members of Cook Islands Christian Church

Total fertility rate

3.5 children born/ woman (1990)

Administrative divisions

none

Capital

Avarua

Constitution

4 August 1965

Diplomatic representation

none (self-governing in free association with New Zealand)

Elections

Parliament — last held 19 January 1989 (next to be held by January 1 994); results — percent of vote by party NA; seats — (24 total) Cook Islands Party 12, Democratic Tumu Party 2, opposition coalition (including Democratic Party) 9, independent 1

Executive branch

British monarch, representative of the UK, representative of New Zealand, prime minister, deputy prime minister. Cabinet

Flag

blue with the flag of the UK in the upper hoist-side quadrant and a large circle of 15 white five-pointed stars (one for every island) centered in the outer half of the flag

the flag of Australia is used

Independence

became self-governing in free association with New Zealand on 4 August 1965 and has the right at any time to move to full independence by unilateral action

Judicial branch

High Court

Leaders

Chief of State— Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952); Representative of the UK Sir Tangaroa TANGAROA (since NA); Representative of New Zealand Adrian SINCOCK (since NA); Head of Government — Prime Minister Geoffrey HENRY (since NA February 1989); Deputy Prime Minister Inatio AKARURU (since NA) Political parties and leaders: Cook Islands Party, Geoffrey Henry; Democratic Tumu Party, Vincent Ingram; Democratic Party, Dr. Vincent Pupuke Robati; Cook Islands Labor Party, Rena Jonassen; Cook Islands People's Party, Sadaraka Sadaraka

Legislative branch

unicameral Parliament; note — the unicameral House of Arikis (chiefs) advises on traditional matters, but has no legislative powers

Long-form name

none

Coral Sea Islands Territory

Member of

ADB, ESCAP (associate member), IDA, IFC, IMF, SPF

National holiday

NA

Suffrage

universal adult at age NA

Type

self-governing in free association with New Zealand; Cook Islands fully responsible for internal affairs; New Zealand retains responsibility for external affairs, in consultation with the Cook Islands

territory of Australia administered by the Minister for Arts, Sport, the Environment, Tourism, and Territories Graham Richardson

Agriculture

accounts for 11% of GDP (including fishing and forestry); cassava accounts for 90% of food output; other crops — rice, corn, peanuts, vegetables; cash crops include coffee and cocoa; forest products important export earner; imports over 90% of food needs

export crops — copra, citrus fruits, pineapples, tomatoes, bananas; subsistence crops — yams, taro

Aid

US commitments, including Ex-Im (FY70-88), $56 million; Western (non-US) countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments (1970-87), $2.1 billion; OPEC bilateral aid (1979-89), $15 million; Communist countries (1970-88), $338 million

Western (non-US) countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments (197089), $128 million

Budget

revenues $382 million; expenditures $575 million, including capital expenditures of $1 18 million (1988)

revenues $33.8 million; expenditures $34.4 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (1990 est.)

Currency

Communaute Financiere Africaine franc (plural — francs); 1 CFA franc (CFAF) = 100 centimes

New Zealand dollar (plural — dollars); 1 New Zealand dollar (NZ$) = 100 cents

Electricity

133,000 kW capacity; 300 million kWh produced, 130 kWh per capita (1989)

4,800 kW capacity; 1 5 million kWh produced, 830 kWh per capita (1989)

Exchange rates

Communaute Financiere Africaine francs (CFAF) per US$1 — 287.99 (January 1990), 319.01 (1989), 297.85 (1988), 300.54 (1987), 346.30 (1986), 449.26 (1985)

New Zealand dollars (NZ$)per US$1— 1.6581 (January 1990), 1.6708(1989), 1.5244(1988), 1.6886 (1987), 1.9088 (1986), 2.0064(1985)

Exports

$912 million (f.o.b., 1987); commodities— crude petroleum 72%, lumber, plywood, coffee, cocoa, sugar, diamonds; partners — US, France, other EC

$4.0 million (f.o.b., 1988); commodities— copra, fresh and canned fruit, clothing; partners — NZ 80%, Japan

External debt

$4.5 billion (December 1988)

SNA

Fiscal year

calendar year

1 April-3 1 March

GDP

$2.2 billion, per capita $1,000; real growth rate -3% (1988 est.)

$40.0 million, per capita $2,200 (1988 est.); real growth rate 5.3% (1986-88 est.)

Imports

$494.4 million (c.i.f., 1987); commodities— foodstuffs, consumer goods, intermediate manufactures, capital equipment; partners — France, Italy, other EC, US, FRG, Spain, Japan, Brazil

$38.7 million (c.i.f., 1988); commodities— foodstuffs, textiles, fuels, timber; partners — NZ 49%, Japan, Australia, US

Industrial production

growth rate —5.9% (1987)

growth rate NA%

Industries

crude oil, cement, sawmills, brewery, sugar mill, palm oil, soap, cigarettes

fruit processing, tourism

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

1.5% (1988)

8.0% (1988)

Overview

Oil has supplanted forestry as the mainstay of the economy, providing about two-thirds of government revenues and exports. In the early 1980s rapidly rising oil revenues enabled Congo to finance large-scale development projects with growth averaging 5% annually, one of the highest rates in Africa. The world decline in oil prices, however, has forced the government to launch an austerity program to cope with declining receipts and mounting foreign debts.

Agriculture provides the economic base. The major export earners are fruit, copra, and clothing. Manufacturing activities are limited to a fruit-processing plant and several clothing factories. Economic development is hindered by the isolation of the islands from foreign markets and a lack of natural resources and good transportation links. A large trade deficit is annually made up for by remittances from emigrants and from foreign aid. Current economic development plans call for exploiting the tourism potential and expanding the fishing industry.

no economic activity

Unemployment rate

NA%

NA%

Airports

51 total, 46 usable; 5 with permanent-surface runways; none with runways over 3,659 m; 1 with runways 2,440-3,659 m; 17 with runways 1,2202,439 m

7 total, 5 usable; 1 with permanent-surface runways; none with runways over 2,439 m; 3 with runways 1, 220-2,439 m

Branches

Army, Navy, Air Force, paramilitary National People's Militia Military manpower males 15-49, 492,419; 250,478 fit for military service; 23,622 reach military age (20) annually

Civil air

4 major transport aircraft

no major transport aircraft Coral Sea Islands (territory of Australia)

Defense expenditures

4.6% of GDP (1987) Cook Islands (free association with New Zealand) Rakahanga Panrhyn Pukapuka Manihiki Nassau Island Suwarrow South Pacific Ocean Palmarston Ailulaki . Mitiaro Takutta Mauke 400km •- *AVARUA Rarotonga Nee re Rionil map X Mangaia

Highways

12,000 km total; 560 km bituminous surface treated; 850 km gravel, laterite; 5,350 km improved earth; 5,240 km unimproved roads

187 km total (1980); 35 km paved, 35 km gravel, 84 km improved earth, 33 km unimproved earth

Inland waterways

the Congo and Ubangi (Oubangui) Rivers provide 1,120 km of commercially navigable water transport; the rest are used for local traffic only

Note

defense is the responsibility of New Zealand 400km ..Bougainville Reef p. Qwillis Islets • Coringa Islets ^.LihouReef Me/lish^ Coral Sea Frederick fleets ^ Wreck Reef. . Cato Island*

defense is the responsibility of Australia; visited regularly by the Royal Australian Navy; Australia has control over the activities of visitors Sec regional map X

Pipelines

crude oil 25 km

Ports

Pointe-Noire (ocean port), Brazzaville (river port)

Avatiu

none; offshore anchorages only Defense Forces

Railroads

797 km, 1 .067-meter gauge, single track (includes 285 km that are privately owned)

Telecommunications

services adequate for government use; primary network is composed of radio relay routes and coaxial cables; key centers are Brazzaville, PointeNoire, and Loubomo; 18,100 telephones; stations— 3 AM, 1 FM, 4 TV; 1 Atlantic Ocean satellite station Defense Forces

stations — 2 AM, no FM, no TV; 10,000 radio receivers; 2,052 telephones; 1 Pacific Ocean INTELSAT earth station Defense Forces