World Facts Index
 Upon independence in 1960, the former French region of Middle Congo became the Republic of the Congo. A quarter
century of experimentation with Marxism was abandoned in 1990 and a democratically elected
government took office in 1992. A brief civil war in 1997 restored former Marxist
President Denis SASSOU-NGUESSO, and ushered in a period of ethnic and political unrest.
Southern-based rebel groups agreed to a final peace accord in March 2003, but the calm is
tenuous and refugees continue to present a humanitarian crisis. The Republic of Congo was
once one of Africa's largest petroleum producers, but with declining production it will
need to hope for new offshore oil finds to sustain its oil earnings over the long term.
Geography of the Republic of the Congo
|
Location:
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Western Africa, bordering
the South Atlantic Ocean, between Angola and Gabon |
|
Coordinates:
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1 00 S, 15 00 E |
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Area:
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total: 342,000 sq km
water: 500 sq km
land: 341,500 sq km |
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Area comparative:
|
slightly smaller than
Montana |
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Land boundaries:
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total: 5,504 km
border countries: Angola 201 km, Cameroon 523 km, Central African
Republic 467 km, Democratic Republic of the Congo 2,410 km, Gabon 1,903
km |
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Coastline:
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169 km |
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Maritime claims:
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territorial sea: 200
NM |
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Climate:
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tropical; rainy season
(March to June); dry season (June to October); constantly high
temperatures and humidity; particularly enervating climate astride the
Equator |
|
Terrain:
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coastal plain, southern
basin, central plateau, northern basin |
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Elevation extremes:
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lowest point:
Atlantic Ocean 0 m
highest point: Mount Berongou 903 m |
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Natural resources:
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petroleum, timber, potash,
lead, zinc, uranium, copper, phosphates, natural gas, hydropower |
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Natural hazards:
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seasonal flooding |
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Environment - current issues:
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air pollution from vehicle
emissions; water pollution from the dumping of raw sewage; tap water is
not potable; deforestation |
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Geography - note:
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about 70% of the population
lives in Brazzaville, Pointe-Noire, or along the railroad between them
|
Population of the Republic of the Congo
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Population:
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3,903,318 (July 2008 est.) |
|
Age structure:
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0-14 years: 46.4% (male 864,407/female 853,728)
15-64 years: 50.7% (male 930,390/female 945,545)
65 years and over: 2.9% (male 44,430/female 63,814) |
|
Median age:
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16.6 years |
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Growth rate:
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2.6% |
|
Infant mortality:
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85.29 deaths/1,000 live births |
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Life expectancy at birth:
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total population: 52.8 years
male: 51.65 years
female: 53.98 years |
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Total fertility rate:
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6.07 children born/woman |
|
Nationality:
|
noun: Congolese (singular and
plural)
adjective: Congolese or Congo |
|
Ethnic groups:
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Kongo 48%, Sangha 20%, M'Bochi 12%, Teke
17%, Europeans and other 3%
note: Europeans estimated at 8,500, mostly French, before the 1997 civil war; may
be half that in 1998, following the widespread destruction of foreign businesses in 1997 |
|
Religions:
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Christian 50%, animist 48%, Muslim 2% |
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Languages:
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French (official), Lingala and Monokutuba
(lingua franca trade languages), many local languages and dialects (of which Kikongo is
the most widespread) |
|
Literacy:
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definition: age 15 and over can read
and write
total population: 83.8%
male: 89.6%
female: 78.4%
|
Government
|
Country name:
|
conventional long form: Republic of
the Congo
conventional short form: Congo (Brazzaville)
former: Middle Congo, Congo/Brazzaville, Congo
local long form: Republique du Congo |
|
Government type:
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republic |
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Capital:
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Brazzaville |
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Administrative divisions:
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10 regions (regions, singular - region) and
1 commune*; Bouenza, Brazzaville*, Cuvette, Cuvette-Ouest, Kouilou, Lekoumou, Likouala,
Niari, Plateaux, Pool, Sangha |
|
Independence:
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15 August 1960 (from France) |
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National holiday:
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Independence Day, 15 August (1960) |
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Constitution:
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constitution approved by referendum 20
January 2002 |
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Legal system:
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based on French civil law system and
customary law |
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Suffrage:
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18 years of age; universal |
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Executive branch:
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chief of state: President Denis SASSOU-NGUESSO
(since 25 October 1997, following the civil war in which he toppled elected
president Pascal LISSOUBA);
head of government: Prime Minister Isidore MVOUBA (since 7 January 2005)
cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president
elections: president elected by popular vote for a seven-year term (eligible for
a second term); election last held 10 March 2002 (next to be held in 2009) |
|
Legislative branch:
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bicameral Parliament consists of the Senate (66 seats;
members are elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms) and the National Assembly
(137 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms) |
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Judicial branch:
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Supreme Court or Cour Supreme |
Economy
The economy is a mixture of subsistence agriculture, an industrial sector
based largely on oil, and support services, and a government characterized by
budget problems and overstaffing. Oil has supplanted forestry as the mainstay
of the economy, providing a major share of government revenues and exports. In
the early 1980s, rapidly rising oil revenues enabled the government to finance
large-scale development projects with GDP growth averaging 5% annually, one of
the highest rates in Africa. The government has mortgaged a substantial
portion of its oil earnings through oil-backed loans that have contributed to
a growing debt burden and chronic revenue shortfalls. Economic reform efforts
have been undertaken with the support of international organizations, notably
the World Bank and the IMF. However, the reform program came to a halt in June
1997 when civil war erupted. Denis SASSOU-NGUESSO, who returned to power when
the war ended in October 1997, publicly expressed interest in moving forward
on economic reforms and privatization and in renewing cooperation with
international financial institutions. Economic progress was badly hurt by
slumping oil prices and the resumption of armed conflict in December 1998,
which worsened the republic's budget deficit. The current administration
presides over an uneasy internal peace and faces difficult economic challenges
of stimulating recovery and reducing poverty. Recovery of oil prices has
boosted the economy's GDP and near-term prospects. In March 2006, the World
Bank and the International Monetary Fund (IMF) approved Heavily Indebted Poor
Countries (HIPC) treatment for Congo.
|
GDP:
|
$12.86 billion (2007 est.) |
|
GDP growth rate:
|
8% |
|
GDP per capita:
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$3,400 |
|
GDP composition by sector:
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agriculture: 6.2%
industry: 57%
services: 36.9% |
|
Inflation rate:
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2.2% |
|
Budget:
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revenues: $1.328 billion
expenditures: $1.065 billion |
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Electricity production by source:
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fossil fuel: 0.3%
hydro: 99.7%
other: 0% |
|
Industries:
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petroleum extraction, cement, lumber,
brewing, sugar, palm oil, soap, flour, cigarettes |
|
Agriculture:
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cassava (tapioca), sugar, rice, corn,
peanuts, vegetables, coffee, cocoa; forest products |
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Exports:
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petroleum, lumber, plywood, sugar, cocoa,
coffee, diamonds |
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Export partners:
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China 45.7%, US 34%, Taiwan 4.2% |
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Imports:
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capital equipment, construction materials,
foodstuffs |
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Import partners:
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France 30%, China 13.2%, US 9.5%, Italy 8.1%, Belgium 6%,
Netherlands 4.5% |
|
Currency:
|
Communaute Financiere Africaine franc
(XAF); note - responsible authority is the Bank of the Central African States |
SOURCES: The CIA World Factbook, U.S. Department of State, Area Handbook of the US Library of Congress
Copyright 2004 - 2008 worldfacts.us |