Background: Since 1997 the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DROC; formerly called Zaire) has been rent by ethnic strife and civil war touched off by a massive inflow in 1994 of refugees from the fighting in Rwanda and Burundi. The government of former president MOBUTU Sese Seko was toppled by a rebellion led by Laurent KABILA in May 1997; his regime was subsequently challenged by a Rwanda- and Uganda-backed rebellion in August 1998. Troops from Zimbabwe Angola Namibia Chad and Sudan intervened to support the Kinshasa regime. A cease-fire was signed on 10 July 1999 by the DROC Zimbabwe Angola Uganda Namibia Rwanda and Congolese armed rebel groups but sporadic fighting continued. KABILA was assassinated on 16 January 2001 and his son Joseph KABILA was named head of state ten days later. In October 2002 the new president was successful in getting occupying Rwandan forces to withdraw from eastern Congo; two months later an agreement was signed by all remaining warring parties to end the fighting and set up a government of national unity.

Geographic coordinates: 0 00 N 25 00 E

Map reference: Africa

Area
Total: 2,345,410 km²
Water: 77,810 km²
Land: 2,267,600 km²
Comparative: slightly less than one-fourth the size of the US

Land boundaries
Total: 10,730 km
Border countries: (9) Angola 2,511 km; (of which 225 km; is the boundary of Angola's discontiguous Cabinda Province), Burundi 233 km; , Central African Republic 1,577 km; , Republic of the Congo 2,410 km; , Rwanda 217 km; , Sudan 628 km; , Tanzania 459 km; , Uganda 765 km; , Zambia 1,930 km

Coastline: 37 km

Maritime claims
Exclusive economic zone: boundaries with neighbors
Territorial sea: 12 NM

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

Elevation
Extremes lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m
Extremes highest point: Pic Marguerite on Mont Ngaliema (Mount Stanley) 5,110 m

Natural resources: cobalt copper cadmium petroleum industrial and gem diamonds gold silver zinc manganese tin germanium uranium radium bauxite iron ore coal hydropower timber

Land use
Arable land: 2.96%
Permanent crops: 0.52%
Other: 96.52% (1998 est.)

Irrigated land: 110 km² (1998 est.)

Natural hazards: periodic droughts in south; Congo River floods (seasonal); in the east in the Great Rift Valley there are active volcanoes

Geography
Note: straddles Equator; has very narrow strip of land that controls the lower Congo River and is only outlet to South Atlantic Ocean; dense tropical rain forest in central river basin and eastern highlands

Population
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 and death rates, lower population and growth rates, and changes in the distribution of population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July 2002 est.)
Growth rate: 2.79% (2002 est.)
Below poverty line: NA%

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

Ethnic groups: over 200 African ethnic groups of which the majority are Bantu; the four largest tribes - Mongo Luba Kongo (all Bantu) and the Mangbetu-Azande (Hamitic) make up about 45% of the population

Languages: French (official) Lingala (a lingua franca trade language) Kingwana (a dialect of Kiswahili or Swahili) Kikongo Tshiluba

Religions: Roman Catholic 50% Protestant 20% Kimbanguist 10% Muslim 10% other syncretic sects and indigenous beliefs 10%

Age structure
0-14 years: 48.2% (male 13,369,493; female 13,256,174)
15-64 years: 49.3% (male 13,343,303; female 13,860,996)
65 years and over: 2.5% (male 581,568; female 813,944) (2002 est.)

Population growth rate: 2.79% (2002 est.)

Birth rate: 45.55 births/1000 population (2002 est.)

Death rate: 14.93 deaths/1000 population (2002 est.)

Net migration rate
Note: one million refugees fled into Zaire (now called the Democratic Republic of the Congo or DROC) in 1994 as a result of the ethnic fighting in Rwanda; fighting in the DROC between rebels and government forces in October 1996 caused 875,000 refugees to return to Rwanda in late 1996 and early 1997 and additional refugees have returned in subsequent years; fighting between the Congolese government and Uganda- and Rwanda-backed Congolese rebels spawned a regional war in DROC in August 1998, which left 1.8 million Congolese displaced in DROC and caused 300,000 Congolese refugees to flee to surrounding countries (2002 est.)

Environment
Current issues: poaching threatens wildlife populations; water pollution; deforestation; refugees responsible for significant deforestation soil erosion and wildlife poaching; mining of minerals (coltan - a mineral used in creating capacitors diamonds and gold) causing environmental damage
International agreements party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands
International agreements signed but not ratified: Environmental Modification

Sex ratio
At birth: 1.03 male/female
Under 15 years: 1.01 male/female
15-64 years: 0.96 male/female
65 years and over: 0.71 male/female
Total population: 0.98 male/female (2002 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 98.05 deaths/1000 live births (2002 est.)

Life expectancy at birth
Total population: 49.13 years
Female: 51.13 years (2002 est.)
Male: 47.19 years

Total fertility rate: 6.77 children born/woman (2002 est.)

Hivaids
Adult prevalence rate: 5.07% (1999 est.)
People living with hivaids: 1.1 million (1999 est.)
Deaths: 95,000 (1999 est.)

Literacy
Definition: age 15 and over can read and write French, Lingala, Kingwana, or Tshiluba
Total population: 77.3%
Male: 86.6%
Female: 67.7% (1995 est.)

Country name
Conventional long form: Democratic Republic of the Congo
Conventional short form: none
Local short form: none
Former: Congo Free State, Belgian Congo, Congo/Leopoldville, Congo/Kinshasa, Zaire
Local long form: Republique Democratique du Congo
Abbreviation: DROC

Government type: dictatorship; presumably undergoing a transition to representative government

Capital: Kinshasa

Administrative divisions: 10 provinces (provinces singular - province) and one city* (ville); Bandundu Bas-Congo Equateur Kasai-Occidental Kasai-Oriental Katanga Kinshasa* Maniema Nord-Kivu Orientale Sud-Kivu

Independence: 30 June 1960 (from Belgium)

National holiday: Independence Day 30 June (1960)

Constitution: 24 June 1967 amended August 1974 revised 15 February 1978 amended April 1990; transitional constitution promulgated in April 1994; in November 1998 a draft constitution was approved by former President Laurent KABILA but it was not ratified by a national referendum; one outcome of the ongoing inter-Congolese dialogue is to be a new constitution

Legal system: based on Belgian civil law system and tribal law; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal and compulsory

Executive branch
Chief of state: President Joseph KABILA (since 26 January 2001); note - following the assassination of his father, Laurent Desire KABILA, on 16 January 2001, Joseph KABILA succeeded to the presidency; the president is both the chief of state and head of government
Head of government: President Joseph KABILA (since 26 January 2001); note - following the assassination of his father, Laurent Desire KABILA, on 16 January 2001, Joseph KABILA succeeded to the presidency; the president is both the chief of state and head of government
Cabinet: National Executive Council, appointed by the president
Elections: before Laurent Desire KABILA seized power on 16 May 1997, the president was elected by popular vote for a seven-year term; election last held 29 July 1984 (next was scheduled to be held in May 1997); formerly, there was also a prime minister who was elected by the High Council of the Republic; note - elections were not held in 1991 as called for by the constitution
Note: Marshal MOBUTU Sese Seko Kuku Ngbendu wa Za Banga was president from 24 November 1965 until forced into exile on 16 May 1997 when his government was overthrown militarily by Laurent Desire KABILA; KABILA immediately assumed governing authority and pledged to hold elections by April 1999, but, in December 1998, announced that elections would be postponed until all foreign military forces attempting to topple the government had withdrawn from the country; KABILA was assassinated in January 2001 and was succeeded by his son Joseph KABILA
Election results: results of the last election were: MOBUTU Sese Seko Kuku Ngbendu wa Za Banga reelected president in 1984 without opposition

Legislative branch
Elections: NA; members of the Transitional Constituent Assembly were appointed by former President Laurent Desire KABILA

Judicial branch: Supreme Court or Cour Supreme

Political parties and leaders: Democratic Social Christian Party or PDSC [Andre BO-BOLIKO]; Forces for Renovation for Union and Solidarity or FONUS [Joseph OLENGHANKOY]; National Congolese Lumumbist Movement or MNC [Francois LUMUMBA]; Popular Movement of the Revolution or MPR [three factions: MPR-Fait Prive (Catherine NZUZI wa Mbombo); MPR/Vunduawe (Felix VUNDUAWE); MPR/Mananga (MANANGA Dintoka Mpholo)]; Unified Lumumbast Party or PALU [Antoine GIZENGA]; Union for Democracy and Social Progress or UDPS [Etienne TSHISEKEDI wa Mulumba]; Union of Federalists and Independent Republicans or UFERI [two factions: UFERI (Lokambo OMOKOKO); UFERI/OR (Adolph Kishwe MAYA)]

International organization participation: ACCT ACP AfDB CCC CEEAC CEPGL ECA FAO G-19 G-24 G-77 IAEA IBRD ICAO ICFTU ICRM IDA IFAD IFC IFRCS IHO ILO IMF IMO Interpol IOC IOM ISO (correspondent) ITU NAM OAU OPCW (signatory) PCA SADC UN UNCTAD UNESCO UNHCR UNIDO UPU WCL WFTU WHO WIPO WMO WToO WTrO

Diplomatic representation
In the us chief of mission: Ambassador Faida MITIFU
In the us fax: [1] (202) 234-2,609
In the us telephone: [1] (202) 234-7,690, 7,691
In the us chancery: 1800 New Hampshire Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20,009
From the us chief of mission: Ambassador Aubrey HOOKS
From the us embassy: 310 Avenue des Aviateurs, Kinshasa
From the us mailing address: Unit 31,550, APO AE 9,828
From the us telephone: [243] (88) 43,608
From the us fax: [243] (88) 43,467

Flag description: light blue with a large yellow five-pointed star in the center and a columnar arrangement of six small yellow five-pointed stars along the hoist side

Economy overview: The economy of the Democratic Republic of the Congo - a nation endowed with vast potential wealth - has declined drastically since the mid-1980s. The war which began in August 1998 has dramatically reduced national output and government revenue and has increased external debt. Foreign businesses have curtailed operations due to uncertainty about the outcome of the conflict lack of infrastructure and the difficult operating environment. The war has intensified the impact of such basic problems as an uncertain legal framework corruption raging inflation and lack of openness in government economic policy and financial operations. A number of IMF and World Bank missions have met with the government to help it develop a coherent economic plan and President KABILA has begun implementing reforms.

Real gdp growth rate: -4% (2001 est.)

Real gdp per capita: purchasing power parity - $590 (2001 est.)

Gdp composition by sector of origin
Agriculture: 54%
Industry: 9%
Services: 37% (1999 est.)

Agriculture products: coffee sugar palm oil rubber tea quinine cassava (tapioca) palm oil bananas root crops corn fruits; wood products

Industries: mining (diamonds copper zinc) mineral processing consumer products (including textiles footwear cigarettes processed foods and beverages) cement

Industrial production growth rate: NA%

Labor force: 14.51 million (1993 est.)
By occupation agriculture: 65%
By occupation industry: 16%
By occupation services: 19% (1991 est.)

Unemployment rate: NA%

Population below poverty line: NA%

Household income or consumption by percentage share
Lowest 10: NA%
Highest 10: NA%

Budget
Revenues: $269 million
Expenditures: $244 million, including capital expenditures of $24 million

Fiscal year: calendar year

Inflation rate consumer prices: 358% (2001 est.)

Exports: $750 million f.o.b. (2001 est.)
Commodities: diamonds copper coffee cobalt crude oil
Partners: Benelux 62% US 18% South Africa Finland Italy (1999)

Imports: $1.024 billion f.o.b. (2001 est.)
Commodities: foodstuffs mining and other machinery transport equipment fuels
Partners: South Africa 28% Benelux 14% Nigeria 9% Kenya 7% China (1999)

Debt external: $12.9 billion (2000 est.)

Exchange rates
Note: on 30 June 1998 the Congolese franc was introduced, replacing the new zaire

Electricity
Production: 5.268 billion kWh (1999)
Production by source fossil fuel: 2%
Production by source hydro: 98%
Production by source other: 0% (1999)
Production by source nuclear: 0%
Consumption: 4.55 billion kWh (1999)
Exports: 404 million kWh (1999)
Imports: 55 million kWh (1999)

Telephones
Main lines in use: 20,000 (2000)
Mobile cellular: 15,000 (2000)

Telephone system
General assessment: poor
Domestic: barely adequate wire and microwave radio relay service in and between urban areas; domestic satellite system with 14 earth stations
International: satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)

Internet
Country code: .cd
Service providers isps: 1 (2001)
Users: 6,000 (2002)

Military expenditures
Dollar figure: $250 million (FY97)
Percent of gdp: 4.6% (FY97)

Airports: 232 (2001)
With paved runways total: 24
With paved runways over 3047 m: 4
With paved runways 2438 to 3047 m: 2
With paved runways 914 to 1523 m: 2 (2002)
With paved runways 15-24 to 2437 m: 16
With unpaved runways total: 205
With unpaved runways 15-24 to 2437 m: 19
With unpaved runways 914 to 1523 m: 95
With unpaved runways under 914 m: 91 (2002)

Heliports: 1 (2002)

Pipelines: petroleum products 390 km

Railways
Total: 5,138 km
Narrow gauge: 3,987 km 1.067-m gauge (858 km electrified); 125 km 1.000-m gauge; 1,026 km 0.600-m gauge
Note: severely reduced route-distance in use because of damage to facilities by civil strife (2000 est.)

Waterways: 15,000 km (including the Congo and its tributaries and unconnected lakes)

Merchant marine: none (2002 est.)

Disputes international: Democratic Republic of the Congo is in the grip of a civil war that has drawn in military forces from neighboring states with Uganda and Rwanda supporting the rebel movements that occupy much of the eastern portion of the state; Tutsi Hutu and other conflicting ethnic groups political rebels and various government forces continue fighting in Great Lakes region transcending the boundaries of Burundi Democratic Republic of the Congo Rwanda and Uganda; most of the Congo River boundary with the Republic of the Congo is indefinite (no agreement has been reached on the division of the river or its islands except in the Pool Malebo/Stanley Pool area)

Illicit drugs: illicit producer of cannabis mostly for domestic consumption; while rampant corruption and inadequate supervision leaves the banking system vulnerable to money laundering the lack of a well-developed financial system limits the country's utility as a money-laundering center