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Communications

Broadcast media (Radio broadcast stations) [time series]

AM 10, FM 4, shortwave 0

Radios [time series]

3.87 million (1992 est.)

Telecommunication systems (Telephone system) [time series]

domestic: barely adequate wire and microwave radio relay service in and between urban areas; domestic satellite system with 14 earth stations international: satellite earth station--1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)

Telephones - fixed lines (Telephones) [time series]

34,000 (1991 est.)

Broadcast media (Television broadcast stations) [time series]

18 (1997)

Televisions [time series]

55,000 (1992 est.)

Economy

Agricultural products (Agriculture--products) [time series]

coffee, sugar, palm oil, rubber, tea, quinine, cassava (tapioca), palm oil, bananas, root crops, corn, fruits; wood products

Budget [time series]

revenues: $269 million expenditures: $244 million, including capital expenditures of $24 million (1996 est.)

Exchange rates (Currency) [time series]

Congolese franc (CF)

Debt - external (Debt--external) [time series]

$15 billion (1997 est.)

Economic aid (Economic aid--recipient) [time series]

$195.3 million (1995)

Economic overview (Economy--overview) [time series]

The economy of the Democratic Republic of the Congo--a nation endowed with vast potential wealth--has declined significantly since the mid-1980s. The new government instituted a tight fiscal policy that initially curbed inflation and currency depreciation, but these small gains were quickly reversed when the foreign-backed rebellion in the eastern part of the country began in August 1998. The war has dramatically reduced government revenue, and increased external debt. Foreign businesses have curtailed operations due to uncertainty about the outcome of the conflict and because of increased government harassment and restrictions. Poor infrastructure, an uncertain legal framework, corruption, and lack of transparency in government economic policy remain a brake on investment and growth. A number of IMF and World Bank missions have met with the new government to help it develop a coherent economic plan but associated reforms are on hold.

Electricity - consumption (Electricity--consumption) [time series]

6.265 billion kWh (1996)

Electricity - exports (Electricity--exports) [time series]

195 million kWh (1996)

Electricity - imports (Electricity--imports) [time series]

60 million kWh (1996)

Electricity - production (Electricity--production) [time series]

6.4 billion kWh (1996)

Electricity - production by source (Electricity--production by source) [time series]

fossil fuel: 6.25% hydro: 93.75% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (1996)

Exchange rates [time series]

Congolese francs (CF) per US$1--2.5 (January 1999); new zaires (Z) per US$1--115,000 (January 1998), 83,764 (October 1996), 7,024 (1995), 1,194 (1994) note: on 30 June 1998 the Congolese franc (CF) was introduced, replacing the new zaire; 1 Congolese franc (CF)=100,000 new zaires

Exports [time series]

$1.6 billion (f.o.b., 1998 est.)

Exports - commodities (Exports--commodities) [time series]

diamonds, copper, coffee, cobalt, crude oil

Exports - partners (Exports--partners) [time series]

Benelux 43%, US 22%, South Africa 8%, France, Germany, Italy, UK, Japan (1997)

Fiscal year [time series]

calendar year

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

purchasing power parity--$34.9 billion (1998 est.)

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

agriculture: 59% industry: 15% services: 26% (1995 est.)

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

purchasing power parity?$710 (1998 est.)

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

-3.5% (1998 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share [time series]

lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA%

Imports [time series]

$819 million (f.o.b., 1998 est.)

Imports - commodities (Imports--commodities) [time series]

consumer goods, foodstuffs, mining and other machinery, transport equipment, fuels

Imports - partners (Imports--partners) [time series]

South Africa 21%, Benelux 14%, China 8%, Netherlands, US, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, UK (1997)

Industrial production growth rate [time series]

NA%

Industries [time series]

mining, mineral processing, consumer products (including textiles, footwear, cigarettes, processed foods and beverages), cement, diamonds

Inflation rate (consumer prices) [time series]

147% (1998 est.)

Labor force [time series]

14.51 million (1993 est.)

Labor force - by occupation (Labor force--by occupation) [time series]

agriculture 65%, industry 16%, services 19% (1991 est.)

Population below poverty line [time series]

NA%

Unemployment rate [time series]

NA%

Geography

Area [time series]

total: 2,345,410 sq km land: 2,267,600 sq km water: 77,810 sq km

Area - comparative (Area--comparative) [time series]

slightly less than one-fourth the size of the US

Climate [time series]

tropical; hot and humid in equatorial river basin; cooler and drier in southern highlands; cooler and wetter in eastern highlands; north of Equator--wet season April to October, dry season December to February; south of Equator--wet season November to March, dry season April to October

Coastline [time series]

37 km

Elevation (Elevation extremes) [time series]

lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m highest point: Pic Marguerite on Mont Ngaliema (Mount Stanley) 5,110 m

Environment - current issues (Environment--current issues) [time series]

poaching threatens wildlife populations; water pollution; deforestation; refugees who arrived in mid-1994 were responsible for significant deforestation, soil erosion, and wildlife poaching in the eastern part of the country (most of those refugees were repatriated in November and December 1996)

International environmental agreements (Environment--international agreements) [time series]

party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: Environmental Modification

Geographic coordinates [time series]

0 00 N, 25 00 E

Geography - note (Geography--note) [time series]

straddles Equator; very narrow strip of land that controls the lower Congo river and is only outlet to South Atlantic Ocean; dense tropical rain forest in central river basin and eastern highlands

Irrigated land [time series]

100 sq km (1993 est.)

Land boundaries [time series]

total: 10,271 km border countries: Angola 2,511 km, Burundi 233 km, Central African Republic 1,577 km, Republic of the Congo 2,410 km, Rwanda 217 km, Sudan 628 km, Uganda 765 km, Zambia 1,930 km

Land use [time series]

arable land: 3% permanent crops: 0% permanent pastures: 7% forests and woodland: 77% other: 13% (1993 est.)

Location [time series]

Central Africa, northeast of Angola

Map references [time series]

Africa

Maritime claims [time series]

exclusive economic zone: boundaries with neighbors territorial sea: 12 nm

Natural hazards [time series]

periodic droughts in south; volcanic activity

Natural resources [time series]

cobalt, copper, cadmium, petroleum, industrial and gem diamonds, gold, silver, zinc, manganese, tin, germanium, uranium, radium, bauxite, iron ore, coal, hydropower potential, timber

Terrain [time series]

vast central basin is a low-lying plateau; mountains in east

Government

Administrative divisions [time series]

10 provinces (provinces, singular--province) and one city* (ville); Bandundu, Bas-Congo, Equateur, Kasai-Occidental, Kasai-Oriental, Katanga, Kinshasa*, Maniema, Nord-Kivu, Orientale, Sud-Kivu

Capital [time series]

Kinshasa

Constitution [time series]

24 June 1967, amended August 1974, revised 15 February 1978, amended April 1990; transitional constitution promulgated in April 1994; following successful rebellion the new government announced on 29 May 1997 a program of constitutional reform and, in November 1998, a draft constitution was approved by President KABILA and awaits ratification by national referendum

Country name [time series]

conventional long form: Democratic Republic of the Congo conventional short form: none local long form: Republique Democratique du Congo local short form: none former: Belgian Congo, Congo/Leopoldville, Congo/Kinshasa, Zaire abbreviation: DROC

Data code [time series]

Diplomatic representation from the US [time series]

chief of mission: Ambassador William Lacy SWING embassy: 310 Avenue des Aviateurs, Kinshasa mailing address: Unit 31550, APO AE 09828

Diplomatic representation in the US [time series]

chief of mission: Ambassador Faida MITIFU chancery: 1800 New Hampshire Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20009

Executive branch [time series]

chief of state: Laurent Desire KABILA (since 17 May 1997); note--the president is both chief of state and head of government head of government: Laurent Desire KABILA (since 17 May 1997); note--the president is both chief of state and head of government cabinet: National Executive Council, appointed by the president elections: before Laurent Desire KABILA seized power, the president was elected by popular vote for a seven-year term; election last held 29 July 1984 (next was to be held in May 1997); formerly, the prime minister was elected by the High Council of the Republic; note--the term of the former government expired in 1991, elections were not held, and former president MOBUTU continued in office until his government was militarily defeated by KABILA on 17 May 1997 election results: MOBUTU Sese Seko Kuku Ngbendu wa Za Banga reelected president in 1984 without opposition note: Marshal MOBUTU Sese Seko Kuku Ngbendu wa Za Banga was president from 24 November 1965 until forced into exile on 16 May 1997 when his government was overturned militarily by Laurent Desire KABILA, who immediately assumed governing authority; in his 29 May 1997 inaugural address, President KABILA announced a two-year time table for political reform leading to elections by April 1999; subsequently, in December 1998, President KABILA announced that elections would be postponed until all foreign military forces attempting his overthrow had withdrawn from the country

Flag (Flag description) [time series]

light blue with a large yellow five-pointed star in the center and a columnar arrangement of six small yellow five-pointed stars along the hoist side

Government type [time series]

dictatorship; presumably undergoing a transition to representative government

Independence [time series]

30 June 1960 (from Belgium)

International organization participation [time series]

ACCT, ACP, AfDB, CCC, CEEAC, CEPGL, ECA, FAO, G-19, G-24, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, IOM (observer), ITU, NAM, OAU, OPCW, PCA, SADC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO

Judicial branch [time series]

Supreme Court (Cour Supreme)

Legal system [time series]

based on Belgian civil law system and tribal law; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Legislative branch [time series]

legislative activity has been suspended pending the establishment of KABILA's promised constitutional reforms and the elections to be held by April 1999 (now postponed indefinitely) elections: the country's first multi-party presidential and legislative elections had been scheduled for May 1997 but were not held; instead KABILA overthrew the MOBUTU government and seized control of the country

National holiday [time series]

anniversary of independence from Belgium, 30 June (1960)

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

sole legal party until January parties include Union for Democracy and Social Progress or UDPS note: President KABILA, who has banned political party activity indefinitely, currently leads the Alliance of Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Congo-Zaire or AFDL

Suffrage [time series]

18 years of age; universal and compulsory

Military

Military and security forces (Military branches) [time series]

Army, Navy, Air Force, Presidential Security Group, Gendarmerie

Military expenditures - dollar figure (Military expenditures--dollar figure) [time series]

$250 million (1997)

Military expenditures (Military expenditures--percent of GDP) [time series]

4.6% (1997)

Military manpower - availability (Military manpower--availability) [time series]

males age 15-49: 10,874,744 (1999 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service (Military manpower--fit for military service) [time series]

males age 15-49: 5,536,277 (1999 est.)

People

Age structure [time series]

0-14 years: 48% (male 12,200,532; female 12,136,372) 15-64 years: 49% (male 12,135,901; female 12,692,057) 65 years and over: 3% (male 564,084; female 752,359) (1999 est.)

Birth rate [time series]

46.37 births/1,000 population (1999 est.)

Death rate [time series]

14.99 deaths/1,000 population (1999 est.)

Ethnic groups [time series]

over 200 African ethnic groups of which the majority are Bantu; the four largest tribes--Mongo, Luba, Kongo (all Bantu), and the Mangbetu-Azande (Hamitic) make up about 45% of the population

Infant mortality rate [time series]

99.45 deaths/1,000 live births (1999 est.)

Languages [time series]

French (official), Lingala (a lingua franca trade language), Kingwana (a dialect of Kiswahili or Swahili), Kikongo, Tshiluba

Life expectancy at birth [time series]

total population: 49.44 years male: 47.28 years female: 51.67 years (1999 est.)

Literacy [time series]

definition: age 15 and over can read and write French, Lingala, Kingwana, or Tshiluba total population: 77.3% male: 86.6% female: 67.7% (1995 est.)

Nationality [time series]

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

Net migration rate [time series]

-1.78 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1999 est.) note: in 1994, about a million refugees fled into Zaire (now called the Democratic Republic of the Congo or DROC), to escape the fighting between the Hutus and the Tutsis in Rwanda and Burundi; the outbreak of widespread fighting in the DROC between rebels and government forces in October 1996 spurred about 875,000 refugees to return to Rwanda in late 1996 and early 1997; additionally,the DROC is host to 200,000 Angolan, 110,000 Burundi, 100,000 Sudanese, and 15,000 Ugandan refugees; renewed fighting in the DROC in August 1998 resulted in more internal displacement and refugee outflows

Population [time series]

50,481,305 (July 1999 est.)

Population growth rate [time series]

2.96% (1999 est.)

Religions [time series]

Roman Catholic 50%, Protestant 20%, Kimbanguist 10%, Muslim 10%, other syncretic sects and traditional beliefs 10%

Sex ratio [time series]

at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.01 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.96 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.75 male(s)/female total population: 0.97 male(s)/female (1999 est.)

Total fertility rate [time series]

6.45 children born/woman (1999 est.)

Transnational Issues

Disputes - international (Disputes--international) [time series]

the Democratic Republic of the Congo is in the grip of a civil war that has drawn in military forces from neighboring states, with Uganda and Rwanda supporting the rebel movement which occupies much of the eastern portion of the state; most of the Congo River boundary with the Republic of the Congo is indefinite (no agreement has been reached on the division of the river or its islands, except in the Pool Malebo/Stanley Pool area)

Illicit drugs [time series]

illicit producer of cannabis, mostly for domestic consumption

Transportation

Airports [time series]

233 (1998 est.)

Airports - with paved runways (Airports--with paved runways) [time series]

total: 23 over 3,047 m: 4 2,438 to 3,047 m: 3 1,524 to 2,437 m: 14 914 to 1,523 m: 2 (1998 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways (Airports--with unpaved runways) [time series]

total: 210 1,524 to 2,437 m: 21 914 to 1,523 m: 95 under 914 m: 94 (1998 est.)

Roadways (Highways) [time series]

total: 145,000 km paved: 2,500 km unpaved: 142,500 km (1993 est.)

Merchant marine [time series]

none

Pipelines [time series]

petroleum products 390 km

Ports (Ports and harbors) [time series]

Banana, Boma, Bukavu, Bumba, Goma, Kalemie, Kindu, Kinshasa, Kisangani, Matadi, Mbandaka

Railways [time series]

total: 5,138 km (1995); note--severely reduced route-distance in use because of damage to facilities by civil strife narrow gauge: 3,987 km 1.067-m gauge (858 km electrified); 125 km 1.000-m gauge; 1,026 km 0.600-m gauge

Waterways [time series]

15,000 km including the Congo, its tributaries, and unconnected lakes

Congo, Democratic Republic of the