Aminet 6/Aminet 6 - June 1995.iso/Aminet/docs/misc/wfbook93_texi.lha/texi/263.data

Text File | 1995-03-27 | 10.8 KB | 377 lines

@node Geography (Zaire)
@section Geography (Zaire)

@display

Location:
  Central Africa, between Congo and Zambia
Map references:
  Africa, Standard Time Zones of the World
Area:
 total area:
  2,345,410 km2
 land area:
  2,267,600 km2
 comparative area:
  slightly more than one-quarter the size of US
Land boundaries:
  total 10,271 km, Angola 2,511 km, Burundi 233 km, Central African Republic
  1,577 km, Congo 2,410 km, Rwanda 217 km, Sudan 628 km, Uganda 765 km, Zambia
  1,930 km
Coastline:
  37 km
Maritime claims:
 exclusive fishing zone:
  200 nm
 territorial sea:
  12 nm
International disputes:
  Tanzania-Zaire-Zambia tripoint in Lake Tanganyika may no longer be
  indefinite since it is reported that the indefinite section of the
  Zaire-Zambia boundary has been settled; long section with Congo along the
  Congo River is indefinite (no division of the river or its islands has been
  made)
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
Natural resources:
  cobalt, copper, cadmium, petroleum, industrial and gem diamonds, gold,
  silver, zinc, manganese, tin, germanium, uranium, radium, bauxite, iron ore,
  coal, hydropower potential
Land use:
 arable land:
  3%
 permanent crops:
  0%
 meadows and pastures:
  4%
 forest and woodland:
  78%
 other:
  15%
Irrigated land:
  100 km2 (1989 est.)
Environment:   dense tropical rain forest in central river basin and eastern highlands;
  periodic droughts in south
Note:
  straddles Equator; very narrow strip of land that controls the lower Congo
  River and is only outlet to South Atlantic Ocean



@end display

@node People (Zaire)
@section People (Zaire)

@display

Population:
  41,345,738 (July 1993 est.)
Population growth rate:
  3.2% (1993 est.)
Birth rate:
  48.43 births/1,000 population (1993 est.)
Death rate:
  16.91 deaths/1,000 population (1993 est.)
Net migration rate:
  0.52 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1993 est.)
Infant mortality rate:
  113.2 deaths/1,000 live births (1993 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
 total population:
  47.26 years
 male:
  45.45 years
 female:
  49.12 years (1993 est.)
Total fertility rate:
  6.7 children born/woman (1993 est.)
Nationality:
 noun:
  Zairian(s)
 adjective:
  Zairian
Ethnic divisions:
  over 200 African ethnic groups, the majority are Bantu; 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
  syncretic sects and traditional beliefs 10%
Languages:
  French, Lingala, Swahili, Kingwana, Kikongo, Tshiluba
Literacy:
  age 15 and over can read and write (1990)
 total population:
  72%
 male:
  84%
 female:
  61%
Labor force:
  15 million (13% of the labor force is wage earners; 51% of the population is
  of working age)
 by occupation:
  agriculture 75%, industry 13%, services 12% (1985)



@end display

@node Government (Zaire)
@section Government (Zaire)

@display

Names:
 conventional long form:
  Republic of Zaire
 conventional short form:
  Zaire
 local long form:
  Republique du Zaire
 local short form:
  Zaire
 former:
  Belgian Congo Congo/Leopoldville Congo/Kinshasa
Digraph:
  CG
Type:
  republic with a strong presidential system
Capital:
  Kinshasa
Administrative divisions:
  10 regions (regions, singular - region) and 1 town* (ville); Bandundu,,   Bas-Zaire, Equateur,
Haut-Zaire, Kasai-Occidental, Kasai-Oriental,
  Kinshasa*, Maniema, Nord-Kivu, Shaba, Sud-Kivu, Independence:
  30 June 1960 (from Belgium)
Constitution:
  24 June 1967, amended August 1974, revised 15 February 1978; amended April
  1990; new constitution to be put to referendum in 1993
Legal system:
  based on Belgian civil law system and tribal law; has not accepted
  compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
National holiday:
  Anniversary of the Regime (Second Republic), 24 November (1965)
Political parties and leaders:
  sole legal party until January 1991 - Popular Movement of the Revolution
  (MPR); other parties include Union for Democracy and Social Progress (UDPS),
  Etienne TSHISEKEDI wa Mulumba; Democratic Social Christian Party (PDSC),
  Joseph ILEO; Union of Federalists and Independent Republicans (UFERI), NGUZ
  a Karl-I-Bond; Unified Lumumbast Party (PALU), leader NA
Suffrage:
  18 years of age; universal and compulsory
Elections:
 President:
  last held 29 July 1984 (next to be scheduled by High Council, the
  opposition-controlled transition legislature); results - President MOBUTU
  was reelected without opposition
 Legislative Council:
  last held 6 September 1987 (next to be scheduled by High Council); results -
  MPR was the only party; seats - (210 total) MPR 210; note - MPR still holds
  majority of seats but some deputies have joined other parties
Executive branch:   president, prime minister, Executive Council (cabinet)
Legislative branch:
  unicameral National Parliament; anti-Mobutu opposition claims National
  Parliament replaced by High Council
Judicial branch:
  Supreme Court (Cour Supreme)
Leaders:
 Chief of State:
  President Marshal MOBUTU Sese Seko Kuku Ngbendu wa Za Banga (since 24
  November 1965)



@end display

@node Government (Zaire 2. usage)
@section Government (Zaire 2. usage)

@display

 Head of Government:
  Interim Prime Minister Faustin BIRINDWA (since 18 March 1993)
Member of:
  ACCT, ACP, AfDB, CCC, CEEAC, CEPGL, ECA, FAO, G-19, G-24, G-77, GATT, IAEA,
  IBRD, ICAO, ICC, IDA, IFAD, IFC, ILO, IMF, IMO, INTELSAT, INTERPOL, IOC,
  ITU, LORCS, NAM, OAU, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WFTU,
  WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
Diplomatic representation in US:
 chief of mission:
  Ambassador TATANENE Manata
 chancery:
  1800 New Hampshire Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20009
 telephone:
  [phone] or 7691
US diplomatic representation:
 chief of mission:
  Deputy Chief of Mission John YATES
 embassy:
  310 Avenue des Aviateurs, Kinshasa
 mailing address:
  APO AE 09828
 telephone:
  [243] (12) 21532, 21628
 FAX:
  [243] (12) 21232
 consulate general:
  Lubumbashi (closed and evacuated in October 1991 because of the poor
  security situation)
Flag:
  light green with a yellow disk in the center bearing a black arm holding a
  red flaming torch; the flames of the torch are blowing away from the hoist
  side; uses the popular pan-African colors of Ethiopia



@end display

@node Economy (Zaire)
@section Economy (Zaire)

@display

Overview:
  In 1992, Zaire's formal economy continued to disintegrate. While meaningful
  economic figures are difficult to come by, Zaire's hyperinflation, the
  largest government deficit ever, and plunging mineral production have made
  the country one of the world's poorest. Most formal transactions are
  conducted in hard currency as indigenous banknotes have lost almost all
  value, and a barter economy now flourishes in all but the largest cities.
  Most individuals and families hang on grimly through subsistence farming and
  petty trade. The government has not been able to meet its financial
  obligations to the International Momentary Fund or put in place the
  financial measures advocated by the IMF. Although short-term prospects for
  improvement are dim, improved political stability would boost Zaire's
  long-term potential to effectively exploit its vast wealth of mineral and
  agricultural resources.
National product:
  GDP - exchange rate conversion - $9.2 billion (1992, at 1990 exchange rate)
National product real growth rate:
  -6% (1992 est.)
National product per capita:
  $235 (1992, at 1990 exchange rate)
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
  35-40% per month (1992 est.)
Unemployment rate:
  NA%
Budget:
  revenues $NA, expenditures $NA, including capital expenditures of $NA
Exports:
  $1.5 billion (f.o.b., 1992 est.)
 commodities:
  copper, coffee, diamonds, cobalt, crude oil
 partners:
  US, Belgium, France, Germany, Italy, UK, Japan, South Africa
Imports:
  $1.2 billion (f.o.b., 1992 est.)
 commodities:
  consumer goods, foodstuffs, mining and other machinery, transport equipment,
  fuels
 partners:
  South Africa, US, Belgium, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, UK
External debt:
  $9.2 billion (May 1992 est.)
Industrial production:
  growth grate NA%
Electricity:
  2,580,000 kW capacity; 6,000 million kWh produced, 160 kWh per capita (1991)
Industries:
  mining, mineral processing, consumer products (including textiles, footwear,
  and cigarettes), processed foods and beverages, cement, diamonds
Agriculture:
  cash crops - coffee, palm oil, rubber, quinine; food crops - cassava,
  bananas, root crops, corn
Illicit drugs:
  illicit producer of cannabis, mostly for domestic consumption
Economic aid:
  US commitments, including Ex-Im (FY70-89), $1.1 billion; Western (non-US)
  countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments (1970-89), $6.9 billion; OPEC
  bilateral aid (1979-89), $35 million; Communist countries (1970-89), $263
  million; except for humanitarian aid to private organizations, no US
  assistance was given to Zaire in 1992



@end display

@node Economy (Zaire 2. usage)
@section Economy (Zaire 2. usage)

@display

Currency:
  1 zaire (Z) = 100 makuta
Exchange rates:
  zaire (Z) per US$1 - 2,000,000 (January1993), 15,587 (1991), 719 (1990), 381
  (1989), 187 (1988), 112 (1987)
Fiscal year:
  calendar year



@end display

@node Communications (Zaire)
@section Communications (Zaire)

@display

Railroads:
  5,254 km total; 3,968 km 1.067-meter gauge (851 km electrified); 125 km
  1.000-meter gauge; 136 km 0.615-meter gauge; 1,025 km 0.600-meter gauge;
  limited trackage in use because of civil strife
Highways:
  146,500 km total; 2,800 km paved, 46,200 km gravel and improved earth;
  97,500 unimproved earth
Inland waterways:
  15,000 km including the Congo, its tributaries, and unconnected lakes
Pipelines:
  petroleum products 390 km
Ports:
  Matadi, Boma, Banana
Merchant marine:
  1 passenger cargo ship (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 15,489 GRT/13,481 DWT
Airports:
 total:
  281
 usable:
  235
 with permanent-surface runways:
  25
 with runways over 3,659 m:
  1
 with runways 2,440-3,659 m:
  6
 with runways 1,220-2,439 m:
  73
Telecommunications:
  barely adequate wire and microwave service; broadcast stations - 10 AM, 4
  FM, 18 TV; satellite earth stations - 1 Atlantic Ocean INTELSAT, 14 domestic



@end display

@node Defense Forces (Zaire)
@section Defense Forces (Zaire)

@display

Branches:
  Army, Navy, Air Force, paramilitary National Gendarmerie, Civil Guard,
  Special Presidential Division
Manpower availability:   males age 15-49 8,879,731; fit for military service 4,521,768 (1993 est.)
Defense expenditures:
  exchange rate conversion - $49 million, 0.8% of GDP (1988)



@end display