2009 Edition

Background

Established as a Belgian colony in 1908, the Republic of the Congo gained its independence in 1960, but its early years were marred by political and social instability. Col. Joseph MOBUTU seized power and declared himself president in a November 1965 coup. He subsequently changed his name - to MOBUTU Sese Seko - as well as that of the country - to Zaire. MOBUTU retained his position for 32 years through several sham elections, as well as through the use of brutal force. Ethnic strife and civil war, touched off by a massive inflow of refugees in 1994 from fighting in Rwanda and Burundi, led in May 1997 to the toppling of the MOBUTU regime by a rebellion backed by Rwanda and Uganda and fronted by Laurent KABILA. He renamed the country the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), but in August 1998 his regime was itself challenged by a second insurrection again backed by Rwanda and Uganda. Troops from Angola, Chad, Namibia, Sudan, and Zimbabwe intervened to support KABILA's regime. A cease-fire was signed in July 1999 by the DRC, Congolese armed rebel groups, Angola, Namibia, Rwanda, Uganda, and Zimbabwe but sporadic fighting continued. Laurent KABILA was assassinated in January 2001 and his son, Joseph KABILA, was named head of state. In October 2002, the new president was successful in negotiating the withdrawal of Rwandan forces occupying eastern Congo; two months later, the Pretoria Accord was signed by all remaining warring parties to end the fighting and establish a government of national unity. A transitional government was set up in July 2003. Joseph KABILA as president and four vice presidents represented the former government, former rebel groups, the political opposition, and civil society. The transitional government held a successful constitutional referendum in December 2005 and elections for the presidency, National Assembly, and provincial legislatures in 2006. KABILA was inaugurated president in December 2006. The National Assembly was installed in September 2006. Its president, Vital KAMERHE, was chosen in December. Provincial assemblies were constituted in early 2007, and elected governors and national senators in January 2007.

Area

total: 2,344,858 sq km country comparison to the world: 12 land: 2,267,048 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 responsible for significant deforestation, soil erosion, and wildlife poaching; mining of minerals (coltan - a mineral used in creating capacitors, diamonds, and gold) causing environmental damage

Environment - international agreements

party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: Environmental Modification

Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural)

total: 0.36 cu km/yr (53%/17%/31%) per capita: 6 cu m/yr (2000)

Geographic coordinates

0 00 N, 25 00 E

Geography - note

straddles equator; has 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

110 sq km (2003)

Land boundaries

total: 10,730 km border countries: Angola 2,511 km (of which 225 km is the boundary of Angola's discontiguous Cabinda Province), Burundi 233 km, Central African Republic 1,577 km, Republic of the Congo 2,410 km, Rwanda 217 km, Sudan 628 km, Tanzania 459 km, Uganda 765 km, Zambia 1,930 km

Land use

arable land: 2.86% permanent crops: 0.47% other: 96.67% (2005)

Location

Central Africa, northeast of Angola

Map references

Africa

Maritime claims

territorial sea: 12 nm exclusive economic zone: boundaries with neighbors

Natural hazards

periodic droughts in south; Congo River floods (seasonal); in the east, in the Great Rift Valley, there are active volcanoes

Natural resources

cobalt, copper, niobium, tantalum, petroleum, industrial and gem diamonds, gold, silver, zinc, manganese, tin, uranium, coal, hydropower, timber

Terrain

vast central basin is a low-lying plateau; mountains in east

Total renewable water resources

1,283 cu km (2001)

Age structure

0-14 years: 46.9% (male 16,161,301/female 16,038,024) 15-64 years: 50.6% (male 17,289,453/female 17,483,027) 65 years and over: 2.5% (male 699,667/female 1,021,070) (2009 est.)

Birth rate

42.63 births/1,000 population (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 10

Death rate

11.63 deaths/1,000 population (July 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 41

Education expenditures

NA

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

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate

4.2% (2003 est.) country comparison to the world: 16

HIV/AIDS - deaths

100,000 (2003 est.) country comparison to the world: 6

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS

1.1 million (2003 est.) country comparison to the world: 10

Infant mortality rate

total: 81.21 deaths/1,000 live births country comparison to the world: 19 male: 89.11 deaths/1,000 live births female: 73.07 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 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: 54.36 years country comparison to the world: 194 male: 52.58 years female: 56.2 years (2009 est.)

Literacy

definition: age 15 and over can read and write French, Lingala, Kingwana, or Tshiluba total population: 67.2% male: 80.9% female: 54.1% (2001 est.)

Major infectious diseases

degree of risk: very high food or waterborne diseases: bacterial and protozoal diarrhea, hepatitis A, and typhoid fever vectorborne diseases: malaria, plague, and African trypanosomiasis (sleeping sickness) water contact disease: schistosomiasis animal contact disease: rabies (2009)

Median age

total: 16.4 years male: 16.2 years female: 16.6 years (2009 est.)

Nationality

noun: Congolese (singular and plural) adjective: Congolese or Congo

Net migration rate

1.07 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 54

Population

68,692,542 country comparison to the world: 18 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 2009 est.)

Population growth rate

3.208% (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 8

Religions

Roman Catholic 50%, Protestant 20%, Kimbanguist 10%, Muslim 10%, other (includes syncretic sects and indigenous beliefs) 10%

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: 0.68 male(s)/female total population: 0.99 male(s)/female (2009 est.)

Total fertility rate

6.2 children born/woman (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 9

Urbanization

urban population: 34% of total population (2008) rate of urbanization: 5.1% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)

Administrative divisions

10 provinces (provinces, singular - province) and 1 city* (ville); Bandundu, Bas-Congo, Equateur, Kasai-Occidental, Kasai-Oriental, Katanga, Kinshasa*, Maniema, Nord-Kivu, Orientale, Sud-Kivu note: according to the Constitution adopted in December 2005, the current administrative divisions will be subdivided into 26 new provinces by 2009

Capital

name: Kinshasa geographic coordinates: 4 19 S, 15 18 E time difference: UTC+1 (six hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)

Constitution

18 February 2006

Country name

conventional long form: Democratic Republic of the Congo conventional short form: DRC local long form: Republique Democratique du Congo local short form: RDC former: Congo Free State, Belgian Congo, Congo/Leopoldville, Congo/Kinshasa, Zaire abbreviation: DRC

Diplomatic representation from the US

chief of mission: Ambassador William GARVELINK embassy: 310 Avenue des Aviateurs, Kinshasa mailing address: Unit 31550, APO AE 09828 telephone: [243] (81) 225-5872

Diplomatic representation in the US

chief of mission: Ambassador Faida MITIFU chancery: Suite 601, 1726 M Street, NW, Washington, DC, 20036 telephone: [1] (202) 234-7690 through 7691

Executive branch

chief of state: President Joseph KABILA (since 17 January 2001); note - following the assassination of his father, Joseph KABILA succeeded to the presidency which he retained through the 2003-06 transition; he was subsequently elected president in October 2006 head of government: Prime Minister Adolphe MUZITO (since 10 October 2008) cabinet: Ministers of State appointed by the president elections: under the new constitution the president is elected by popular vote for a five-year term (eligible for a second term); elections last held 30 July 2006 and 29 October 2006 (next to be held in October 2011); prime minister appointed by the president election results: Joseph KABILA elected president; percent of vote (second round) - Joseph KABILA 58%, Jean-Pierre BEMBA Gombo 42% note: Joseph KABILA succeeded his father, Laurent Desire KABILA, following the latter's assassination in January 2001; negotiations with rebel leaders led to the establishment of a transitional government in July 2003 with free elections held on 30 July 2006 and a run-off on 29 October 2006 confirming Joseph KABILA as president

FAX

[1] (202) 234-2609

[243] (81) 301-0561

Flag description

sky blue field divided diagonally from the lower hoist corner to upper fly corner by a red stripe bordered by two narrow yellow stripes; a yellow, five-pointed star appears in the upper hoist corner

Government type

republic

Independence

30 June 1960 (from Belgium)

International organization participation

ACCT, ACP, AfDB, AU, CEPGL, COMESA, FAO, G-24, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO (suspended), ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC, MIGA, NAM, OIF, OPCW, PCA, SADC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNWTO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Judicial branch

Constitutional Court; Appeals Court or Cour de Cassation; Council of State; High Military Court; plus civil and military courts and tribunals

Legal system

civil law based on Belgian law with Napleonic Civil Code influence; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations

Legislative branch

bicameral legislature consists of a Senate (108 seats; members elected by provincial assemblies to serve five-year terms) and a National Assembly (500 seats; 61 members elected by majority vote in single-member constituencies, 439 members elected by open list proportional-representation in multi-member constituencies; to serve five-year terms) elections: Senate - last held 19 January 2007 (next to be held by 2012); National Assembly - last held 30 July 2006 (next to be held in July 2011) election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - PPRD 22, MLC 14, FR 7, RCD 7, PDC 6, CDC 3, MSR 3, PALU 2, independents 26, others 18 (political parties that won a single seat); National Assembly - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - PPRD 111, MLC 64, PALU 34, MSR 27, FR 26, RCD 15, independents 63, others 160 (includes 63 political parties that won 10 or fewer seats)

National holiday

Independence Day, 30 June (1960)

Political parties and leaders

Christian Democrat Party or PDC [Jose ENDUNDO]; Congolese Rally for Democracy or RCD [Azarias RUBERWA]; Convention of Christian Democrats or CDC; Forces of Renewal or FR [Mbusa NYAMWISI]; Movement for the Liberation of the Congo or MLC [Jean-Pierre BEMBA]; People's Party for Reconstruction and Democracy or PPRD [Joseph KABILA]; Social Movement for Renewal or MSR [Pierre LUMBI]; Unified Lumumbist Party or PALU [Antoine GIZENGA]; Union for Democracy and Social Progress or UDPS [Etienne TSHISEKEDI]; Union of Mobutuist Democrats or UDEMO [MOBUTU Nzanga]

Political pressure groups and leaders

MONUC - UN organization working with the government; FARDC (Forces Armees de la Republique Democratique du Congo) - Army of the Democratic Republic of the Congo which commits atrocities on citizens; FDLA (Forces Democratiques de Liberation du Rwanda) - Rwandan militia group

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal and compulsory

Agriculture - products

coffee, sugar, palm oil, rubber, tea, quinine, cassava (tapioca), palm oil, bananas, root crops, corn, fruits; wood products

Budget

revenues: $700 million expenditures: $2 billion (2006 est.)

Central bank discount rate

NA% (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 87 5.25% (31 December 2007)

Commercial bank prime lending rate

NA

Current account balance

-$402 million (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 101

Debt - external

$10 billion (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 87 $10 billion (2006 est.)

Economy - overview

The economy of the Democratic Republic of the Congo - a nation endowed with vast potential wealth - is slowly recovering from two decades of decline. Conflict that began in August 1998 has dramatically reduced national output and government revenue, increased external debt, and resulted in the deaths of more than 5 million people from violence, famine, and disease. Foreign businesses curtailed operations due to uncertainty about the outcome of the conflict, lack of infrastructure, and the difficult operating environment. Conditions began to improve in late 2002 with the withdrawal of a large portion of the invading foreign troops. The transitional government reopened relations with international financial institutions and international donors, and President KABILA began implementing reforms, although progress has been slow and the International Monetary Fund curtailed their program for the DRC at the end of March 2006 because of fiscal overruns. Much economic activity still occurs in the informal sector, and is not reflected in GDP data. Renewed activity in the mining sector, the source of most export income, boosted Kinshasa's fiscal position and GDP growth from 2006-2008, however, renewed strife in the second half of 2008, combined with a fall in world market prices for the DRC's key mineral exports inflicted major damage on the economy and halted growth. Government reforms may lead to increased government revenues, outside budget assistance, and foreign direct investment, although an uncertain legal framework, corruption, a lack of transparency in government policy are long-term problems. The DRC government has applied to the IMF for an Exogenous Shock Facility in the amount of $200 million to help it deal with its deteriorating financial situation, and the World Bank will consider a separate $100 million in emergency funding. The global recession probably will cut economic growth in 2009 to half its 2008 level.

Electricity - consumption

5.997 billion kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 102

Electricity - exports

1.916 billion kWh (2007 est.)

Electricity - imports

6 million kWh (2007 est.)

Electricity - production

8.217 billion kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 98

Exchange rates

Congolese francs (CDF) per US dollar - NA (2007), 464.69 (2006), 437.86 (2005), 401.04 (2004), 405.34 (2003)

Exports

$6.1 billion (2007) country comparison to the world: 102 $1.587 billion (2006)

Exports - commodities

diamonds, gold, copper, cobalt, wood products, crude oil, coffee

Exports - partners

China 48.4%, Belgium 15.8%, Finland 9.8%, US 8.3%, Zambia 4.5% (2008)

GDP - composition by sector

agriculture: 55% industry: 11% services: 34% (2000 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP)

$300 (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 228 $300 (2007 est.) $300 (2006 est.) note: data are in 2008 US dollars

GDP - real growth rate

5.9% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 63 7% (2007 est.) 6.4% (2006 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate)

$11.63 billion (2008 est.)

GDP (purchasing power parity)

$20.76 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 121 $19.61 billion (2007 est.) $18.32 billion (2006 est.) note: data are in 2008 US dollars

Household income or consumption by percentage share

lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA%

Imports

$5.2 billion (2007) country comparison to the world: 113 $2.263 billion (2006)

Imports - commodities

foodstuffs, mining and other machinery, transport equipment, fuels

Imports - partners

South Africa 28.7%, Belgium 10%, Zambia 7.2%, Zimbabwe 6%, China 5.9%, Kenya 5.1%, France 4.7% (2008)

Industrial production growth rate

NA%

Industries

mining (diamonds, gold, copper, cobalt, coltan, zinc), mineral processing, consumer products (including textiles, footwear, cigarettes, processed foods and beverages), cement, commercial ship repair

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

16.7% (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 198

Labor force

23.53 million (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 26

Labor force - by occupation

agriculture: NA% industry: NA% services: NA%

Market value of publicly traded shares

$NA

Natural gas - consumption

0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 199

Natural gas - exports

0 cu m (2008) country comparison to the world: 185

Natural gas - imports

0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 194

Natural gas - production

0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 198

Natural gas - proved reserves

991.1 million cu m (1 January 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 99

Oil - consumption

11,000 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 146

Oil - exports

20,090 bbl/day (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 90

Oil - imports

11,350 bbl/day (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 137

Oil - production

19,960 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 75

Oil - proved reserves

180 million bbl (1 January 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 59

Population below poverty line

NA%

Stock of domestic credit

$NA (31 December 2008) $559.5 million (31 December 2007)

Stock of money

$NA (31 December 2008) $597 million (31 December 2007)

Stock of quasi money

$NA (31 December 2008) $677.9 million (31 December 2007)

Unemployment rate

NA%

Internet country code

.cd

Internet hosts

3,015 (2009) country comparison to the world: 143

Internet users

290,000 (2008) country comparison to the world: 129

Radio broadcast stations

AM 3, FM 11, shortwave 2 (2001)

Telephone system

general assessment: fixed line infrastructure inadequate with the state-owned operator providing less than 1 connection per 1000 persons; given the backdrop of a wholly inadequate fixed-line infrastructure, the use of cellular services has surged and subscribership in 2008 approached 9.3 million - roughly 15 per 100 persons domestic: barely adequate wire and microwave radio relay service in and between urban areas; domestic satellite system with 14 earth stations international: country code - 243; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) (2008)

Telephones - main lines in use

37,300 (2008) country comparison to the world: 174

Telephones - mobile cellular

9.263 million (2008) country comparison to the world: 63

Television broadcast stations

4 (2001)

Airports

194 (2009) country comparison to the world: 31

Airports - with paved runways

total: 26 over 3,047 m: 4 2,438 to 3,047 m: 2 1,524 to 2,437 m: 17 914 to 1,523 m: 2 under 914 m: 1 (2009)

Airports - with unpaved runways

total: 168 1,524 to 2,437 m: 19 914 to 1,523 m: 90 under 914 m: 59 (2009)

Merchant marine

total: 1 country comparison to the world: 162 by type: petroleum tanker 1 foreign-owned: 1 (Congo, Republic of the 1) (2008)

Pipelines

gas 37 km; oil 39 km; refined products 756 km (2008)

Ports and terminals

Banana, Boma, Bukavu, Bumba, Goma, Kalemie, Kindu, Kinshasa, Kisangani, Matadi, Mbandaka

Railways

total: 4,007 km country comparison to the world: 42 narrow gauge: 3,882 km 1.067-m gauge (858 km electrified); 125 km 1.000-m gauge (2008)

Roadways

total: 153,497 km country comparison to the world: 33 paved: 2,794 km unpaved: 150,703 km (2004)

Waterways

15,000 km (2008) country comparison to the world: 8

Manpower available for military service

males age 16-49: 14,101,263 (2008 est.)

Manpower fit for military service

males age 16-49: 8,925,355 females age 16-49: 9,047,356 (2009 est.)

Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually

male: 814,199 female: 811,238 (2009 est.)

Military branches

Armed Forces of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (Forces d'Armees de la Republique Democratique du Congo, FARDC): Army, National Navy (La Marine Nationale), Congolese Air Force (Force Aerienne Congolaise, FAC) (2009)

Military expenditures

2.5% of GDP (2006) country comparison to the world: 65

Military service age and obligation

18-45 years of age for voluntary military service (2009)

Disputes - international

heads of the Great Lakes states and UN pledged in 2004 to abate tribal, rebel, and militia fighting in the region, including northeast Congo, where the UN Organization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (MONUC), organized in 1999, maintains over 16,500 uniformed peacekeepers; members of Uganda's Lords Resistance Army forces continue to seek refuge in Congo's Garamba National Park as peace talks with the Uganda government evolve; the location of the boundary in the broad Congo River with the Republic of the Congo is indefinite except in the Pool Malebo/Stanley Pool area; Uganda and DROC dispute Rukwanzi island in Lake Albert and other areas on the Semliki River with hydrocarbon potential; boundary commission continues discussions over Congolese-administered triangle of land on the right bank of the Lunkinda river claimed by Zambia near the DROC village of Pweto

IDPs

1.4 million (fighting between government forces and rebels since mid-1990s; most IDPs are in eastern provinces) (2007)

Illicit drugs

one of Africa's biggest producers of cannabis, but mostly for domestic consumption; traffickers exploit lax shipping controls to transit pseudoephedrine through the capital; while rampant corruption and inadequate supervision leaves the banking system vulnerable to money laundering, the lack of a well-developed financial system limits the country's utility as a money-laundering center (2008) page last updated on November 11, 2009

Refugees and internally displaced persons

refugees (country of origin): 132,295 (Angola); 37,313 (Rwanda); 17,777 (Burundi); 13,904 (Uganda); 6,181 (Sudan); 5,243 (Republic of Congo)

Trafficking in persons

current situation: Democratic Republic of the Congo is a source and destination country for men, women, and children trafficked for the purposes of forced labor and sexual exploitation; much of this trafficking occurs within the country's unstable eastern provinces and is perpetrated by armed groups outside government control tier rating: Tier 2 Watch List - Democratic Republic of the Congo is on the Tier 2 Watch List for its failure to provide evidence of increasing efforts to combat trafficking in persons in 2007; while some significant initial advances were noted, the government's capacity to apprehend, convict, or imprison traffickers remained weak; the government lacks sufficient financial, technical, and human resources to effectively address not only trafficking crimes, but also to provide basic levels of security in some parts of the country (2008)