0 cu m (1 January 2006 est.)
Current account balance:
$8 million (2007 est.)
Exports:
$32 million f.o.b. (2006)
Exports - commodities:
vanilla, ylang-ylang (perfume essence), cloves, copra
Exports - partners:
Turkey 38%, France 27.5%, Singapore 9.2%, Saudi Arabia 4.1% (2007)
Imports:
$143 million f.o.b. (2006)
Imports - commodities:
rice and other foodstuffs, consumer goods, petroleum products,
cement, transport equipment
Imports - partners:
France 18.2%, UAE 10.8%, South Africa 8.5%, Pakistan 7.2%, Kenya
5.7%, China 5.4%, India 5% (2007)
Economic aid - recipient:
$25.23 million (2005 est.)
Debt - external:
$232 million (2000 est.)
Currency (code):
Comoran franc (KMF)
Currency code:
KMF
Exchange rates:
Comoran francs (KMF) per US dollar - 361.4 (2007), 391.8 (2006),
395.6 (2005), 396.21 (2004), 435.9 (2003)
note: the Comoran franc is pegged to the euro at a rate of 491.9677
Comoran francs per euro
Communications
Comoros
Telephones - main lines in use:
19,100 (2006)
Telephones - mobile cellular:
40,000 (2007)
Telephone system:
general assessment: sparse system of microwave radio relay and HF
radiotelephone communication stations; fixed-line connections only
about 3 per 100 persons; mobile cellular usage about 5 per 100
persons
domestic: HF radiotelephone communications and microwave radio relay
international: country code - 269; HF radiotelephone communications
to Madagascar and Reunion
Radio broadcast stations:
AM 1, FM 4, shortwave 1 (2001)
Radios:
90,000 (1997)
Television broadcast stations:
NA
Televisions:
1,000 (1997)
Internet country code:
.km
Internet hosts:
8 (2008)
Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
1 (2000)
Internet users:
21,000 (2006)
Transportation
Comoros
Airports:
4 (2007)
Airports - with paved runways:
total: 4
2,438 to 3,047 m: 1
914 to 1,523 m: 3 (2007)
Roadways:
total: 880 km
paved: 673 km
unpaved: 207 km (2002)
Merchant marine:
total: 136
by type: bulk carrier 15, cargo 87, carrier 2, chemical tanker 5,
container 2, passenger 1, passenger/cargo 1, petroleum tanker 9,
refrigerated cargo 5, roll on/roll off 8, specialized tanker 1
foreign-owned: 68 (Bangladesh 2, Bulgaria 2, Cyprus 1, Greece 6,
India 2, Kenya 1, Kuwait 1, Lebanon 4, Norway 1, Pakistan 4,
Philippines 1, Russia 12, Saudi Arabia 1, Singapore 1, Syria 4,
Turkey 8, Ukraine 8, UAE 7, US 2) (2008)
Ports and terminals:
Mayotte, Mutsamudu
Military
Comoros
Military branches:
National Development Army (AND): Comoran Security Force; Comoran
Federal Police (2008)
Manpower available for military service:
males age 16-49: 167,850
females age 16-49: 167,362 (2008 est.)
Manpower fit for military service:
males age 16-49: 121,550
females age 16-49: 131,015 (2008 est.)
Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:
male: 7,901
female: 7,894 (2008 est.)
Military expenditures:
2.8% of GDP (2006)
Transnational Issues
Comoros
Disputes - international:
claims French-administered Mayotte and challenges France's and
Madagascar's claims to Banc du Geyser, a drying reef in the
Mozambique Channel; in May 2008, African Union forces are called in
to assist the Comoros military recapture Anjouan Island from rebels
who seized it in 2001
This page was last updated on 18 December, 2008
======================================================================
@Congo, Democratic Republic of the
Introduction
Congo, Democratic Republic of the
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 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
backed by Rwanda and Uganda and fronted by Laurent KABILA. He
renamed the country the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), but
in August 1998 his regime was itself challenged by a second
insurrection again backed by Rwanda and Uganda. Troops from Angola,
Chad, Namibia, Sudan, and Zimbabwe intervened to support KABILA's
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 as president and four vice presidents represented the former
government, former rebel groups, the political opposition, and civil
society. The transitional government held a successful
constitutional referendum in December 2005 and elections for the
presidency, National Assembly, and provincial legislatures in 2006.
KABILA was inaugurated president in December 2006. The National
Assembly was installed in September 2006. Its president, Vital
KAMERHE, was chosen in December. Provincial assemblies were
constituted in early 2007, and elected governors and national
senators in January 2007.
Geography
Congo, Democratic Republic of the
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
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 sq km (2003)
Total renewable water resources:
1,283 cu km (2001)
Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural):
total: 0.36 cu km/yr (53%/17%/31%)
per capita: 6 cu m/yr (2000)
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, Climate Change-Kyoto
Protocol, 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 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
People
Congo, Democratic Republic of the
Population:
66,514,504
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, higher death rates, lower
population growth rates, and changes in the distribution of
population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July
2008 est.)
Age structure:
0-14 years: 47.1% (male 15,711,817/female 15,594,449)
15-64 years: 50.4% (male 16,672,399/female 16,875,468)
65 years and over: 2.5% (male 674,766/female 985,607) (2008 est.)
Median age:
total: 16.3 years
male: 16.1 years
female: 16.5 years (2008 est.)
Population growth rate:
3.236% (2008 est.)
Birth rate:
43 births/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Death rate:
11.88 deaths/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Net migration rate:
1.24 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2008 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 (2008 est.)
Infant mortality rate:
total: 83.11 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 91.14 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 74.83 deaths/1,000 live births (2008 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 53.98 years
male: 52.22 years
female: 55.8 years (2008 est.)
Total fertility rate:
6.28 children born/woman (2008 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)
water contact disease: schistosomiasis
animal contact disease: rabies (2008)
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 (includes 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: 67.2%
male: 80.9%
female: 54.1% (2001 est.)
School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):
total: 9 years
male: 10 years
female: 8 years (2003)
Education expenditures:
NA
Government
Congo, Democratic Republic of the
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:
republic
Capital:
name: Kinshasa
geographic coordinates: 4 19 S, 15 18 E
time difference: UTC+1 (six hours ahead of Washington, DC during
Standard Time)
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
note: according to the Constitution adopted in December 2005, the
current administrative divisions will be subdivided into 26 new
provinces by 2009
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 17 January 2001);
note - following the assassination of his father, Joseph KABILA
succeeded to the presidency which he retained through the 2003-06
transition; he was subsequently elected president in October 2006
head of government: Prime Minister Adolphe MUZITO (since 10 October
2008)
cabinet: Ministers of State appointed by the president
elections: under the new constitution the president is elected by
popular vote for a five-year term (eligible for a second term);
elections last held 30 July 2006 and 29 October 2006 (next to be
held in 2011); prime minister appointed by the president
election results: Joseph KABILA elected president; percent of vote
(second round) - Joseph KABILA 58%, Jean-Pierre BEMBA Gombo 42%
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 held on 30 July 2006 and
29 October 2006 confirming Joseph KABILA as president
Legislative branch:
bicameral legislature consists of a National Assembly (500 seats; 61
members elected by majority vote in single-member constituencies,
439 members elected by open list proportional-representation in
multi-member constituencies; to serve five-year terms) and a Senate
(108 seats; members elected by provincial assemblies to serve
five-year terms)
elections: National Assembly - last held 30 July 2006 (next to be
held in 2011); Senate - last held 19 January 2007 (next to be held
by 2012)
election results: National Assembly - percent of vote by party - NA;
seats by party - PPRD 111, MLC 64, PALU 34, MSR 27, FR 26, RCD 15,
independents 63, others 160 (includes 63 political parties that won
10 or fewer seats); Senate - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by
party - PPRD 22, MLC 14, FR 7, RCD 7, PDC 6, CDC 3, MSR 3, PALU 2,
independents 26, others 18 (political parties that won a single seat)
Judicial branch:
Constitutional Court; Appeals Court or Cour de Cassation; Council of
State; High Military Court; plus civil and military courts and
tribunals
Political parties and leaders:
Christian Democrat Party or PDC [Jose ENDUNDO]; Congolese Rally for
Democracy or RCD [Azarias RUBERWA]; Convention of Christian
Democrats or CDC; Forces of Renewal or FR [Mbusa NYAMWISI]; Movement
for the Liberation of the Congo or MLC [Jean-Pierre BEMBA]; People's
Party for Reconstruction and Democracy or PPRD [Joseph KABILA];
Social Movement for Renewal or MSR [Pierre LUMBI]; Unified Lumumbist
Party or PALU [Antoine GIZENGA]; Union for Democracy and Social
Progress or UDPS [Etienne TSHISEKEDI]; Union of Mobutuist Democrats
or UDEMO [MOBUTU Nzanga]
Political pressure groups and leaders:
MONUC - UN organization working with the government; FARDC (Forces
Armees de la Republique du Congo) - Army of the Democratic Republic
of the Congo which commits atrocities on citizens; FDLA (Forces
Democratiques de Liberation du Rwanda) - Rwandan militia group
International organization participation:
ACCT, ACP, AfDB, AU, CEPGL, COMESA, FAO, G-24, G-77, IAEA, IBRD,
ICAO, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO (suspended), ILO, IMF,
IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC, MIGA, NAM, OIF,
OPCW, PCA, SADC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNWTO, UPU, WCL,
WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, 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 William GARVELINK
embassy: 310 Avenue des Aviateurs, Kinshasa
mailing address: Unit 31550, APO AE 09828
telephone: [243] (81) 225-5872
FAX: [243] (81) 301-0561
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
Economy
Congo, Democratic Republic of the
Economy - overview:
The economy of the Democratic Republic of the Congo - a nation
endowed with vast potential wealth - is slowly recovering from two
decades of decline. Conflict, which began in August 1998,
dramatically reduced national output and government revenue,
increased external debt, and resulted in the deaths of more than 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 began to improve in late 2002 with the
withdrawal of a large portion of the invading foreign troops. The
transitional government reopened relations with international
financial institutions and international donors, and President
KABILA has begun implementing reforms, although progress is slow and
the International Monetary Fund curtailed their program for the DRC
at the end of March 2006 because of fiscal overruns. Much economic
activity still occurs in the informal sector, and is not reflected
in GDP data. Renewed activity in the mining sector, the source of
most export income, boosted Kinshasa's fiscal position and GDP
growth. Government reforms and improved security may lead to
increased government revenues, outside budget assistance, and
foreign direct investment, although an uncertain legal framework,
corruption, and a lack of transparency in government policy are
continuing long-term problems.
GDP (purchasing power parity):
$19.03 billion (2007 est.)
GDP (official exchange rate):
$10.14 billion (2007 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:
7% (2007 est.)
GDP - per capita (PPP):
$300 (2007 est.)
GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 55%
industry: 11%
services: 34% (2000 est.)
Labor force:
15 million (2006 est.)
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%
Budget:
revenues: $700 million
expenditures: $2 billion (2006 est.)
Fiscal year:
calendar year
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
16.7% (2007 est.)
Central bank discount rate:
5.25% (31 December 2007)
Commercial bank prime lending rate:
NA
Stock of money:
$597 million (31 December 2007)
Stock of quasi money:
$677.9 million (31 December 2007)
Stock of domestic credit:
$559.5 million (31 December 2007)
Agriculture - products:
coffee, sugar, palm oil, rubber, tea, quinine, cassava (tapioca),
palm oil, bananas, root crops, corn, fruits; wood products
Industries:
mining (diamonds, gold, copper, cobalt, coltan zinc), mineral
processing, consumer products (including textiles, footwear,
cigarettes, processed foods and beverages), cement, commercial ship
repair
Industrial production growth rate:
NA%
Electricity - production:
7.243 billion kWh (2006 est.)
Electricity - consumption:
5.158 billion kWh (2006 est.)
Electricity - exports:
1.799 billion kWh (2006 est.)
Electricity - imports:
6 million kWh (2006 est.)
Electricity - production by source:
fossil fuel: 1.8%
hydro: 98.2%
nuclear: 0%
other: 0% (2001)
Oil - production:
22,160 bbl/day (2007 est.)
Oil - consumption:
10,460 bbl/day (2006 est.)
Oil - exports:
19,820 bbl/day (2005)
Oil - imports:
8,220 bbl/day (2006 est.)
Oil - proved reserves:
180 million bbl (1 January 2008 est.)
Natural gas - production:
0 cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - consumption:
0 cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - exports:
0 cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - imports:
0 cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - proved reserves:
991.1 million cu m (1 January 2008 est.)
Current account balance:
-$402 million (2007 est.)
Exports:
$1.587 billion f.o.b. (2006)
Exports - commodities:
diamonds, copper, crude oil, coffee, cobalt
Exports - partners:
Belgium 23.6%, China 21.7%, US 9.8%, Finland 9.1%, Brazil 9.1%,
France 6.8%, Zambia 6% (2007)
Imports:
$2.263 billion f.o.b. (2006)
Imports - commodities:
foodstuffs, mining and other machinery, transport equipment, fuels
Imports - partners:
South Africa 22.5%, Belgium 10.3%, Zambia 8.9%, Zimbabwe 7.5%,
France 6.8%, Kenya 6.3%, US 4.1%, Cote d'Ivoire 4.1% (2007)
Economic aid - recipient:
$1.828 billion (2005)
Debt - external:
$10 billion (2006 est.)
Market value of publicly traded shares:
$NA
Currency (code):
Congolese franc (CDF)
Currency code:
CDF
Exchange rates:
Congolese francs (CDF) per US dollar - NA (2007), 464.69 (2006),
437.86 (2005), 401.04 (2004), 405.34 (2003)
Communications
Congo, Democratic Republic of the
Telephones - main lines in use:
9,700 (2006)
Telephones - mobile cellular:
6.592 million (2007)
Telephone system:
general assessment: inadequate; state-owned fixed-line operator has
been unable to expand fixed-line connections and there are now fewer
than 10,000 connections - less than 1 per 1000 persons; given the
backdrop of a wholly inadequate fixed-line infrastructure, the use
of cellular services has surged and subscribership in 2007 reached
6.6 million - 10 per 100 persons
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) (2007)
Radio broadcast stations:
AM 3, FM 11, shortwave 2 (2001)
Radios:
18.03 million (1997)
Television broadcast stations:
4 (2001)
Televisions:
6.478 million (1997)
Internet country code:
.cd
Internet hosts:
3,211 (2008)
Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
1 (2001)
Internet users:
230,400 (2007)
Transportation
Congo, Democratic Republic of the
Airports:
237 (2007)
Airports - with paved runways:
total: 26
over 3,047 m: 4
2,438 to 3,047 m: 2
1,524 to 2,437 m: 17
914 to 1,523 m: 2
under 914 m: 1 (2007)
Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 211
1,524 to 2,437 m: 17
914 to 1,523 m: 95
under 914 m: 99 (2007)
Pipelines:
gas 62 km; oil 71 km (2007)
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 (2006)
Roadways:
total: 153,497 km
paved: 2,794 km
unpaved: 150,703 km (2004)
Waterways:
15,000 km (2005)
Merchant marine:
total: 1
by type: petroleum tanker 1
foreign-owned: 1 (Congo, Republic of the 1) (2008)
Ports and terminals:
Banana, Boma, Bukavu, Bumba, Goma, Kalemie, Kindu, Kinshasa,
Kisangani, Matadi, Mbandaka
Military
Congo, Democratic Republic of the
Military branches:
Armed Forces of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (Forces
d'Armees de la Republique Democratique du Congo, FARDC): Army,
National Navy (La Marine Nationale), Congolese Air Force (Force
Aerienne Congolaise, FAC) (2008)
Military service age and obligation:
18-45 years of age for military service
Manpower available for military service:
males age 16-49: 14,101,263 (2008 est.)
Manpower fit for military service:
males age 16-49: 8,562,989 (2008 est.)
Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:
male: 783,762
female: 780,922 (2008 est.)
Military expenditures:
2.5% of GDP (2006)
Transnational Issues
Congo, Democratic Republic of the
Disputes - international: