Congo, Democratic Republic of the

§1. Congo Introduction

Background:
  Established as a Belgian colony in 1908, the Republic of the Congo gained
  its independence in 1960, but its early years were marred by political and
  social instability. Col. Joseph MOBUTU seized power and declared himself
  president in a November 1965 coup. He subsequently changed his name - to
  MOBUTU Sese Seko - as well as that of the country - to Zaire. MOBUTU
  retained his position for 32 years through several subsequent sham
  elections, as well as through the use of brutal force. Ethnic strife and
  civil war, touched off by a massive inflow of refugees in 1994 from
  fighting in Rwanda and Burundi, led in May 1997 to the toppling of the
  MOBUTU regime by a rebellion led by Laurent KABILA. He renamed the country
  the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), but in August 1998 his regime
  was itself challenged by an insurrection backed by Rwanda and Uganda.
  Troops from Angola, Chad, Namibia, Sudan, and Zimbabwe intervened to
  support the Kinshasa regime. A cease-fire was signed in July 1999 by the
  DRC, Congolese armed rebel groups, Angola, Namibia, Rwanda, Uganda, and
  Zimbabwe but sporadic fighting continued. Laurent KABILA was assassinated
  in January 2001 and his son, Joseph KABILA, was named head of state. In
  October 2002, the new president was successful in negotiating the
  withdrawal of Rwandan forces occupying eastern Congo; two months later, the
  Pretoria Accord was signed by all remaining warring parties to end the
  fighting and establish a government of national unity. A transitional
  government was set up in July 2003; Joseph KABILA remains as president and
  is joined by four vice presidents representing the former government,
  former rebel groups, and the political opposition. The transitional
  government held a successful constitutional referendum in December 2005,
  and plans to hold a series of elections in 2006 to determine the presidency
  and National Assembly seats.

§2. Congo Geography

Location:
  Central Africa, northeast of Angola

Geographic coordinates:
  0 00 N, 25 00 E

Map references:
  Africa

Area:
  total: 2,345,410 km²
  land: 2,267,600 km²
  water: 77,810 km²

Area - comparative:
  slightly less than one-fourth the size of the US

Land boundaries:
  total: 10,730 km
  border countries: Angola 2,511 km (of which 225 km is the boundary of
    Angola's discontiguous Cabinda Province), Burundi 233 km, Central African
    Republic 1,577 km, Republic of the Congo 2,410 km, Rwanda 217 km, Sudan
    628 km, Tanzania 459 km, Uganda 765 km, Zambia 1,930 km

Coastline:
  37 km

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

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: Pic Marguerite on Mont Ngaliema (Mount Stanley) 5,110 m

Natural resources:
  cobalt, copper, niobium, tantalum, petroleum, industrial and gem diamonds,
  gold, silver, zinc, manganese, tin, uranium, coal, hydropower, timber

Land use:
  arable land: 2.86%
  permanent crops: 0.47%
  other: 96.67% (2005)

Irrigated land:
  110 km² (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:
  periodic droughts in south; Congo River floods (seasonal); in the east, in
  the Great Rift Valley, there are active volcanoes

Environment - current issues:
  poaching threatens wildlife populations; water pollution; deforestation;
  refugees responsible for significant deforestation, soil erosion, and
  wildlife poaching; mining of minerals (coltan - a mineral used in creating
  capacitors, diamonds, and gold) causing environmental damage

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

Geography - note:
  straddles equator; has 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

§3. Congo People

Population:
  62,660,551
  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 2006 est.)

Age structure:
  0-14 years: 47.4% (male 14,906,488/female 14,798,210)
  15-64 years: 50.1% (male 15,597,353/female 15,793,350)
  65 years and over: 2.5% (male 632,143/female 933,007) (2006 est.)

Median age:
  total: 16.2 years
  male: 16 years
  female: 16.4 years (2006 est.)

Population growth rate:
  3.07% (2006 est.)

Birth rate:
  43.69 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Death rate:
  13.27 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Net migration rate:
  0.23 migrant(s)/1,000 population
  note: fighting between the Congolese Government and Uganda- and
    Rwanda-backed Congolese rebels spawned a regional war in DRC in August
    1998, which left 2.33 million Congolese internally displaced and caused
    412,000 Congolese refugees to flee to surrounding countries (2006 est.)

Sex ratio:
  at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.01 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 0.99 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.68 male(s)/female
  total population: 0.99 male(s)/female (2006 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
  total: 88.62 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 96.9 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 80.1 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:
  total population: 51.46 years
  male: 50.01 years
  female: 52.94 years (2006 est.)

Total fertility rate:
  6.45 children born/woman (2006 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
  4.2% (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
  1.1 million (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
  100,000 (2003 est.)

Major infectious diseases:
  degree of risk: very high
  food or waterborne diseases: bacterial and protozoal diarrhea, hepatitis A,
    and typhoid fever
  vectorborne diseases: malaria, plague, and African trypanosomiasis
    (sleeping sickness) are high risks in some locations
  water contact disease: schistosomiasis (2005)

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 tribes - Mongo, 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 indigenous 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 French, Lingala, Kingwana,
    or Tshiluba
  total population: 65.5%
  male: 76.2%
  female: 55.1% (2003 est.)

§4. Congo Government

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: Congo Free State, Belgian Congo, Congo/Leopoldville,
    Congo/Kinshasa, Zaire
  abbreviation: DRC

Government type:
  transitional government

Capital:
  Kinshasa

Administrative divisions:
  10 provinces (provinces, singular - province) and 1 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:
  Independence Day, 30 June (1960)

Constitution:
  18 February 2006

Legal system:
  a new constitution was adopted by referendum 18 December 2005; accepts
  compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations

Suffrage:
  18 years of age; universal and compulsory

Executive branch:
  chief of state: President Joseph KABILA (since 26 January 2001); note -
    following the assassination of his father, Laurent Desire KABILA, on 16
    January 2001, Joseph KABILA succeeded to the presidency; the president is
    both the chief of state and head of government
  head of government: President Joseph KABILA (since 26 January 2001); note -
    following the assassination of his father, Laurent Desire KABILA, on 16
    January 2001, Joseph KABILA succeeded to the presidency; the president is
    both the chief of state and head of government
  cabinet: National Executive Council appointed by the president
  elections: prior to the overthrow of MOBUTU Sese Seko, the president was
    elected by popular vote for a seven-year term; election last held 29 July
    1984 (next to be held 18 June 2006); formerly, there was also a prime
    minister who was elected by the High Council of the Republic
  election results: MOBUTU Sese Seko Kuku Ngbendu wa Za Banga reelected
    president in 1984 without opposition
  note: Joseph KABILA succeeded his father, Laurent Desire KABILA, following
    the latter's assassination in January 2001; negotiations with rebel
    leaders led to the establishment of a transitional government in July
    2003 with free elections scheduled to be held 18 June 2006

Legislative branch:
  a 500-member National Assembly and a 120-seat Senate established in June
  2003
  elections: NA; members of the National Assembly were appointed by leaders
    in the factions integrated into the new government

Judicial branch:
  Supreme Court or Cour Supreme

Political parties and leaders:
  Democratic Social Christian Party or PDSC [Andre BO-BOLIKO]; Forces for
  Renovation for Union and Solidarity or FONUS [Joseph OLENGHANKOY]; National
  Congolese Lumumbist Movement or MNC [Francois LUMUMBA]; Popular Movement of
  the
  Revolution or MPR (three factions: MPR-Fait Prive [Catherine NZUZI wa
    Mbombo]; MPR/Vunduawe [Felix VUNDUAWE]; MPR/ Mananga [MANANGA Dintoka
    Mpholo]); Unified Lumumbast Party or PALU [Antoine GIZENGA]; Union for
    Democracy and Social Progress or UDPS [Etienne TSHISEKEDI wa Mulumba];
    Union of Federalists and Independent Republicans or UFERI (two
  factions: UFERI [Lokambo OMOKOKO]; UFERI/OR [Adolph Kishwe MAYA])

Political pressure groups and leaders:
  NA

International organization participation:
  ACCT, ACP, AfDB, AU, CEPGL, COMESA, FAO, G-24, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO,
  ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol,
  IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO (correspondent), ITU, MIGA, NAM, OIF, OPCW, PCA, SADC,
  UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO,
  WToO, WTO

Diplomatic representation in the US:
  chief of mission: Ambassador Faida MITIFU
  chancery: 1800 New Hampshire Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20009: note -
    Consular Office at 1726 M Street, NW, Washington, DC, 20036
  telephone: [1] (202) 234-7690, 7691
  FAX: [1] (202) 234-2609

Diplomatic representation from the US:
  chief of mission: Ambassador Roger MEECE
  embassy: 310 Avenue des Aviateurs, Kinshasa
  mailing address: Unit 31550, APO AE 09828
  telephone: [243] (88) 43608
  FAX: [243] (88) 43467

Flag description:
  sky blue field divided diagonally from the lower hoist corner to upper fly
  corner by a red stripe bordered by two narrow yellow stripes; a yellow,
  five-pointed star appears in the upper hoist corner

§5. Congo Economy

Economy - overview:
  The economy of the Democratic Republic of the Congo - a nation endowed with
  vast potential wealth - has declined drastically since the mid-1980s. The
  war, which began in August 1998, dramatically reduced national output and
  government revenue, increased external debt, and resulted in the deaths of
  perhaps 3.5 million people from violence, famine, and disease. Foreign
  businesses curtailed operations due to uncertainty about the outcome of the
  conflict, lack of infrastructure, and the difficult operating environment.
  Conditions improved in late 2002 with the withdrawal of a large portion of
  the invading foreign troops. The transitional government has reopened
  relations with international financial institutions and international
  donors, and President KABILA has begun implementing reforms. Much economic
  activity lies outside the GDP data. Economic stability improved in 2003-05,
  although an uncertain legal framework, corruption, and a lack of openness
  in government policy continues to hamper growth. In 2005, renewed activity
  in the mining sector, the source of most exports, boosted Kinshasa's fiscal
  position and GDP growth. Business and economic prospects are expected to
  improve once a new government is installed after elections.

GDP (purchasing power parity):
  $46.37 billion (2005 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate):
  $7.358 billion (2005 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
  6.5% (2005 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP):
  $800 (2005 est.)

GDP - composition by sector:
  agriculture: 55%
  industry: 11%
  services: 34% (2000 est.)

Labor force:
  NA

Labor force - by occupation:
  agriculture NA%, industry NA%, services NA%

Unemployment rate:
  NA%

Population below poverty line:
  NA%

Household income or consumption by percentage share:
  lowest 10%: NA%
  highest 10%: NA%

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
  9% (2004 est.)

Budget:
  revenues: $700 million
  expenditures: $750 million; including capital expenditures of $24 million
    (2004 est.)

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

Industries:
  mining (diamonds, copper, zinc), mineral processing, consumer products
  (including textiles, footwear, cigarettes, processed foods and beverages),
  cement, commercial ship repair

Industrial production growth rate:
  NA%

Electricity - production:
  6.036 billion kWh (2003)

Electricity - consumption:
  4.324 billion kWh (2003)

Electricity - exports:
  1.3 billion kWh (2003)

Electricity - imports:
  10 million kWh (2003)

Oil - production:
  22,000 bbl/day (2003)

Oil - consumption:
  8,300 bbl/day (2003 est.)

Oil - exports:
  NA bbl/day

Oil - imports:
  NA bbl/day

Oil - proved reserves:
  1.538 billion bbl (1 January 2002)

Natural gas - production:
  0 m³ (2003 est.)

Natural gas - consumption:
  0 m³ (2003 est.)

Natural gas - proved reserves:
  991.1 million m³ (1 January 2002)

Exports:
  $1.108 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Exports - commodities:
  diamonds, copper, crude oil, coffee, cobalt

Exports - partners:
  Belgium 47.5%, Finland 20.8%, US 10.9%, China 7.5% (2004)

Imports:
  $1.319 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Imports - commodities:
  foodstuffs, mining and other machinery, transport equipment, fuels

Imports - partners:
  South Africa 17.2%, Belgium 14.5%, France 10.1%, Zambia 8.5%, Kenya 5.9%,
  US 5.6%, Germany 5.5% (2004)

Debt - external:
  $10.6 billion (2003 est.)

Economic aid - recipient:
  $2.2 billion (FY03/04)

Currency (code):
  Congolese franc (CDF)

Exchange rates:
  Congolese francs per US dollar - 437.86 (2005), 401.04 (2004), 405.34
  (2003), 346.49 (2002), 206.62 (2001)

Fiscal year:
  calendar year

§6. Congo Communications

Telephones - main lines in use:
  10,000 (2002)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
  1 million (2003)

Telephone system:
  general assessment: poor
  domestic: barely adequate wire and microwave radio relay service in and
    between urban areas; domestic satellite system with 14 earth stations
  international: country code - 243; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat
    (Atlantic Ocean)

Radio broadcast stations:
  AM 3, FM 11, shortwave 2 (2001)

Television broadcast stations:
  4 (2001)

Internet country code:
  .cd

Internet hosts:
  188 (2005)

Internet users:
  50,000 (2002)

§7. Congo Transportation

Airports:
  232 (2005)

Airports - with paved runways:
  total: 25
  over 3,047 m: 4
  2,438 to 3,047 m: 2
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 16
  914 to 1,523 m: 2
  under 914 m: 1 (2005)

Airports - with unpaved runways:
  total: 207
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 18
  914 to 1,523 m: 92
  under 914 m: 97 (2005)

Pipelines:
  gas 54 km; oil 71 km (2004)

Railways:
  total: 5,138 km
  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 (2004)

Roadways:
  total: 157,000 km (including 30 km of expressways) (1999)

Waterways:
  15,000 km (2005)

Ports and terminals:
  Banana, Boma, Bukavu, Bumba, Goma, Kalemie, Kindu, Kinshasa, Kisangani,
  Matadi, Mbandaka

§8. Congo Military

Military branches:
  Army, Navy, Air Force

Manpower available for military service:
  males age 18-49: 11,052,696 (2005 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:
  males age 18-49: 5,851,292 (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
  $103.7 million (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
  1.5% (2005 est.)

§9. Congo Transnational Issues

Disputes - international:
  heads of the Great Lakes states and UN pledge to end conflict but unchecked
  tribal, rebel, and militia fighting continues unabated in the northeastern
  region of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, drawing in the neighboring
  states of Burundi, Rwanda and Uganda; the UN Organization Mission in the
  Democratic Republic of the Congo (MONUC) has maintained over 14,000
  peacekeepers in the region since 1999; thousands of Ituri refugees from the
  Congo continue to flee the fighting primarily into Uganda; 90,000 Angolan
  refugees were repatriated by 2004 with the remainder in the DRC expected to
  return in 2005; in 2005, DRC and Rwanda established a border verification
  mechanism to address accusations of Rwandan military supporting Congolese
  rebels and the DRC providing rebel Rwandan "Interhamwe" forces the means
  and bases to attack Rwandan forces; the location of the boundary in the
  broad Congo River with the Republic of the Congo is indefinite except in
  the Pool Malebo/Stanley Pool area

Refugees and internally displaced persons:
  refugees (country of origin): 5,277 (Republic of Congo) 11,816 (Rwanda)
    18,953 (Uganda) 19,400 (Burundi) 45,226 (Sudan) 98,383 (Angola)
  IDPs: 2.33 million (fighting between government forces and rebels since
    mid-1990s; most IDPs are in eastern provinces) (2005)

Illicit drugs:
  illicit producer of cannabis, mostly for domestic consumption; while
  rampant corruption and inadequate supervision leaves the banking system
  vulnerable to money laundering, the lack of a well-developed financial
  system limits the country's utility as a money-laundering center


<Factbook 2006>
