Statistical information Zaire 1992

Zaire in the World
Zaire - Introduction 1992
top of pageBackground: Mobutu Sese Seko came to power in a coup in 1965, only 5 years after the Democratic Republic of the Congo had become independent from Belgium. He renamed the country Zaire in 1971.
top of pageLocationGeographic coordinatesMap referenceAreaTotal: 2,345,410 km²; Land area: 2,267,600 km²; Comparative area: slightly more than one-quarter the size of US
Land boundaries: 10,271 km total; Angola 2,511 km, Burundi 233 km,; Central African Republic 1,577 km, Congo 2,410 km, Rwanda 217 km, Sudan 628 km, Uganda 765 km, Zambia 1,930 km
Coastline: 37 km
Maritime claims: Exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm; Territorial sea: 12 nm; Disputes: Tanzania-Zaire-Zambia tripoint in Lake Tanganyika may no longer be indefinite since it is reported that the indefinite section of the; Zaire-Zambia boundary has been settled; long section with Congo along the; Congo River is indefinite (no division of the river or its islands has been made)
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
Terrain: vast central basin is a low-lying plateau; mountains in east
ElevationNatural resources: cobalt, copper, cadmium, crude oil, industrial and gem diamonds, gold, silver, zinc, manganese, tin, germanium, uranium, radium, bauxite, iron ore, coal, hydropower potential
Land use: arable land: 3%; permanent crops: NEGL%; meadows and pastures 4%; forest and woodland 78%; other 15%; includes irrigated NEGL%
Irrigated landMajor riversMajor watersheds area km²Total water withdrawalTotal renewable water resourcesNatural hazardsGeographytop of pagePopulation: 39,084,400 (July 1992), growth rate 3.3% (1992)
Nationality: noun - Zairian(s); adjective - Zairian
Ethnic groups: over 200 African ethnic groups, the majority are; Bantu; four largest tribes - Mongo, Luba, Kongo (all Bantu), and the; Mangbetu-Azande (Hamitic) make up about 45% of the population
Languages: French (official), Lingala, Swahili, Kingwana, Kikongo,; Tshiluba
Religions: Roman Catholic 50%, Protestant 20%, Kimbanguist 10%, Muslim 10%, other syncretic sects and traditional beliefs 10%
Demographic profileAge structureDependency ratiosMedian agePopulation growth rateBirth rate: 45 births/1000 population (1992)
Death rate: 13 deaths/1000 population (1992)
Net migration rate: 0 migrants/1000 population (1992)
Population distributionUrbanizationMajor urban areasEnvironmentCurrent issues: dense tropical rain forest in central river basin and eastern highlands; periodic droughts in south; Note: straddles Equator; very narrow strip of land that controls the lower Congo River and is only outlet to South Atlantic Ocean
Air pollutantsSex ratioMothers mean age at first birthMaternal mortality ratioInfant mortality rate: 97 deaths/1000 live births (1992)
Life expectancy at birth: 52 years male, 56 years female (1992)
Total fertility rate: 6.1 children born/woman (1992)
Contraceptive prevalence rateDrinking water sourceCurrent health expenditurePhysicians densityHospital bed densitySanitation facility accessHiv/AidsMajor infectious diseasesObesity adult prevalence rateAlcohol consumptionTobacco useChildren under the age of 5 years underweightEducation expendituresLiteracy: 72% (male 84%, female 61%) age 15 and over can read and write (1990 est.)
School life expectancy primary to tertiary educationYouth unemploymenttop of pageCountry nameGovernment type: republic with a strong presidential system
Capital: Kinshasa
Administrative divisions: 10 regions (regions, singular - region) and 1 town* (ville); Bandundu, Bas-Zaire, Equateur, Haut-Zaire, Kasai-Occidental,; Kasai-Oriental, Kinshasa*, Maniema, Nord-Kivu, Shaba, Sud-Kivu
Dependent areasIndependence: 30 June 1960 (from Belgium; formerly Belgian Congo, then; Congo/Leopoldville, then Congo/Kinshasa)
National holiday: Anniversary of the Regime (Second Republic), 24; November (1965)
Constitution: 24 June 1967, amended August 1974, revised 15 February 1978; amended April 1990; new constitution to be promulgated in 1992
Legal system: based on Belgian civil law system and tribal law; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
International law organization participationCitizenshipSuffrage: universal and compulsory at age 18; President: last held 29 July 1984 (next to be scheduled by ongoing; National Conference); results - President MOBUTU was reelected without opposition; Legislative Council: last held 6 September 1987 (next to be scheduled by ongoing National Conference); results - MPR was the only party; seats - (210 total) MPR 210; note - MPR still holds majority of seats but some deputies have joined other parties
Executive branch: president, prime minister, Executive Council (cabinet)
Legislative branch: unicameral Legislative Council (Conseil Legislatif)
Judicial branch: Supreme Court (Cour Supreme)
Political parties and leadersInternational organization participation: ACCT, ACP, AfDB, APC, CCC, CEEAC, CEPGL, CIPEC, ECA, FAO,; G-19, G-24, G-77, GATT, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, IDA, IFAD, IFC, ILO, IMF,; IMO, INTELSAT, INTERPOL, IOC, ITU, LORCS, NAM, OAU, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO,; UNHCR, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO; Diplomatic representation: Ambassador TATANENE Manata; Chancery at 1800; New Hampshire Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20,009; telephone (202) 234-7,690 or 7,691; US: Ambassador Melissa F. WELLS; Embassy at 310 Avenue des Aviateurs,; Kinshasa (mailing address is APO AE 9,828); telephone 243 (12) 21,532, 21,628; FAX 243 (12) 21,232; the US Consulate General in Lubumbashi was closed and evacuated in October 1991 because of the poor security situation
Diplomatic representationFlag description
: light green with a yellow disk in the center bearing a black arm holding a red flaming torch; the flames of the torch are blowing away from the hoist side; uses the popular pan-African colors of Ethiopia
National symbolsNational anthemNational heritagetop of pageEconomy overview: In 1990, in spite of large mineral resources Zaire had a GDP per capita of only about $260, putting it among the desperately poor African nations. The country's chronic economic problems worsened in 1991, with copper and cobalt production down 20-30%, inflation near 8,000% in 1991 as compared with 100% in 1987-89, and IMF and most World Bank support suspended until the institution of agreed-on changes. Agriculture, a key sector of the economy, employs 75% of the population but generates under 25% of GDP. The main potential for economic development has been the extractive industries.; Mining and mineral processing account for about one-third of GDP and three-quarters of total export earnings. Zaire is the world's largest producer of diamonds and cobalt.; GDP: exchange rate conversion - $9.8 billion, per capita $260; real growth rate -3% (1990 est.)
Real gdp purchasing power parityReal gdp growth rateReal gdp per capitaGross national savingGdp composition by sector of origin
Gdp composition by end useGdp composition by sector of originAgriculture products: cash crops - coffee, palm oil, rubber, quinine; food crops - cassava, bananas, root crops, corn
Industries: mining, mineral processing, consumer products (including textiles, footwear, and cigarettes), processed foods and beverages, cement, diamonds
Industrial production growth rate: growth rate -7.3%; accounts for almost 30% of GDP (1989)
Labor force: 15,000,000; agriculture 75%, industry 13%, services 12%; wage earners 13% (1981); population of working age 51% (1985); Organized labor: National Union of Zairian Workers (UNTZA) was the only officially recognized trade union until April 1990; other unions are now in process of seeking official recognition; Long-form name: Republic of Zaire
Unemployment rate: NA%
Youth unemploymentPopulation below poverty lineGini indexHousehold income or consumption by percentage shareDistribution of family income gini indexBudget: revenues $685 million; expenditures $1.1 billion, does not include capital expenditures mostly financed by donors (1990)
Taxes and other revenuesPublic debtRevenueFiscal year: calendar year
Inflation rate consumer pricesCentral bank discount rateCommercial bank prime lending rateStock of narrow moneyStock of broad moneyStock of domestic creditMarket value of publicly traded sharesCurrent account balanceExports: $2.2 billion (f.o.b., 1989 est.)
Imports: $2.1 billion (f.o.b., 1989 est.)
Reserves of foreign exchange and goldDebt externalStock of direct foreign investment at homeStock of direct foreign investment abroadExchange rates: zaire (Z) per US$1 - 111,196 (March 1992), 15,587 (1991), 719 (1990), 381 (1989), 187 (1988), 112 (1987)
top of pageElectricityProduction: 2,580,000 kW capacity; 6,000 million kWh produced, 160 kWh per capita (1991)
CoalPetroleumCrude oilRefined petroleumNatural gasCarbon dioxide emissionsEnergy consumption per capitaZaire - Communication 1992
top of pageTelephonesTelephone systemBroadcast mediaInternetBroadband fixed subscriptionstop of pageMilitary expendituresPercent of gdp: exchange rate conversion - $49 million, 0.8% of; GDP (1988)
Military and security forcesMilitary service age and obligationSpace programTerrorist groupsZaire - Transportation 1992
top of pageNational air transport systemCivil aircraft registration country code prefixAirports: 284 total, 239 usable; 24 with permanent-surface runways; 1; with runways over 3,659 m; 6; with runways 2,440-3,659 m; 73; with runways 1,220-2,439 m
HeliportsPipelines: petroleum products 390 km
RailwaysRoadwaysWaterways: 15,000 km including the Congo, its tributaries, and unconnected lakes
Merchant marine: 2 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 22,921 GRT/30,332; DWT; includes 1 passenger cargo, 1 cargo; Civil air: 45 major transport aircraft
Ports and terminalsZaire - Transnational issues 1992
top of pageDisputes internationalRefugees and internally displaced personsIllicit drugs: illicit producer of cannabis, mostly for domestic consumption