2010 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 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. The National Assembly was installed in September 2006 and KABILA was inaugurated president in December 2006. Provincial assemblies were constituted in early 2007, and elected governors and national senators in January 2007.

Area

land

2,267,048 sq km

total

2,344,858 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

highest point

Pic Marguerite on Mont Ngaliema (Mount Stanley) 5,110 m

lowest point

Atlantic Ocean 0 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)

per capita

6 cu m/yr (2000)

total

0.36 cu km/yr (53%/17%/31%)

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

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

total

10,730 km

Land use

arable land

2.86%

other

96.67% (2005)

permanent crops

0.47%

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

volcanism

Nyiragongo (elev. 3,470 m, 11,384 ft), which erupted in 2002 and is experiencing ongoing activity, poses a major threat to the city of Goma, home to a quarter of a million people; the volcano produces unusually fast-moving lava, known to travel up to 100 km (60 mi)/hr; Nyiragongo has been deemed a "Decade Volcano" by the International Association of Volcanology and Chemistry of the Earth's Interior, worthy of study due to its explosive history and close proximity to human populations; its neighbor, Nyamuragira, which erupted in 2010, is Africa's most active volcano; Visoke is the only other historically active volcano

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) (2010 est.)

Birth rate

42.26 births/1,000 population (2010 est.)

Death rate

11.39 deaths/1,000 population (July 2010 est.)

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.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths

100,000 (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS

1.1 million (2003 est.)

Infant mortality rate

female

71.36 deaths/1,000 live births (2010 est.)

male

87.13 deaths/1,000 live births

total

79.36 deaths/1,000 live births

Languages

French (official), Lingala (a lingua franca trade language), Kingwana (a dialect of Kiswahili or Swahili), Kikongo, Tshiluba

Life expectancy at birth

female

56.59 years (2010 est.)

male

52.93 years

total population

54.73 years

Literacy

definition: age 15 and over can read and write French, Lingala, Kingwana, or Tshiluba

female

54.1% (2001 est.)

male

80.9%

total population

67.2%

Major infectious diseases

animal contact disease

rabies (2009)

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

Median age

female

16.7 years (2010 est.)

male

16.3 years

total

16.5 years

Nationality

adjective

Congolese or Congo

noun

Congolese (singular and plural)

Net migration rate

0.77 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2010 est.)

Population

70,916,439 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 2010 est.)

Population growth rate

3.165% (2010 est.)

Religions

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

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education)

female

6 years (2008)

male

9 years

total

8 years

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: 0.69 male(s)/female

total population

0.99 male(s)/female (2010 est.)

Total fertility rate

6.11 children born/woman (2010 est.)

Urbanization

rate of urbanization

5.1% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)

urban population

34% of total population (2008)

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

geographic coordinates

4 19 S, 15 18 E

name

Kinshasa

time difference

UTC+1 (six hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)

Constitution

18 February 2006

Country name

abbreviation

DRC

conventional long form

Democratic Republic of the Congo

conventional short form

DRC

former

Congo Free State, Belgian Congo, Congo/Leopoldville, Congo/Kinshasa, Zaire

local long form

Republique Democratique du Congo

local short form

RDC

Diplomatic representation from the US

chief of mission

Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires Samuel BROCK

embassy

310 Avenue des Aviateurs, Kinshasa

FAX

[243] (81) 301-0561

mailing address

Unit 31550, APO AE 09828

telephone

[243] (81) 225-5872

Diplomatic representation in the US

chancery

Suite 601, 1726 M Street, NW, Washington, DC, 20036

chief of mission

Ambassador Faida MITIFU

FAX

[1] (202) 234-2609

telephone

[1] (202) 234-7690 through 7691

Executive branch

cabinet

Ministers of State appointed by the president (For more information visit the World Leaders website )

chief of state

President Joseph KABILA (since 17 January 2001);

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

elections

under the new constitution the president elected by popular vote for a five-year term (eligible for a second term); elections last held on 30 July 2006 and on 29 October 2006 (next to be held on 27 November 2011); prime minister appointed by the president

head of government

Prime Minister Adolphe MUZITO (since 10 October 2008)

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; blue represents peace and hope, red the blood of the country's martyrs, and yellow the country's wealth and prosperity; the star symbolizes unity and the brilliant future for the country

Government type

republic

Independence

30 June 1960 (from Belgium)

International organization participation

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

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)

elections

Senate - last held on 19 January 2007 (next to be held on 27 November 2011); National Assembly - last held on 30 July 2006 (next to be held on 27 November 2011)

National anthem

lyrics/music

Joseph LUTUMBA/Simon-Pierre BOKA di Mpasi Londi note: adopted 1960; the anthem was replaced during the period in which the country was known as Zaire, but was readopted in 1997

name

"Debout Congolaise" (Arise Congolese)

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; FDL (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

Central bank discount rate

70% (31 December 2009) 40% (31 December 2008)

Commercial bank prime lending rate

65.42% (31 December 2009 est.) 43.15% (31 December 2008 est.)

Current account balance

-$1.47 billion (2007 est.) -$402 million (2007 est.)

Debt - external

$4.3 billion (2009 est.) $12.7 billion (2008 est.)

Economy - overview

The economy of the Democratic Republic of the Congo - a nation endowed with vast potential wealth - is slowly recovering from decades of decline. Systemic corruption since independence in 1960 and conflict that began in May 1997 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. 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, the government's review of mining contracts that began in 2006, combined with a fall in world market prices for the DRC's key mineral exports temporarily weakened output in 2009, leading to a balance of payments crisis. The recovery in mineral prices beginning in mid 2009 boosted mineral exports, and emergency funds from the IMF boosted foreign reserves. An uncertain legal framework, corruption, a lack of transparency in government policy are long-term problems for the mining sector and the economy as a whole. The global recession cut economic growth in 2009 to less than half its 2008 level, but growth returned to 3% in 2010. The DRC signed a Poverty Reduction and Growth Facility with the IMF in 2009 and received $12 billion in multilateral and bilateral debt relief in 2010.

Electricity - consumption

5.997 billion kWh (2007 est.)

Electricity - exports

1.916 billion kWh (2007 est.)

Electricity - imports

6 million kWh (2007 est.)

Electricity - production

8.217 billion kWh (2007 est.)

Exchange rates

Congolese francs (CDF) per US dollar - 930 (2010), 810 (2009), 559 (2008), 516 (2007), 464.69 (2006)

Exports

$3.8 billion (2009 est.) $6.6 billion (2008 est.)

Exports - commodities

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

Exports - partners

China 46.75%, US 15.35%, Belgium 10.68%, Zambia 5.78%, Finland 4.38% (2009)

GDP - composition by sector

agriculture

37.4%

industry

26%

services

36.6% (2008 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP)

$300 (2010 est.) $300 (2009 est.) $300 (2008 est.) note: data are in 2010 US dollars

GDP - real growth rate

3% (2010 est.) 2.8% (2009 est.) 6.2% (2008 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate)

$12.6 billion (2010 est.)

GDP (purchasing power parity)

$22.92 billion (2010 est.) $22.25 billion (2009 est.) $21.64 billion (2008 est.) note: data are in 2010 US dollars

Household income or consumption by percentage share

lowest 10%: 2.3% highest 10%: 34.7% (2006)

Imports

$5.2 billion (2009 est.) $6.7 billion (2008 est.)

Imports - commodities

foodstuffs, mining and other machinery, transport equipment, fuels

Imports - partners

South Africa 18.22%, Belgium 10.2%, China 8.34%, Zambia 7.77%, France 7.28%, Zimbabwe 6.52%, Kenya 5.48%, Netherlands 4.13%, Italy 3.96% (2009)

Industrial production growth rate

NA%

Industries

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

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

26.2% (2010 est.) 46.2% (2009 est.)

Labor force

23.53 million (2007 est.)

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.)

Natural gas - exports

0 cu m (2008 est.)

Natural gas - imports

0 cu m (2008 est.)

Natural gas - production

0 cu m (2008 est.)

Natural gas - proved reserves

991.1 million cu m (1 January 2010 est.)

Oil - consumption

10,000 bbl/day (2009 est.)

Oil - exports

20,090 bbl/day (2007 est.)

Oil - imports

11,350 bbl/day (2007 est.)

Oil - production

16,360 bbl/day (2009 est.)

Oil - proved reserves

180 million bbl (1 January 2010 est.)

Population below poverty line

NA% (2006 est.)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold

$1.01 billion (March 2010 est.) $1 billion (December 2009 est.)

Stock of broad money

$1.562 billion (31 December 2008 est.) $1.275 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Stock of domestic credit

$NA (31 December 2008) $928.5 million (31 December 2008)

Stock of narrow money

$613.9 million (31 December 2008) $597 million (31 December 2007)

Unemployment rate

NA%

Broadcast media

state-owned TV broadcast station with near national coverage; more than a dozen privately-owned TV stations with 2 having near national coverage; 2 state-owned radio stations are supplemented by more than 100 private radio stations; transmissions of at least 2 international broadcasters are available (2007)

Internet country code

.cd

Internet hosts

3,006 (2010)

Internet users

290,000 (2008)

Telephone system

domestic

state-owned operator providing less than 1 fixed-line connection per 1000 persons; given the backdrop of a wholly inadequate fixed-line infrastructure, the use of mobile-cellular services has surged and subscribership in 2009 exceeded 10 million - roughly 15 per 100 persons

general assessment

barely adequate wire and microwave radio relay service in and between urban areas; domestic satellite system with 14 earth stations; inadequate fixed line infrastructure

international

country code - 243; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) (2009)

Telephones - main lines in use

40,000 (2009)

Telephones - mobile cellular

10.163 million (2009)

Airports

198 (2010)

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 (2010)

Airports - with unpaved runways

total

172 1,524 to 2,437 m: 20 914 to 1,523 m: 91 under 914 m: 61 (2010)

Merchant marine

by type

petroleum tanker 1

foreign-owned

1 (Republic of the Congo 1) (2010)

total

1

Pipelines

gas 37 km; oil 39 km; refined products 756 km (2009)

Ports and terminals

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

Railways

narrow gauge

3,882 km 1.067-m gauge (858 km electrified); 125 km 1.000-m gauge (2008)

total

4,007 km

Roadways

paved

2,794 km

total

153,497 km

unpaved

150,703 km (2004)

Waterways

15,000 km (including the Congo, its tributaries, and unconnected lakes) (2009)

Manpower available for military service

males age 16-49: 15,192,858 (2010 est.)

Manpower fit for military service

males age 16-49: 9,301,818 females age 16-49: 9,440,111 (2010 est.)

Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually

female

839,044 (2010 est.)

male

842,020

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) (2010)

Military expenditures

2.5% of GDP (2006)

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

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 January 20, 2011 ======================================================================

Refugees and internally displaced persons

IDPs

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

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 subjected to trafficking for the purposes of forced labor and forced prostitution; the majority of this trafficking is internal, and much of it is perpetrated by armed groups and government forces outside government control within the country's unstable eastern provinces

tier rating

Tier 3 - Government of the Democratic Republic of the Congo does not fully comply with the minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking and is not making significant efforts to do so; the government did not show evidence of progress in prosecuting and punishing labor or sex trafficking offenders, including members of its own armed forces; providing protective services for the vast majority of trafficking victims; or raising public awareness of human trafficking; in addition, the government's anti-trafficking law enforcement efforts decreased during the reporting period (2010)