Dem. Rep. of the Congo - MC Grecof

Introduction

Flag:

Card:

Background:

Upon independence in 1960, the former French region of Middle Congo became the Republic of the Congo. A quarter century of experimentation with Marxism was abandoned in 1990 and a democratically elected government installed in 1992. A brief civil war in 1997 restored former Marxist President SASSOU-NGUESSO.     

Geography

Location:

Western Africa, bordering the South Atlantic Ocean, between Angola and Gabon

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

Boundaries:

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

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, hydropower

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

Geography - note:

about 70% of the population lives in Brazzaville, Pointe-Noire, or along the railroad between them

People

Population:

2,894,336

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 and death rates, lower population and growth rates, and changes in the distribution of population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July 2001 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 that of 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)

Government

Country name:

herkömmliche lange Form: Republik des Kongos
herkömmliche kurze Form: keine
lokale lange Form: Republique DU der Kongo
lokale kurze Form: keine
ehemalig: Der Mittlere Kongo, Congo/Brazzaville, Der Kongo

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)

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. 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 and the resumption of armed conflict in December 1998, which worsened the Republic of the Congo's budget deficit. Even with the IMF's renewed confidence and high world oil prices, Congo is unlikely to realize growth of more than 5% in 2001-02. With the return to fragile peace, the IMF approved a $14 million credit in November 2000 to aid post-conflict reconstruction.

Industries:

petroleum extraction, cement kilning, lumbering, brewing, sugar milling, palm oil, soap, flour, cigarette making

Agriculture - products:

Currency:

Communaute Financiere Africaine franc (XAF)

Note:

responsible authority is the Bank of the Central African States

Transportation

Railways:

total: 894 kmnarrow gauge: 894 km 1.067-m gauge (2000)

Highways

total: 12,800 km
paved: 1,242 km
unpaved: 11,558 km (1996)

Waterways:

1,120 km

Note:

the Congo and Ubangi (Oubangui) rivers provide 1,120 km of commercially navigable water transport; other rivers are used for local traffic only

Ports and harbors:

Brazzaville, Impfondo, Ouesso, Oyo, Pointe-Noire

Coffee

Anbaugebiete:

Regions of Niari and the pool district of Dolisie

Qualities:

natural Robusta

Altitude:

500/1000 meter

Harvest:

September/October

Shippingperiod:

November/February

Port of Export:

Pointe Noire

Shipment:

In container in bags (250 of each 60,- kos net)

Production:

ca. 735'000 bags

Export figures:

ca. 175'985 bags