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.
GDP: purchasing power parity--$34.9 billion (1998 est.)
GDP--real growth rate: -3.5% (1998 est.)
GDP--per capita: purchasing power parity?$710 (1998 est.)
GDP--composition by sector:
agriculture: 59%
industry: 15%
services: 26% (1995 est.)
Population below poverty line: NA%
Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: NA%
highest 10%: NA%
Inflation rate (consumer prices): 147% (1998 est.)
Labor force: 14.51 million (1993 est.)
Labor force--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%
Electricity--production: 6.4 billion kWh (1996)
Electricity--production by source:
fossil fuel: 6.25%
hydro: 93.75%
nuclear: 0%
other: 0% (1996)
Electricity--consumption: 6.265 billion kWh (1996)
Electricity--exports: 195 million kWh (1996)
Electricity--imports: 60 million kWh (1996)
Agriculture--products: coffee, sugar, palm oil, rubber, tea,
quinine, cassava (tapioca), palm oil, bananas, root crops, corn,
fruits; wood products
Exports: $1.6 billion (f.o.b., 1998 est.)
Exports--commodities: diamonds, copper, coffee, cobalt, crude oil
Exports--partners: Benelux 43%, US 22%, South Africa 8%, France,
Germany, Italy, UK, Japan (1997)
Imports: $819 million (f.o.b., 1998 est.)
Imports--commodities: consumer goods, foodstuffs, mining and other
machinery, transport equipment, fuels
Imports--partners: South Africa 21%, Benelux 14%, China 8%,
Netherlands, US, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, UK (1997)
Debt--external: $15 billion (1997 est.)
Economic aid--recipient: $195.3 million (1995)
Currency: Congolese franc (CF)
Exchange rates: 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
Fiscal year: calendar year
Communications
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 station--1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)
Radio broadcast stations: AM 10, FM 4, shortwave 0
Radios: 3.87 million (1992 est.)
Television broadcast stations: 18 (1997)
Televisions: 55,000 (1992 est.)
Transportation
Railways:
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
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: 233 (1998 est.)
Airports--with paved runways:
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:
total: 210
1,524 to 2,437 m: 21
914 to 1,523 m: 95
under 914 m: 94 (1998 est.)
Military
Military branches: Army, Navy, Air Force, Presidential Security
Group, Gendarmerie
Military manpower--availability:
males age 15-49: 10,874,744 (1999 est.)
Military manpower--fit for military service:
males age 15-49: 5,536,277 (1999 est.)
Military expenditures--dollar figure: $250 million (1997)
Military expenditures--percent of GDP: 4.6% (1997)
Transnational Issues
Disputes--international: 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: illicit producer of cannabis, mostly for domestic
consumption
======================================================================
@Congo, Republic of the
----------------------
Geography
Location: Western Africa, bordering the South Atlantic Ocean,
between Angola and Gabon
Geographic coordinates: 1 00 S, 15 00 E
Map references: Africa
Area:
total: 342,000 sq km
land: 341,500 sq km
water: 500 sq km
Area--comparative: slightly smaller than Montana
Land boundaries:
total: 5,504 km
border countries: Angola 201 km, Cameroon 523 km, Central African
Republic 467 km, Democratic Republic of the Congo 2,410 km, Gabon
1,903 km
Coastline: 169 km
Maritime claims:
territorial sea: 200 nm
Climate: tropical; rainy season (March to June); dry season (June
to October); constantly high temperatures and humidity; particularly
enervating climate astride the Equator
Terrain: coastal plain, southern basin, central plateau, northern
basin
Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m
highest point: Mount Berongou 903 m
Natural resources: petroleum, timber, potash, lead, zinc,
uranium, copper, phosphates, natural gas
Land use:
arable land: 0%
permanent crops: 0%
permanent pastures: 29%
forests and woodland: 62%
other: 9% (1993 est.)
Irrigated land: 10 sq km (1993 est.)
Natural hazards: seasonal flooding
Environment--current issues: air pollution from vehicle emissions;
water pollution from the dumping of raw sewage; tap water is not
potable; deforestation
Environment--international agreements:
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Endangered Species, Ozone
Layer Protection, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94
signed, but not ratified: Desertification, Law of the Sea
Geography--note: about 70% of the population lives in Brazzaville,
Pointe-Noire, or along the railroad between them
People
Population: 2,716,814 (July 1999 est.)
Age structure:
0-14 years: 42% (male 579,940; female 573,847)
15-64 years: 54% (male 718,820; female 751,911)
65 years and over: 4% (male 36,987; female 55,309) (1999 est.)
Population growth rate: 2.16% (1999 est.)
Birth rate: 37.96 births/1,000 population (1999 est.)
Death rate: 16.33 deaths/1,000 population (1999 est.)
Net migration rate: 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1999 est.)
Sex ratio:
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: 0.67 male(s)/female
total population: 0.97 male(s)/female (1999 est.)
Infant mortality rate: 100.58 deaths/1,000 live births (1999 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 47.14 years
male: 45.42 years
female: 48.92 years (1999 est.)
Total fertility rate: 4.89 children born/woman (1999 est.)
Nationality:
noun: Congolese (singular and plural)
adjective: Congolese or Congo
Ethnic groups: Kongo 48%, Sangha 20%, M'Bochi 12%, Teke 17%,
Europeans NA%; note--Europeans estimated at 8,500, mostly French,
before the 1997 civil war; may be half of that in 1998, following
the widespread destruction of foreign businesses in 1997
Religions: Christian 50%, animist 48%, Muslim 2%
Languages: French (official), Lingala and Monokutuba (lingua
franca trade languages), many local languages and dialects (of which
Kikongo has the most users)
Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 74.9%
male: 83.1%
female: 67.2% (1995 est.)
Government
Country name:
conventional long form: Republic of the Congo
conventional short form: none
local long form: Republique du Congo
local short form: none
former: Congo/Brazzaville, Congo
Data code: CF
Government type: republic
Capital: Brazzaville
Administrative divisions: 9 regions (regions, singular--region)
and 1 commune*; Bouenza, Brazzaville*, Cuvette, Kouilou, Lekoumou,
Likouala, Niari, Plateaux, Pool, Sangha
Independence: 15 August 1960 (from France)
National holiday: Congolese National Day, 15 August (1960)
Constitution: new constitution approved by referendum March 1992
but is now being redrafted by President SASSOU-NGUESSO
Legal system: based on French civil law system and customary law
Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal
Executive branch:
chief of state: President Denis SASSOU-NGUESSO (since 25 October
1997, following the civil war in which he toppled elected president
Pascal LISSOUBA); note--the president is both the chief of state and
head of government
head of government: normally the prime minister, appointed from the
majority party by the president; however, since his inauguration,
President Denis SASSOU-NGUESSO has been both chief of state and head
of government
cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president
elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term;
election last held 16 August 1992 (next was to be held 27 July 1997
but will be delayed for several years pending the drafting of a new
constitution)
election results: Pascal LISSOUBA elected president in 1992; percent
of vote--Pascal LISSOUBA 61%, Bernard KOLELAS 39%; note--LISSOUBA was
deposed in 1997, replaced by Denis SASSOU-NGUESSO
Legislative branch: unicameral National Transitional Council (75
seats, members elected by reconciliation forum of 1,420 delegates;
note--the National Transitioanl Council replaced the bicameral
Paarliament in mid-1997
elections: National Transitional Council--last held NA January 1998
(next to be held NA 2001); note--at that election the National
Transitional Council is to be replaced by a bicameral assembly
election results: National Transitional Council--percent of vote by
party--NA; seats by party--NA
Judicial branch: Supreme Court (Cour Supreme)
Political parties and leaders: the most important of the many
SASSOU-NGUESSO, president]; Association for Democracy and
TCHICAYA, president]; Congolese Movement for Democracy and Integral
BOKAMBA-YANGOUMA]
Political pressure groups and leaders: Union of Congolese
Socialist Youth or UJSC; Congolese Trade Union Congress or CSC;
Revolutionary Union of Congolese Women or URFC; General Union of
Congolese Pupils and Students or UGEEC
International organization participation: ACCT, ACP, AfDB, BDEAC,
CCC, CEEAC, ECA, FAO, FZ, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD,
IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, ITU, MONUA, NAM,
OAU, OPCW, UDEAC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO,
WMO, WToO
Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: (vacant); Charge d'Affaires ad interim Serge
MOMBOULI
chancery: 4891 Colorado Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20011
Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador J. Aubrey HOOKS
embassy: Avenue Amilcar Cabral, Brazzaville
mailing address: B. P. 1015, Brazzaville
note: the embassy is temporarily collocated with the US Embassy in
the Democratic Republic of the Congo (US Embassy Kinshasa, 310
Avenue des Aviateurs, Kinshasa)
Flag description: 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
Economy
Economy--overview: The 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 a major share of government revenues and exports.
In the early 1980s, rapidly rising oil revenues enabled the
government 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 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 but inflation has subsided since.
Economic reform efforts continued with the support of international
organizations, notably the World Bank and the IMF. The reform
program came to a halt in June 1997 when civil war erupted. Denis
SASSOU-NGUESSO, who returned to power when the war ended in October
1997, publicly expressed interest in moving forward on economic
reforms and privatization and in renewing cooperation with
international financial institutions. However, economic progress was
badly hurt by slumping oil prices in 1998, which worsened the
Republic of the Congo's budget deficit. A second blow was the
resumption of armed conflict in December 1998.
GDP: purchasing power parity--$3.9 billion (1998 est.)
GDP--real growth rate: 2.5% (1998 est.)
GDP--per capita: purchasing power parity?$1,500 (1998 est.)
GDP--composition by sector:
agriculture: 10%
industry: 59%
services: 31% (1997 est.)
Population below poverty line: NA%
Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: NA%
highest 10%: NA%
Inflation rate (consumer prices): 5% (1997 est.)
Labor force: NA
Unemployment rate: NA%
Budget:
revenues: $870 million
expenditures: $970 million, including capital expenditures of $NA
(1997 est.)
Industries: petroleum extraction, cement kilning, lumbering,
brewing, sugar milling, palm oil, soap, cigarette making
Industrial production growth rate: NA%
Electricity--production: 438 million kWh (1996)
Electricity--production by source:
fossil fuel: 0.68%
hydro: 99.32%
nuclear: 0%
other: 0% (1996)
Electricity--consumption: 553 million kWh (1996)
Electricity--exports: 0 kWh (1996)
Electricity--imports: 115 million kWh (1996)
Agriculture--products: cassava (tapioca), sugar, rice, corn,
peanuts, vegetables, coffee, cocoa; forest products
Exports: $1.7 billion (f.o.b., 1997)
Exports--commodities: petroleum 50%, lumber, plywood, sugar,
cocoa, coffee, diamonds
Exports--partners: US 37%, Belgium-Luxembourg 34%, Taiwan, China
(1997 est.)
Imports: $803 million (f.o.b. 1997)
Imports--commodities: intermediate manufactures, capital
equipment, construction materials, foodstuffs, petroleum products
Imports--partners: France 22%, Italy 16%, US 9%, UK 6% (1997 est.)
Debt--external: $6 billion (1996)
Economic aid--recipient: $159.1 million (1995)
Currency: 1 Communaute Financiere Africaine franc (CFAF) = 100
centimes
Exchange rates: Communaute Financiere Africaine francs (CFAF) per
US$1--550 (January 1999), 589.95 (1998), 583.67 (1997), 511.55
(1996), 499.15 (1995), 555.20 (1994)
Fiscal year: calendar year
Communications
Telephones: 18,000 (1983 est.)
Telephone system: services barely adequate for government use;
key exchanges are in Brazzaville, Pointe-Noire, and Loubomo;
inter-city lines frequently out-of-order
domestic: primary network consists of microwave radio relay and
coaxial cable
international: satellite earth station--1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)
Radio broadcast stations: AM 4, FM 1, shortwave 0
Radios: NA
Television broadcast stations: 1 (1997)
Televisions: 8,500 (1993 est.)
Transportation
Railways:
total: 795 km (includes 285 km private track)
narrow gauge: 795 km 1.067-m gauge (1995 est.)
Highways:
total: 12,800 km
paved: 1,242 km
unpaved: 11,558 km (1996 est.)
Waterways: the Congo and Ubangi (Oubangui) Rivers provide 1,120
km of commercially navigable water transport; other rivers are used
for local traffic only
Pipelines: crude oil 25 km
Ports and harbors: Brazzaville, Impfondo, Ouesso, Oyo,
Pointe-Noire
Airports: 36 (1998 est.)
Airports--with paved runways:
total: 4
over 3,047 m: 1
1,524 to 2,437 m: 3 (1998 est.)
Airports--with unpaved runways:
total: 32
1,524 to 2,437 m: 8
914 to 1,523 m: 14
under 914 m: 10 (1998 est.)
Military
Military branches: NA
Military manpower--military age: 20 years of age
Military manpower--availability:
males age 15-49: 641,543 (1999 est.)
Military manpower--fit for military service:
males age 15-49: 326,834 (1999 est.)
Military manpower--reaching military age annually:
males: 28,976 (1999 est.)
Military expenditures--dollar figure: $110 million (1993)
Military expenditures--percent of GDP: 3.8% (1993)
Transnational Issues
Disputes--international: most of the Congo River boundary with the
Democratic Republic of the Congo is indefinite (no agreement has
been reached on the division of the river or its islands, except in
the Stanley Pool/Pool Malebo area)
======================================================================
@Cook Islands
------------
Introduction
Background: Named after Captain Cook, who sighted them in 1770,
the islands became a British protectorate in 1888. By 1900,
administrative control was transferred to New Zealand. Residents
chose self-government with free association with New Zealand in
1965. The emigration of Cook Islanders to New Zealand in large
numbers and resulting loss of skilled labor and government deficits
are continuing problems.
Geography
Location: Oceania, group of islands in the South Pacific Ocean,
about one-half of the way from Hawaii to New Zealand
Geographic coordinates: 21 14 S, 159 46 W
Map references: Oceania
Area:
total: 240 sq km
land: 240 sq km
water: 0 sq km
Area--comparative: 1.3 times the size of Washington, DC
Land boundaries: 0 km
Coastline: 120 km
Maritime claims:
continental shelf: 200 nm or to the edge of the continental margin
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
territorial sea: 12 nm
Climate: tropical; moderated by trade winds
Terrain: low coral atolls in north; volcanic, hilly islands in
south
Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
highest point: Te Manga 652 m
Natural resources: NEGL
Land use:
arable land: 9%
permanent crops: 13%
permanent pastures: NA%
forests and woodland: NA%
other: 78% (1993 est.)
Irrigated land: NA sq km
Natural hazards: typhoons (November to March)
Environment--current issues: NA
Environment--international agreements:
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertication, Law of the Sea
signed, but not ratified: Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol
People
Population: 20,200 (July 1999 est.)
Age structure:
0-14 years: NA
15-64 years: NA
65 years and over: NA
Population growth rate: 1.04% (1999 est.)
Birth rate: 22.35 births/1,000 population (1999 est.)
Death rate: 5.2 deaths/1,000 population (1999 est.)
Net migration rate: -6.75 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1999 est.)
Infant mortality rate: 24.7 deaths/1,000 live births (1999 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 71.14 years
male: 69.2 years
female: 73.1 years (1999 est.)
Total fertility rate: 3.17 children born/woman (1999 est.)
Nationality:
noun: Cook Islander(s)
adjective: Cook Islander
Ethnic groups: Polynesian (full blood) 81.3%, Polynesian and
European 7.7%, Polynesian and non-European 7.7%, European 2.4%,
other 0.9%
Religions: Christian (majority of populace are members of the
Cook Islands Christian Church)
Languages: English (official), Maori
Literacy: NA
Government
Country name:
conventional long form: none
conventional short form: Cook Islands
Data code: CW
Dependency status: self-governing in free association with New
Zealand; Cook Islands is fully responsible for internal affairs; New
Zealand retains responsibility for external affairs, in consultation
with the Cook Islands
Government type: self-governing parliamentary democracy
Capital: Avarua
Administrative divisions: none
Independence: none (became self-governing in free association
with New Zealand on 4 August 1965 and has the right at any time to
move to full independence by unilateral action)
National holiday: Constitution Day, 4 August
Constitution: 4 August 1965
Legal system: based on New Zealand law and English common law
Suffrage: NA years of age; universal adult
Executive branch:
chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952),
represented by Apenera SHORT (since NA); New Zealand High
Commissioner Jon JONESSEN (since NA January 1998), representative of
New Zealand
head of government: Prime Minister Sir Geoffrey A. HENRY (since 1
February 1989); Deputy Prime Minister Inatio AKARURU (since 1
February 1989)
cabinet: Cabinet chosen by the prime minister; collectively
responsible to Parliament
elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; the UK representative is
appointed by the monarch; the New Zealand high commissioner is
appointed by the New Zealand Government; following legislative
elections, the leader of the party that wins the most seats usually
becomes prime minister
Legislative branch: unicameral Parliament (25 seats; members
elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms)
elections: last held 6 March 1994 (next to be held by June 1999)
election results: percent of vote by party--NA; seats by party--Cook
Islands Party 20, Democratic Party 3, Democratic Alliance Party 2
note: the House of Arikis (chiefs) advises on traditional matters,
but has no legislative powers
Judicial branch: High Court
Political parties and leaders: Cook Islands Party [Sir Geoffrey
International organization participation: AsDB, ESCAP
(associate), FAO, ICAO, ICFTU, IFAD, Intelsat (nonsignatory user),
IOC, OPCW, Sparteca, SPC, SPF, UNESCO, WHO, WMO
Diplomatic representation in the US: none (self-governing in free
association with New Zealand)
Diplomatic representation from the US: none (self-governing in
free association with New Zealand)
Flag description: blue, with the flag of the UK in the upper
hoist-side quadrant and a large circle of 15 white five-pointed
stars (one for every island) centered in the outer half of the flag
Economy
Economy--overview: Like many other South Pacific island nations,
the Cook Islands' economic development is hindered by the isolation
of the country from foreign markets, lack of natural resources,
periodic devastation from natural disasters, and inadequate
infrastructure. Agriculture provides the economic base with major
exports made up of copra and citrus fruit. Manufacturing activities
are limited to fruit-processing, clothing, and handicrafts. Trade
deficits are made up for by remittances from emigrants and by
foreign aid, overwhelmingly from New Zealand. In 1996, the
government declared bankruptcy, citing a $120 million public debt.
Efforts to exploit tourism potential and expanding the mining and
fishing industries have not been enough to adequately deal with the
financial crisis. In an effort to stem further erosion of the
economy, the government slashed public service salaries by 50%,
condensed the number of government ministries from 52 to 22, reduced
the number of civil servants by more than half, began selling
government assets, and closed all overseas diplomatic posts except
for the one in New Zealand.
GDP: purchasing power parity--$79 million (1994 est.)
GDP--real growth rate: NA%
GDP--per capita: purchasing power parity?$4,000 (1994 est.)