Republic of the Congo Population: 4,492,689
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| Background | |
| 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 is one of Africa's largest petroleum producers, but with declining production it will need new offshore oil finds to sustain its oil earnings over the long term. |
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| Geography | |
| About 70% of the population lives in Brazzaville, Pointe-Noire, or along the railroad between them | |
| Location: | Central Africa, bordering the South Atlantic Ocean, between Angola and Gabon |
| Geographic coordinates: | 1 00 S, 15 00 E |
| Area: | total: 342,000 sq km land: 341,500 sq km water: 500 sq km Size comparison: slightly smaller than Montana |
| Land Boundaries: | 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 |
| Coastline: | 169 km |
| Maritime claims: | territorial sea: 200 nm |
| Climate: | tropical; rainy season (March to June); dry season (June to October); persistent high temperatures and humidity; particularly enervating climate astride the Equator |
| Terrain: | coastal plain, southern basin, central plateau, northern basin |
| Elevation extremes: | lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m highest point: Mount Berongou 903 m |
| Natural resources: | petroleum, timber, potash, lead, zinc, uranium, copper, phosphates, gold, magnesium, natural gas, hydropower |
| Land use: | arable land: 1.45% permanent crops: 0.15% other: 98.4% (2005) |
| Irrigated land: | 20 sq km (2003) |
| Natural hazards: | seasonal flooding |
| Current Environment Issues: | air pollution from vehicle emissions; water pollution from the dumping of raw sewage; tap water is not potable; deforestation |
| International Environment Agreements: | party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements |
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| People | |
| Population: | 4,492,689 (July 2013 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 |
| Age structure: | 0-14 years: 45.1% (male 1,020,784/female 1,006,148) 15-24 years: 20.6% (male 464,410/female 460,955) 25-54 years: 28.2% (male 636,447/female 628,629) 55-64 years: 3.4% (male 67,117/female 84,919) 65 years and over: 2.7% (male 50,358/female 72,922) (2013 est.) population pyramid: |
| Median age: | total: 17.1 years male: 16.9 years female: 17.3 years (2012 est.) |
| Population growth rate: | 2.849% (2012 est.) |
| Birth rate: | 40.09 births/1,000 population (2012 est.) |
| Death rate: | 11.25 deaths/1,000 population (July 2012 est.) |
| Net migration rate: | -0.35 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2012 est.) |
| 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 (2011 est.) |
| Infant mortality rate: | total: 74.22 deaths/1,000 live births male: 79.58 deaths/1,000 live births female: 68.7 deaths/1,000 live births (2012 est.) |
| Life expectancy at birth: | total population: 55.27 years male: 53.95 years female: 56.62 years (2012 est.) |
| Total fertility rate: | 5.49 children born/woman (2013 est.) |
| HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: | 3.4% (2009 est.) |
| HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: | 77,000 (2009 est.) |
| HIV/AIDS - deaths: | 5,100 (2009 est.) |
| Nationality: | noun: Congolese (singular and plural) adjective: Congolese or Congo |
| Ethnic groups: | Kongo 48%, Sangha 20%, M'Bochi 12%, Teke 17%, Europeans and other 3% |
| Religions: | Christian 50%, animist 48%, Muslim 2% |
| Languages: | French (official), Lingala and Monokutuba (lingua franca trade languages), many local languages and dialects (of which Kikongo is the most widespread) |
| Literacy: | definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 83.8% male: 89.6% female: 78.4% (2003 est.) |
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| Government | |
| Country name: | conventional long form: Republic of the Congo conventional short form: Congo (Brazzaville) local long form: Republique du Congo local short form: none former: Middle Congo, Congo/Brazzaville, Congo |
| Government type: | republic |
| Capital: | name: Brazzaville geographic coordinates: 4 15 S, 15 17 E time difference: UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time) |
| Administrative divisions: | 10 regions (regions, singular - region) and 2 commune*; Bouenza, Brazzaville*, Cuvette, Cuvette-Ouest, Kouilou, Lekoumou, Likouala, Niari, Plateaux, Pointe-Noire*, Pool, Sangha |
| Independence: | 15 August 1960 (from France) |
| National holiday: | Independence Day, 15 August (1960) |
| Constitution: | approved by referendum 20 January 2002 |
| Legal system: | mixed legal system of French civil law and customary law |
| Suffrage: | 18 years of age; universal |
| Executive branch: | chief of state: President Denis SASSOU-Nguesso (since 25 October 1997, following the civil war in which he toppled elected president Pascal LISSOUBA); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government head of government: President Denis SASSOU-Nguesso (since 25 October 1997); note - the position of prime minister was abolished in September 2009 cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president (For more information visit the World Leaders website ) elections: president elected by popular vote for a seven-year term (eligible for a second term); election last held on 12 July 2009 (next to be held in 2016) election results: Denis SASSOU-Nguesso reelected president; percent of vote - Denis SASSOU-Nguesso 78.6%, Joseph Kignoumbi Kia MBOUNGOU 7.5%, Nicephore Fylla de SAINT-EUDES 7%, other 6.9% |
| Legislative branch: | bicameral Parliament consists of the Senate (72 seats; members elected by indirect vote to serve five-year terms) and the National Assembly (139 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve six-year terms) elections: Senate - last held on 5 August 2008 (next to be held in July 2014); National Assembly - last held on 15 July and 5 August 2012 (next to be held in 2018) election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - RMP 33, FDU 23, UPADS 2, independents 7, other 7; National Assembly - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - PCT (and allies) 117, UPADS 7, independents 12, vacant 3 |
| Judicial branch: | Supreme Court or Cour Supreme |
| Political parties and leaders: | Action Movement for Renewal or MAR; Congolese Labour Party or PCT; Congolese Movement for Democracy and Integral Development or MCDDI [Michel MAMPOUYA]; Movement for Solidarity and Development or MSD; Pan-African Union for Social Development or UPADS [Martin MBERI]; Rally for Democracy and the Republic or RDR [Raymond Damasge NGOLLO]; Rally for Democracy and Social Progress or RDPS [Jean-Pierre Thystere TCHICAYA, president]; Rally of the Presidential Majority or RMP; Union for Democracy and Republic or UDR; United Democratic Forces or FDU [Sebastian EBAO]; many smaller parties |
| Political pressure groups and leaders: | Congolese Trade Union Congress or CSC; General Union of Congolese Pupils and Students or UGEEC; Revolutionary Union of Congolese Women or URFC; Union of Congolese Socialist Youth or UJSC |
| International organization participation: | ACP, AfDB, AU, BDEAC, CEMAC, EITI (candidate country), FAO, FZ, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO (correspondent), ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), MIGA, NAM, OIF, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNITAR, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO |
| Diplomatic representation in the US: | chief of mission: Ambassador Serge MOMBOULI chancery: 1720 16th Street NW, Washington, DC 20009 telephone: [1] (202) 726-5500 FAX: [1] (202) 726-1860 |
| Diplomatic representation from the US: | chief of mission: Ambassador Christopher W. MURRAY embassy: 70-83 Section D, Maya-Maya Boulevard, Brazzaville; mailing address: B.P. 1015, Brazzaville telephone: [242] 06 612-200 |
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| Economy | |
| The economy is a mixture of subsistence hunting and agriculture, an industrial sector based largely on oil and support services, and government spending. Oil has supplanted forestry as the mainstay of the economy, providing a major share of government revenues and exports. Natural gas is increasingly being converted to electricity rather than being flared, greatly improving energy prospects. New mining projects, particularly iron ore, that may enter production as early as late 2013 may add as much as $1 billion to annual government revenue. Economic reform efforts have been undertaken with the support of international organizations, notably the World Bank and the IMF, including recently concluded Article IV consultations. 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 faces difficult economic challenges of stimulating recovery and reducing poverty. The drop in oil prices during the global crisis reduced oil revenue by about 30%, but the subsequent recovery of oil prices boosted the economy's GDP and produced near double-digit GDP growth from 2009-12. In March 2006, the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund (IMF) approved Heavily Indebted Poor Countries (HIPC) treatment for Congo, which received $1.9 billion in debt relief under the program in 2010. Congo also restructured old defalted London Club debt in 2007, which effectively cancelled 80% of its private debt. Contracts with China have increased Congo's publicly-held debt. Officially the country became a net external creditor as of 2011, with external debt representing less than 22% of GDP and debt servicing less than 3% of government revenue. | |
| GDP (purchasing power parity): | GDP (purchasing power parity): $19.27 billion (2012 est.) $18.36 billion (2011 est.) $17.75 billion (2010 est.) note: data are in 2012 US dollars |
| GDP (official exchange rate): | GDP (official exchange rate): $13.74 billion (2012 est.) |
| GDP - real growth rate: | 4.9% (2012 est.) 3.4% (2011 est.) 8.8% (2010 est.) |
| GDP - per capita (PPP): | GDP - per capita (PPP): $4,700 (2012 est.) $4,600 (2011 est.) $4,400 (2010 est.) note: data are in 2012 US dollars |
| GDP - composition by sector: | agriculture: 4.2% industry: 71.3% services: 24.5% (2012 est.) |
| Labor force: | 2.89 million (2011 est.) |
| Labor force - by occupation: | |
| Unemployment rate: | NA% 53% (2012 est.) |
| Population below poverty line: | 46.5% |
| Household income or consumption by percentage share: | lowest 10%: 2.1% highest 10%: 37.1% (2005) |
| Inflation rate (consumer prices): | Inflation rate (consumer prices): 5.1% (2012 est.) 1.9% (2011 est.) |
| Investment (gross fixed): | Investment (gross fixed): 45.2% of GDP (2012 est.) |
| Budget: | revenues: $8.05 billion expenditures: $5.93 billion (2012 est.) |
| Public debt: | 18.3% of GDP (2012 est.) |
| Agriculture - products: | cassava (tapioca), sugar, rice, corn, peanuts, vegetables, coffee, cocoa; forest products |
| Industries: | petroleum extraction, cement, lumber, brewing, sugar, palm oil, soap, flour, cigarettes |
| Industrial production growth rate: | 12% (2010 est.) |
| Electricity - production: | 559 million kWh (2012 est.) country comparison to the world: 160 |
| Electricity - consumption: | 588 million kWh (2012 est.) |
| Electricity - exports: | 0 kWh (2010 est.) |
| Electricity - imports: | 470 million kWh (2010 est.) |
| Natural gas - production: | 946 million cu m (2012 est.) |
| Natural gas - consumption: | 930 million cu m (2010 est.) |
| Natural gas - exports: | 39 million cu m (2012 est.) |
| Natural gas - imports: | 0 cu m (2012 est.) |
| Natural gas - proved reserves: | 90.61 billion cu m (1 January 2012 est.) |
| Current account balance: | $1.277 billion (2012 est.) $1.85 billion (2011 est.) |
| Exports: | $12.35 billion (2012 est.) $12.38 billion (2011 est.) |
| Exports - commodities: | petroleum, lumber, plywood, sugar, cocoa, coffee, diamonds |
| Exports - partners: | China 38.5%, US 20.3%, Australia 6.4%, France 6.1%, Spain 4.9%, Italy 4.4%, Netherlands 4.4% (2011) |
| Imports: | $4.751 billion (2012 est.) $4.917 billion (2011 est.) |
| Imports - commodities: | capital equipment, construction materials, foodstuffs |
| Imports - partners: | France 17.2%, China 12.5%, India 9.2%, Italy 7.5%, Brazil 7.3%, US 5.8% (2011) |
| Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: | $6.033 billion (31 December 2012 est.) $5.658 billion (31 December 2011 est.) |
| Debt - external: | $4.225 billion (31 December 2012 est.) $4.865 billion (31 December 2011 est.) |
| Market value of publicly traded shares: | $NA |
| Exchange rates: | Cooperation Financiere en Afrique Centrale francs (XAF) per US dollar - 511.4 (2012 est.) 471.87 (2011 est.) 495.28 (2010 est.) 472.19 (2009) 447.81 (2008) |
| Fiscal year: | calendar year |
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| Communications | |
| Telephones in use: | 14,200 (2011) country comparison to the world: 196 |
| Cellular Phones in use: | 3.885 million (2011) |
| Telephone system: | general assessment: primary network consists of microwave radio relay and coaxial cable with services barely adequate for government use; key exchanges are in Brazzaville, Pointe-Noire, and Loubomo; intercity lines frequently out of order domestic: fixed-line infrastructure inadequate providing less than 1 connection per 100 persons; in the absence of an adequate fixed line infrastructure, mobile-cellular subscribership has surged to 90 per 100 persons international: country code - 242; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) (2011) |
| Radio broadcast stations: | |
| Television broadcast stations: | |
| Internet country code: | .cg |
| Internet hosts: | 45 (2012) |
| Internet users: | 245,200 (2009) |
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| Transportation | |
| Airports: | 25 (2012) country comparison to the world: 129 |
| Airports (paved runways): | total: 7 over 3,047 m: 2 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 4 (2012) |
| Airports (unpaved runways): | total: 18 1,524 to 2,437 m: 8 914 to 1,523 m: 9 under 914 m: 1 (2012) |
| Pipelines: | gas 65 km; oil 273 km (2010) |
| Railways: | total: 886 km narrow gauge: 886 km 1.067-m gauge (2008) |
| Roadways: | total: 17,289 km paved: 864 km unpaved: 16,425 km (2004) |
| Waterways: | 1,120 km (commercially navigable on Congo and Oubanqui rivers above Brazzaville; there are many ferries across the river to Kinshasa; the Congo south of Brazzaville-Kinshasa to the coast is not navigable because of rapids, thereby necessitating a rail connection to Pointe Noire; other rivers are used for local traffic only) (2011) |
| Merchant marine: | registered in other countries: 1 (Democratic Republic of the Congo 1) (2010) |
| Ports and terminals: | Brazzaville, Djeno, Impfondo, Ouesso, Oyo, Pointe-Noire |
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| Military | |
| Military branches: | Congolese Armed Forces (Forces Armees Congolaises, FAC): Army (Armee de Terre), Navy, Congolese Air Force (Armee de l'Air Congolaise); Gendarmerie; Special Presidential Security Guard (GSSP) (2011) |
| Military service age and obligation: | 18 years of age for voluntary military service; women can serve in the Armed Forces (2012) |
| Manpower available for military service: | males age 16-49: 928,664 females age 16-49: 914,265 (2010 est.) |
| Manpower fit for military service: | males age 16-49: 577,944 females age 16-49: 566,587 (2010 est.) |
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