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1. CIA World Factbook 2002
Congo, Republic of the

   Introduction Congo, Republic of the
   -----------------------------------
                            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. A
                                        brief civil war in 1997 restored
                                        former Marxist President SASSOU-
                                        NGUESSO.
  
   Geography Congo, Republic of the
   --------------------------------
                              Location: Western Africa, bordering the South
                                        Atlantic Ocean, between Angola and
                                        Gabon
                Geographic coordinates: 1 00 S, 15 00 E
                        Map references: Africa
                                  Area: total: 342,000 sq km
                                        water: 500 sq km
                                        land: 341,500 sq km
                    Area - comparative: slightly smaller than Montana
                       Land boundaries: total: 5,504 km
                                        border countries: Angola 201 km,
                                        Cameroon 523 km, Central African
                                        Republic 467 km, Democratic Republic
                                        of the Congo 2,410 km, Gabon 1,903
                                        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
                    Elevation extremes: lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m
                                        highest point: Mount Berongou 903 m
                     Natural resources: petroleum, timber, potash, lead,
                                        zinc, uranium, copper, phosphates,
                                        natural gas, hydropower
                              Land use: arable land: 0.5%
                                        permanent crops: 0.13%
                                        other: 99.37% (1998 est.)
                        Irrigated land: 10 sq km (1998 est.)
                       Natural hazards: seasonal flooding
          Environment - current issues: air pollution from vehicle
                                        emissions; water pollution from the
                                        dumping of raw sewage; tap water is
                                        not potable; deforestation
            Environment - international party to: Biodiversity, Climate
                            agreements: Change, Desertification, Endangered
                                        Species, Ozone Layer Protection,
                                        Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber
                                        94, Wetlands
                                        signed, but not ratified: Law of the
                                        Sea
                      Geography - note: about 70% of the population lives in
                                        Brazzaville, Pointe-Noire, or along
                                        the railroad between them
  
   People Congo, Republic of the
   -----------------------------
                            Population: 2,958,448
                                        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.)
                         Age structure: 0-14 years: 42.4% (male 630,985;
                                        female 622,024)
                                        15-64 years: 54.3% (male 783,238;
                                        female 823,882)
                                        65 years and over: 3.3% (male
                                        39,369; female 58,950) (2002 est.)
                Population growth rate: 2.18% (2002 est.)
                            Birth rate: 37.91 births/1,000 population (2002
                                        est.)
                            Death rate: 16.1 deaths/1,000 population (2002
                                        est.)
                    Net migration rate: 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2002
                                        est.)
                             Sex ratio: at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
                                        under 15 years: 1.01 male(s)/female
                                        15-64 years: 0.95 male(s)/female
                                        65 years and over: 0.67 male(s)/
                                        female
                                        total population: 0.97 male(s)/
                                        female (2002 est.)
                 Infant mortality rate: 97.91 deaths/1,000 live births (2002
                                        est.)
              Life expectancy at birth: total population: 47.71 years
                                        female: 51.24 years (2002 est.)
                                        male: 44.27 years
                  Total fertility rate: 4.94 children born/woman (2002 est.)
      HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: 6.43% (1999 est.)
     HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/ 86,000 (1999 est.)
                                  AIDS:
                     HIV/AIDS - deaths: 8,600 (1999 est.)
                           Nationality: noun: Congolese (singular and
                                        plural)
                                        adjective: Congolese or Congo
                         Ethnic groups: Kongo 48%, Sangha 20%, M'Bochi 12%,
                                        Teke 17%, Europeans and other 3%
                                        note: Europeans estimated at 8,500,
                                        mostly French, before the 1997 civil
                                        war; may be half that in 1998,
                                        following the widespread destruction
                                        of foreign businesses in 1997
                             Religions: Christian 50%, animist 48%, Muslim
                                        2%
                             Languages: French (official), Lingala and
                                        Monokutuba (lingua franca trade
                                        languages), many local languages and
                                        dialects (of which Kikongo has the
                                        most users)
                              Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read
                                        and write
                                        total population: 74.9%
                                        male: 83.1%
                                        female: 67.2% (1995 est.)
  
   Government Congo, Republic of the
   ---------------------------------
                          Country name: conventional long form: Republic of
                                        the Congo
                                        conventional short form: Congo
                                        (Brazzaville)
                                        local short form: none
                                        former: Middle Congo, Congo/
                                        Brazzaville, Congo
                                        local long form: Republique du Congo
                       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: Independence Day, 15 August (1960)
                          Constitution: constitution approved by referendum
                                        in January 2002
                          Legal system: based on French civil law system and
                                        customary law
                              Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal
                      Executive branch: chief of state: President Denis
                                        SASSOU-NGUESSO (since 25 October
                                        1997, following the civil war in
                                        which he toppled elected president
                                        Pascal LISSOUBA); note - the
                                        president is both the chief of state
                                        and head of government
                                        elections: president elected by
                                        popular vote for a seven-year term
                                        (eligible for a second seven-year
                                        term); election last held 10 March
                                        2002 (next to be held NA 2009)
                                        head of government: President Denis
                                        SASSOU-NGUESSO (since 25 October
                                        1997, following the civil war in
                                        which he toppled elected president
                                        Pascal LISSOUBA); note - the
                                        president is both the chief of state
                                        and head of government
                                        cabinet: Council of Ministers
                                        appointed by the president
                                        election results: Denis SASSOU-
                                        NGUESSO reelected president; percent
                                        of vote - Denis SASSOU-NGUESSO
                                        89.4%, Joseph Kignoumbi Kia MBOUNGOU
                                        2.7%
                    Legislative branch: unicameral National Transitional
                                        Council (75 seats, members elected
                                        by reconciliation forum of 1,420
                                        delegates in January 1998); note -
                                        the National Transitional Council
                                        will be replaced by a bicameral
                                        Parliament, with a National Assembly
                                        and Senate, following elections in
                                        2002
                                        elections: National Transitional
                                        Council - last held NA January 1998
                                        (next to be held in 2002); note - at
                                        that election the National
                                        Transitional Council is to be
                                        replaced by a bicameral legislature
                                        election results: National
                                        Transitional Council - percent of
                                        vote by party - NA%; seats by party
                                        - NA
                       Judicial branch: Supreme Court or Cour Supreme
         Political parties and leaders: the most important of the many
                                        parties are the Democratic and
                                        Patriotic Forces or FDP (an alliance
                                        of Convention for Alternative
                                        Democracy, Congolese Labor Party or
                                        PCT, Liberal Republican Party,
                                        National Union for Democracy and
                                        Progress, Patriotic Union for the
                                        National Reconstruction, and Union
                                        for the National Renewal) [Denis
                                        SASSOU-NGUESSO, president];
                                        Congolese Movement for Democracy and
                                        Integral Development or MCDDI
                                        [Michel MAMPOUYA]; Pan-African Union
                                        for Social Development or UPADS
                                        [Martin MBERI]; Rally for Democracy
                                        and Social Progress or RDPS [Jean-
                                        Pierre Thystere TCHICAYA,
                                        president]; Rally for Democracy and
                                        the Republic or RDR [Raymond Damasge
                                        NGOLLO]; Union for Democracy and
                                        Republic [leader NA]; Union of
                                        Democratic Forces or UFD [Sebastian
                                        EBAO]
          Political pressure groups and Congolese Trade Union Congress or
                               leaders: CSC; General Union of Congolese
                                        Pupils and Students or UGEEC;
                                        Revolutionary Union of Congolese
                                        Women or URFC; Union of Congolese
                                        Socialist Youth or UJSC
             International organization ACCT, ACP, AfDB, BDEAC, CCC, CEEAC,
                         participation: CEMAC, ECA, FAO, FZ, G-77, IBRD,
                                        ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC,
                                        IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC,
                                        IOM, ITU, NAM, OAU, OPCW
                                        (signatory), UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO,
                                        UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO,
                                        WMO, WToO, WTrO
   Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Serge
                                        MOMBOULI
                                        FAX: [1] (202) 726-1860
                                        telephone: [1] (202) 726-5500
                                        chancery: 4891 Colorado Avenue NW,
                                        Washington, DC 20011
     Diplomatic representation from the chief of mission: Ambassador David
                                    US: H. KAEUPER
                                        embassy: NA
                                        mailing address: NA
                                        telephone: [243] (88) 05176
                                        FAX: [243] (88) 41036
                                        note: the embassy is temporarily
                                        collocated with the US Embassy in
                                        the Democratic Republic of the Congo
                                        (US Embassy Kinshasa, 310 Avenue des
                                        Aviateurs, Kinshasa)
                      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; uses
                                        the popular pan-African colors of
                                        Ethiopia
  
   Economy Congo, Republic of the
   ------------------------------
                    Economy - overview: The 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. 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. The
                                        government has mortgaged a
                                        substantial portion of its oil
                                        earnings, contributing to a shortage
                                        of revenues. The 12 January 1994
                                        devaluation of Franc Zone currencies
                                        by 50% resulted in inflation of 61%
                                        in 1994, but inflation has subsided
                                        since. Economic reform efforts
                                        continued with the support of
                                        international organizations, notably
                                        the World Bank and the IMF. 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. However, 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. Given a fragile peace,
                                        agreements with the IMF and the
                                        World Bank, and general
                                        international support for
                                        reconstruction and development,
                                        prospects for structural reform and
                                        4% growth in 2002-03 appear strong.
                                   GDP: purchasing power parity - $2.5
                                        billion (2001 est.)
                GDP - real growth rate: 4.2% (2001 est.)
                      GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $900 (2001
                                        est.)
           GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 10%
                                        industry: 48%
                                        services: 42% (2001 est.)
         Population below poverty line: NA%
     Household income or consumption by lowest 10%: NA%
                      percentage share: highest 10%: NA%
      Inflation rate (consumer prices): 3% (2001 est.)
                           Labor force: NA
                     Unemployment rate: NA%
                                Budget: revenues: $870 million
                                        expenditures: $970 million,
                                        including capital expenditures of
                                        $NA (1997 est.)
                            Industries: petroleum extraction, cement,
                                        lumber, brewing, sugar, palm oil,
                                        soap, flour, cigarettes
     Industrial production growth rate: NA%
              Electricity - production: 302 million kWh (1999)
    Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 0.66%
                                        hydro: 99.34%
                                        other: 0% (1999)
                                        nuclear: 0%
             Electricity - consumption: 406.9 million kWh (1999)
                 Electricity - exports: 0 kWh (1999)
                 Electricity - imports: 126 million kWh (1999)
                Agriculture - products: cassava (tapioca), sugar, rice,
                                        corn, peanuts, vegetables, coffee,
                                        cocoa; forest products
                               Exports: $2.6 billion (f.o.b., 2001)
                 Exports - commodities: petroleum 90%, lumber, plywood,
                                        sugar, cocoa, coffee, diamonds
                    Exports - partners: US 20.9%, South Korea 15.5%, China
                                        6.7%, Germany 3.2% (2000)
                               Imports: $725 million (f.o.b., 2001)
                 Imports - commodities: petroleum products, capital
                                        equipment, construction materials,
                                        foodstuffs
                    Imports - partners: France 20.5%, US 9.8%, Italy 7.5%,
                                        Belgium 3.8% (2000)
                       Debt - external: $5 billion (1999 est.)
              Economic aid - recipient: $159.1 million (1995)
                              Currency: Communaute Financiere Africaine
                                        franc (XAF); note - responsible
                                        authority is the Bank of the Central
                                        African States
                         Currency code: XAF
                        Exchange rates: Communaute Financiere Africaine
                                        francs (XAF) per US dollar - 742.79
                                        (January 2002), 733.04 (2001),
                                        711.98 (2000), 615.70 (1999), 589.95
                                        (1998), 583.67 (1997); note - from 1
                                        January 1999, the XAF is pegged to
                                        the euro at a rate of 655.957 XAF
                                        per euro
                           Fiscal year: calendar year
  
   Communications Congo, Republic of the
   -------------------------------------
        Telephones - main lines in use: 22,000 (1997)
          Telephones - mobile cellular: 250,000 (2001)
                      Telephone system: general assessment: services barely
                                        adequate for government use; key
                                        exchanges are in Brazzaville,
                                        Pointe-Noire, and Loubomo; intercity
                                        lines frequently out-of-order
                                        domestic: primary network consists
                                        of microwave radio relay and coaxial
                                        cable
                                        international: satellite earth
                                        station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic
                                        Ocean)
              Radio broadcast stations: AM 1, FM 5, shortwave 3 (2001)
                                Radios: 341,000 (1997)
         Television broadcast stations: 1 (2002)
                           Televisions: 33,000 (1997)
                 Internet country code: .cg
     Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 1 (2000)
                        Internet users: 500 (2000)
  
   Transportation Congo, Republic of the
   -------------------------------------
                              Railways: total: 894 km
                                        narrow gauge: 894 km 1.067-m gauge
                                        (2000 est.)
                              Highways: total: 12,800 km
                                        paved: 1,242 km
                                        unpaved: 11,558 km (1996)
                             Waterways: 1,120 km
                                        note: the Congo and Ubangi
                                        (Oubangui) rivers provide 1,120 km
                                        of commercially navigable water
                                        transport; other rivers are used for
                                        local traffic only
                             Pipelines: crude oil 25 km
                     Ports and harbors: Brazzaville, Impfondo, Ouesso, Oyo,
                                        Pointe-Noire
                              Airports: 33 (2001)
         Airports - with paved runways: total: 4
                                        over 3,047 m: 1
                                        1,524 to 2,437 m: 3 (2001)
       Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 29
                                        1,524 to 2,437 m: 7
                                        914 to 1,523 m: 10
                                        under 914 m: 12 (2001)
  
   Military Congo, Republic of the
   -------------------------------
                     Military branches: Army, Air Force, Navy, Gendarmerie,
                                        National Police
      Military manpower - military age: 20 years of age (2002 est.)
      Military manpower - availability: males age 15-49: 702,048 (2002 est.)
   Military manpower - fit for military males age 15-49: 356,388 (2002 est.)
                               service:
           Military manpower - reaching males: 32,350 (2002 est.)
                 military age annually:
         Military expenditures - dollar $84 million (FY01)
                                figure:
     Military expenditures - percent of 2.8% (FY01)
                                   GDP:
  
   Transnational Issues Congo, Republic of the
   -------------------------------------------
              Disputes - international: most of the Congo River boundary
                                        with the Democratic Republic of the
                                        Congo is indefinite (no agreement
                                        has been reached on the division of
                                        the river or its islands, except in
                                        the Stanley Pool/Pool Malebo area)
  
                                       



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