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 two-year civil war that ended in 1999 restored former Marxist President Denis SASSOU-Nguesso, who had ruled from 1979 to 1992, and sparked a short period of ethnic and political unrest that was resolved by a peace agreement in late 1999. A new constitution adopted three years later provided for a multi-party system and a seven-year presidential term, and elections arranged shortly thereafter installed SASSOU-Nguesso. Following a year of renewed fighting, President SASSOU-Nguesso and southern-based rebel groups agreed to a final peace accord in March 2003. SASSOU-Nguesso was reeelected in 2009 and, after passing a referendum allowing him to run for a third term, was reelected again in 2016. The Republic of Congo is 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
Land: 341,500 km²
Water: 500 km²
Rank: 65
Comparative: slightly smaller than Montana; about twice the size of Florida

Land boundaries
Total: 5,008 km
Border countries: (5) Angola 231 km; , Cameroon 494 km; , Central African Republic 487 km; , Democratic Republic of the Congo 1229 km; , Gabon 2,567 km

Coastline: 169 km

Maritime claims
Territorial sea: 12 nm
Exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
Contiguous zone: 24 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
Mean elevation: 430 m
Lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m
Highest point: Mount Berongou 903 m

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

Land use
Agricultural land: 31.1% (2011 est.)
Forest: 65.6% (2011 est.)
Other: 3.3% (2011 est.)

Irrigated land: 20 km² (2012)

Natural hazards: seasonal flooding

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

Population
Distribution rank: population distribution map: 5,293,070 (July 2020 est.)
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
Rank: 121
Growth rate: 2.26% (2020 est.)
Growth rate rank: 32
Below poverty line: 46.5% (2011 est.)

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

Ethnic groups: Kongo 40.5%, Teke 16.9%, Mbochi 13.1%, foreigner 8.2%, Sangha 5.6%, Mbere/Mbeti/Kele 4.4%, Punu 4.3%, Pygmy 1.6%, Oubanguiens 1.6%, Duma 1.5%, Makaa 1.3%, other and unspecified 1% (2014-15 est.)

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

Religions: Roman Catholic 33.1%, Awakening Churches/Christian Revival 22.3%, Protestant 19.9%, Salutiste 2.2%, Muslim 1.6%, Kimbanguiste 1.5%, other 8.1%, none 11.3% (2010 est.)

Age structure
0-14 years: 41.57% (male 1,110,484/female 1,089,732)
15-24 years: 17.14% (male 454,981/female 452,204)
25-54 years: 33.5% (male 886,743/female 886,312)
55-64 years: 4.59% (male 125,207/female 117,810)
65 years and over: 3.2% (male 75,921/female 93,676) (2020 est.)

Dependency ratios
Total dependency ratio: 78.7
Youth dependency ratio: 73.7
Elderly dependency ratio: 4.9
Potential support ratio: 20.3 (2020 est.)

Median age
Total: 19.5 years
Male: 19.3 years
Female: 19.7 years (2020 est.)
Rank: 202

Population growth rate: 2.26% (2020 est.)
Rank: 32

Birth rate: 32.6 births/1000 population (2020 est.)
Rank: 26

Death rate: 8.7 deaths/1000 population (2020 est.)
Rank: 68

Net migration rate: -0.9 migrant(s)/1000 population (2020 est.)
Rank: 138

Population distribution
Rank: population distribution map

Urbanization
Urban population: 67.8% of total population
Note: (2015-20 est.)
Rate of urbanization: 3.28% annual rate of change

Major urban areas
Population: 2.388 million BRAZZAVILLE (capital), 1.214 million Pointe-Noire (2020)

Environment
Current issues: air pollution from vehicle emissions; water pollution from raw sewage; tap water is not potable; deforestation; wildlife protection
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(s)/female
0-14 years: 1.02 male(s)/female
15-24 years: 1.01 male(s)/female
25-54 years: 1 male(s)/female
55-64 years: 1.06 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.81 male(s)/female
Total population: 1.01 male(s)/female (2020 est.)

Mothers mean age at first birth: 19.8 years (2011/12 est.)
Note: median age at first birth among women 25-29

Infant mortality rate
Total: 50.7 deaths/1000 live births
Male: 55.3 deaths/1000 live births
Female: 45.9 deaths/1000 live births (2020 est.)
Rank: 24

Life expectancy at birth
Total population: 61.3 years
Male: 59.9 years
Female: 62.7 years (2020 est.)
Rank: 213

Total fertility rate: 4.45 children born/woman (2020 est.)
Rank: 24

Contraceptive prevalence rate: 30.1% (2014/15)

Drinking water source
Urban: 2.5% of population
Rural: 43.6% of population
Total: 16.3% of population (2017 est.)

Current health expenditure: 2.9% (2017)

Physicians density: 0.16 physicians/1000 population (2011)

Sanitation facility access
Urban: 26.6% of population
Rural: 84.9% of population
Total: 46.1% of population (2017 est.)

Hivaids
Adult prevalence rate: 3.1% (2019 est.)
Adult prevalence rate rank: 18
People living with hivaids: 100,000 (2019 est.)
People living with hivaids rank: 46
Deaths: 4,500 (2019 est.)
Deaths rank: 28

Major infectious diseases
Degree of risk: very high (2020)
Food or waterborne diseases: bacterial and protozoal diarrhea, hepatitis A, and typhoid fever
Vectorborne diseases: malaria and dengue fever
Water contact diseases: schistosomiasis
Animal contact diseases: rabies

Obesity adult prevalence rate: 9.6% (2016)
Rank: 143

Children under the age of 5 years underweight: 12.3% (2015)
Rank: 52

Education expenditures: 3.5% of GDP (2018)
Rank: 115

Literacy
Definition: age 15 and over can read and write
Total population: 80.3%
Male: 86.1%
Female: 74.6% (2018)

School life expectancy primary to tertiary education
Total: 11 years
Male: 11 years
Female: 11 years (2012)

Country name
Conventional long form: Republic of the Congo
Conventional short form: Congo (Brazzaville)
Local long form: Republique du Congo
Local short form: Congo
Former: French Congo, Middle Congo, Peoples Republic of the Congo, Congo/Brazzaville
Etymology: named for the Congo River, which makes up much of the countrys eastern border; the river name derives from Kongo, a Bantu kingdom that occupied its mouth at the time of Portuguese discovery in the late 15th century and whose name stems from its people the Bakongo, meaning hunters

Government type: presidential republic

Capital
Name: Brazzaville
Geographic coordinates: 4 15 S, 15 17 E
Time difference: UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time): etymology: named after the Italian-born French explorer and humanitarian, Pierre Savorgnan de BRAZZA (1852-1905), who promoted French colonial interests in central Africa and worked against slavery and the abuse of African laborers

Administrative divisions: 12 departments (departments, singular - department); Bouenza, Brazzaville, Cuvette, Cuvette-Ouest, Kouilou, Lekoumou, Likouala, Niari, Plateaux, Pointe-Noire, Pool, Sangha

Independence: 15 August 1960 (from France)

National holiday: Independence Day, 15 August (1960)

Constitution
History: several previous; latest approved by referendum 25 October 2015
Amendments: proposed by the president of the republic or by Parliament; passage of presidential proposals requires Supreme Court review followed by approval in a referendum; such proposals may also be submitted directly to Parliament, in which case passage requires at least three-quarters majority vote of both houses in joint session; proposals by Parliament require three-fourths majority vote of both houses in joint session; constitutional articles including those affecting the country’s territory, republican form of government, and secularity of the state are not amendable

Legal system: mixed legal system of French civil law and customary law

International law organization participation: has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; accepts ICCt jurisdiction

Citizenship
Citizenship by birth: no
Citizenship by descent only: at least one parent must be a citizen of the Republic of the Congo
Dual citizenship recognized: no
Residency requirement for naturalization: 10 years

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch
Chief of state: President Denis SASSOU-Nguesso (since 25 October 1997)
Head of government: Prime Minister Clement MOUAMBA (since 24 April 2016); note - a constitutional referendum held in 2015 approved the change of the head of government from the president to the prime minister (2019)
Cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president
Electionsappointments: president directly elected by absolute majority popular vote in 2 rounds if needed for a 5-year term (eligible for 2 additional terms); election last held on 20 March 2016 (next to be held in 2021)
Election results: Denis SASSOU-Nguesso reelected president in the first round; percent of vote - Denis SASSOU-Nguesso (PCT) 60.4%, Guy Price Parfait KOLELAS (MCDDI) 15.1%, Jean-Marie MOKOKO (independent) 13.9%, Pascal Tsaty MABIALA (UPADS) 4.4%, other 6.2%

Judicial branch
Highest courts: Supreme Court or Cour Supreme (consists of NA judges); Constitutional Court (consists of 9 members); note - a High Court of Justice, outside the judicial authority, tries cases involving treason by the president of the republic
Judge selection and term of office: Supreme Court judges elected by Parliament and serve until age 65; Constitutional Court members appointed by the president of the republic - 3 directly by the president and 6 nominated by Parliament; members appointed for renewable 9-year terms with one-third of the membership renewed every 3 years
Subordinate courts: Court of Audit and Budgetary Discipline; courts of appeal; regional and district courts; employment tribunals; juvenile courts

Political parties and leaders: Action Movement for Renewal or MAR [Roland BOUITI-VIAUDO]Citizen's Rally or RC [Claude Alphonse NSILOU]Congolese Labour Party or PCT [Denis SASSOU-NGUESSO]Congolese Movement for Democracy and Integral Development or MCDDI [Guy Price Parfait KOLELAS]Movement for Unity, Solidarity, and Work or MUST [Claudine MUNARI]Pan-African Union for Social Development or UPADS [Pascal Tsaty MABIALA]Party for the Unity of the Republic or PURPatriotic Union for Democracy and Progress or UPDP [Auguste-Celestin GONGARD NKOUA]Prospects and Realities Club or CPRRally for Democracy and Social Progress or RDPS [Bernard BATCHI]Rally of the Presidential Majority or RMPRepublican and Liberal Party or PRL [Bonaventure MIZIDY]Union for the Republic or URUnion of Democratic Forces or UDFUnion for Democracy and Republic or UDRmany smaller parties

International organization participation: ACP, AfDB, AU, BDEAC, CEMAC, EITI (compliant country), 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 (NGOs), MIGA, NAM, OIF, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNITAR, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Diplomatic representation
In the us chief of mission: Ambassador Serge MOMBOULI (since 31 July 2001)
In the us chancery: 1720 16th Street NW, Washington, DC 20,009
In the us telephone: [1] (202) 726-5,500
In the us FAX: [1] (202) 726-1860
From the us chief of mission: Ambassador Todd P. HASKELL (since July 2017)
From the us telephone: [242] 06 612-2000
From the us embassy: 70-83 Section D, Maya-Maya Boulevard, Brazzaville
From the us mailing address: B.P. 1015, Brazzaville

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 symbols: lion, elephant; national colors: green, yellow, red

National anthem
Name: La Congolaise (The Congolese)
Lyricsmusic: Jacques TONDRA and Georges KIBANGHI/Jean ROYER and Joseph SPADILIERE
Note: originally adopted 1959, restored 1991

Real gdp purchasing power parity
Real:
Real note: data are in 2017 dollars

Real gdp growth rate:
Rank: 212

Real gdp per capita:
Note: data are in 2017 dollars
Rank: 140

Gross national saving:
Rank: 101

Gdp composition by end use
Household consumption: 47.6% (2017 est.)
Government consumption: 9.6% (2017 est.)
Investment in fixed capital: 42.5% (2017 est.)
Investment in inventories: 0.1% (2017 est.)
Exports of goods and services: 62.9% (2017 est.)
Imports of goods and services: -62.7% (2017 est.)

Gdp composition by sector of origin
Agriculture: 9.3% (2017 est.)
Industry: 51% (2017 est.)
Services: 39.7% (2017 est.)

Agriculture products: cassava (manioc, 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: -3% (2017 est.)
Rank: 187

Labor force: 2.055 million (2016 est.)
Rank: 121
By occupation agriculture: 35.4%
By occupation industry: 20.6%
By occupation services: 44% (2005 est.)

Unemployment rate: 36% (2014 est.)
Rank: 212

Population below poverty line: 46.5% (2011 est.)

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

Budget
Revenues: 1.965 billion (2017 est.)
Expenditures: 2.578 billion (2017 est.)
Surplus or deficit: -7% (of GDP) (2017 est.)
Surplus or deficit rank: 194

Taxes and other revenues: 22.5% (of GDP) (2017 est.)
Rank: 132

Public debt:
Rank: 7

Fiscal year: calendar year

Inflation rate consumer prices:
Rank: 117

Current account balance:
Rank: 148

Exports:
Rank: 121
Partners: China 53.8%, Angola 6.2%, Gabon 5.7%, Italy 5.4%, Spain 5.4%, Australia 4.8% (2017)
Commodities: petroleum, lumber, plywood, sugar, cocoa, coffee, diamonds

Imports:
Rank: 163
Commodities: capital equipment, construction materials, foodstuffs
Partners: France 15%, China 14%, Belgium 12.2%, Norway 8.1% (2017)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
Rank: 151

Debt external:
Rank: 135

Exchange rates:

Electricity
Access population without electricity: 2 million (2019)
Access electrification total population: 72% (2019)
Access electrification urban areas: 89% (2019)
Access electrification rural areas: 36% (2019)
Production: 1.696 billion kWh (2016 est.)
Production rank: 143
Consumption: 912 million kWh (2016 est.)
Consumption rank: 157
Exports: 22 million kWh (2015 est.)
Exports rank: 90
Imports: 18 million kWh (2016 est.)
Imports rank: 115
Installed generating capacity: 591,500 kW (2016 est.)
Installed generating capacity rank: 139
Generation sources fossil fuels: 64% of total installed capacity (2016 est.)
Generation sources fossil fuels rank: 120
Generation sources nuclear: 0% of total installed capacity (2017 est.)
Generation sources nuclear rank: 70
Generation sources hydroelectricity: 36% of total installed capacity (2017 est.)
Generation sources hydroelectricity rank: 59
Generation sources other renewable sources: 0% of total installed capacity (2017 est.)
Generation sources other renewable sources rank: 183

Petroleum
Petroleum total petroleum production: 340,000 bbl/day (2018 est.)
Petroleum total petroleum production rank: 30
Crude oil exports: 254,100 bbl/day (2015 est.)
Crude oil exports rank: 28
Crude oil imports: 0 bbl/day (2015 est.)
Crude oil imports rank: 113
Crude oil proven reserves: 1.6 billion bbl (1 January 2018 est.)
Crude oil proven reserves rank: 37

Refined petroleum
Products production: 15,760 bbl/day (2015 est.)
Products production rank: 93
Products consumption: 17,000 bbl/day (2016 est.)
Products consumption rank: 149
Products exports: 5,766 bbl/day (2015 est.)
Products exports rank: 89
Products imports: 7,162 bbl/day (2015 est.)
Products imports rank: 156

Natural gas
Production: 1.387 billion m³ (2017 est.)
Production rank: 61
Consumption: 1.387 billion m³ (2017 est.)
Consumption rank: 85
Exports: 0 m³ (2017 est.)
Exports rank: 86
Imports: 0 m³ (2017 est.)
Imports rank: 109
Proven reserves: 90.61 billion m³ (1 January 2018 est.)
Proven reserves rank: 54

Carbon dioxide emissions
From consumption of energy: 5.239 million Mt (2017 est.)
From consumption of energy rank: 134

Telephones
Fixed lines total subscriptions: 17,076 (2019 est.)
Fixed lines rank: 181
Mobile cellular total subscriptions: 4,933,529
Mobile cellular subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 95.34 (2019 est.)
Mobile cellular rank: 120

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

Internet
Country code: .cg
Users total: 437,865
Users percent of population: 8.65% (July 2018 est.)
Users rank: 156

Military expenditures:
Rank: 32

Military and security forces: Congolese Armed Forces (Forces Armees Congolaises, FAC): Army (Armee de Terre), Navy, Congolese Air Force (Armee de l'Air Congolaise); Gendarmerie; Presidential Guard (2019)

Military service age and obligation: 18 years of age for voluntary military service; women may serve in the Armed Forces (2013)

National air transport system
Number of registered air carriers: 3 (2020)
Inventory of registered aircraft operated by air carriers: 12
Annual passenger traffic on registered air carriers: 333,899 (2018)
Annual freight traffic on registered air carriers: 4.6 million
Note: mt-km (2018)

Civil aircraft registration country code prefix: TN (2016)

Airports: 27 (2013)
Rank: 123
With paved runways total: 8 (2017)
With paved runways over 3047 m: 2 (2017)
With paved runways 2438 to 3047 m: 1 (2017)
With paved runways 15-24 to 2437 m: 5 (2017)
With unpaved runways total: 19 (2013)
With unpaved runways 15-24 to 2437 m: 8 (2013)
With unpaved runways 914 to 1523 m: 9 (2013)
With unpaved runways under 914 m: 2 (2013)

Pipelines: 232 km gas, 4 km liquid petroleum gas, 982 km oil (2013)

Railways
Total: 510 km (2014)
Narrow gauge: 510 km
Note: 1.067-m gauge (2014)
Rank: 112

Roadways
Total: 23,324 km (2017)
Paved: 3,111 km (2017)
Unpaved: 20,213 km (2017)
Note: road network in Congo is composed of 23,324 km of which 17,000 km are classified as national, departmental, and routes of local interest: 6,324 km are non-classified routes
Rank: 108

Waterways: 1120 km
Note: (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 necessitating a rail connection to Pointe Noire; other rivers are used for local traffic only) (2011)
Rank: 61

Merchant marine
Total: 11
By type: general cargo 1, oil tanker 1, other 9 (2019)
Rank: 152

Ports and terminals
Major seaport: Pointe-Noire
Oil terminal: Djeno
River port: Brazzaville (Congo): Impfondo (Oubangi)

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

Refugees and internally displaced persons
Refugees: 20,700 (Central African Republic), 19,780 (Democratic Republic of the Congo) (refugees and asylum seekers) (2020)
IDPs: 304,430 (multiple civil wars since 1992) (2020)