Congo, Republic of the

presidential republic

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 founded the town in 1883

chief of state: President Denis SASSOU-Nguesso (since 1997) head of government: Prime Minister Anatole Collinet MAKOSSO (since 12 May 2021) cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president election/appointment process: president directly elected by absolute majority popular vote in 2 rounds, if needed, for a 5-year term (eligible for 2 additional terms) most recent election date: 21 March 2021 election results: 2021: Denis SASSOU-Nguesso reelected president in the first round; percent of vote - Denis SASSOU-Nguesso (PCT) 88.4%, Guy Price Parfait KOLELAS (MCDDI) 8.0%, other 3.6% 2016: 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% expected date of next election: 21 March 2026

legislature name: Parliament (Parlement) legislative structure: bicameral

highest court(s): Supreme Court or Cour Supreme (consists of NA judges); Constitutional Court (consists of 9 members) 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 note: a High Court of Justice, outside the judicial authority, tries cases involving treason by the President of the Republic

history: several previous; latest approved by referendum 25 October 2015 amendment process: 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

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), LCBC (observer), MIGA, NAM, OIF, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

1.2% of GDP (2024 est.) 2% of GDP (2023 est.) 1.8% of GDP (2022 est.) 2.4% of GDP (2021 est.) 2.8% of GDP (2020 est.)

Congolese Armed Forces (Forces Armees Congolaises, FAC): Army, Navy, Congolese Air Force, National Gendarmerie Ministry of Interior: National Police (2025) note: the National Gendarmerie (GN) is a paramilitary force with domestic law enforcement and security responsibilities; it is under the Ministry of Defense, but also reports to the Ministry of Interior; the GN nominally includes the Republican Guard (GR), which is responsible for presidential security and has a separate command structure

18-25 years of age for voluntary military service for men and women (2025)

the FAC's primary focuses are internal and maritime security; since its creation in 1961, the FAC has had a turbulent history; it has been sidelined by some national leaders in favor of personal militias, endured an internal rebellion (1996), and clashed with various rebel groups and political or ethnic militias (1993-1996, 2002-2005, 2017); during the 1997-1999 civil war, the military generally split along ethnic lines, with most northern officers supporting eventual winner SASSOU-Nguesso, and most southerners backing the rebels; others joined ethnic-based factions loyal to regional warlords; forces backing SASSOU-Nguesso were supported by Angolan troops and received some French assistance; the FAC also has undergone at least three reorganizations that included the incorporation of former rebel combatants and various ethnic and political militias; in recent years, France has provided some advice and training, and a military cooperation agreement was signed with Russia in 2019 (2025)

has about 175 mostly police personnel deployed to the Central African Republic (MINUSCA) (2025)

$39.147 billion (2024 est.) $38.163 billion (2023 est.) $37.448 billion (2022 est.) note: data in 2021 dollars

$6,200 (2024 est.) $6,200 (2023 est.) $6,200 (2022 est.) note: data in 2021 dollars

2.6% (2024 est.) 1.9% (2023 est.) 1.5% (2022 est.) note: annual GDP % growth based on constant local currency

3.1% (2024 est.) 4.3% (2023 est.) 3% (2022 est.) note: annual % change based on consumer prices

128.7% of GDP (2016 est.)

$7.752 billion (2021 est.) $4.67 billion (2020 est.) $7.855 billion (2019 est.) note: balance of payments - exports of goods and services in current dollars

$4.487 billion (2021 est.) $3.279 billion (2020 est.) $4.945 billion (2019 est.) note: balance of payments - imports of goods and services in current dollars

19.7% (2024 est.) 19.9% (2023 est.) 20.2% (2022 est.) note: % of labor force seeking employment

revenues: $2.393 billion (2020 est.) expenditures: $3.231 billion (2020 est.) note: central government revenues (excluding grants) and expenditures converted to US dollars at average official exchange rate for year indicated

petroleum extraction, cement, lumber, brewing, sugar, palm oil, soap, flour, cigarettes

cassava, sugarcane, oil palm fruit, bananas, plantains, root vegetables, game meat, vegetables, mangoes/guavas, fruits (2023) note: top ten agricultural products based on tonnage

total: 6,097,665 (2024 est.) male: 3,045,973 female: 3,051,692

2.36% (2025 est.)

0-14 years: 37.8% (male 1,162,298/female 1,143,668) 15-64 years: 57.8% (male 1,770,337/female 1,756,925) 65 years and over: 4.3% (2024 est.) (male 113,338/female 151,099)

28.34 births/1,000 population (2025 est.)

4.64 deaths/1,000 population (2025 est.)

-0.08 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2025 est.)

total population: 72.9 years (2024 est.) male: 71.5 years female: 74.3 years

urban population: 69.2% of total population (2023) rate of urbanization: 3.19% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)

Kongo (Bakongo) 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.)

French (official), French Lingala and Monokutuba (trade languages), many local languages and dialects (of which Kikongo is the most widespread) major-language sample(s): Buku oyo ya bosembo ya Mokili Mobimba Ezali na Makanisi ya Liboso Mpenza. (Lingala) The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information.

Roman Catholic 33.1%, Awakening Churches/Christian Revival 22.3%, Protestant 19.9%, Salutiste 2.2%, Muslim 1.6%, Kimbanguist 1.5%, other 8.1%, none 11.3% (2007 est.)

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

tier rating: Tier 2 Watch List the Republic of the Congo does not fully meet the minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking, but the government has devoted sufficient resources to a written plan that, if implemented, would constitute significant efforts to meet the minimum standards; therefore, the Republic of the Congo was granted a waiver per the Trafficking Victims Protection Act from an otherwise required downgrade to Tier 3 and remained on Tier 2 Watch List for the third consecutive year; for more details, go to: https://www.state.gov/reports/2025-trafficking-in-persons-report/republic-of-the-congo/

refugees: 69,766 (2024 est.)

56 (2025)

total: 510 km (2014) narrow gauge: 510 km (2014) 1.067-m gauge

total: 11 (2023) by type: oil tanker 1, other 10

total subscriptions: 5,875,800 (2023 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 96 (2024 est.)

percent of population: 38% (2023 est.)