1991 Edition
CIA World Factbook 1991 (Project Gutenberg)
Geography
Climate
tropical; hot and humid in equatorial river basin; cooler and drier in southern highlands; cooler and wetter in eastern highlands; north of Equator--wet season April to October, dry season December to February; south of Equator--wet season November to March, dry season April to October
Coastline
37 km
Comparative area
slightly more than one-quarter the size of US
Disputes
Tanzania-Zaire-Zambia tripoint in Lake Tanganyika may no longer be indefinite since it is reported that the indefinite section of the Zaire-Zambia boundary has been settled; long section with Congo along the Congo River is indefinite (no division of the river or its islands has been made)
Environment
dense tropical rainforest in central river basin and eastern highlands; periodic droughts in south
Land boundaries
10,271 km total; Angola 2,511 km, Burundi 233 km, Central African Republic 1,577 km, Congo 2,410 km, Rwanda 217 km, Sudan 628 km, Uganda 765 km, Zambia 1,930 km
Land use
arable land 3%; permanent crops NEGL%; meadows and pastures 4%; forest and woodland 78%; other 15%; includes irrigated NEGL%
Maritime claims
Territorial sea: 12 nm
Natural resources
cobalt, copper, cadmium, crude oil, industrial and gem diamonds, gold, silver, zinc, manganese, tin, germanium, uranium, radium, bauxite, iron ore, coal, hydropower potential
Note
straddles Equator; very narrow strip of land is only outlet to South Atlantic Ocean
Terrain
vast central basin is a low-lying plateau; mountains in east
Total area
2,345,410 km2; land area: 2,267,600 km2
People and Society
Birth rate
46 births/1,000 population (1991)
Death rate
13 deaths/1,000 population (1991)
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
Infant mortality rate
99 deaths/1,000 live births (1991)
Labor force
15,000,000; agriculture 75%, industry 13%, services 12%; wage earners 13% (1981); population of working age 51% (1985)
Language
French (official), Lingala, Swahili, Kingwana, Kikongo, Tshiluba
Life expectancy at birth
52 years male, 56 years female (1991)
Literacy
72% (male 84%, female 61%) age 15 and over can read and write (1990 est.)
Nationality
noun--Zairian(s); adjective--Zairian
Net migration rate
0 migrants/1,000 population (1991)
Organized labor
National Union of Zairian Workers (UNTZA) was the only officially recognized trade union until April 1990; other unions are now in process of seeking official recognition
Population
37,832,407 (July 1991), growth rate 3.3% (1991)
Religion
Roman Catholic 50%, Protestant 20%, Kimbanguist 10%, Muslim 10%, other syncretic sects and traditional beliefs 10%
Total fertility rate
6.2 children born/woman (1991)
Government
Administrative divisions
10 regions (regions, singular--region) and 1 town* (ville); Bandundu, Bas-Zaire, Equateur, Haut-Zaire, Kasai-Occidental, Kasai-Oriental, Kinshasa*, Maniema, Nord-Kivu, Shaba, Sud-Kivu
Capital
Kinshasa
Communists
no Communist party
Constitution
24 June 1967, amended August 1974, revised 15 February 1978; amended 1990; new constitution to be promulgated in 1991
Diplomatic representation
Ambassador TATANENE Manata; Chancery at 1800 New Hampshire Avenue NW, Washington DC 20009; telephone (202) 234-7690 or 7691; US--Ambassador Melissa F. WELLS; Embassy at 310 Avenue des Aviateurs, Kinshasa (mailing address is APO New York 09662); telephone [243] (12) 21532; there is a US Consulate General in Lubumbashi
Elections
President--last held 29 July 1984 (next to be held before December 1991); results--President MOBUTU was reelected without opposition; Legislative Council--last held 6 September 1987 (next to be held in 1991, probably on a multiparty basis); results--MPR was the only party; seats--(210 total) MPR 210; note--MPR still holds majority of seats but some deputies have joined other parties
Executive branch
president, prime minister, Executive Council (cabinet)
Flag
light green with a yellow disk in the center bearing a black arm holding a red flaming torch; the flames of the torch are blowing away from the hoist side; uses the popular pan-African colors of Ethiopia
Independence
30 June 1960 (from Belgium; formerly Belgian Congo, then Congo/Leopoldville, then Congo/Kinshasa)
Judicial branch
Supreme Court (Cour Supreme)
Leaders
Chief of State--President Marshal MOBUTU Sese Seko Kuku Ngbendu wa Za Banga (since 24 November 1965); Head of Government--Prime Minister Bernadin MUNGUL DIAKA (since 23 October 1991)
Legal system
based on Belgian civil law system and tribal law; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
Legislative branch
unicameral Legislative Council (Conseil Legislatif)
Long-form name
Republic of Zaire
Member of
ACCT, ACP, AfDB, APC, CCC, CEEAC, CEPGL, CIPEC, ECA, FAO, G-19, G-24, G-77, GATT, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, IDA, IFAD, IFC, ILO, IMF, IMO, INTELSAT, INTERPOL, IOC, ITU, LORCS, NAM, OAU, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
National holiday
Anniversary of the Regime (Second Republic), 24 November (1965)
Political parties and leaders
sole legal party until January 1991--Popular Movement of the Revolution (MPR); other parties include Union for Democracy and Social Progress (UDPS), Etienne TSHISEKEDI wa Mulumba; Democratic Social Christian Party (PDSC), Union of Federalists and Independent Republicans (UFERI); and Congolese National Movement-Lumumba (MNC-L)
Suffrage
universal and compulsory at age 18
Type
republic with a strong presidential system
Economy
Agriculture
cash crops--coffee, palm oil, rubber, quinine; food crops--cassava, bananas, root crops, corn
Budget
revenues $685 million; expenditures $1.1 billion, does not include capital expenditures mostly financed by donors (1990)
Currency
zaire (plural--zaire); 1 zaire (Z) = 100 makuta
Economic aid
US commitments, including Ex-Im (FY70-89), $1.1 billion; Western (non-US) countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments (1970-88), $6.4 billion; OPEC bilateral aid (1979-89), $35 million; Communist countries (1970-89), $263 million
Electricity
2,575,000 kW capacity; 5,550 million kWh produced, 150 kWh per capita (1990)
Exchange rates
zaire (Z) per US$1--2,113.55 (January 1991), 718.58 (1990), 381.445 (1989), 187.070 (1988), 112.403 (1987), 59.625 (1986), 49.873 (1985)
Exports
$2.2 billion (f.o.b., 1989 est.); commodities--copper 37%, coffee 24%, diamonds 12%, cobalt, crude oil; partners--US, Belgium, France, FRG, Italy, UK, Japan, South Africa
External debt
$7.9 billion (December 1990 est.)
Fiscal year
calendar year
GDP
$6.6 billion, per capita $180; real growth rate - 2% (1990 est.)
Illicit drugs
illicit producer of cannabis, mostly for domestic consumption
Imports
$2.1 billion (f.o.b., 1989 est.); commodities--consumer goods, foodstuffs, mining and other machinery, transport equipment, fuels; partners--South Africa, US, Belgium, France, FRG, Italy, Japan, UK
Industrial production
growth rate - 3.1%; accounts for 30% of GDP (1988)
Industries
mining, mineral processing, consumer products (including textiles, footwear, and cigarettes), processed foods and beverages, cement, diamonds
Inflation rate (consumer prices)
242% (1990)
Overview
In 1990, in spite of large mineral resources and one of the most developed and diversified economies in Sub-Saharan Africa, Zaire had a GDP per capita of only about $200, one of the lowest on the continent. The country's chronic economic problems worsened in 1990, with copper production down 20% to a 20-year low, inflation near 250% compared with 100% in 1987-89, and IMF and most World Bank support suspended until the institution of agreed-on changes. Agriculture, a key sector of the economy, employs 75% of the population but generates under 25% of GDP. The main potential for economic development has been the extractive industries. Mining and mineral processing account for about one-third of GDP and two-thirds of total export earnings. Zaire is the world's largest producer of diamonds.
Unemployment rate
NA%
Communications
Airports
308 total, 255 usable; 24 with permanent-surface runways; 1 with runways over 3,659 m; 6 with runways 2,440-3,659 m; 71 with runways 1,220-2,439 m
Civil air
38 major transport aircraft
Highways
146,500 km total; 2,550 km bituminous, 46,450 km gravel and improved earth; remainder unimproved earth
Inland waterways
15,000 km including the Congo, its tributaries, and unconnected lakes
Merchant marine
4 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 41,802 GRT/60,496 DWT; includes 1 passenger cargo, 3 cargo
Pipelines
refined products 390 km
Ports
Matadi, Boma, Banana
Railroads
5,254 km total; 3,968 km 1.067-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; 31,200 telephones; stations--10 AM, 4 FM, 18 TV; satellite earth stations--1 Atlantic Ocean INTELSAT, 14 domestic
Military and Security
Branches
Army, Navy, Air Force, paramilitary National Gendarmerie, paramilitary Civil Guard
Defense expenditures
$49 million, 0.8% of GDP (1988) _%_
Manpower availability
males 15-49, 8,240,412; 4,192,991 fit for military service