2018 Edition

Background

Established as an official Belgian colony in 1908, the then-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. KABILA 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. In January 2001, KABILA was assassinated 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 the eastern DRC; 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; it held a successful constitutional referendum in December 2005 and elections for the presidency, National Assembly, and provincial legislatures took place in 2006.In 2009, following a resurgence of conflict in the eastern DRC, the government signed a peace agreement with the National Congress for the Defense of the People (CNDP), a primarily Tutsi rebel group. An attempt to integrate CNDP members into the Congolese military failed, prompting their defection in 2012 and the formation of the M23 armed group - named after the 23 March 2009 peace agreements. Renewed conflict led to large population displacements and significant human rights abuses before the M23 was pushed out of DRC to Uganda and Rwanda in late 2013 by a joint DRC and UN offensive. In addition, the DRC continues to experience violence committed by other armed groups including the Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Rwanda, the Allied Democratic Forces, and assorted Mai Mai militias. In the most recent national elections, held in November 2011, disputed results allowed Joseph KABILA to be reelected to the presidency. The DRC Constitution bars President KABILA from running for a third term, but the DRC Government has delayed national elections, originally slated for November 2016, to December 2018. The failure to hold elections as scheduled has fueled sporadic street protests by KABILA’s opponents and has exacerbated tensions in the tumultuous eastern DRC regions.

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

elevation extremes

0 m lowest point: Atlantic Ocean

mean elevation

726 m

note

5110 highest point: Pic Marguerite on Mont Ngaliema (Mount Stanley)

Environment Current Issues

poaching threatens wildlife populations; water pollution; deforestation (forests endangered by fires set to clean the land for agricultural purposes; forests also used as a source of fuel); soil erosion; mining (diamonds, gold, coltan - a mineral used in creating capacitors for electronic devices) 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

Geographic Coordinates

0 00 N, 25 00 E

Geography Note

note

note 1: second largest country in Africa (after Algeria) and largest country in Sub-Saharan Africa; straddles the equator; dense tropical rain forest in central river basin and eastern highlands; the narrow strip of land that controls the lower Congo River is the DRC's only outlet to the South Atlantic Ocean note 2: because of its speed, cataracts, rapids, and turbulence the Congo River, most of which flows through the DRC, has never been accurately measured along much of its length; nonetheless, it is conceded to be the deepest river in the world; estimates of its greatest depth vary between 220 and 250 meters

Irrigated Land

110 sq km (2012)

Land Boundaries

border countries (9)

Angola 2646 km (of which 225 km is the boundary of Angola's discontiguous Cabinda Province), Burundi 236 km, Central African Republic 1747 km, Republic of the Congo 1229 km, Rwanda 221 km, South Sudan 714 km, Tanzania 479 km, Uganda 877 km, Zambia 2332 km

total

10,481 km

Land Use

arable land: 3.1% (2011 est.) / permanent crops: 0.3% (2011 est.) / permanent pasture: 8% (2011 est.)

agricultural land

11.4% (2011 est.)

forest

67.9% (2011 est.)

other

20.7% (2011 est.)

Location

Central Africa, northeast of Angola

Map References

Africa

Maritime Claims

exclusive economic zone

since 2011 the DRC has a Common Interest Zone agreement with Angola for the mutual development of off-shore resources

territorial sea

12 nm

Natural Hazards

periodic droughts in south; Congo River floods (seasonal); active volcanoes in the east along the Great Rift Valleyvolcanism: Nyiragongo (3,470 m), which erupted in 2002 and is experiencing ongoing activity, poses a major threat to the city of Goma, home to a quarter million people; the volcano produces unusually fast-moving lava, known to travel up to 100 km /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

Population Distribution

urban clusters are spread throughout the country, particularly in the northeast along the boarder with Uganda, Rwanda, and Burundi; the largest city is the capital, Kinshasha, located in the west along the Congo River; the south is least densely populated

Terrain

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

Age Structure

0-14 years

41.25% (male 17,735,697 /female 17,446,866)

15-24 years

21.46% (male 9,184,871 /female 9,117,462)

25-54 years

30.96% (male 13,176,714 /female 13,225,429)

55-64 years

3.63% (male 1,472,758 /female 1,625,637)

65 years and over

2.69% (male 974,293 /female 1,321,297) (2018 est.)

Birth Rate

32.8 births/1,000 population (2018 est.)

Children Under The Age Of 5 Years Underweight

23.4% (2013)

Contraceptive Prevalence Rate

20.4% (2013/14)

Death Rate

9.4 deaths/1,000 population (2018 est.)

Demographic Profile

Despite a wealth of fertile soil, hydroelectric power potential, and mineral resources, the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) struggles with many socioeconomic problems, including high infant and maternal mortality rates, malnutrition, poor vaccination coverage, lack of access to improved water sources and sanitation, and frequent and early fertility. Ongoing conflict, mismanagement of resources, and a lack of investment have resulted in food insecurity; almost 30 percent of children under the age of 5 are malnourished. The overall coverage of basic public services – education, health, sanitation, and potable water – is very limited and piecemeal, with substantial regional and rural/urban disparities. Fertility remains high at almost 5 children per woman and is likely to remain high because of the low use of contraception and the cultural preference for larger families.The DRC is a source and host country for refugees. Between 2012 and 2014, more than 119,000 Congolese refugees returned from the Republic of Congo to the relative stability of northwest DRC, but more than 540,000 Congolese refugees remained abroad as of year-end 2015. In addition, an estimated 3.9 million Congolese were internally displaced as of October 2017, the vast majority fleeing violence between rebel group and Congolese armed forces. Thousands of refugees have come to the DRC from neighboring countries, including Rwanda, the Central African Republic, and Burundi.

Dependency Ratios

elderly dependency ratio

6 (2015 est.)

potential support ratio

16.8 (2015 est.)

total dependency ratio

97.5 (2015 est.)

youth dependency ratio

91.5 (2015 est.)

Drinking Water Source

improved: urban: 81.1% of population

rural: 31.2% of population

total: 52.4% of population

unimproved: urban: 18.9% of population

rural: 68.8% of population

total: 47.6% of population (2015 est.)

Education Expenditures

2.3% of GDP (2015)

Ethnic Groups

other and unspecified 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

Health Expenditures

4.3% of GDP (2014)

Hiv Aids Adult Prevalence Rate

0.7% (2017 est.)

Hiv Aids Deaths

17,000 (2017 est.)

Hiv Aids People Living With Hiv Aids

390,000 (2017 est.)

Infant Mortality Rate

female

63.1 deaths/1,000 live births (2018 est.)

male

70.1 deaths/1,000 live births (2018 est.)

total

66.7 deaths/1,000 live births (2018 est.)

Languages

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

Life Expectancy At Birth

female

59.7 years (2018 est.)

male

56.5 years (2018 est.)

total population

58.1 years (2018 est.)

Literacy

definition

age 15 and over can read and write French, Lingala, Kingwana, or Tshiluba (2016 est.)

female

66.5% (2016 est.)

male

88.5% (2016 est.)

total population

77% (2016 est.)

Major Infectious Diseases

animal contact diseases

rabies (2016)

degree of risk

very high (2016)

food or waterborne diseases

bacterial and protozoal diarrhea, hepatitis A, and typhoid fever (2016)

vectorborne diseases

malaria, dengue fever, and trypanosomiasis-gambiense (African sleeping sickness) (2016)

water contact diseases

schistosomiasis (2016)

Major Urban Areas Population

13.171 million KINSHASA (capital), 2.305 million Mbuji-Mayi, 2.281 million Lubumbashi, 1.335 million Kananga, 1.167 million Kisangani, 973,000 Bukavu (2018)

Maternal Mortality Rate

693 deaths/100,000 live births (2015 est.)

Median Age

female

19 years (2018 est.)

male

18.6 years

total

18.8 years

Mother S Mean Age At First Birth

19.9 years (2013/14 est.)

note

median age at first birth among women 25-29

Nationality

adjective

Congolese or Congo

noun

Congolese (singular and plural)

Net Migration Rate

-0.1 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2018 est.)

Obesity Adult Prevalence Rate

6.7% (2016)

Physicians Density

0.09 physicians/1,000 population (2009)

Population

85,281,024 (July 2018 est.)

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

Population Growth Rate

2.33% (2018 est.)

Religions

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

Sanitation Facility Access

improved: urban: 28.5% of population (2015 est.)

rural: 28.7% of population (2015 est.)

total: 28.7% of population (2015 est.)

unimproved: urban: 71.5% of population (2015 est.)

rural: 71.3% of population (2015 est.)

total: 71.3% of population (2015 est.)

School Life Expectancy Primary To Tertiary Education

female

8 years (2013)

male

10 years (2013)

total

9 years (2013)

Sex Ratio

0-14 years

1.02 male(s)/female (2017 est.)

15-24 years

1.01 male(s)/female (2017 est.)

25-54 years

1 male(s)/female (2017 est.)

55-64 years

0.89 male(s)/female (2017 est.)

65 years and over

0.73 male(s)/female (2017 est.)

at birth

1.03 male(s)/female (2017 est.)

total population

1 male(s)/female (2017 est.)

Total Fertility Rate

4.54 children born/woman (2018 est.)

Unemployment Youth Ages 15 24

female

6.8% (2012 est.)

male

11.3% (2012 est.)

total

8.7% (2012 est.)

Urbanization

rate of urbanization

4.53% annual rate of change (2015-20 est.)

urban population

44.5% of total population (2018)

Administrative Divisions

26 provinces (provinces, singular - province); Bas-Uele (Lower Uele), Equateur, Haut-Katanga (Upper Katanga), Haut-Lomami (Upper Lomami), Haut-Uele (Upper Uele), Ituri, Kasai, Kasai-Central, Kasai-Oriental (East Kasai), Kinshasa, Kongo Central, Kwango, Kwilu, Lomami, Lualaba, Mai-Ndombe, Maniema, Mongala, Nord-Kivu (North Kivu), Nord-Ubangi (North Ubangi), Sankuru, Sud-Kivu (South Kivu), Sud-Ubangi (South Ubangi), Tanganyika, Tshopo, Tshuapa

Capital

geographic coordinates

4 19 S, 15 18 E

name

Kinshasa

note

the DRC has two time zones

time difference

UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)

Citizenship

citizenship by birth

no

citizenship by descent only

at least one parent must be a citizen of the Democratic Republic of the Congo

dual citizenship recognized

no

residency requirement for naturalization

5 years

Constitution

amendments

proposed by the president of the republic, by the government, by either house of Parliament, or by public petition; agreement on the substance of a proposed bill requires absolute majority vote in both houses; passage requires a referendum only if both houses in joint meeting fail to achieve three-fifths majority vote; constitutional articles including the form of government, universal suffrage, judicial independence, political pluralism, and personal freedoms cannot be amended; amended 2011 (2017)

history

several previous; latest adopted 13 May 2005, approved by referendum 18-19 December 2005, promulgated 18 February 2006 (2017)

Country Name

abbreviation

DRC (or DROC)

conventional long form

Democratic Republic of the Congo

conventional short form

DRC

etymology

named for the Congo River, most of which lies within the DRC; the river name derives from Kongo, a Bantu kingdom that occupied its mouth at the time of Portuguese discovery in the late 15th century and whose name stems from its people the Bakongo, meaning "hunters"

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 Jennifer HASKELL (since 31 December 2016)

embassy

310 Avenue des Aviateurs, Kinshasa, Gombe

FAX

[243] 81 556-0175

mailing address

Unit 2220, DPO AE 09828

telephone

[243] 081 556-0151

Diplomatic Representation In The Us

chancery

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

chief of mission

Ambassador Francois Nkuna BALUMUENE (since 23 September 2015)

FAX

[1] (202) 234-2609

representative office

New York New York

telephone

[1] (202) 234-7690 through 7691

Executive Branch

cabinet

Ministers of State appointed by the president

chief of state

President Joseph KABILA (since 17 January 2001)

election results

Joseph KABILA reelected president; percent of vote - Joseph KABILA (PPRD) 49%, Etienne TSHISEKEDI (UDPS) 32.3%, other 18.7%; note - election marred by serious voting irregularities

elections/appointments

president directly elected by simple majority vote for a 5-year term (eligible for a second term); election last held on 28 November 2011 (next originally scheduled for 27 November 2016 but now scheduled for 30 December 2018); prime minister appointed by the president

head of government

Prime Minister Bruno TSHIBALA (since 7 April 2017); Deputy Prime Ministers Jose MAKILA, Leonard She OKITUNDU, Henri MOVA Sankanyi (since February 2018)

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

semi-presidential republic

Independence

30 June 1960 (from Belgium)

International Law Organization Participation

accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations; accepts ICCt jurisdiction

International Organization Participation

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

Judicial Branch

highest courts

Court of Cassation or Cour de Cassation (consists of 26 justices and organized into legislative and judiciary sections); Constitutional Court (consists of 9 judges)

judge selection and term of office

Court of Cassation judges nominated by the Judicial Service Council, an independent body of public prosecutors and selected judges of the lower courts; judge tenure NA; Constitutional Court judges - 3 nominated by the president, 3 by the Judicial Service Council, and 3 by the legislature; judges appointed by the president to serve 9-year non-renewable terms with one-third of the membership renewed every 3 years

subordinate courts

State Security Court; Court of Appeals (organized into administrative and judiciary sections); Tribunal de Grande; magistrates' courts; customary courts

Legal System

civil law system primarily based on Belgian law, but also customary and tribal law

Legislative Branch

description

bicameral Parliament or Parlement consists of:Senate (108 seats; members indirectly elected by provincial assemblies by proportional representation vote; members serve 5-year terms) National Assembly (500 seats; 439 members directly elected in multi-seat constituencies by proportional representation vote and 61 directly elected in single-seat constituencies by simple majority vote; members serve 5-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, other 18, independent 26; composition - men 103, women 5, percent of women 4.6% National Assembly - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - PPRD 62, UDPS 41, PPPD 29, MSR 27, MLC 22, PALU 19, UNC 17, ARC 16, AFDC 15, ECT 11, RRC 11, other 214 (includes numerous political parties that won 10 or fewer seats and 2 constituencies where voting was halted), independent 16; composition - men 456, women 44, percent of women  8.8%; total Parliament percent of women 8.1%;note - the November 2011 election was marred by violence including the destruction of ballots in 2 constituencies resulting in the closure of polling sites; election results were delayed 3 months, strongly contested, and continue to be unresolved

elections

Senate - last held on 19 January 2007 (follow-on election has been delayed) National Assembly - last held on 28 November 2011 (next originally scheduled for 27 November 2016 but postponed

National Anthem

lyrics/music

Joseph LUTUMBA/Simon-Pierre BOKA di Mpasi Londi

name

"Debout Congolaise" (Arise Congolese)

note

adopted 1960; replaced when the country was known as Zaire; but readopted in 1997

National Holiday

Independence Day, 30 June (1960)

National Symbol S

leopard; national colors: sky blue, red, yellow

Political Parties And Leaders

Christian Democrat Party or PDC [Jose ENDUNDO]Congolese Rally for Democracy or RCD [Azarias RUBERWA]Convention of Christian Democrats or CDCForces 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 [Henri MOVA Sakanyi]Social Movement for Renewal or MSR [Pierre LUMBI]Unified Lumumbist Party or PALU [Antoine GIZENGA]Union for the Congolese Nation or UNC [Vital KAMERHE]Union for Democracy and Social Progress or UDPS [Felix TSHISEKEDI]

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal and compulsory

Agriculture Products

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

Budget

expenditures

5.009 billion (2017 est.)

revenues

4.634 billion (2017 est.)

Budget Surplus Or Deficit

-0.9% (of GDP) (2017 est.)

Central Bank Discount Rate

20% (31 December 2017)

20% (31 December 2011)

Commercial Bank Prime Lending Rate

20.62% (31 December 2017 est.)

19.05% (31 December 2016 est.)

Current Account Balance

-$200 million (2017 est.)

-$1.215 billion (2016 est.)

Debt External

$4.963 billion (31 December 2017 est.)

$5.35 billion (31 December 2016 est.)

Distribution Of Family Income Gini Index

42.1 (2012 est.)

Economy Overview

The economy of the Democratic Republic of the Congo - a nation endowed with vast natural resource wealth - continues to perform poorly. Systemic corruption since independence in 1960, combined with countrywide instability and intermittent conflict that began in the early-90s, has reduced national output and government revenue, and increased external debt. With the installation of a transitional government in 2003 after peace accords, economic conditions slowly began to improve as the government reopened relations with international financial institutions and international donors, and President KABILA began implementing reforms. Progress on implementing substantive economic reforms remains slow because of political instability, bureaucratic inefficiency, corruption, and patronage, which also dampen international investment prospects.Renewed activity in the mining sector, the source of most export income, boosted Kinshasa's fiscal position and GDP growth until 2015, but low commodity prices have led to slower growth, volatile inflation, currency depreciation, and a growing fiscal deficit. An uncertain legal framework, corruption, and a lack of transparency in government policy are long-term problems for the large mining sector and for the economy as a whole. Much economic activity still occurs in the informal sector and is not reflected in GDP data.Poverty remains widespread in DRC, and the country failed to meet any Millennium Development Goals by 2015. DRC also concluded its program with the IMF in 2015. The price of copper – the DRC’s primary export - plummeted in 2015 and remained at record lows during 2016-17, reducing government revenues, expenditures, and foreign exchange reserves, while inflation reached nearly 50% in mid-2017 – its highest level since the early 2000s.

Exchange Rates

Congolese francs (CDF) per US dollar -

1,546.8 (2017 est.)

1,010.3 (2016 est.)

1,010.3 (2015 est.)

925.99 (2014 est.)

925.23 (2013 est.)

Exports

$10.98 billion (2017 est.)

$8.228 billion (2016 est.)

Exports Commodities

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

Exports Partners

China 41.4%, Zambia 22.7%, South Korea 7.2%, Finland 6.2% (2017)

Fiscal Year

calendar year

Gdp Composition By End Use

exports of goods and services

25.7% (2017 est.)

government consumption

12.7% (2017 est.)

household consumption

78.5% (2017 est.)

imports of goods and services

-32.8% (2017 est.)

investment in fixed capital

15.9% (2017 est.)

investment in inventories

0% (2017 est.)

Gdp Composition By Sector Of Origin

agriculture

19.7% (2017 est.)

industry

43.6% (2017 est.)

services

36.7% (2017 est.)

Gdp Official Exchange Rate

$41.44 billion (2017 est.) (2017 est.)

Gdp Per Capita Ppp

$800 (2017 est.)

$800 (2016 est.)

$800 (2015 est.)

note

data are in 2017 dollars

Gdp Purchasing Power Parity

$68.6 billion (2017 est.)

$66.33 billion (2016 est.)

$64.78 billion (2015 est.)

note

data are in 2017 dollars

Gdp Real Growth Rate

3.4% (2017 est.)

2.4% (2016 est.)

6.9% (2015 est.)

Gross National Saving

11.5% of GDP (2017 est.)

8.7% of GDP (2016 est.)

16.5% of GDP (2015 est.)

Household Income Or Consumption By Percentage Share

highest 10%

34.7% (2006)

lowest 10%

34.7% (2006)

Imports

$10.82 billion (2017 est.)

$10.21 billion (2016 est.)

Imports Commodities

foodstuffs, mining and other machinery, transport equipment, fuels

Imports Partners

China 19.9%, South Africa 18%, Zambia 10.4%, Belgium 9.1%, India 4.3%, Tanzania 4.2% (2017)

Industrial Production Growth Rate

1.6% (2017 est.)

Industries

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

Inflation Rate Consumer Prices

41.5% (2017 est.)

18.2% (2016 est.)

Labor Force

31.36 million (2017 est.)

Labor Force By Occupation

agriculture

NA

industry

NA

services

NA

Market Value Of Publicly Traded Shares

note

NA

Population Below Poverty Line

63% (2014 est.)

Public Debt

18.1% of GDP (2017 est.)

19.3% of GDP (2016 est.)

Reserves Of Foreign Exchange And Gold

$457.5 million (31 December 2017 est.)

$708.2 million (31 December 2016 est.)

Stock Of Broad Money

$1.044 billion (31 December 2017 est.)

$1.192 billion (31 December 2016 est.)

Stock Of Domestic Credit

$3.252 billion (31 December 2017 est.)

$3.582 billion (31 December 2016 est.)

Stock Of Narrow Money

$1.044 billion (31 December 2017 est.)

$1.192 billion (31 December 2016 est.)

Taxes And Other Revenues

11.2% (of GDP) (2017 est.)

Unemployment Rate

note

NA

Carbon Dioxide Emissions From Consumption Of Energy

3.146 million Mt (2017 est.)

Crude Oil Exports

20,000 bbl/day (2015 est.)

Crude Oil Imports

0 bbl/day (2015 est.)

Crude Oil Production

19,160 bbl/day (2017 est.)

Crude Oil Proved Reserves

180 million bbl (1 January 2018 est.)

Electricity Access

electrification - rural areas

2% (2013)

electrification - total population

9% (2013)

electrification - urban areas

19% (2013)

population without electricity

61.4 million (2013)

Electricity Consumption

7.43 billion kWh (2016 est.)

Electricity Exports

422 million kWh (2015 est.)

Electricity From Fossil Fuels

2% of total installed capacity (2016 est.)

Electricity From Hydroelectric Plants

98% of total installed capacity (2017 est.)

Electricity From Nuclear Fuels

0% of total installed capacity (2017 est.)

Electricity From Other Renewable Sources

0% of total installed capacity (2017 est.)

Electricity Imports

20 million kWh (2016 est.)

Electricity Installed Generating Capacity

2.587 million kW (2016 est.)

Electricity Production

9.046 billion kWh (2016 est.)

Natural Gas Consumption

0 cu m (2017 est.)

Natural Gas Exports

0 cu m (2017 est.)

Natural Gas Imports

0 cu m (2017 est.)

Natural Gas Production

0 cu m (2017 est.)

Natural Gas Proved Reserves

991.1 million cu m (1 January 2018 est.)

Refined Petroleum Products Consumption

21,000 bbl/day (2016 est.)

Refined Petroleum Products Exports

0 bbl/day (2015 est.)

Refined Petroleum Products Imports

21,140 bbl/day (2015 est.)

Refined Petroleum Products Production

0 bbl/day (2017 est.)

Broadband Fixed Subscriptions

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

less than 1 (2017 est.)

total

1,000 (2017 est.)

Broadcast Media

state-owned TV broadcast station with near national coverage; more than a dozen privately owned TV stations - 2 with 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 Users

percent of population

3.8% (July 2016 est.)

total

3.016 million (July 2016 est.)

Telephone System

domestic

fixed-line connections only about 8 per 100 persons; given the backdrop of a wholly inadequate fixed-line infrastructure, the use of mobile-cellular services has surged and mobile teledensity is over 42 per 100 persons (2017)

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; efforts have been made to improve regulating the telecom sector; wars and social upheavel have not promoted advancement; a revised Telecommunications Act adopted in May 2018, though the practical implementation of the Act's measures remains dubious (2017)

international

country code - 243; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean); the country was finally connected to low-cost, high-quality international bandwidth through the WACS submarine fibre optic cable in 2013, and SCPT is rolling out a fibre optic national backbone network with support from China (2017)

Telephones Fixed Lines

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

NA (2017 est.)

total subscriptions

NA (2017 est.)

Telephones Mobile Cellular

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

42 (2017 est.)

total subscriptions

35,270,156 (2017 est.)

Airports

198 (2013)

Airports With Paved Runways

1,524 to 2,437 m

17 (2017)

2,438 to 3,047 m

3 (2017)

914 to 1,523 m

2 (2017)

over 3,047 m

3 (2017)

total

26 (2017)

under 914 m

1 (2017)

Airports With Unpaved Runways

1,524 to 2,437 m

20 (2013)

914 to 1,523 m

87 (2013)

total

172 (2013)

under 914 m

65 (2013)

Civil Aircraft Registration Country Code Prefix

9Q (2016)

Heliports

1 (2013)

Merchant Marine

by type

general cargo 18, oil tanker 1, other 14 (2017)

total

33 (2017)

National Air Transport System

annual freight traffic on registered air carriers

85,839 mt-km (2015)

annual passenger traffic on registered air carriers

476,352 (2015)

inventory of registered aircraft operated by air carriers

13 (2015)

number of registered air carriers

8 (2015)

Pipelines

62 km gas, 77 km oil, 756 km refined products (2013)

Ports And Terminals

major seaport(s)

Banana

note

Kindu (Lualaba) Bukavu, Goma (Lake Kivu) Kalemie (Lake Tanganyika)

river or lake port(s)

Boma, Bumba, Kinshasa, Kisangani, Matadi, Mbandaka (Congo)

Railways

narrow gauge

3,882 km 1.067-m gauge (858 km electrified) (2014)

note

125 1.000-m gauge

total

4,007 km (2014)

Roadways

paved

2,794 km (2004)

total

153,497 km (2004)

unpaved

150,703 km (2004)

Waterways

15,000 km (including the Congo River, its tributaries, and unconnected lakes) (2011)

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) (2011)

Military Expenditures

1.34% of GDP (2016)

1.36% of GDP (2015)

1% of GDP (2014)

1.25% of GDP (2013)

1.21% of GDP (2012)

Military Service Age And Obligation

18-45 years of age for voluntary and compulsory military service (2012)

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 peacekeepersmembers of Uganda's Lord's Resistance Army forces continue to seek refuge in Congo's Garamba National Park as peace talks with the Uganda Government evolvethe location of the boundary in the broad Congo River with the Republic of the Congo is indefinite except in the Pool Malebo/Stanley Pool areaUganda and DRC dispute Rukwanzi Island in Lake Albert and other areas on the Semliki River with hydrocarbon potentialboundary commission continues discussions over Congolese-administered triangle of land on the right bank of the Lunkinda River claimed by Zambia near the DRC village of Pweto

Illicit Drugs

traffickers exploit lax shipping controls to transit pseudoephedrine through the capital; while rampant corruption and inadequate supervision leave 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

Refugees And Internally Displaced Persons

IDPs

4.5 million (fighting between government forces and rebels since mid-1990s; conflict in Kasai region since 2016) (2017)

refugees (country of origin)

219,489 (Rwanda), 171,966 (Central African Republic), 95,438 (South Sudan) (refugees and asylum seekers), 42,309 (Burundi) (2018)

Trafficking In Persons

current situation

The Democratic Republic of the Congo is a source, destination, and possibly a transit country for men, women, and children subjected to forced labor and sex trafficking; the majority of this trafficking is internal, and much of it is perpetrated by armed groups and rogue government forces outside official control in the country's unstable eastern provinces; Congolese adults are subjected to forced labor, including debt bondage, in unlicensed mines, and women may be forced into prostitution; Congolese women and girls are subjected to forced marriages where they are vulnerable to domestic servitude or sex trafficking, while children are forced to work in agriculture, mining, mineral smuggling, vending, portering, and begging; Congolese women and children migrate to countries in Africa, the Middle East, and Europe where some are subjected to forced prostitution, domestic servitude, and forced labor in agriculture and diamond mining; indigenous and foreign armed groups, including the Lord’s Resistance Army, abduct and forcibly recruit Congolese adults and children to serve as laborers, porters, domestics, combatants, and sex slaves; some elements of the Congolese national army (FARDC) also forced adults to carry supplies, equipment, and looted goods, but no cases of the FARDC recruiting child soldiers were reported in 2014 – a significant change

tier rating

Tier 2 Watch List - The Democratic Republic of the Congo does not fully comply with the minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking; however, it is making significant efforts to do so; the government took significant steps to hold military and police officials complicit in human trafficking accountable with convictions for sex slavery and arrests of armed group commanders for the recruitment and use of child soldiers; the government appears to have ceased the recruitment of child soldiers through the implementation of a UN-backed action plan; little effort was made to address labor and sex trafficking crimes committed by persons other than officials, or to identify the victims, or to provide or refer the victims to care services; awareness of various forms of trafficking is limited among law enforcement personnel and training and resources are inadequate to conduct investigations (2015)