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 installed in 1992.

Map reference: Africa

Area
Total area total: 342,000 km²
Land: 341,500 km²
Comparative: slightly smaller than Montana

Land boundaries: total 5,504 km, Angola 201 km, Cameroon 523 km, Central African Republic 467 km, Gabon 1,903 km, Zaire 2,410 km

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: 0%
Meadows and pastures: 29%
Forest and woodland: 62%
Other: 7%

Irrigated land: 40 km² (1989)

Geography
Note: about 70% of the population lives in Brazzaville, Pointe Noire, or along the railroad between them

Population: 2,504,996 (July 1995 est.)
Growth rate: 2.32% (1995 est.)

Nationality
Noun: Congolese (singular and plural)
Adjective: Congolese or Congo

Ethnic groups
South: Kongo 48%
North: Sangha 20%, M'Bochi 12%
Center: Teke 17%, Europeans 8,500 (mostly French)

Languages: French (official), African languages (Lingala and Kikongo are the most widely used)

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

Age structure
0-14 years: 44% (female 543,324; male 548,840)
15-64 years: 53% (female 682,927; male 645,045)
65 years and over: 3% (female 49,879; male 34,981) (July 1995 est.)

Population growth rate: 2.32% (1995 est.)

Birth rate: 39.86 births/1000 population (1995 est.)

Death rate: 16.7 deaths/1000 population (1995 est.)

Net migration rate: 0 migrant(s)/1000 population (1995 est.)

Environment
Current issues: air pollution from vehicle emissions; water pollution from the dumping of raw sewage; tap water is not potable; deforestation
Current issues natural hazards: seasonal flooding
Current issues international agreements: party to - Endangered Species, Ozone Layer Protection, Tropical Timber 83; signed, but not ratified - Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Law of the Sea, Tropical Timber 94

Infant mortality rate: 109.4 deaths/1000 live births (1995 est.)

Life expectancy at birth
Total population: 47.09 years
Male: 45.23 years
Female: 49 years (1995 est.)

Total fertility rate: 5.23 children born/woman (1995 est.)

Literacy: age 15 and over can read and write (1984)
Total population: 60%
Male: 71%
Female: 49%

Country name
Conventional long form: Republic of the Congo
Conventional short form: Congo
Local long form: Republique Populaire du Congo
Local short form: Congo
Former: Congo/Brazzaville

Government type: republic

Capital: Brazzaville

Administrative divisions: 9 regions (regions, singular - region) and 1 commune*; Bouenza, Brazzaville*, Cuvette, Kouilou, Lekoumou, Likouala, Niari, Plateaux, Pool, Sangha

Independence: 15 August 1960 (from France)

National holiday: Congolese National Day, 15 August (1960)

Constitution: new constitution approved by referendum March 1992

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

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch
Chief of state: President Pascal LISSOUBA (since August 1992); election last held August 1992 (next to be held August 1997); results - President Pascal LISSOUBA won with 61% of the vote
Head of government: Prime Minister Jacques Joachim YHOMBI-OPANGO (since 23 June 1993)
Cabinet: Council of Ministers; named by the president

Legislative branch: bicameral
National Assembly Assemblee Nationale: election last held 3 October 1993; results - percentage vote by party NA; seats - (125 total) UPADS 64, URD/PCT 58, others 3
Senate: election last held 26 July 1992 (next to be held July 1998); results - percent of vote by party NA; seats - (60 total) UPADS 23, MCDDI 14, RDD 8, RDPS 5, PCT 2, others 8

Judicial branch: Supreme Court (Cour Supreme)

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

Diplomatic representation
In the us chief of mission: Ambassador Pierre Damien BOUSSOUKOU-BOUMBA
In the us chancery: 4,891 Colorado Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20,011
In the us telephone: [1] (202) 726-0825
In the us FAX: [1] (202) 726-1860
From the us chief of mission: Ambassador William C. RAMSEY
From the us embassy: Avenue Amilcar Cabral, Brazzaville
From the us mailing address: B. P. 1015, Brazzaville
From the us telephone: [242] 83 20 70
From the us FAX: [242] 83 63 38

Flag description: red, divided diagonally from the lower hoist side by a yellow band; the upper triangle (hoist side) is green and the lower triangle is red; uses the popular pan-African colors of Ethiopia

Economy overview: Congo's economy is a mixture of village agriculture and handicrafts, an industrial sector based largely on oil, support services, and a government characterized by budget problems and overstaffing. A reform program, supported by the IMF and World Bank, ran into difficulties in 1990-91 because of problems in changing to a democratic political regime and a heavy debt-servicing burden. 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. Subsequently, growth has slowed to an average of roughly 1.5% annually, only two-thirds of the population growth rate. Political turmoil and misguided government investment have derailed economic reform programs sponsored by the IMF and World Bank. Even with these difficulties Congo enjoys one of the highest incomes per capita in sub-Saharan Africa

Real gdp growth rate: -2.1% (1993 est.)

Real gdp per capita: $2,820 (1994 est.)

Agriculture products: accounts for 12% 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: petroleum, cement, lumbering, brewing, sugar milling, palm oil, soap, cigarette

Industrial production growth rate: 8% (1993 est.), accounts for 35% of GDP; includes petroleum

Labor force: 79,100 wage earners
By occupation agriculture: 75%
By occupation commerce industry and government: 25%

Unemployment rate: NA%

Budget
Revenues: $765 million
Expenditures: $952 million, including capital expenditures of $65 million (1990)

Fiscal year: calendar year

Exports: $1.1 billion (f.o.b., 1993)
Commodoties: crude oil 83%, lumber, plywood, sugar, cocoa, coffee, diamonds
Partners: US, Italy, France, Spain, other EC countries

Imports: $472 million (c.i.f., 1991)
Commodoties: intermediate manufactures, capital equipment, construction materials, foodstuffs
Partners: France, US, Italy, Japan, other EC countries

Debt external: $4 billion (1993)

Exchange rates: Communaute Financiere Africaine francs (CFAF) per US$1 - 529.43 (January 1994), 555.20 (1994), 283.16 (1993), 264.69 (1992), 282.11 (1991), 272.26 (1990)
Note: beginning 12 January 1994, the CFA franc was devalued to CFAF 100 per French franc from CFAF 50 at which it had been fixed since 1948

Electricity
Capacity: 120,000 kW
Production: 400 million kWh
Production consumption per capita: 201 kWh (1993)

Telephone system: 18,100 telephones; 7 telephones/1000 persons; services adequate for government use; key centers are Brazzaville, Pointe-Noire, and Loubomo
Local: NA
Intercity: primary network consists of microwave radio relay and coaxial cable
International: 1 Atlantic Ocean INTELSAT earth station

Military expenditures
Dollar figure: $110 million, 3.8% of GDP (1993)

Airports: 41
With paved runways over 3047 m: 1
With paved runways 15-24 to 2437 m: 3
With paved runways under 914 m: 11
With unpaved runways 15-24 to 2438 m: 8
With unpaved runways 914 to 1523 m: 18

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

Merchant marine: none

Disputes international: long segment of boundary with Zaire along the Congo River is indefinite (no division of the river or its islands has been made)