Congo, Democratic Republic of
the source: CIA World Factbook 1998 |
Location: Central Africa, northeast of Angola
Geographic coordinates: 0 00 N, 25 00 E
Map references: Africa
Area:
total: 2,345,410 sq km
land: 2,267,600 sq km
water: 77,810 sq km
Areacomparative: slightly less than one-fourth the size of US
Land boundaries:
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
Coastline: 37 km
Maritime claims:
exclusive economic zone: boundaries with neighbors
territorial sea: 12 nm
Climate: 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
Terrain: vast central basin is a low-lying plateau; mountains in east
Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m
highest point: Margherita Peak (Mount Stanley) 5,110 m
Natural resources: cobalt, copper, cadmium, petroleum, industrial and gem diamonds, gold, silver, zinc, manganese, tin, germanium, uranium, radium, bauxite, iron ore, coal, hydropower potential, timber
Land use:
arable land: 3%
permanent crops: 0%
permanent pastures: 7%
forests and woodland: 77%
other: 13% (1993 est.)
Irrigated land: 100 sq km (1993 est.)
Natural hazards: periodic droughts in south; volcanic activity
Environmentcurrent issues: 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)
Environmentinternational agreements:
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
Geographynote: 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
Population: 49,000,511 (July 1998 est.)
Age structure:
0-14 years: 48% (male 11,829,386; female 11,766,829)
15-64 years: 49% (male 11,778,121; female 12,339,837)
65 years and over: 3% (male 557,095; female 729,243) (July 1998 est.)
Population growth rate: 2.99% (1998 est.)
Birth rate: 46.77 births/1,000 population (1998 est.)
Death rate: 15.2 deaths/1,000 population (1998 est.)
Net migration rate: -1.63 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1998 est.)
note: in 1994, about a million refugees fled into Zaire (now called Democratic
Republic of the Congo), to escape the fighting between the Hutus and the Tutsis in Rwanda
and Burundi; the outbreak of widespread fighting between rebels and government forces in
October 1996 spurred about 875,000 refugees to return to Rwanda in late 1996 and early
1997; additionally, Democratic Republic of the Congo is host to about 200,000 Angolan,
about 110,000 Burundi, about 100,000 Sudanese, about 15,000 Ugandan, and about 18,000
Republic of the Congo refugees
Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.95 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.76 male(s)/female (1998 est.)
Infant mortality rate: 101.6 deaths/1,000 live births (1998 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 49.31 years
male: 47.27 years
female: 51.4 years (1998 est.)
Total fertility rate: 6.51 children born/woman (1998 est.)
Nationality:
noun: Congolese (singular and plural)
adjective: Congolese or Congo
Ethnic groups: over 200 African ethnic groups of which the majority are Bantu; the four largest tribesMongo, Luba, Kongo (all Bantu), and the Mangbetu-Azande (Hamitic) make up about 45% of the population
Religions: Roman Catholic 50%, Protestant 20%, Kimbanguist 10%, Muslim 10%, other syncretic sects and traditional beliefs 10%
Languages: French (official), Lingala (a lingua franca trade language), Kingwana (a dialect of Kiswahili or Swahili), Kikongo, Tshiluba
Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write in French, Lingala, Kingwana, or
Tshiluba
total population: 77.3%
male: 86.6%
female: 67.7% (1995 est.)
Country name:
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
Data code: CG
Government type: dictatorship; presumably undergoing a transition to representative government
National capital: Kinshasa
Administrative divisions: 10 provinces (provinces, singularprovince) and one city* (ville); Bandundu, Bas-Congo, Equateur, Kasai-Occidental, Kasai-Oriental, Katanga, Kinshasa*, Maniema, Nord-Kivu, Orientale, Sud-Kivu
Independence: 30 June 1960 (from Belgium)
National holiday: anniversary of independence from Belgium, 30 June (1960)
Constitution: 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 two-year time table of constitutional reform
Legal system: based on Belgian civil law system and tribal law; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal and compulsory
Executive branch:
chief of state: Laurent Desire KABILA (since 17 May 1997); notethe president
is both chief of state and head of government
head of government: Laurent Desire KABILA (since 17 May 1997); notethe
president is both chief of state and head of government
cabinet: National Executive Council; KABILA's cabinet was appointed by him and has
no prime minister
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; notethe 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
Legislative branch: legislative activity has been suspended pending the
establishment of KABILA's promised constitutional reforms and the elections to be held by
April 1999
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 MOBUTO
government and seized control of the country
Judicial branch: Supreme Court (Cour Supreme)
Political parties and leaders: sole legal party until January 1991Popular
Movement of the Revolution or MPR; other parties include Union for Democracy and Social
Progress or UDPS [Etienne TSHISEKEDI wa Mulumba]; Democratic Social Christian Party or
PDSC [Andre BO-BOLIKO]; Union of Federalists and Independent Republicans or UFERI [Gabriel
KYUNGU wa Kumwunzu]; Unified Lumumbast Party or PALU [Antoine GIZENGA]
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
International organization participation: 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, ITU, NAM, OAU, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO
Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Charge d'Affaires ad interim Tambo A. Kabila MUKENDI
chancery: 1800 New Hampshire Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20009
telephone: [1] (202) 234-7690, 7691
FAX: [1] (202) 686-3631
Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Daniel H. SIMPSON
embassy: 310 Avenue des Aviateurs, Kinshasa
mailing address: Unit 31550, APO AE 09828
telephone: [243] (12) 21533 through 21535, 21104; [243] (88) 43604 through 43608
FAX: [243] (88) 43805, 43467
Flag description: 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
Economyoverview: The economy of Democratic Republic of the Congoa nation endowed with vast potential wealthhas declined significantly since the mid-1980s. The new government has instituted a tight fiscal policy that has curbed inflation and currency depreciation. Plans are underway to introduce a new national currency. Most formal transactions are conducted in hard currency but a barter economy flourishes in all but the largest cities. Most individuals and families survive through subsistence farming or petty trade. International investors show renewed interest, especially in the mining and telecommunications sectors. However, 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.
GDP: purchasing power parity$18 billion (1996 est.)
GDPreal growth rate: 1.5% (1996 est.)
GDPper capita: purchasing power parity$400 (1996 est.)
GDPcomposition by sector:
agriculture: 59%
industry: 15%
services: 26% (1995 est.)
Inflation rateconsumer price index: NA%
Labor force:
total: 14.51 million (1993 est.)
by occupation: agriculture 65%, industry 16%, services 19% (1991 est.)
Unemployment rate: NA%
Budget:
revenues: $269 million
expenditures: $244 million, including capital expenditures of $24 million (1996
est.)
Industries: mining, mineral processing, consumer products (including textiles, footwear, cigarettes, processed foods and beverages), cement, diamonds
Industrial production growth rate: NA%
Electricitycapacity: 2.831 million kW (1995)
Electricityproduction: 5.22 billion kWh (1995)
Electricityconsumption per capita: 95 kWh (1995)
Agricultureproducts: coffee, sugar, palm oil, rubber, tea, quinine, cassava (tapioca), palm oil, bananas, root crops, corn, fruits; wood products
Exports:
total value: $1.9 billion (f.o.b., 1996 est.)
commodities: diamonds, copper, coffee, cobalt, crude oil
partners: Belgium, US, France, Germany, Italy, UK, Japan, South Africa
Imports:
total value: $1.1 billion (c.i.f., 1996 est.)
commodities: consumer goods, foodstuffs, mining and other machinery, transport
equipment, fuels
partners: Belgium, South Africa, US, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, UK
Debtexternal: $13.8 billion (1995 est.)
Economic aid:
recipient: ODA, $NA
Currency: 1 zaire (Z) = 100 makuta
Exchange rates: new zaires (Z) per US$1115,000 (January 1998), 83,764
(October 1996), 7,024 (1995), 1,194 (1994), 3 (1993)
note: on 22 October 1993 the new zaire, equal to 3,000,000 old zaires, was
introduced
Fiscal year: calendar year
Telephones: 34,000 (1991 est.)
Telephone system:
domestic: barely adequate wire and microwave radio relay service in and between
urban areas; domestic satellite system with 14 earth stations
international: satellite earth station1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)
Radio broadcast stations: AM 10, FM 4, shortwave 0
Radios: 3.87 million (1992 est.)
Television broadcast stations: 18
Televisions: 55,000 (1992 est.)
Railways:
total: 5,138 km (1995); noteseverely 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
Highways:
total: 145,000 km
paved: 2,500 km
unpaved: 142,500 km (1993 est.)
Waterways: 15,000 km including the Congo, its tributaries, and unconnected lakes
Pipelines: petroleum products 390 km
Ports and harbors: Banana, Boma, Bukavu, Bumba, Goma, Kalemie, Kindu, Kinshasa, Kisangani, Matadi, Mbandaka
Merchant marine: none
Airports: 234 (1997 est.)
Airportswith paved runways:
total: 24
over 3,047 m: 4
2,438 to 3,047 m: 3
1,524 to 2,437 m: 15
914 to 1,523 m: 2 (1997 est.)
Airportswith unpaved runways:
total: 210
1,524 to 2,437 m: 20
914 to 1,523 m: 96
under 914 m: 94 (1997 est.)
Military branches: Army, Navy, Air Force
Military manpoweravailability:
males age 15-49: 10,543,138 (1998 est.)
Military manpowerfit for military service:
males: 5,366,937 (1998 est.)
Military expendituresdollar figure: NA
Military expenditurespercent of GDP: NA
Disputesinternational: Democratic Republic of the Congo-Tanzania-Zambia tripoint in Lake Tanganyika may no longer be indefinite since it has been informally reported that the indefinite segment of the Democratic Republic of the Congo-Zambia boundary has been settled; long segment of the boundary with Republic of the Congo along the Congo river is indefinite (no division of the river or its islands has been made)
Illicit drugs: illicit producer of cannabis, mostly for domestic consumption
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