1982 Edition
CIA World Factbook 1982 (Wikisource)
Geography
Area
2,343,950 km2; 22% agricultural land (1% cultivated), 45% forested, 33% other
Coastline
37 km
Land boundaries
9,902 km WATER
Limits of territorial waters (claimed)
12 nm
People and Society
Ethnic divisions
over 200 African ethnic groups, the majority are Bantu; four largest tribes—Mongo, Luba, Kongo (all Bantu), and the Mangbetu-Azande (Hamitic) make up about 45% of the population
Labor force
about 8 million, but only about 13% in wage structure
Language
French, English, Lingala, Swahili, Kikongo, and Chiluba are all classified as official languages
Literacy
5% fluent in French, about 35% have an acquaintance with French
Nationality
noun—Zairian(s); adjective—Zairian
Population
30,289,000 (July 1982), average annual growth rate 2.8%
Religion
60% Christian, 35% animist, 5% other
Government
Branches
President elected 1970 for seven-year term; General Mobutu reelected December 1977; limits on reelection removed by new constitution; national Legislative Council of 210 members elected for five-year term; the official party is the supreme political institution
Capital
Kinshasa
Communists
no Communist party
Elections
elections for rural collectivities urban zone councils, and the Legislative Council of the Popular Movement of the Revolution to be held May-September 1982; presidential referendum/election held December 1977 Political parties and leaders: Popular Movement of the Revolution (MPR), only legal party, organized from the president on down
Government leader
Lt. Gen. MOBUTU Sese Seko, President
Legal system
based on Belgian civil law system and tribal law; new constitution promulgated February 1978; legal education at National University of Zaire; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction National holiday: Independence Day, 30 June; Anniversary of the Regime, 24 November
Member of
AFDB, APC, CIPEC, EAMA, EIB (associate), FAO, G-77, GATT, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICO, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IHO, ILO, IMCO, IMF, IPU, ITC, ITU, NAM, OAU, OCAM, UDEAC, UN, UNESCO, UPU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
Official name
Republic of Zaire (until October 1971 known as Democratic Republic of the Congo)
Political subdivisions
eight regions and federal district of Kinshasa
Suffrage
universal and compulsory over age 18
Type
republic; constitution establishes strong presidential system
Voting strength
MPR slate polled 97.5% of vote in 1977 Political Bureau; elections in February 1980 President Mobutu announced there would be no further elections to the Political Bureau
Economy
Agriculture
main cash crops—coffee, palm oil, rubber, quinine; main food crops—manioc, bananas, root crops, corn; some provinces self-sufficient
Budget
1980 revenue, $1,250.2 million; current expenditures, $1,242.3 million, capital expenditures $206.5 million
Electric power
1,694,000 kW capacity (1980); 4.2 billion kWh produced (1980), 143 kWh per capita
Exports
$2,089 million (f.o.b., 1980); copper, cobalt, diamonds, petroleum, coffee
Fiscal year
calendar year
Fishing
catch 115,182 metric tons (1979)
GDP
$6.3 billion (1980 est.), $225 per capita; 1.8% current annual growth rate
Imports
$1,469 million (c.i.f., 1980); consumer goods, foodstuffs, mining and other machinery, transport equipment, fuels
Major industries
mining, mineral processing, light industries
Major trade partners
Belgium, US, and West Germany
Monetary conversion rate
1 zaire=US$0.182 (as of June 1981)
Communications
Airfields
324 total, 287 usable; 26 with permanent-surface runways; 1 with runways over 3,659 m, 5 with runways 2,440-3,659 m, 68 with runways 1,220-2,439 m
Civil air
56 major transport aircraft
Highways
168,979 km total; 2,654 km bituminous, 58,129 km improved earth; 108,196 km unimproved earth
Inland waterways
comprising the Zaire, its tributaries, and unconnected lakes, the waterway system affords over 15,000 km of navigable routes
Pipelines
refined products, 390 km
Ports
2 major (Matadi, Boma), 1 minor
Railroads
5,254 km total; 3,968 km L067-meter gauge (851 km electrified), 125 km 1,000-meter gauge; 136 km 0.615-meter gauge, 1,025 km 0.600-meter gauge
Telecommunications
barely adequate wire and radio-relay service, 30,300 telephones (0.1 per 100 popl.); 12 AM, 1 FM, and 17 TV stations; 1 Atlantic Ocean satellite station and 13 domestic satellite stations
Military and Security
Military manpower
males 15-49, 6,702,000; 3,386,000 fit for military service