1999 Edition
CIA World Factbook 1999 (Internet Archive)
Geography
Area
total: 2,345,410 sq km land: 2,267,600 sq km water: 77,810 sq km
Area--comparative
slightly less than one-fourth the size of the US
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
Elevation extremes
lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m highest point: Pic Marguerite on Mont Ngaliema (Mount Stanley) 5,110 m
Environment--current issues
poaching threatens wildlife populations; water pollution; deforestation; refugees who arrived in mid-1994 were responsible for significant deforestation, soil erosion, and wildlife poaching in the eastern part of the country (most of those refugees were repatriated in November and December 1996)
Environment--international agreements
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: Environmental Modification
Geographic coordinates
0 00 N, 25 00 E
Geography--note
straddles Equator; very narrow strip of land that controls the lower Congo river and is only outlet to South Atlantic Ocean; dense tropical rain forest in central river basin and eastern highlands
Irrigated land
100 sq km (1993 est.)
Land boundaries
total: 10,271 km border countries: Angola 2,511 km, Burundi 233 km, Central African Republic 1,577 km, Republic of the Congo 2,410 km, Rwanda 217 km, Sudan 628 km, Uganda 765 km, Zambia 1,930 km
Land use
arable land: 3% permanent crops: 0% permanent pastures: 7% forests and woodland: 77% other: 13% (1993 est.)
Location
Central Africa, northeast of Angola
Map references
Africa
Maritime claims
exclusive economic zone: boundaries with neighbors territorial sea: 12 nm
Natural hazards
periodic droughts in south; volcanic activity
Natural resources
cobalt, copper, cadmium, petroleum, industrial and gem diamonds, gold, silver, zinc, manganese, tin, germanium, uranium, radium, bauxite, iron ore, coal, hydropower potential, timber
Terrain
vast central basin is a low-lying plateau; mountains in east
People and Society
Age structure
0-14 years: 48% (male 12,200,532; female 12,136,372) 15-64 years: 49% (male 12,135,901; female 12,692,057) 65 years and over: 3% (male 564,084; female 752,359) (1999 est.)
Birth rate
46.37 births/1,000 population (1999 est.)
Death rate
14.99 deaths/1,000 population (1999 est.)
Ethnic groups
over 200 African ethnic groups of which the majority are Bantu; the four largest tribes--Mongo, Luba, Kongo (all Bantu), and the Mangbetu-Azande (Hamitic) make up about 45% of the population
Infant mortality rate
99.45 deaths/1,000 live births (1999 est.)
Languages
French (official), Lingala (a lingua franca trade language), Kingwana (a dialect of Kiswahili or Swahili), Kikongo, Tshiluba
Life expectancy at birth
total population: 49.44 years male: 47.28 years female: 51.67 years (1999 est.)
Literacy
definition: age 15 and over can read and write French, Lingala, Kingwana, or Tshiluba total population: 77.3% male: 86.6% female: 67.7% (1995 est.)
Nationality
noun: Congolese (singular and plural) adjective: Congolese or Congo
Net migration rate
-1.78 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1999 est.) note: in 1994, about a million refugees fled into Zaire (now called the Democratic Republic of the Congo or DROC), to escape the fighting between the Hutus and the Tutsis in Rwanda and Burundi; the outbreak of widespread fighting in the DROC between rebels and government forces in October 1996 spurred about 875,000 refugees to return to Rwanda in late 1996 and early 1997; additionally,the DROC is host to 200,000 Angolan, 110,000 Burundi, 100,000 Sudanese, and 15,000 Ugandan refugees; renewed fighting in the DROC in August 1998 resulted in more internal displacement and refugee outflows
Population
50,481,305 (July 1999 est.)
Population growth rate
2.96% (1999 est.)
Religions
Roman Catholic 50%, Protestant 20%, Kimbanguist 10%, Muslim 10%, other syncretic sects and traditional beliefs 10%
Sex ratio
at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.01 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.96 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.75 male(s)/female total population: 0.97 male(s)/female (1999 est.)
Total fertility rate
6.45 children born/woman (1999 est.)
Government
Administrative divisions
10 provinces (provinces, singular--province) and one city* (ville); Bandundu, Bas-Congo, Equateur, Kasai-Occidental, Kasai-Oriental, Katanga, Kinshasa*, Maniema, Nord-Kivu, Orientale, Sud-Kivu
Capital
Kinshasa
Constitution
24 June 1967, amended August 1974, revised 15 February 1978, amended April 1990; transitional constitution promulgated in April 1994; following successful rebellion the new government announced on 29 May 1997 a program of constitutional reform and, in November 1998, a draft constitution was approved by President KABILA and awaits ratification by national referendum
Country name
conventional long form: Democratic Republic of the Congo conventional short form: none local long form: Republique Democratique du Congo local short form: none former: Belgian Congo, Congo/Leopoldville, Congo/Kinshasa, Zaire abbreviation: DROC
Data code
CG
Executive branch
chief of state: Laurent Desire KABILA (since 17 May 1997); note--the president is both chief of state and head of government head of government: Laurent Desire KABILA (since 17 May 1997); note--the president is both chief of state and head of government cabinet: National Executive Council, appointed by the president elections: before Laurent Desire KABILA seized power, the president was elected by popular vote for a seven-year term; election last held 29 July 1984 (next was to be held in May 1997); formerly, the prime minister was elected by the High Council of the Republic; note--the term of the former government expired in 1991, elections were not held, and former president MOBUTU continued in office until his government was militarily defeated by KABILA on 17 May 1997 election results: MOBUTU Sese Seko Kuku Ngbendu wa Za Banga reelected president in 1984 without opposition note: Marshal MOBUTU Sese Seko Kuku Ngbendu wa Za Banga was president from 24 November 1965 until forced into exile on 16 May 1997 when his government was overturned militarily by Laurent Desire KABILA, who immediately assumed governing authority; in his 29 May 1997 inaugural address, President KABILA announced a two-year time table for political reform leading to elections by April 1999; subsequently, in December 1998, President KABILA announced that elections would be postponed until all foreign military forces attempting his overthrow had withdrawn from the country
Flag description
light blue with a large yellow five-pointed star in the center and a columnar arrangement of six small yellow five-pointed stars along the hoist side
Government type
dictatorship; presumably undergoing a transition to representative government
Independence
30 June 1960 (from Belgium)
International organization participation
ACCT, ACP, AfDB, CCC, CEEAC, CEPGL, ECA, FAO, G-19, G-24, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, IOM (observer), ITU, NAM, OAU, OPCW, PCA, SADC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Faida MITIFU chancery: 1800 New Hampshire Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20009 Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador William Lacy SWING embassy: 310 Avenue des Aviateurs, Kinshasa mailing address: Unit 31550, APO AE 09828
Judicial branch
Supreme Court (Cour Supreme) Political parties and leaders: sole legal party until January parties include Union for Democracy and Social Progress or UDPS note: President KABILA, who has banned political party activity indefinitely, currently leads the Alliance of Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Congo-Zaire or AFDL
Legal system
based on Belgian civil law system and tribal law; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
Legislative branch
legislative activity has been suspended pending the establishment of KABILA's promised constitutional reforms and the elections to be held by April 1999 (now postponed indefinitely) elections: the country's first multi-party presidential and legislative elections had been scheduled for May 1997 but were not held; instead KABILA overthrew the MOBUTU government and seized control of the country
National holiday
anniversary of independence from Belgium, 30 June (1960)
Suffrage
18 years of age; universal and compulsory
Economy
Agriculture--products
coffee, sugar, palm oil, rubber, tea, quinine, cassava (tapioca), palm oil, bananas, root crops, corn, fruits; wood products
Budget
revenues: $269 million expenditures: $244 million, including capital expenditures of $24 million (1996 est.)
Currency
Congolese franc (CF)
Debt--external
$15 billion (1997 est.)
Economic aid--recipient
$195.3 million (1995)
Economy--overview
The economy of the Democratic Republic of the Congo--a nation endowed with vast potential wealth--has declined significantly since the mid-1980s. The new government instituted a tight fiscal policy that initially curbed inflation and currency depreciation, but these small gains were quickly reversed when the foreign-backed rebellion in the eastern part of the country began in August 1998. The war has dramatically reduced government revenue, and increased external debt. Foreign businesses have curtailed operations due to uncertainty about the outcome of the conflict and because of increased government harassment and restrictions. Poor infrastructure, an uncertain legal framework, corruption, and lack of transparency in government economic policy remain a brake on investment and growth. A number of IMF and World Bank missions have met with the new government to help it develop a coherent economic plan but associated reforms are on hold.
Electricity--consumption
6.265 billion kWh (1996)
Electricity--exports
195 million kWh (1996)
Electricity--imports
60 million kWh (1996)
Electricity--production
6.4 billion kWh (1996)
Electricity--production by source
fossil fuel: 6.25% hydro: 93.75% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (1996)
Exchange rates
Congolese francs (CF) per US$1--2.5 (January 1999); new zaires (Z) per US$1--115,000 (January 1998), 83,764 (October 1996), 7,024 (1995), 1,194 (1994) note: on 30 June 1998 the Congolese franc (CF) was introduced, replacing the new zaire; 1 Congolese franc (CF)=100,000 new zaires
Exports
$1.6 billion (f.o.b., 1998 est.)
Exports--commodities
diamonds, copper, coffee, cobalt, crude oil
Exports--partners
Benelux 43%, US 22%, South Africa 8%, France, Germany, Italy, UK, Japan (1997)
Fiscal year
calendar year
GDP
purchasing power parity--$34.9 billion (1998 est.)
GDP--composition by sector
agriculture: 59% industry: 15% services: 26% (1995 est.)
GDP--per capita
purchasing power parity?$710 (1998 est.)
GDP--real growth rate
-3.5% (1998 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share
lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA%
Imports
$819 million (f.o.b., 1998 est.)
Imports--commodities
consumer goods, foodstuffs, mining and other machinery, transport equipment, fuels
Imports--partners
South Africa 21%, Benelux 14%, China 8%, Netherlands, US, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, UK (1997)
Industrial production growth rate
NA%
Industries
mining, mineral processing, consumer products (including textiles, footwear, cigarettes, processed foods and beverages), cement, diamonds
Inflation rate (consumer prices)
147% (1998 est.)
Labor force
14.51 million (1993 est.)
Labor force--by occupation
agriculture 65%, industry 16%, services 19% (1991 est.)
Population below poverty line
NA%
Unemployment rate
NA%
Communications
Radio broadcast stations
AM 10, FM 4, shortwave 0
Radios
3.87 million (1992 est.)
Telephone system
domestic: barely adequate wire and microwave radio relay service in and between urban areas; domestic satellite system with 14 earth stations international: satellite earth station--1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)
Telephones
34,000 (1991 est.)
Television broadcast stations
18 (1997)
Televisions
55,000 (1992 est.)
Transportation
Airports
233 (1998 est.) Airports--with paved runways: total: 23 over 3,047 m: 4 2,438 to 3,047 m: 3 1,524 to 2,437 m: 14 914 to 1,523 m: 2 (1998 est.) Airports--with unpaved runways: total: 210 1,524 to 2,437 m: 21 914 to 1,523 m: 95 under 914 m: 94 (1998 est.)
Highways
total: 145,000 km paved: 2,500 km unpaved: 142,500 km (1993 est.)
Merchant marine
none
Pipelines
petroleum products 390 km Ports and harbors: Banana, Boma, Bukavu, Bumba, Goma, Kalemie, Kindu, Kinshasa, Kisangani, Matadi, Mbandaka
Railways
total: 5,138 km (1995); note--severely reduced route-distance in use because of damage to facilities by civil strife narrow gauge: 3,987 km 1.067-m gauge (858 km electrified); 125 km 1.000-m gauge; 1,026 km 0.600-m gauge
Waterways
15,000 km including the Congo, its tributaries, and unconnected lakes
Military and Security
Military branches
Army, Navy, Air Force, Presidential Security Group, Gendarmerie
Military expenditures--dollar figure
$250 million (1997)
Military expenditures--percent of GDP
4.6% (1997)
Military manpower--availability
males age 15-49: 10,874,744 (1999 est.) Military manpower--fit for military service: males age 15-49: 5,536,277 (1999 est.)
Transnational Issues
Disputes--international
the Democratic Republic of the Congo is in the grip of a civil war that has drawn in military forces from neighboring states, with Uganda and Rwanda supporting the rebel movement which occupies much of the eastern portion of the state; most of the Congo River boundary with the Republic of the Congo is indefinite (no agreement has been reached on the division of the river or its islands, except in the Pool Malebo/Stanley Pool area)
Illicit drugs
illicit producer of cannabis, mostly for domestic consumption