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 was once 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.

Geographic coordinates: 1 00 S 15 00 E

Map reference: Africa

Area
Total: 342,000 km²
Rank: 63
Land: 341,500 km²
Water: 500 km²
Comparative: slightly smaller than Montana

Land boundaries
Total: 5,504 km
Border countries: (5) Angola 201 km; Cameroon 523 km; Central African Republic 467 km; Democratic Republic of the Congo 2,410 km; Gabon 1903 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
Extremes 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 km² (2003)

Total renewable water resources: 832 km³ (1987)

Natural hazards: seasonal flooding

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

Population: 4,125,916
Rank: 126
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 (July 2010 est.)
Growth rate: 2.807% (2010 est.)
Growth rate rank: 18
Below poverty line: NA%

Nationality
Noun: Congolese
Adjective: Congolese or Congo

Ethnic groups: Kongo 48% Sangha 20% M'Bochi 12% Teke 17% Europeans and other 3%

Languages: French (official) Lingala and Monokutuba (lingua franca trade languages) many local languages and dialects (of which Kikongo is the most widespread)

Religions: Christian 50% animist 48% Muslim 2%

Age structure
0-14 years: 45.9%
15-64 years: 51.2% (male 1,021,975/female 1,034,119)
65 years and over: 2.8% (male 46,687/female 66,889) (2010 est.)

Median age
Total: 16.9 years
Male: 16.7 years
Female: 17.2 years (2010 est.)

Population growth rate: 2.807% (2010 est.)
Rank: 18

Birth rate: 41.01 births/1000 population (2010 est.)
Rank: 12

Death rate: 11.75 deaths/1000 population (July 2010 est.)
Rank: 35

Net migration rate: -1.2 migrant(s)/1000 population (2010 est.)
Rank: 161

Urbanization
Urban population: 61% of total population
Rate of urbanization: 2.7% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)

Environment
Current issues: air pollution from vehicle emissions; water pollution from the dumping of raw sewage; tap water is not potable; deforestation
International 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
International agreements signed but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Sex ratio
At birth: 1.03 male/female
Under 15 years: 1.01 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.99 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.7 male(s)/female
Total population: 0.99 male(s)/female (2010 est.)

Infant mortality rate
Total: 77.93 deaths/1000 live births
Rank: 17
Male: 83.39 deaths/1000 live births
Female: 72.31 deaths/1000 live births (2010 est.)

Life expectancy at birth
Total population: 54.54 years
Rank: 199
Male: 53.27 years
Female: 55.84 years (2010 est.)

Total fertility rate: 5.77 children born/woman (2010 est.)
Rank: 11

Hivaids
Adult prevalence rate: 3.5% (2007 est.)
Adult prevalence rate rank: 19
People living with hivaids: 79,000 (2007 est.)
People living with hivaids rank: 51
Deaths: 6,400 (2007 est.)
Deaths rank: 41

Major infectious diseases
Degree of risk: very high
Food or waterborne diseases: bacterial and protozoal diarrhea hepatitis A and typhoid fever
Vectorborne disease: malaria and African trypanosomiasis (sleeping sickness)
Animal contact disease: rabies
Water contact disease: schistosomiasis (2009)

Education expenditures: 1.9% of GDP (2005)
Rank: 174

Literacy
Definition: age 15 and over can read and write
Total population: 83.8%
Male: 89.6%
Female: 78.4% (2003 est.)

School life expectancy primary to tertiary education
Total: 9 years
Male: 10 years
Female: 9 years (2003)

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 (six hours ahead of Washington DC during Standard Time)

Administrative divisions: 10 regions (regions singular - region) and 1 commune*; Bouenza Brazzaville* Cuvette Cuvette-Ouest Kouilou Lekoumou Likouala Niari Plateaux Pool Sangha

Independence: 15 August 1960 (from France)

National holiday: Independence Day 15 August (1960)

Constitution: approved by referendum 20 January 2002

Legal system: based on French civil law system and customary law; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch
Chief of state: President Denis SASSOU-Nguesso ; 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
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%

Legislative branch: bicameral Parliament consists of the Senate (72 seats; members elected by indirect vote to serve five-year terms) and the National Assembly (137 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms)
Elections: Senate - last held on 5 August 2008 (next to be held in 2013); National Assembly - last held on 24 June and 5 August 2007 (next to be held in 2012)
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 46 MCDDI 11 UPADS 11 MAR 5 MSD 5 independents 37 other 22

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 less important parties

International organization participation: ACP AfDB AU BDEAC CEMAC FAO FZ G-77 IAEA IBRD ICAO ICCt ICRM IDA IFAD IFC IFRCS ILO IMF IMO Interpol IOC IOM IPU ISO (correspondent) ITSO ITU ITUC MIGA NAM OIF OPCW UN UNCTAD UNESCO UNIDO UNITAR UNWTO UPU WCO WFTU WHO WIPO WMO WTO

Diplomatic representation
In the us chief of mission: Ambassador Serge MOMBOULI
In the us chancery: 4,891 Colorado Avenue NW Washington DC 20,011
In the us telephone: [1] (202) 726-5,500
In the us fax: [1] (202) 726-1860
From the us chief of mission: Ambassador Allan EASTHAM
From the us embassy: Boulevard de la Revolution BDEAC Building 4th Floor Brazzaville; note - a new embassy is expected to open in 2009
From the us mailing address: B.P. 1015 Brazzaville
From the us telephone: [242] 281-1481 281-3,368; note - until the new embassy in Brazzaville becomes operational some duties will still be handled in the US embassy in Kinshasa Democratic Republic of the Congo

Flag description: divided diagonally from the lower hoist side by a yellow band; the upper triangle (hoist side) is green and the lower triangle is red; green symbolizes agriculture and forests yellow the friendship and nobility of the people red is unexplained but has been associated with the struggle for independence
Note: uses the popular Pan-African colors of Ethiopia

National anthem
Name: 'La Congolaise'
Lyricsmusic: Jacques TONDRA and Georges KIBANGHI/Jean ROYER and Joseph SPADILIERE
Note: originally adopted 1959 restored 1991

Economy overview: The economy is a mixture of subsistence 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. In the early 1980s rapidly rising oil revenues enabled the government to finance large-scale development projects with GDP growth averaging 5% annually one of the highest rates in Africa. Characterized by budget problems and overstaffing the government has mortgaged a substantial portion of its oil earnings through oil-backed loans that have contributed to a growing debt burden and chronic revenue shortfalls. Economic reform efforts have been undertaken with the support of international organizations notably the World Bank and the IMF. However the reform program came to a halt in June 1997 when civil war erupted. 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 presides over an uneasy internal peace and 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 has boosted the economy's GDP and near-term prospects. In March 2006 the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund (IMF) approved Heavily Indebted Poor Countries (HIPC) treatment for Congo receiving $1.9 billion in debt relief under the program in 2010.

Real gdp purchasing power parity:
Rank: 131
Note: data are in 2010 US dollars

Real gdp growth rate:
Rank: 4

Real gdp per capita:
Rank: 157
Note: data are in 2010 US dollars

Gdp composition by sector of origin
Agriculture: 4.4%
Industry: 63.7%
Services: 32% (2010 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.)
Rank: 8

Labor force: 1.514 million (2007)
Rank: 129

Unemployment rate: NA%

Population below poverty line: NA%

Household income or consumption by percentage share
Lowest 10: 2.1%
Highest 10: 37.1% (2005)

Inflation rate consumer prices: 4.3% (2009 est.)
Rank: 147

Central bank discount rate: 4.75% (31 December 2008)
Rank: 102

Commercial bank prime lending rate:

Stock of narrow money: $1.887 billion (31 December 2009 est)
Rank: 118

Stock of broad money: $2.178 billion (31 December 2009 est.)
Rank: 136

Stock of domestic credit: $1.889 billion (31 December 2008)
Rank: 133

Market value of publicly traded shares: $NA

Current account balance: -$1.195 billion (2009 est.)
Rank: 120

Exports: $7.425 billion (2009 est.)
Rank: 90
Commodities: petroleum lumber plywood sugar cocoa coffee diamonds
Partners: US 40.08% China 30.18% France 8.17% Taiwan 6.4% India 4.2% (2009)

Imports: $3.259 billion (2009 est.)
Rank: 133
Commodities: capital equipment construction materials foodstuffs
Partners: France 20.64% China 14.54% Italy 9.56% US 9.02% India 5.55% Belgium 4.51% (2009)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: $3.806 billion (31 December 2009 est.)
Rank: 71

Debt external: $5 billion (2000 est.)
Rank: 105

Exchange rates: Cooperation Financiere en Afrique Centrale francs per US dollar - 507.71 (2010) 472.19 (2009) 447.81 (2008) 483.6 (2007) 522.59 (2006)

Electricity
Production: 400 million kWh (2007 est.)
Production rank: 163
Consumption: 471 million kWh (2007 est.)
Consumption rank: 163
Exports: 0 kWh (2008 est.)
Imports: 449 million kWh (2007 est.)

Natural gas
Production: 180 million m³ (2008 est.)
Production rank: 75
Consumption: 180 million m³ (2008 est.)
Consumption rank: 100
Exports: 0 m³ (2008 est.)
Exports rank: 185
Imports: 0 m³ (2008 est.)
Imports rank: 187
Proven reserves: 90.61 billion m³ (1 January 2010 est.)
Proven reserves rank: 55

Telephones
Main lines in use: 24,300 (2009)
Main lines in use rank: 185
Mobile cellular: 2.171 million (2009)
Mobile cellular rank: 131

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 and now exceeds 50 per 100 persons
International: country code - 242; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) (2009)

Broadcast media: 1 state-owned TV and 3 state-owned radio stations; several privately-owned TV and radio stations; satellite TV service is available; rebroadcasts of several international broadcasters are available (2007)

Internet
Country code: .cg
Hosts: 42 (2010)
Hosts rank: 213
Users: 245,200 (2009)
Users rank: 136

Military expenditures: 0.9% of GDP (2009)
Rank: 137

Military service age and obligation: 18 years of age for voluntary military service; women allowed to serve (2007)

Airports: 25 (2010)
Rank: 130
With paved runways total: 6
With paved runways over 3047 m: 2
With paved runways 2438 to 3047 m: 1
With paved runways 15-24 to 2437 m: 3 (2010)
With unpaved runways total: 19
With unpaved runways 15-24 to 2437 m: 8
With unpaved runways 914 to 1523 m: 10
With unpaved runways under 914 m: 1 (2010)

Pipelines: gas 7 km; oil 211 km (2009)

Railways
Total: 795 km
Rank: 103
Narrow gauge: 795 km 1.067-m gauge (2008)

Roadways
Total: 17,289 km
Rank: 118
Paved: 864 km
Unpaved: 16,425 km (2004)

Waterways: 1120 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) (2010)
Rank: 62

Merchant marine
Registered in other countries: 1 (2010)
Rank: 163

Ports and terminals: Brazzaville Djeno Impfondo Ouesso Oyo Pointe-Noire

Disputes international: the location of the boundary in the broad Congo River with the Democratic Republic of the Congo is indefinite except in the Pool Malebo/Stanley Pool area

Refugees and internally displaced persons
Refugees: 46,341 (Democratic Republic of Congo); 6,564 (Rwanda)
Idps: 48,000 (multiple civil wars since 1992; most IDPs are ethnic Lari) (2007)