TOTAL AREA: 342,000 sq km (131,887 sq mi); LAND AREA: 341,500 sq km (131,694 sq mi)
COMPARATIVE AREA: slightly smaller than Montana
LAND BOUNDARIES: 5,504 km (3,420 mi) total; Angola 201 km (125 mi), Cameroon 523 km (325 mi), Central African Republic 467 km (290 mi), Gabon 1,903 km (1,182 mi), Zaire 2,410 km (1,497 mi)
COASTLINE: 169 km (105 mi)
MARITIME CLAIM:
TERRITORIAL SEA: 200 nm
DISPUTES: long section with Zaire along the Congo River is indefinite (no division of the river or its islands has been made)
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
NET MIGRATION RATE: 0 migrants/1,000 population (1989)
INFANT MORTALITY RATE: 109 deaths/1,000 live births (1989)
LIFE EXPECTANCY AT BIRTH: 54 years male, 58 years female (1989)
TOTAL FERTILITY RATE: 6.9 children born/woman (1989)
NATIONALITY: noun--Congolese (sing., pl.); adjective--Congolese or Congo
ETHNIC DIVISIONS: about 15 ethnic groups divided into some 75 tribes, almost all Bantu; most important ethnic groups are Kongo (48%) in the south, Sangha (20%) and M'Bochi (12%) in the north, Teke (17%) in the center; about 8,500 Europeans, mostly French
RELIGION: 50% Christian, 42% animist, 2% Muslim
LANGUAGE: French (official); many African languages with Lingala and Kikongo most widely used
LITERACY: 80%
LABOR FORCE: 79,100 wage earners; 75% agriculture, 25% commerce, industry, and government; 51% of population of working age; 40% of population economically active (1985)
ORGANIZED LABOR: 20% of labor force (1979 est.)
.GOVERNMENT OF THE CONGO
LONG-FORM NAME: People's Republic of the Congo
TYPE: people's republic
CAPITAL: Brazzaville
ADMINISTRATIVE DIVISIONS: 9 regions (regions, singular--region); Bouenza, Cuvette, Kouilou, Lekoumou, Likouala, Niari, Plateaux, Pool, Sangha; note--there may be a new capital district of Brazzaville
INDEPENDENCE: 15 August 1960 (from France; formerly Congo/Brazzaville)
CONSTITUTION: 8 July 1979
LEGAL SYSTEM: based on French civil law system and customary law
NATIONAL HOLIDAY: National Day, 15 August (1960)
BRANCHES: presidential executive, Council of State; judiciary; all policy made by Congolese Labor Party Central Committee and Politburo
CHIEF OF STATE: President Denis SASSOU-NGUESSO (since 8 February 1979)
HEAD OF GOVERNMENT: Prime Minister Ange Edouard POUNGUI (since 11 August 1984)
SUFFRAGE: universal over age 18
ELECTIONS: elections for local and regional organs and the National Assembly were held in July 1979--the first elections since June 1973
POLITICAL PARTIES AND LEADERS: Congolese Labor Party (PCT) is the only legal party; Party Congress held in July 1984--Sassou unanimously elected to another five-year term as President and party chairman
DIPLOMATIC REPRESENTATION: Ambassador Benjamin BOUNKOULOU; Chancery at 4891 Colorado Avenue NW, Washington DC 20011; telephone (202) 726-5500
U.S. FOREIGN SERVICE POST: Ambassador Leonard G. SHURTLEFF; Embassy at Avenue Amilcar Cabral, Brazzaville (mailing address is B. P. 1015, Brazzaville, or Box C, APO New York 09662-0006); telephone 83-20-70 or 83-26-24
FLAG: red with the national emblem in the upper hoist-side corner; the emblem includes a yellow five-pointed star above a crossed hoe and hammer (like the hammer and sickle design) in yellow, flanked by two curved green palm branches; uses the popular pan-African colors of Ethiopia
.ECONOMY OF THE CONGO
OVERVIEW: Oil is the mainstay of the economy, providing about 90% of exports and two-thirds of government revenues. In the early 1980s rapidly rising oil revenues enabled the Congo to finance large-scale development projects, and the country briefly achieved one of the highest real growth rates in Africa. The world decline in oil prices, however, has ended the period of rapid economic growth. The government has been forced to launch an austerity program to cope with declining receipts and to meet mounting foreign debts.
GDP: $2.2 billion, per capita $1,060; real growth rate - 5.2% (1987)
INFLATION RATE (CONSUMER PRICES): 1.3% (1987)
UNEMPLOYMENT RATE: NA%
BUDGET: revenues $453.2 million; expenditures $742.7 million, including capital expenditures of $101.2 million (1987)
EXPORTS: $912 million (f.o.b., 1987); commodities-- crude petroleum 72%, lumber, plywood, coffee, cocoa, sugar, diamonds; partners-- US, France, other EC
IMPORTS: $494.4 million (c.i.f., 1987); commodities-- foodstuffs, consumer goods, intermediate manufactures, capital equipment; partners-- France, Italy, other EC, US, FRG, Spain, Japan, Brazil
EXTERNAL DEBT: $4.5 billion (December 1988)
INDUSTRIAL PRODUCTION: growth rate - 5.9% (1987)
ELECTRICITY: 133,000 kW capacity; 301 million kWh produced, 140 kWh per capita (1988)
RAILROADS: 797 km, (494 mi) 1.067-meter gauge, single track (includes 285 km that are privately owned)
HIGHWAYS: 11,980 km (7,439 mi) total; 560 km bituminous surface treated; 850 km gravel, laterite; 5,350 km improved earth; 5,220 km unimproved roads
INLAND WATERWAYS: the Congo and Ubangi (Oubangui) Rivers provide 1,120 km (695 mi) of commercially navigable water transport; the rest are used for local traffic only
PIPELINES: crude oil 25 km (15 mi) of commercially navigable water transport; the rest are used for local traffic only
AIRPORTS: 52 total, 48 usable; 5 with permanent-surface runways; 1 with runways 2,440-3,659 m; 21 with runways 1,220-2,439 m
TELECOMMUNICATIONS: services adequate for government use; primary network is composed of radio relay routes and coaxial cables; key centers are Brazzaville, Pointe-Noire, and Loubomo; 18,100 telephones; stations--3 AM, 1 FM, 4 TV; 1 Atlantic Ocean satellite statio
.DEFENSE FORCES OF THE CONGO
BRANCHES: Army, Navy, Air Force, paramilitary National People's Militia
MILITARY MANPOWER: males 15-49, 455,945; 230,030 fit for military service; 21,558 reach military age (20) annually
MILITARY BUDGET: NA
.TRAVEL IN THE CONGO
REQUIRED DOCUMENTS: Passport and visa required. Visa fee $15 for one entry, $20 multiple entries, valid up to 3 months. Requires 3 applications, 3 photos, and letter of introduction stating reason for trip. Send check or money order only and SASE for return of passport. Vaccination certificate required for yellow fever.
HEALTH: Health care is limited. Malaria suppressants are recommended; travelers to remote areas should be immunized against polio, typhoid, and hepatitis. Tapwater is not potable. Health requirements change; check latest information.
TOURIST OFFICE: Ministere du Tourisme, des Loisires et de l'Environnement, B.P. 456, Brazzaville.
WEATHER AND CLOTHING: Summer clothing is suitable year round. Bring sweaters May to Sep.
TELEPHONE: Calls to the Congo should be made through the operator.
TIME: 6 hours ahead of U.S. Eastern Standard Time, and 1 hour ahead of Greenwich Mean Time.
ELECTRIC CURRENT: 220V
IMPORTANT!! All requirements/recommendations are subject to change. Be sure to check latest information
