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 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.
The National Assembly was installed in September 2006 and KABILA was
inaugurated president in December 2006. 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: 2,344,858 sq km
country comparison to the world: 12
land: 2,267,048 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
volcanism: Nyiragongo (elev. 3,470 m, 11,384 ft), which erupted in
2002 and is experiencing ongoing activity, poses a major threat to
the city of Goma, home to a quarter of a million people; the volcano
produces unusually fast-moving lava, known to travel up to 100 km
(60 mi)/hr; Nyiragongo has been deemed a "Decade Volcano" by the
International Association of Volcanology and Chemistry of the
Earth's Interior, worthy of study due to its explosive history and
close proximity to human populations; its neighbor, Nyamuragira,
which erupted in 2010, is Africa's most active volcano; Visoke is
the only other historically active volcano
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:
70,916,439
country comparison to the world: 19
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
2010 est.)
Age structure:
0-14 years: 46.9% (male 16,161,301/female 16,038,024)
15-64 years: 50.6% (male 17,289,453/female 17,483,027)
65 years and over: 2.5% (male 699,667/female 1,021,070) (2010 est.)
Median age:
total: 16.5 years
male: 16.3 years
female: 16.7 years (2010 est.)
Population growth rate:
3.165% (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 10
Birth rate:
42.26 births/1,000 population (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 9
Death rate:
11.39 deaths/1,000 population (July 2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 37
Net migration rate:
0.77 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 59
Urbanization:
urban population: 34% of total population (2008)
rate of urbanization: 5.1% annual rate of change (2005-10 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: 0.69 male(s)/female
total population: 0.99 male(s)/female (2010 est.)
Infant mortality rate:
total: 79.36 deaths/1,000 live births
country comparison to the world: 15
male: 87.13 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 71.36 deaths/1,000 live births (2010 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 54.73 years
country comparison to the world: 198
male: 52.93 years
female: 56.59 years (2010 est.)
Total fertility rate:
6.11 children born/woman (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 7
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
4.2% (2003 est.)
country comparison to the world: 16
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
1.1 million (2003 est.)
country comparison to the world: 10
HIV/AIDS - deaths:
100,000 (2003 est.)
country comparison to the world: 6
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 (2009)
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: 8 years
male: 9 years
female: 6 years (2008)
Education expenditures:
NA
Government ::Congo, Democratic Republic of the
Country name:
conventional long form: Democratic Republic of the Congo
conventional short form: DRC
local long form: Republique Democratique du Congo
local short form: RDC
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:
civil law based on Belgian law with Napoleonic Civil Code influence;
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);
head of government: Prime Minister Adolphe MUZITO (since 10 October
2008)
cabinet: Ministers of State appointed by the president
(For more information visit the World Leaders website )
elections: under the new constitution the president elected by
popular vote for a five-year term (eligible for a second term);
elections last held on 30 July 2006 and on 29 October 2006 (next to
be held on 27 November 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
a run-off on 29 October 2006 confirming Joseph KABILA as president
Legislative branch:
bicameral legislature consists of a Senate (108 seats; members
elected by provincial assemblies to serve five-year terms) and 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)
elections: Senate - last held on 19 January 2007 (next to be held on
27 November 2011); National Assembly - last held on 30 July 2006
(next to be held on 27 November 2011)
election results: 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); 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)
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 Democratique du Congo) - Army of the
Democratic Republic of the Congo which commits atrocities on
citizens; FDL (Forces Democratiques de Liberation du Rwanda) -
Rwandan militia group
International organization participation:
ACP, AfDB, AU, CEPGL, COMESA, FAO, G-24, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO,
ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol,
IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC, MIGA, NAM, OIF, OPCW, PCA,
SADC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO,
WIPO, WMO, WTO
Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Faida MITIFU
chancery: Suite 601, 1726 M Street, NW, Washington, DC, 20036
telephone: [1] (202) 234-7690 through 7691
FAX: [1] (202) 234-2609
Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires Samuel BROCK
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; blue represents peace and hope, red the blood of the
country's martyrs, and yellow the country's wealth and prosperity;
the star symbolizes unity and the brilliant future for the country
National anthem:
name: "Debout Congolaise" (Arise Congolese)
lyrics/music: Joseph LUTUMBA/Simon-Pierre BOKA di Mpasi Londi
note: adopted 1960; the anthem was replaced during the period in
which the country was known as Zaire, but was readopted in 1997
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
decades of decline. Systemic corruption since independence in 1960
and conflict that began in May 1997 has dramatically reduced
national output and government revenue, increased external debt, and
resulted in the deaths of more than 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 began implementing
reforms. Progress has been 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 from 2006-2008, however,
the government's review of mining contracts that began in 2006,
combined with a fall in world market prices for the DRC's key
mineral exports temporarily weakened output in 2009, leading to a
balance of payments crisis. The recovery in mineral prices beginning
in mid 2009 boosted mineral exports, and emergency funds from the
IMF boosted foreign reserves. An uncertain legal framework,
corruption, a lack of transparency in government policy are
long-term problems for the mining sector and the economy as a whole.
The global recession cut economic growth in 2009 to less than half
its 2008 level, but growth returned to 3% in 2010. The DRC signed a
Poverty Reduction and Growth Facility with the IMF in 2009 and
received $12 billion in multilateral and bilateral debt relief in
2010.
GDP (purchasing power parity):
$22.92 billion (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 119
$22.25 billion (2009 est.)
$21.64 billion (2008 est.)
note: data are in 2010 US dollars
GDP (official exchange rate):
$12.6 billion (2010 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:
3% (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 120
2.8% (2009 est.)
6.2% (2008 est.)
GDP - per capita (PPP):
$300 (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 229
$300 (2009 est.)
$300 (2008 est.)
note: data are in 2010 US dollars
GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 37.4%
industry: 26%
services: 36.6% (2008 est.)
Labor force:
23.53 million (2007 est.)
country comparison to the world: 26
Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture: NA%
industry: NA%
services: NA%
Unemployment rate:
NA%
Population below poverty line:
NA% (2006 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: 2.3%
highest 10%: 34.7% (2006)
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
26.2% (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 223
46.2% (2009 est.)
Central bank discount rate:
70% (31 December 2009)
country comparison to the world: 2
40% (31 December 2008)
Commercial bank prime lending rate:
65.42% (31 December 2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 4
43.15% (31 December 2008 est.)
Stock of narrow money:
$613.9 million (31 December 2008)
country comparison to the world: 152
$597 million (31 December 2007)
Stock of broad money:
$1.562 billion (31 December 2008 est.)
country comparison to the world: 147
$1.275 billion (31 December 2007 est.)
Stock of domestic credit:
$NA (31 December 2008)
$928.5 million (31 December 2008)
Market value of publicly traded shares:
$NA
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, tin,
diamonds), mineral processing, consumer products (including
textiles, footwear, cigarettes, processed foods and beverages),
cement, commercial ship repair
Industrial production growth rate:
NA%
Electricity - production:
8.217 billion kWh (2007 est.)
country comparison to the world: 98
Electricity - consumption:
5.997 billion kWh (2007 est.)
country comparison to the world: 105
Electricity - exports:
1.916 billion kWh (2007 est.)
Electricity - imports:
6 million kWh (2007 est.)
Oil - production:
16,360 bbl/day (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 78
Oil - consumption:
10,000 bbl/day (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 148
Oil - exports:
20,090 bbl/day (2007 est.)
country comparison to the world: 91
Oil - imports:
11,350 bbl/day (2007 est.)
country comparison to the world: 136
Oil - proved reserves:
180 million bbl (1 January 2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 60
Natural gas - production:
0 cu m (2008 est.)
country comparison to the world: 183
Natural gas - consumption:
0 cu m (2008 est.)
country comparison to the world: 195
Natural gas - exports:
0 cu m (2008 est.)
country comparison to the world: 186
Natural gas - imports:
0 cu m (2008 est.)
country comparison to the world: 188
Natural gas - proved reserves:
991.1 million cu m (1 January 2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 98
Current account balance:
-$1.47 billion (2007 est.)
country comparison to the world: 150
-$402 million (2007 est.)
Exports:
$3.8 billion (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 119
$6.6 billion (2008 est.)
Exports - commodities:
diamonds, gold, copper, cobalt, wood products, crude oil, coffee
Exports - partners:
China 46.75%, US 15.35%, Belgium 10.68%, Zambia 5.78%, Finland 4.38%
(2009)
Imports:
$5.2 billion (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 111
$6.7 billion (2008 est.)
Imports - commodities:
foodstuffs, mining and other machinery, transport equipment, fuels
Imports - partners:
South Africa 18.22%, Belgium 10.2%, China 8.34%, Zambia 7.77%,
France 7.28%, Zimbabwe 6.52%, Kenya 5.48%, Netherlands 4.13%, Italy
3.96% (2009)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
$1.01 billion (March 2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 110
$1 billion (December 2009 est.)
Debt - external:
$4.3 billion (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 112
$12.7 billion (2008 est.)
Exchange rates:
Congolese francs (CDF) per US dollar - 930 (2010), 810 (2009), 559
(2008), 516 (2007), 464.69 (2006)
Communications ::Congo, Democratic Republic of the
Telephones - main lines in use:
40,000 (2009)
country comparison to the world: 167
Telephones - mobile cellular:
10.163 million (2009)
country comparison to the world: 63
Telephone system:
general assessment: barely adequate wire and microwave radio relay
service in and between urban areas; domestic satellite system with
14 earth stations; inadequate fixed line infrastructure
domestic: state-owned operator providing less than 1 fixed-line
connection per 1000 persons; given the backdrop of a wholly
inadequate fixed-line infrastructure, the use of mobile-cellular
services has surged and subscribership in 2009 exceeded 10 million -
roughly 15 per 100 persons
international: country code - 243; satellite earth station - 1
Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) (2009)
Broadcast media:
state-owned TV broadcast station with near national coverage; more
than a dozen privately-owned TV stations with 2 having near national
coverage; 2 state-owned radio stations are supplemented by more than
100 private radio stations; transmissions of at least 2
international broadcasters are available (2007)
Internet country code:
.cd
Internet hosts:
3,006 (2010)
country comparison to the world: 146
Internet users:
290,000 (2008)
country comparison to the world: 131
Transportation ::Congo, Democratic Republic of the
Airports:
198 (2010)
country comparison to the world: 31
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 (2010)
Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 172
1,524 to 2,437 m: 20
914 to 1,523 m: 91
under 914 m: 61 (2010)
Pipelines:
gas 37 km; oil 39 km; refined products 756 km (2009)
Railways:
total: 4,007 km
country comparison to the world: 42
narrow gauge: 3,882 km 1.067-m gauge (858 km electrified); 125 km
1.000-m gauge (2008)
Roadways:
total: 153,497 km
country comparison to the world: 34
paved: 2,794 km
unpaved: 150,703 km (2004)
Waterways:
15,000 km (including the Congo, its tributaries, and unconnected
lakes) (2009)
country comparison to the world: 8
Merchant marine:
total: 1
country comparison to the world: 158
by type: petroleum tanker 1
foreign-owned: 1 (Republic of the Congo 1) (2010)
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) (2010)
Military service age and obligation:
18-45 years of age for voluntary military service (2009)
Manpower available for military service:
males age 16-49: 15,192,858 (2010 est.)
Manpower fit for military service:
males age 16-49: 9,301,818
females age 16-49: 9,440,111 (2010 est.)
Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:
male: 842,020
female: 839,044 (2010 est.)
Military expenditures:
2.5% of GDP (2006)
country comparison to the world: 59
Transnational Issues ::Congo, Democratic Republic of the
Disputes - international: