2008 Edition
CIA World Factbook 2008 (Project Gutenberg)
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 took office in 1992. A brief civil war in 1997 restored former Marxist President Denis SASSOU-NGUESSO, and ushered in a period of ethnic and political unrest. Southern-based rebel groups agreed to a final peace accord in March 2003, but the calm is tenuous and refugees continue to present a humanitarian crisis. The Republic of Congo was once one of Africa's largest petroleum producers, but with declining production it will need new offshore oil finds to sustain its oil earnings over the long term.
Geography
Area
total: 342,000 sq km land: 341,500 sq km water: 500 sq km
Area - comparative
slightly smaller than Montana
Climate
tropical; rainy season (March to June); dry season (June to October); persistent high temperatures and humidity; particularly enervating climate astride the Equator
Coastline
169 km
Elevation extremes
lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m highest point: Mount Berongou 903 m
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, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: Law of the Sea
Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural)
total: 0.03 cu km/yr (59%/29%/12%) per capita: 8 cu m/yr (2000)
Geographic coordinates
1 00 S, 15 00 E
Geography - note
about 70% of the population lives in Brazzaville, Pointe-Noire, or along the railroad between them
Irrigated land
20 sq km (2003)
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
Land use
arable land: 1.45% permanent crops: 0.15% other: 98.4% (2005)
Location
Western Africa, bordering the South Atlantic Ocean, between Angola and Gabon
Map references
Africa
Maritime claims
territorial sea: 200 nm
Natural hazards
seasonal flooding
Natural resources
petroleum, timber, potash, lead, zinc, uranium, copper, phosphates, gold, magnesium, natural gas, hydropower
Terrain
coastal plain, southern basin, central plateau, northern basin
Total renewable water resources
832 cu km (1987)
People and Society
Age structure
0-14 years: 46.1% (male 906,345/female 894,568) 15-64 years: 51% (male 989,126/female 1,002,682) 65 years and over: 2.8% (male 45,560/female 65,037) (2008 est.)
Birth rate
41.76 births/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Death rate
12.28 deaths/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Education expenditures
1.9% of GDP (2005)
Ethnic groups
Kongo 48%, Sangha 20%, M'Bochi 12%, Teke 17%, Europeans and other 3%
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate
4.9% (2003 est.)
HIV/AIDS - deaths
9,700 (2003 est.)
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS
90,000 (2003 est.)
Infant mortality rate
total: 81.29 deaths/1,000 live births male: 86.9 deaths/1,000 live births female: 75.51 deaths/1,000 live births (2008 est.)
Languages
French (official), Lingala and Monokutuba (lingua franca trade languages), many local languages and dialects (of which Kikongo is the most widespread)
Life expectancy at birth
total population: 53.74 years male: 52.52 years female: 55 years (2008 est.)
Literacy
definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 83.8% male: 89.6% female: 78.4% (2003 est.)
Major infectious diseases
degree of risk: very high food or waterborne diseases: bacterial and protozoal diarrhea, hepatitis A, and typhoid fever vectorborne disease: malaria and African trypanosomiasis (sleeping sickness) animal contact disease: rabies (2008)
Median age
total: 16.7 years male: 16.5 years female: 17 years (2008 est.)
Nationality
noun: Congolese (singular and plural) adjective: Congolese or Congo
Net migration rate
-2.52 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Population
3,903,318 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, higher death rates, lower population growth rates, and changes in the distribution of population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July 2008 est.)
Population growth rate
2.696% (2008 est.)
Religions
Christian 50%, animist 48%, Muslim 2%
School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education)
total: 9 years male: 10 years female: 8 years (2003)
Sex ratio
at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.01 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.99 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.7 male(s)/female total population: 0.99 male(s)/female (2008 est.)
Total fertility rate
5.92 children born/woman (2008 est.)
Government
Administrative divisions
10 regions (regions, singular - region) and 1 commune*; Bouenza, Brazzaville*, Cuvette, Cuvette-Ouest, Kouilou, Lekoumou, Likouala, Niari, Plateaux, Pool, Sangha
Capital
name: Brazzaville geographic coordinates: 4 15 S, 15 17 E time difference: UTC+1 (six hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)
Constitution
approved by referendum 20 January 2002
Country name
conventional long form: Republic of the Congo conventional short form: Congo (Brazzaville) local long form: Republique du Congo local short form: none former: Middle Congo, Congo/Brazzaville, Congo
Diplomatic representation from the US
chief of mission: Ambassador Allan EASTHAM embassy: Boulevard de la Revolution, BDEAC Building, 4th Floor, Brazzaville; note - a new embassy is expected to open in 2009 mailing address: B.P. 1015, Brazzaville telephone: [242] 281-1481, [242] 281-3368; note - until the new embassy in Brazzaville becomes operational, some duties will still be handled in the US embassy in Kinshasha, Democratic Republic of the Congo
Diplomatic representation in the US
chief of mission: Ambassador Serge MOMBOULI chancery: 4891 Colorado Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20011 telephone: [1] (202) 726-5500
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); head of government: Prime Minister Isidore MVOUBA (since 7 January 2005) cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president elections: president elected by popular vote for a seven-year term (eligible for a second term); election last held 10 March 2002 (next to be held in 2009) election results: Denis SASSOU-NGUESSO reelected president; percent of vote - Denis SASSOU-NGUESSO 89.4%, Joseph Kignoumbi Kia MBOUNGOU 2.7%
FAX
[1] (202) 726-1860
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 note: uses the popular pan-African colors of Ethiopia
Government type
republic
Independence
15 August 1960 (from France)
International organization participation
ACCT, ACP, AfDB, AU, BDEAC, CEMAC, FAO, FZ, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ITSO, ITU, ITUC, MIGA, NAM, OIF, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNITAR, UNWTO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
Judicial branch
Supreme Court or Cour Supreme
Legal system
based on French civil law system and customary law; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
Legislative branch
bicameral Parliament consists of the Senate (66 seats; members are elected by indirect vote to serve five-year terms) and the National Assembly (137 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms) elections: Senate - last held 11 July 2002 (next to be held in July 2008); National Assembly - last held 24 June and 5 August 2007 (next to be held in 2012) election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - FDU 56, other 10; National Assembly - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - PCT 46, MCDDI 11, UPADS 11, MAR 5, MSD 5, independents 37, other 22
National holiday
Independence Day, 15 August (1960)
Political parties and leaders
Action Movement for Renewal or MAR; Congolese Movement for Democracy and Integral Development or MCDDI [Michel MAMPOUYA]; Congolese Labour Party or PCT; Movement for Solidarity and Development or MSD; 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 or UDR; United Democratic Forces or FDU [Sebastian EBAO]; many less important parties
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
Suffrage
18 years of age; universal
Economy
Agriculture - products
cassava (tapioca), sugar, rice, corn, peanuts, vegetables, coffee, cocoa; forest products
Budget
revenues: $3.295 billion expenditures: $2.444 billion (2007 est.)
Commercial bank prime lending rate
15% (31 December 2007)
Currency (code)
Communaute Financiere Africaine franc (XAF); note - responsible authority is the Bank of the Central African States
Currency code
XAF
Current account balance
-$1.491 billion (2007 est.)
Debt - external
$5 billion (2000 est.)
Economic aid - recipient
$1.449 billion (2005)
Economy - overview
The economy is a mixture of subsistence agriculture, an industrial sector based largely on oil, and 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 through oil-backed loans that have contributed to a growing debt burden and chronic revenue shortfalls. Economic reform efforts have been undertaken with the support of international organizations, notably the World Bank and the IMF. However, 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. 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. The current administration presides over an uneasy internal peace and faces difficult economic challenges of stimulating recovery and reducing poverty. Recovery of oil prices has boosted the economy's GDP and near-term prospects. In March 2006, the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund (IMF) approved Heavily Indebted Poor Countries (HIPC) treatment for Congo.
Electricity - consumption
564 million kWh (2006 est.)
Electricity - exports
0 kWh (2007 est.)
Electricity - imports
411 million kWh (2006 est.)
Electricity - production
444 million kWh (2006 est.)
Electricity - production by source
fossil fuel: 0.3% hydro: 99.7% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001)
Exchange rates
Communaute Financiere Africaine francs (XAF) per US dollar - 483.6 (2007), 522.59 (2006), 527.47 (2005), 528.29 (2004), 581.2 (2003)
Exports
$5.8 billion f.o.b. (2007 est.)
Exports - commodities
petroleum, lumber, plywood, sugar, cocoa, coffee, diamonds
Exports - partners
US 41%, China 36.5%, Taiwan 3.6% (2007)
Fiscal year
calendar year
GDP - composition by sector
agriculture: 5.6% industry: 57.1% services: 37.3% (2006 est.)
GDP - per capita (PPP)
$3,400 (2007 est.)
GDP - real growth rate
-1.6% (2007 est.)
GDP (official exchange rate)
$7.657 billion (2007 est.)
GDP (purchasing power parity)
$12.86 billion (2007 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share
lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA%
Imports
$2.634 billion f.o.b. (2007 est.)
Imports - commodities
capital equipment, construction materials, foodstuffs
Imports - partners
France 18.1%, South Korea 14.7%, China 12.6%, Italy 10.3%, India 4.7%, US 4.2% (2007)
Industrial production growth rate
-12% (2007 est.)
Industries
petroleum extraction, cement, lumber, brewing, sugar, palm oil, soap, flour, cigarettes
Inflation rate (consumer prices)
2.7% (2007 est.)
Investment (gross fixed)
40.4% of GDP (2007 est.)
Labor force
NA
Market value of publicly traded shares
$NA
Natural gas - consumption
180 million cu m (2006 est.)
Natural gas - exports
0 cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - imports
0 cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - production
180 million cu m (2006 est.)
Natural gas - proved reserves
90.61 billion cu m (1 January 2008 est.)
Oil - consumption
7,677 bbl/day (2006 est.)
Oil - exports
230,200 bbl/day (2005 est.)
Oil - imports
1,702 bbl/day (2005)
Oil - production
261,000 bbl/day
Oil - proved reserves
1.6 billion bbl (1 January 2008 est.)
Population below poverty line
NA%
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold
$2.206 billion (31 December 2007 est.)
Stock of domestic credit
NA
Stock of money
$1.4 billion (31 December 2007)
Stock of quasi money
$204.3 million (31 December 2007)
Unemployment rate
NA%
Communications
Internet country code
.cg
Internet hosts
5 (2008)
Internet Service Providers (ISPs)
1 (2000)
Internet users
70,000 (2006)
Radio broadcast stations
AM 1, FM 5, shortwave 3 (2001)
Radios
341,000 (1997)
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; fixed-line infrastructure inadequate providing less than 1 connection per 100 persons; in the absence of an adequate fixed line infrastructure, mobile-cellular subscribership has surged reaching 35 per 100 persons domestic: primary network consists of microwave radio relay and coaxial cable international: country code - 242; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)
Telephones - main lines in use
15,900 (2005)
Telephones - mobile cellular
1.334 million (2007)
Television broadcast stations
1 (2001)
Televisions
33,000 (1997)
Transportation
Airports
31 (2007)
Airports - with paved runways
total: 5 over 3,047 m: 2 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 (2007)
Airports - with unpaved runways
total: 26 1,524 to 2,437 m: 7 914 to 1,523 m: 10 under 914 m: 9 (2007)
Merchant marine
registered in other countries: 1 (Congo, Democratic Republic of the 1) (2008)
Pipelines
gas 89 km; liquid petroleum gas 4 km; oil 758 km (2007)
Ports and terminals
Brazzaville, Djeno, Impfondo, Ouesso, Oyo, Pointe-Noire
Railways
total: 894 km narrow gauge: 894 km 1.067-m gauge (2006)
Roadways
total: 17,289 km paved: 864 km unpaved: 16,425 km (2004)
Waterways
1,125 km (commercially navigable on Congo and Oubanqui rivers) (2006)
Military and Security
Congolese Armed Forces (Forces Armees Congolaises, FAC)
Army, Navy, Congolese Air Force (Armee de l'Air Congolaise), Gendarmerie, Special Presidential Security Guard (GSSP) (2008)
Manpower available for military service
males age 16-49: 842,771 females age 16-49: 833,624 (2008 est.)
Manpower fit for military service
males age 16-49: 519,296 females age 16-49: 509,564 (2008 est.)
Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually
male: 45,671 female: 45,248 (2008 est.)
Military expenditures
3.1% of GDP (2006)
Military service age and obligation
18 years of age for voluntary military service; women allowed to serve (2007)
Transnational Issues
Disputes - international
the location of the boundary in the broad Congo River with the Democratic Republic of the Congo is indefinite except in the Pool Malebo/Stanley Pool area
IDPs
48,000 (multiple civil wars since 1992; most IDPs are ethnic Lari) (2007)
Refugees and internally displaced persons
refugees (country of origin): 46,341 (Democratic Republic of Congo); 6,564 (Rwanda)
Trafficking in persons
current situation: Republic of the Congo is a source and destination country for children trafficked for the purposes of forced labor and commercial sexual exploitation; girls are trafficked from rural areas within the country for commercial sexual exploitation, forced street vending, and domestic servitude; children are trafficked from other African countries for domestic servitude, forced market vending, and forced labor in the fishing industry tier rating: Tier 2 Watch List - Republic of the Congo is on the Tier 2 Watch List for its failure to show evidence of increasing efforts to combat trafficking in persons in 2007; struggling to recover from six years of civil conflict that ended in 2003, the Republic of the Congo's capacity to address trafficking is handicapped; the government neither monitors its borders for trafficking activity nor provides specialized anti-trafficking training for law enforcement officials; the government does not encourage victims to assist in trafficking investigations or prosecutions, and has not taken measures to reduce demand for commercial sex acts in the Republic of the Congo (2008) This page was last updated on 18 December, 2008