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Communications

Military and security forces (Branches) [time series]

Army, Navy (includes Marines), Air Force, National Police

Military expenditures (Defense expenditures) [time series]

exchange rate conversion - $110 million, 3.8% of GDP (1993)

Manpower availability [time series]

males age 15-49: 582,103 males fit for military service: 296,602 males reach military age (20) annually: 25,247 (1996 est.)

Broadcast media (Radio broadcast stations) [time series]

AM 4, FM 1, shortwave 0

Radios [time series]

Telecommunication systems (Telephone system) [time series]

services adequate for government use; key exchanges are in Brazzaville, Pointe-Noire, and Loubomo domestic: primary network consists of microwave radio relay and coaxial cable international: satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)

Telephones - fixed lines (Telephones) [time series]

18,000 (1983 est.)

Broadcast media (Television broadcast stations) [time series]

4 (1987 est.)

Televisions [time series]

8,500 (1993 est.) Defense

Economy

Agricultural products (Agriculture) [time series]

cassava (tapioca) accounts for 90% of food output, sugar, rice, corn, peanuts, vegetables, coffee, cocoa; forest products

Budget [time series]

revenues: $2.18 billion (1994 est.) expenditures: $NA, including capital expenditures of $NA

Exchange rates (Currency) [time series]

1 Communaute Financiere Africaine franc (CFAF) = 100 centimes

Economic aid [time series]

recipient: ODA, $NA

Economic overview [time series]

Congo's 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 about 90% of government revenues and exports. In the early 1980s, rapidly rising oil revenues enabled Congo to finance large-scale development projects with GDP growth averaging 5% annually, one of the highest rates in Africa. Subsequently, falling oil prices cut GDP growth by half. Moreover, the Congolese Government has mortgaged a substantial portion of its oil earnings, contributing to the government's shortage of revenues. The 12 January 1994 devaluation of Franc Zone currencies by 50% resulted in inflation of 61% in 1994. Recent efforts to implement economic reforms have begun to show progress; the IMF has recommended approval of an Enhanced Structural Adjustment Facility agreement in 1996.

Electricity [time series]

capacity: 120,000 kW production: 400 million kWh consumption per capita: 201 kWh (1993)

Exchange rates [time series]

CFA francs (CFAF) per US$1 - 500.56 (January 1996), 499.15 (1995), 555.20 (1994), 283.16 (1993), 264.69 (1992), 282.11 (1991) note: beginning 12 January 1994, the CFA franc was devalued to CFAF 100 per French franc from CFAF 50 at which it had been fixed since 1948

Exports [time series]

$1 billion (f.o.b., 1995) commodities: crude oil 90%, lumber, plywood, sugar, cocoa, coffee, diamonds partners: Italy, France, Spain, other EU countries, US, Taiwan

Debt - external (External debt) [time series]

$5 billion (1993)

Fiscal year [time series]

calendar year

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) (GDP) [time series]

purchasing power parity - $7.7 billion (1995 est.)

GDP - composition, by sector of origin (GDP composition by sector) [time series]

agriculture: 11.4% industry: 35.2% services: 53.4% (1993)

Real GDP per capita (GDP per capita) [time series]

$3,100 (1995 est.)

Real GDP growth rate (GDP real growth rate) [time series]

3.3% (1995 est.)

Imports [time series]

$600 million (c.i.f., 1995) commodities: intermediate manufactures, capital equipment, construction materials, foodstuffs, petroleum products partners: France, Italy, other EU countries, US, Japan, Thailand

Industrial production growth rate [time series]

3.7% (estimated average annual growth rate for 1980-92)

Industries [time series]

petroleum extraction, cement kilning, lumbering, brewing, sugar milling, palm oil, soap, cigarette making

Inflation rate (consumer prices) [time series]

61% (1994 est.)

Labor force [time series]

79,100 wage earners by occupation: agriculture 75%, commerce, industry, and government 25%

Unemployment rate [time series]

NA%

Geography

Area [time series]

total area: 342,000 sq km land area: 341,500 sq km comparative area: slightly smaller than Montana

Climate [time series]

tropical; rainy season (March to June); dry season (June to October); constantly high temperatures and humidity; particularly enervating climate astride the Equator

Coastline [time series]

169 km

Environment - current issues (Environment) [time series]

current issues: air pollution from vehicle emissions; water pollution from the dumping of raw sewage; tap water is not potable; deforestation natural hazards: seasonal flooding international agreements: party to - Endangered Species, Ozone Layer Protection, Tropical Timber 83; signed, but not ratified - Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Law of the Sea, Tropical Timber 94

Geographic coordinates [time series]

1 00 S, 15 00 E

Geography - note (Geographic note) [time series]

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

Disputes - international (International disputes) [time series]

long segment of boundary with Zaire along the Congo River is indefinite (no division of the river or its islands has been made)

Irrigated land [time series]

40 sq km (1989)

Land boundaries [time series]

total: 5,504 km border countries: Angola 201 km, Cameroon 523 km, Central African Republic 467 km, Gabon 1,903 km, Zaire 2,410 km

Land use [time series]

arable land: 2% permanent crops: 0% meadows and pastures: 29% forest and woodland: 62% other: 7%

Location [time series]

Western Africa, bordering the South Atlantic Ocean, between Angola and Gabon

Map references [time series]

Africa

Maritime claims [time series]

territorial sea: 200 nm

Natural resources [time series]

petroleum, timber, potash, lead, zinc, uranium, copper, phosphates, natural gas

Terrain [time series]

coastal plain, southern basin, central plateau, northern basin lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m highest point: Mount Berongou 903 m

Government

Administrative divisions [time series]

9 regions (regions, singular - region) and 1 commune*; Bouenza, Brazzaville*, Cuvette, Kouilou, Lekoumou, Likouala, Niari, Plateaux, Pool, Sangha

Capital [time series]

Brazzaville

Constitution [time series]

new constitution approved by referendum March 1992

Data code [time series]

Diplomatic representation in the US (Diplomatic representation in US) [time series]

chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires Daniel MOUELLET chancery: 4891 Colorado Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20011 telephone: [1] (202) 726-0825

Executive branch [time series]

chief of state: President Pascal LISSOUBA (since August 1992); elected for a five-year term by universal suffrage; election last held NA August 1992 (next to be held NA August 1997); results - President Pascal LISSOUBA won 61% of the vote head of government: Prime Minister Jacques Joachim YHOMBI-OPANGO (since 23 June 1993) appointed by the president cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president

Diplomatic representation in the US (FAX) [time series]

[1] (202) 726-1860

Diplomatic representation in the US (FAX) [time series]

[242] 83 63 38

Flag [time series]

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

Independence [time series]

15 August 1960 (from France)

International organization participation [time series]

ACCT, ACP, AfDB, BDEAC, CCC, CEEAC, ECA, FAO, FZ, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, ITU, NAM, OAU, UDEAC, UN, UNAMIR, UNAVEM III, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO

Judicial branch [time series]

Supreme Court (Cour Supreme)

Legal system [time series]

based on French civil law system and customary law

Legislative branch [time series]

bicameral

Country name (Name of country) [time series]

conventional long form: Republic of the Congo conventional short form: Congo local long form: Republique Populaire du Congo local short form: Congo former: Congo/Brazzaville

Legislative branch (National Assembly (Assemblee Nationale)) [time series]

election last held 3 October 1993 (next to be held NA); results - percent of vote by party NA; seats - (125 total) UPADS 64, URD/PCT 58, others 3

National holiday [time series]

Congolese National Day, 15 August (1960)

Political parties (Other political or pressure groups) [time series]

Union of Congolese Socialist Youth (UJSC); Congolese Trade Union Congress (CSC); Revolutionary Union of Congolese Women (URFC); General Union of Congolese Pupils and Students (UGEEC)

Political parties (Political parties and leaders) [time series]

of Congo's many political parties, the most important are Congolese Labor Party (PCT), Denis SASSOU-NGUESSO, president; Association for Democracy and Development (RDD), Joachim Yhombi OPANGO, president; Association for Democracy and Social Progress (RDPS), Jean-Pierre Thystere TCHICAYA, president; Congolese Movement for Democracy and Integral Development (MCDDI), Bernard KOLELAS, leader; Pan-African Union for Social Development (UPADS), Pascal LISSOUBA, leader; Union of Democratic Forces (UFD), David Charles GANAO, leader; Union for Democratic Renewal (URD); Union for Development and Social Progress (UDPS), Jean-Michael BOKAMBA-YANGOUMA, leader

Legislative branch (Senate) [time series]

election last held 26 July 1992 (next to be held NA July 1998); results - percent of vote by party NA; seats - (60 total) UPADS 23, MCDDI 14, RDD 8, RDPS 5, PCT 2, others 8

Suffrage [time series]

18 years of age; universal

Government type (Type of government) [time series]

republic

Diplomatic representation from the US (US diplomatic representation) [time series]

chief of mission: Ambassador William C. RAMSEY embassy: Avenue Amilcar Cabral, Brazzaville mailing address: B. P. 1015, Brazzaville telephone: [242] 83 20 70

People

Age structure [time series]

0-14 years: 43% (male 550,971; female 545,096) 15-64 years: 53% (male 657,035; female 688,441) 65 years and over: 4% (male 34,973; female 51,325) (July 1996 est.)

Birth rate [time series]

39.19 births/1,000 population (1996 est.)

Death rate [time series]

17.35 deaths/1,000 population (1996 est.)

Ethnic groups (Ethnic divisions) [time series]

south: Kongo 48% north: Sangha 20%, M'Bochi 12% center: Teke 17%, Europeans 8,500 (mostly French)

Infant mortality rate [time series]

108.1 deaths/1,000 live births (1996 est.)

Languages [time series]

French (official), African languages (Lingala and Kikongo are the most widely used)

Life expectancy at birth [time series]

total population: 45.77 years male: 44.21 years female: 47.37 years (1996 est.)

Literacy [time series]

age 15 and over can read and write (1995 est.) total population: 74.9% male: 83.1% female: 67.2%

Nationality [time series]

noun: Congolese (singular and plural) adjective: Congolese or Congo

Net migration rate [time series]

0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1996 est.)

Population [time series]

2,527,841 (July 1996 est.)

Population growth rate [time series]

2.19% (1996 est.)

Religions [time series]

Christian 50%, animist 48%, Muslim 2%

Sex ratio [time series]

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: 0.68 male(s)/female all ages: 0.97 male(s)/female (1996 est.)

Total fertility rate [time series]

5.15 children born/woman (1996 est.)

Transportation

Airports [time series]

total: 34 with paved runways over 3 047 m: 1 with paved runways 1 524 to 2 437 m: 3 with paved runways under 914 m: 9 with unpaved runways 1 524 to 2 437 m: 7 with unpaved runways 914 to 1 523 m: 14 (1995 est.)

Roadways (Highways) [time series]

total: 12,745 km paved: 1,236 km unpaved: 11,509 km (1992 est.)

Merchant marine [time series]

total: 1 cargo ship (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 2,218 GRT/4,100 DWT (1995 est.)

Pipelines [time series]

crude oil 25 km

Ports [time series]

Brazzaville, Impfondo, Ouesso, Oyo, Pointe-Noire

Railways [time series]

total: 795 km (1995 est.) narrow gauge: 795 km 1.067-m gauge (includes 285 km that are privately owned)

Waterways [time series]

the Congo and Ubangi (Oubangui) Rivers provide 1,120 km of commercially navigable water transport; other rivers are used for local traffic only

Congo, Republic of the