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.

Land boundaries:

Coastline: 169 km

Maritime claims: Territorial sea:200 nm

Climate: tropical; rainy season (March to June; dry season (June to October; constantly high temperatures and humidity; particularly enervating climate astride the Equator

Terrain: coastal plain, southern basin, central plateau, northern basin

Natural resources: petroleum, timber, potash, lead, zinc, uranium, copper, phosphates, natural gas

Land use: arable land: 2%; permanent crops: NEGL%; meadows and pastures 29%; forest and woodland 62%; other 7%

Population: 2,309,444 (July 1991), growth rate 3.0% (1991)

Nationality: noun--Congolese (sing., pl.; adjective--Congolese or Congo

Ethnic groups: about 15 ethnic groups divided into some 75 tribes, almost all Bantu; most important ethnic groups are Kongo (48%) in the south, Sangha (20%) and M'Bochi (12%) in the north, Teke (17%) in the center; about 8,500 Europeans, mostly French

Languages: French (official; many African languages with Lingala and Kikongo most widely used

Religions: Christian 50%, animist 48%, Muslim 2%

Birth rate: 43 births/1000 population (1991)

Death rate: 13 deaths/1000 population (1991)

Net migration rate: 0 migrants/1000 population (1991)

Environment
Current issues: deforestation; about 70% of the population lives in Brazzaville, Pointe Noire, or along the railroad between them

Infant mortality rate: 108 deaths/1000 live births (1991)

Life expectancy at birth: 52 years male, 56 years female (1991)

Total fertility rate: 5.7 children born/woman (1991)

Literacy: 57% (male 70%, female 44%) age 15 and over can read and write (1990 est.)

Country name: conventional long form: Republic of the Congo

Government type: republic

Capital: Brazzaville

Administrative divisions: 9 regions (regions, singular--region; Bouenza, Cuvette, Kouilou, Lekoumou, Likouala, Niari, Plateaux, Pool, Sangha; note--there may be a new capital district of Brazzaville

Independence: 15 August 1960 (from France; formerly Congo/Brazzaville)

National holiday: National Day, 15 August (1960)

Constitution: 8 July 1979, currently being modified

Legal system: based on French civil law system and customary law

Suffrage: universal at age 18

Executive branch: Chief of State--President Denis SASSOU-NGUESSO (since 8 February 1979; Head of Government--Prime Minister Brig. Gen. Louis-Sylvain GOMA (since 9 January 1991)

Legislative branch: Army, Navy (including Marines), Air Force, paramilitary National People's Militia, National Police

Judicial branch: Supreme Court (Cour Supreme)

International organization participation: ACCT, ACP, AfDB, BDEAC, CCC, CEEAC, ECA, FAO, FZ, G-77, GATT, IBRD, ICAO, IDA, IFAD, IFC, ILO, IMF, IMO, INTELSAT, INTERPOL, IOC, ITU, LORCS, NAM, OAU, UDEAC, UN, UNAVEM, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Diplomatic representation
In the us: Ambassador Roger ISSOMBO; Chancery at 4,891 Colorado Avenue NW, Washington DC 20,011; telephone (202) 726-5,500; US--Ambassador James Daniel PHILLIPS; Embassy at Avenue Amilcar Cabral, Brazzaville (mailing address is B. P. 1015, Brazzaville, or Box C, APO New York 9,662-0006; telephone (242) 83-20-70 or 83-26-24

Flag description: red with the national emblem in the upper hoist-side corner; the emblem includes a yellow five-pointed star above a crossed hoe and hammer (like the hammer and sickle design) in yellow, flanked by two curved green palm branches; uses the popular pan-African colors of Ethiopia Congo CongoCongo

Economy overview: Oil has supplanted forestry as the mainstay of the economy, providing about two-thirds of government revenues and exports. In the early 1980s rapidly rising oil revenues enabled Congo to finance large-scale development projects with growth averaging 5% annually, one of the highest rates in Africa. The world decline in oil prices, however, has forced the government to launch an austerity program to cope with declining receipts and mounting foreign debts.

Agriculture products: accounts for 10% of GDP (including fishing and forestry; cassava accounts for 90% of food output; other crops--rice, corn, peanuts, vegetables; cash crops include coffee and cocoa; forest products important export earner; imports over 90% of food needs

Industries: crude oil, cement, sawmills, brewery, sugar mill, palm oil, soap, cigarettes

Industrial production growth rate: 1.2% (1989; accounts for 33% of GDP, including petroleum

Labor force: 79,100 wage earners; agriculture 75%, commerce, industry, and government 25%; 51% of population of working age; 40% of population economically active (1985)

Unemployment rate: NA%

Budget: revenues $522 million; expenditures $767 million, including capital expenditures of $141 million (1989)

Fiscal year: calendar year

Exports: $751 million (f.o.b., 1988)
Commodities: crude petroleum 72%, lumber, plywood, coffee, cocoa, sugar, diamonds
Partners: US, France, other EC

Imports: $564 million (c.i.f., 1988)
Commodities: foodstuffs, consumer goods, intermediate manufactures, capital equipment
Partners: France, Italy, other EC, US, FRG, Spain, Japan, Brazil

Debt external: $4.5 billion (December 1988)

Exchange rates: Communaute Financiere Africaine francs (CFAF) per US$1--256.54 (January 1991), 272.26 (1990), 319.01 (1989), 297.85 (1988), 300.54 (1987), 346.30 (1986), 449.26 (1985)

Electricity
Capacity: 133,000 kW capacity; 300 million kWh produced, 130 kWh per capita (1989)

Military expenditures
Percent of gdp: $99 million, 4.6% of GDP (1987 est.)

Airports: 50 total, 45 usable; 5 with permanent-surface runways; none with runways over 3,659 m; 1 with runways 2,440-3,659 m; 18 with runways 1,220-2,439 m

Pipelines: crude oil 25 km

Waterways: the Congo and Ubangi (Oubangui) Rivers provide 1,120 km of commercially navigable water transport; the rest are used for local traffic only

Disputes international: long section with Democratic Republic of the Congo along the Congo River is indefinite (no division of the river or its islands has been made)