CONGO DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF THE CONGO DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF THE REGION AFRICA NATURAL RESOURCES INDUSTRY AGRICULTURE GEOGRAPHIC INFORMATION GLOBAL RELATIONS DATE OF INDEPENDENCE JUNE 30 1960 FROM BELGIUM DATE OF CURRENT CONSTITUTION MARCH 1922 POPULATION 50481305 AREA 905913 SQ MI CAPITAL KINSHASA FORM OF GOVERNMENT DICTATORSHIP PRESUMABLY UNDERGOING A TRANSITION TO REPRESENTATIVE GOVERNMENT MAIN INDUSTRIES MINING MINERAL PROCESSING CONSUMER PRODUCTS INCLUDING TEXTILES FOOTWEAR CIGARETTES PROCESSED FOODS AND BEVERAGES CEMENT DIAMONDS AGRICULTURE COFFEE SUGAR PALM OIL RUBBER TEA QUININE CASSAVA TAPIOCA PALM OILBANANAS ROOT CROPS CORN FRUITS WOOD PRODUCTS NATURAL RESOURCES OIL LEAD COPPER ZINC TIMBER CURRENCY ZAIRE GDP 34.9 BILLION 1998 EST GDP PER CAPITA 710 1998 EST LANGUAGES FRENCH OFFICIAL LINGALA KIKONGO KINGWANA RELIGIONS CHRISTIAN INDIGENOUS BELIEFS MUSLIM LITERACY RATE 77 LIFE EXPECTANCY 47 YEARS MALE 52 YEARS FEMALE BIRTHRATE 46 PER 1000 POPULATION DEATH RATE 15 PER 1000 POPULATION
