1986 Edition

Agriculture

main cash crops — coffee, palm oil, rubber, quinine; main food crops — manioc, bananas, root crops, corn; some provinces self-sufficient

Airfields

335 total, 296 usable; 25 with permanent-surface runways; 1 with runways over 3,659 m, 6 with runways 2,440-3,659 m, 70 with runways 1,2202,439 m

Branches

President elected originally in 1970 for seven-year term; Marshal Mobutu reelected July 1984; limits on reelection removed by new constitution; unicameral legislature (310-member National Legislative Council elected for five-year term); the official party is the supreme political institution

Army, Navy, Air Force, National Gendarmerie, Logistics Corps, Special Presidential Brigade

Budget

(1985 est.) revenues, $780 million; total expenditures, $739 million

Capital

Kinshasa

Civil air

52 major transport aircraft

Communists

no Communist party

Elections

elections for rural collectivities' urban zone councils, and the Legislative Council of the Popular Movement of the Revolution were held June-September 1982; presidential referendum /election held July 1984; presidential election/referendum scheduled for 1991 Political parties and leaders: Popular Movement of the Revolution (MPR), only legal party

Electric power

2,412,200 kW capacity (1985); 5.282 billion kWh produced (1985), 175 kWh per capita

Exports

$1.846 billion (f.o.b., 1984); $1.824 billion (1985 est.) copper (45%), cobalt, diamonds, petroleum, coffee

Fiscal year

calendar year Communications

Fishing

catch 102,000 metric tons (1983)

GDP

$4.5 billion (1983), $200 per capita; 2.0% real growth (1985 est.)

Government leader

Marshal MOBUTU Sese Seko, President (since 1965); KENGO Wa Dondo, First State Commissioner (prime minister; since November 1982)

Highways

145,050 km total; 2,350 km bituminous, 46,230 km gravel and improved earth; remainder unimproved earth

Imports

$1. 102 billion (f.o.b., 1984 est); $ 1 . 1 1 3 billion ( 1 985 est. ) consumer goods, foodstuffs, mining and other machinery, transport equipment, fuels

Inland waterways

comprising the Congo, its tributaries, and unconnected lakes, the waterway system affords over 15,000 km of navigable routes

Labor force

about 8 million, but only about 13% in wage structure Government

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

Literacy

55% males, 37% females

Major industries

mining, mineral processing, consumer products (including textiles, footwear, and cigarettes), processed foods and beverages, cement

Major trade partners

Belgium, US, France, and West Germany

Member of

AfDB, APC, CIPEC, EAMA, EIB (associate), FAO, G-77, GATT, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICO, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, INTELSAT, INTERPOL, IPU, ITC, ITU, NAM, OAU, OCAM, UDEAC, UN, UNESCO, UPU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO Economy

Military manpower

males 15-49, 7,045,000; 3,560,000 fit for military service

Monetary conversion rate

55 zaires=US$l (December 1985)

National holiday

Independence Day, 30 June; Anniversary of the Regime, 24 November

Natural resources

cobalt, copper, cadmium, petroleum, industrial and gem diamonds, gold, silver, zinc, manganese, tin, germanium, uranium, radium, bauxite, iron, coal, hydroelectric power (potential)

Official name

Republic of Zaire

Pipelines

refined products, 390 km

Political subdivisions

eight regions and federal district of Kinshasa

Ports

2 major (Matadi, Boma), 1 minor

Railroads

5,254 km total; 3,968 km 1.067meter gauge (851 km electrified); 125 km 1,000meter gauge; 136 km 0.615-meter gauge; 1,025 km 0.600-meter gauge

Suffrage

universal and compulsory over age

Telecommunications

barely adequate wire and radio-relay service, 31,200 telephones (0. 1 per 100 popl.); 10 AM, 3 FM, 17 TV stations; 1 Atlantic Ocean satellite station and 13 domestic satellite stations Defense Forces

Type

republic; constitution establishes strong presidential system

Voting strength

Mobutu polled 99.6% of vote in the 1984 election