Electricity - imports:0 kWh (2001)
Oil - production:0 bbl/day (2001 est.)
Oil - consumption:700 bbl/day (2001 est.)
Oil - exports:NA (2001)
Oil - imports:NA (2001)
Exports:$28 million f.o.b. (2002 est.)
Exports - commodities:vanilla, ylang-ylang, cloves, perfume oil, copra
Exports - partners:France 46.9%, Germany 18.8%, US 12.5% (2003)
Imports:$88 million f.o.b. (2002 est.)
Imports - commodities:rice and other foodstuffs, consumer goods; petroleum products,cement, transport equipment
Imports - partners:France 31.6%, Japan 13.7%, South Africa 10.3%, Kenya 5.1%, UAE5.1%, Thailand 4.3% (2003)
Debt - external:$232 million (2000 est.)
Economic aid - recipient:$10 million (2001 est.)
Currency:Comoran franc (KMF)
Currency code:KMF
Exchange rates:Comoran francs (KMF) per US dollar - 435.9 (2003), 522.741 (2002),549.779 (2001), 533.982 (2000), 461.775 (1999)note: prior to January 1999, the official rate was pegged to theFrench franc at 75 Comoran francs per French franc; since 1 January1999, the Comoran franc is pegged to the euro at a rate of 491.9677Comoran francs per euro
Fiscal year:calendar year
Communications Comoros
Telephones - main lines in use:13,200 (2003)
Telephones - mobile cellular:2,000 (2003)
Telephone system:general assessment: sparse system of microwave radio relay and HFradiotelephone communication stationsdomestic: HF radiotelephone communications and microwave radio relayinternational: country code - 269; HF radiotelephone communicationsto Madagascar and Reunion
Radio broadcast stations:AM 1, FM 4, shortwave 1 (2001)
Radios:90,000 (1997)
Television broadcast stations:NA
Televisions:1,000 (1997)
Internet country code:.km
Internet hosts:11 (2003)
Internet Service Providers (ISPs):1 (2000)
Internet users:5,000 (2003)
Transportation Comoros
Highways: total: 880 km paved: 673 km unpaved: 207 km (1999 est)
Ports and harbors:Fomboni, Moroni, Moutsamoudou
Merchant marine:total: 62 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 452,801 GRT/681,343 DWTby type: bulk 9, cargo 31, chemical tanker 1, combination bulk 1,livestock carrier 1, passenger 4, petroleum tanker 5, refrigeratedcargo 3, roll on/roll off 1, short-sea/passenger 2, specializedtanker 4foreign-owned: Bahamas 1, Bulgaria 1, Cyprus 1, Greece 7, Honduras1, India 1, Kenya 1, Lebanon 7, Liberia 1, Marshall Islands 3,Pakistan 4, Panama 2, Russia 1, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 1,Saudi Arabia 2, Syria 4, Turkey 21, United Kingdom 1, United States1, Yemen 2 (2004 est.)
Airports:4 (2003 est.)
Airports - with paved runways:total: 42,438 to 3,047 m: 1914 to 1,523 m: 3 (2004 est.)
Military Comoros
Military branches:Comoran Security Force
Military manpower - availability:males age 15-49: 154,843 (2004 est.)
Military manpower - fit for military service:males age 15-49: 91,825 (2004 est.)
Military expenditures - dollar figure:$6 million (2003)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP:3% (2003)
Transnational Issues Comoros
Disputes - international: claims French-administered Mayotte
This page was last updated on 10 February, 2005
======================================================================
@Congo, Democratic Republic of the
Introduction Congo, Democratic Republic of the
Background:Since 1997, the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DROC; formerlycalled Zaire) has been rent by ethnic strife and civil war, touchedoff by a massive inflow in 1994 of refugees from the fighting inRwanda and Burundi. The government of former president MOBUTU SeseSeko was toppled by a rebellion led by Laurent KABILA in May 1997;his regime was subsequently challenged by a Rwanda- andUganda-backed rebellion in August 1998. Troops from Zimbabwe,Angola, Namibia, Chad, and Sudan intervened to support the Kinshasaregime. A cease-fire was signed on 10 July 1999 by the DROC,Zimbabwe, Angola, Uganda, Namibia, Rwanda, and Congolese armed rebelgroups, but sporadic fighting continued. KABILA was assassinated on16 January 2001 and his son Joseph KABILA was named head of stateten days later. In October 2002, the new president was successful ingetting occupying Rwandan forces to withdraw from eastern Congo; twomonths later, the Pretoria Accord was signed by all remainingwarring parties to end the fighting and set up a government ofnational unity. A transitional government was set up in July 2003;Joseph KABILA remains as president and is joined by four vicepresidents from the former government, former rebel camps, and thepolitical opposition.
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: 2,345,410 sq kmwater: 77,810 sq kmland: 2,267,600 sq km
Area - comparative:slightly less than one-fourth the size of the US
Land boundaries:total: 10,730 kmborder countries: Angola 2,511 km (of which 225 km is the boundaryof Angola's discontiguous Cabinda Province), Burundi 233 km, CentralAfrican Republic 1,577 km, Republic of the Congo 2,410 km, Rwanda217 km, Sudan 628 km, Tanzania 459 km, Uganda 765 km, Zambia 1,930 km
Coastline:37 km
Maritime claims:territorial sea: 12 nmexclusive economic zone: boundaries with neighbors
Climate:tropical; hot and humid in equatorial river basin; cooler and drierin southern highlands; cooler and wetter in eastern highlands; northof Equator - wet season April to October, dry season December toFebruary; south of Equator - wet season November to March, dryseason April to October
Terrain:vast central basin is a low-lying plateau; mountains in east
Elevation extremes:lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 mhighest point: Pic Marguerite on Mont Ngaliema (Mount Stanley) 5,110m
Natural resources:cobalt, copper, cadmium, petroleum, industrial and gem diamonds,gold, silver, zinc, manganese, tin, germanium, uranium, radium,bauxite, iron ore, coal, hydropower, timber
Land use:arable land: 2.96%permanent crops: 0.52%other: 96.52% (2001)
Irrigated land:110 sq km (1998 est.)
Natural hazards:periodic droughts in south; Congo River floods (seasonal); in theeast, in the Great Rift Valley, there are active volcanoes
Environment - current issues:poaching threatens wildlife populations; water pollution;deforestation; refugees responsible for significant deforestation,soil erosion, and wildlife poaching; mining of minerals (coltan - amineral used in creating capacitors, diamonds, and gold) causingenvironmental damage
Environment - international agreements:party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, EndangeredSpecies, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, OzoneLayer Protection, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlandssigned, but not ratified: Environmental Modification
Geography - note:straddles equator; has very narrow strip of land that controls thelower Congo River and is only outlet to South Atlantic Ocean; densetropical rain forest in central river basin and eastern highlands
People Congo, Democratic Republic of the
Population:58,317,930note: estimates for this country explicitly take into account theeffects of excess mortality due to AIDS; this can result in lowerlife expectancy, higher infant mortality and death rates, lowerpopulation and growth rates, and changes in the distribution ofpopulation by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July2004 est.)
Age structure:0-14 years: 48.2% (male 14,122,237; female 14,008,654)15-64 years: 49.3% (male 14,097,301; female 14,646,285)65 years and over: 2.5% (male 590,262; female 853,191) (2004 est.)
Median age:total: 15.8 yearsfemale: 16.2 years (2004 est.)male: 15.4 years
Population growth rate:2.99% (2004 est.)
Birth rate:44.73 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)
Death rate:14.64 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)
Net migration rate:-0.17 migrant(s)/1,000 populationnote: fighting between the Congolese Government and Uganda- andRwanda-backed Congolese rebels spawned a regional war in DROC inAugust 1998, which left 1.8 million Congolese internally displacedand caused 300,000 Congolese refugees to flee to surroundingcountries (2004 est.)
Sex ratio:at birth: 1.03 male(s)/femaleunder 15 years: 1.01 male(s)/female15-64 years: 0.96 male(s)/female65 years and over: 0.69 male(s)/femaletotal population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2004 est.)
Infant mortality rate:total: 94.69 deaths/1,000 live birthsfemale: 85.95 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)male: 103.18 deaths/1,000 live births
Life expectancy at birth:total population: 49.14 yearsmale: 47.06 yearsfemale: 51.28 years (2004 est.)
Total fertility rate:6.62 children born/woman (2004 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:4.2% (2003 est.)
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:1.1 million (2003 est.)
HIV/AIDS - deaths:100,000 (2003 est.)
Major infectious diseases:typhoid fever, malaria, trypanosomiasis, plague, schistosomiasisoverall degree of risk: very high (2004)
Nationality:noun: Congolese (singular and plural)adjective: Congolese or Congo
Ethnic groups:over 200 African ethnic groups of which the majority are Bantu; thefour largest tribes - Mongo, Luba, Kongo (all Bantu), and theMangbetu-Azande (Hamitic) make up about 45% of the population
Religions:Roman Catholic 50%, Protestant 20%, Kimbanguist 10%, Muslim 10%,other 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 Tshilubatotal population: 65.5%male: 76.2%female: 55.1% (2003 est.)
Government Congo, Democratic Republic of the
Country name:conventional long form: Democratic Republic of the Congoconventional short form: nonelocal short form: noneformer: Congo Free State, Belgian Congo, Congo/Leopoldville,Congo/Kinshasa, Zairelocal long form: Republique Democratique du Congoabbreviation: DROC
Government type:dictatorship; presumably undergoing a transition to representativegovernment
Capital:Kinshasa
Administrative divisions:10 provinces (provinces, singular - province) and one city*(ville); Bandundu, Bas-Congo, Equateur, Kasai-Occidental,Kasai-Oriental, Katanga, Kinshasa*, Maniema, Nord-Kivu, Orientale,Sud-Kivu
Independence:30 June 1960 (from Belgium)
National holiday:Independence Day, 30 June (1960)
Constitution:a new constitution was adopted 17 July 2003
Legal system:based on Belgian civil law system and tribal law; has not acceptedcompulsory ICJ jurisdiction
Suffrage:18 years of age; universal and compulsory
Executive branch:chief of state: President Joseph KABILA (since 26 January 2001);note - following the assassination of his father, Laurent DesireKABILA, on 16 January 2001, Joseph KABILA succeeded to thepresidency; the president is both the chief of state and head ofgovernmenthead of government: President Joseph KABILA (since 26 January 2001);note - following the assassination of his father, Laurent DesireKABILA, on 16 January 2001, Joseph KABILA succeeded to thepresidency; the president is both the chief of state and head ofgovernmentcabinet: National Executive Council, appointed by the presidentelections: prior to the overthrow of MOBUTU Sese Seko, the presidentwas elected by popular vote for a seven-year term; election lastheld 29 July 1984 (next was scheduled to be held in May 1997);formerly, there was also a prime minister who was elected by theHigh Council of the Republic; note - a Transitional Government isdrafting a new constitution with free elections scheduled to be heldin NA 2005note: Joseph KABILA succeeded his father, Laurent Desire KABILA,following the latter's assassination in January 2001, negotiationswith rebel leaders led to the establishment of a transitionalgovernment in July 2003 with free elections scheduled to be held inNA 2005election results: results of the last election were: MOBUTU SeseSeko Kuku Ngbendu wa Za Banga reelected president in 1984 withoutopposition
Legislative branch:a 300-member Transitional Constituent Assembly established inAugust 2000elections: NA; members of the Transitional Constituent Assembly wereappointed by former President Laurent Desire KABILA
Judicial branch:Supreme Court or Cour Supreme
Political parties and leaders:Democratic Social Christian Party or PDSC [Andre BO-BOLIKO]; Forcesfor Renovation for Union and Solidarity or FONUS [JosephOLENGHANKOY]; National Congolese Lumumbist Movement or MNC [FrancoisLUMUMBA]; Popular Movement of the Revolution or MPR (three factions:MPR-Fait Prive [Catherine NZUZI wa Mbombo]; MPR/Vunduawe [FelixVUNDUAWE]; MPR/Mananga [MANANGA Dintoka Mpholo]); Unified LumumbastParty or PALU [Antoine GIZENGA]; Union for Democracy and SocialProgress or UDPS [Etienne TSHISEKEDI wa Mulumba]; Union ofFederalists and Independent Republicans or UFERI (two factions:UFERI [Lokambo OMOKOKO]; UFERI/OR [Adolph Kishwe MAYA])
Political pressure groups and leaders:NA
International organization participation:ACCT, ACP, AfDB, AU, CEPGL, FAO, G-24, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO,ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO,Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO (correspondent), ITU, MIGA, NAM, OPCW(signatory), PCA, SADC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UPU, WCL,WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO
Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Faida MITIFU FAX: [1] (202) 234-2609 telephone: [1] (202) 234-7690, 7691 chancery: 1800 New Hampshire Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20009
Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Aubrey HOOKS embassy: 310 Avenue des Aviateurs, Kinshasa mailing address: Unit 31550, APO AE 09828 telephone: [243] (88) 43608 FAX: [243] (88) 43467
Flag description:light blue with a large yellow five-pointed star in the center anda columnar arrangement of six small yellow five-pointed stars alongthe hoist side
Economy Congo, Democratic Republic of the
Economy - overview:The economy of the Democratic Republic of the Congo - a nationendowed with vast potential wealth - has declined drastically sincethe mid-1980s. The war, which began in August 1998, has dramaticallyreduced national output and government revenue, has increasedexternal debt, and has resulted in the deaths from war, famine, anddisease of perhaps 3.5 million people. Foreign businesses havecurtailed operations due to uncertainty about the outcome of theconflict, lack of infrastructure, and the difficult operatingenvironment. The war has intensified the impact of such basicproblems as an uncertain legal framework, corruption, inflation, andlack of openness in government economic policy and financialoperations. Conditions improved in late 2002 with the withdrawal ofa large portion of the invading foreign troops. Several IMF andWorld Bank missions have met with the government to help it developa coherent economic plan, and President KABILA has begunimplementing reforms. Much economic activity lies outside the GDPdata. Economic stability, aided by international donors, improved in2003. New mining contracts have been approved, which - combined withhigh mineral and metal prices - could improve Kinshasa's fiscalposition and GDP growth.
GDP:purchasing power parity - $40.05 billion (2003 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:6.5% (2003 est.)
GDP - per capita:purchasing power parity - $700 (2003 est.)
GDP - composition by sector:agriculture: 55%industry: 11%services: 34% (2000 est.)
Population below poverty line:NA
Household income or consumption by percentage share:lowest 10%: NAhighest 10%: NA
Inflation rate (consumer prices):14% (2003 est.)
Labor force:14.51 million (1993 est.)
Labor force - by occupation:NA
Unemployment rate:NA (2003 est.)
Budget:revenues: $269 millionexpenditures: $244 million, including capital expenditures of $24million (1996 est.)
Agriculture - products:coffee, sugar, palm oil, rubber, tea, quinine, cassava (tapioca),palm oil, bananas, root crops, corn, fruits; wood products
Industries:mining (diamonds, copper, zinc), mineral processing, consumerproducts (including textiles, footwear, cigarettes, processed foodsand beverages), cement
Industrial production growth rate:NA
Electricity - production:5.243 billion kWh (2001)
Electricity - consumption:3.839 billion kWh (2001)
Electricity - exports:1.097 billion kWh (2001)
Electricity - imports:60 million kWh (2001)
Oil - production:24,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)
Oil - consumption:14,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)
Oil - exports:NA (2001)
Oil - imports:NA (2001)
Oil - proved reserves:1.538 billion bbl (1 January 2002)
Natural gas - proved reserves:104.8 billion cu m (1 January 2002)
Exports:$1.417 billion f.o.b. (2002 est.)
Exports - commodities:diamonds, copper, crude oil, coffee, cobalt
Exports - partners:Belgium 54.9%, US 15.4%, Zimbabwe 11.1%, Finland 4.8% (2003)
Imports:$933 million f.o.b. (2002 est.)
Imports - commodities:foodstuffs, mining and other machinery, transport equipment, fuels
Imports - partners:South Africa 17%, Belgium 14.9%, France 12.6%, Germany 6.8%, Kenya5.4%, Netherlands 4% (2003)
Debt - external:$11.6 billion (2000 est.)
Economic aid - recipient:$195.3 million (1995)
Currency:Congolese franc (CDF)
Currency code:CDF
Exchange rates:Congolese francs per US dollar - NA (2003), 346.485 (2002), 206.617(2001), 21.82 (2000), 4.02 (1999)
Fiscal year:calendar year
Communications Congo, Democratic Republic of the
Telephones - main lines in use:10,000 (2002)
Telephones - mobile cellular:1 million (2003)
Telephone system:general assessment: poordomestic: barely adequate wire and microwave radio relay service inand between urban areas; domestic satellite system with 14 earthstationsinternational: country code - 243; satellite earth station - 1Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)
Radio broadcast stations:AM 3, FM 11, shortwave 2 (2001)
Radios:18.03 million (1997)
Television broadcast stations:4 (2001)
Televisions:6.478 million (1997)
Internet country code:.cd
Internet hosts:153 (2003)
Internet Service Providers (ISPs):1 (2001)
Internet users:50,000 (2002)
Transportation Congo, Democratic Republic of the
Railways:total: 5,138 kmnarrow gauge: 3,987 km 1.067-m gauge (858 km electrified); 125 km1.000-m gauge; 1,026 km 0.600-m gauge (2003)
Highways:total: 157,000 km (including 30 km of expressways)paved: NA kmunpaved: NA km (1999 est.)
Waterways:15,000 km (navigation on the Congo curtailed by fighting) (2004)
Pipelines:gas 54 km; oil 71 km (2004)
Ports and harbors:Banana, Boma, Bukavu, Bumba, Goma, Kalemie, Kindu, Kinshasa,Kisangani, Matadi, Mbandaka
Merchant marine:none
Airports:230 (2003 est.)
Airports - with paved runways: total: 24 over 3,047 m: 4 2,438 to 3,047 m: 2 1,524 to 2,437 m: 16 914 to 1,523 m: 2 (2004 est.)
Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 206 1,524 to 2,437 m: 17 914 to 1,523 m: 92 under 914 m: 97 (2004 est.)
Military Congo, Democratic Republic of the
Military branches:Army, Navy, Air Force
Military manpower - availability:males age 15-49: 12,706,971 (2004 est.)
Military manpower - fit for military service:males age 15-49: 6,480,645 (2004 est.)
Military expenditures - dollar figure:$115.5 million (2003)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP:1.4% (2003)
Transnational Issues Congo, Democratic Republic of the
Disputes - international:Democratic Republic of the Congo is in the grip of a civil war,tribal conflict, and rebel gang fighting that has drawn inneighboring states of Burundi, Rwanda and Uganda; in the Great Lakesregion and Sudan, heads of the Great Lakes states and UN pledge toend conflict, but unchecked localized violence continues unabated;the location of the boundary in the broad Congo River with theRepublic of the Congo is indefinite except in the PoolMalebo/Stanley Pool area
Refugees and internally displaced persons:refugees (country of origin): 45,060 (Sudan), 123,714 (Angola),19,552 (Burundi), 6,626 (Republic of Congo), 19,743 (Rwanda), 18,953(Uganda)IDPs: 2.33 million (fighting between government forces and rebelssince mid-1990s; most IDPs are in eastern provinces) (2004)
Illicit drugs:illicit producer of cannabis, mostly for domestic consumption;while rampant corruption and inadequate supervision leaves thebanking system vulnerable to money laundering, the lack of awell-developed financial system limits the country's utility as amoney-laundering center
This page was last updated on 10 February, 2005
======================================================================
@Congo, Republic of the
Introduction Congo, Republic of the
Background:Upon independence in 1960, the former French region of Middle Congobecame the Republic of the Congo. A quarter century ofexperimentation with Marxism was abandoned in 1990 and ademocratically elected government installed in 1992. A brief civilwar in 1997 restored former Marxist President SASSOU-NGUESSO, butushered in a period of ethnic unrest. Southern-based rebel groupsagreed to a final peace accord in March 2003. The Republic of Congois one of Africa's largest petroleum producers with significantpotential for offshore development.
Geography Congo, Republic of the
Location:Western Africa, bordering the South Atlantic Ocean, between Angolaand Gabon
Geographic coordinates:1 00 S, 15 00 E
Map references:Africa
Area:total: 342,000 sq kmwater: 500 sq kmland: 341,500 sq km
Area - comparative:slightly smaller than Montana
Land boundaries:total: 5,504 kmborder countries: Angola 201 km, Cameroon 523 km, Central AfricanRepublic 467 km, Democratic Republic of the Congo 2,410 km, Gabon1,903 km
Coastline:169 km
Maritime claims:territorial sea: 200 nm
Climate:tropical; rainy season (March to June); dry season (June toOctober); constantly high temperatures and humidity; particularlyenervating climate astride the Equator
Terrain:coastal plain, southern basin, central plateau, northern basin
Elevation extremes:lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 mhighest point: Mount Berongou 903 m
Natural resources:petroleum, timber, potash, lead, zinc, uranium, copper, phosphates,natural gas, hydropower
Land use: arable land: 0.51% permanent crops: 0.13% other: 99.36% (2001)
Irrigated land:10 sq km (1998 est.)
Natural hazards:seasonal flooding
Environment - current issues:air pollution from vehicle emissions; water pollution from thedumping of raw sewage; tap water is not potable; deforestation
Environment - international agreements:party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, EndangeredSpecies, Ozone Layer Protection, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber94, Wetlandssigned, but not ratified: Law of the Sea
Geography - note:about 70% of the population lives in Brazzaville, Pointe-Noire, oralong the railroad between them
People Congo, Republic of the
Population:2,998,040note: estimates for this country explicitly take into account theeffects of excess mortality due to AIDS; this can result in lowerlife expectancy, higher infant mortality and death rates, lowerpopulation and growth rates, and changes in the distribution ofpopulation by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July2004 est.)
Age structure:0-14 years: 37.9% (male 571,224; female 563,723)15-64 years: 58.5% (male 865,596; female 888,125)65 years and over: 3.6% (male 45,093; female 64,279) (2004 est.)
Median age:total: 20.4 yearsmale: 20 yearsfemale: 20.9 years (2004 est.)
Population growth rate:1.42% (2004 est.)
Birth rate:28.66 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)
Death rate:14.49 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)
Net migration rate:0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.)
Sex ratio:at birth: 1.03 male(s)/femaleunder 15 years: 1.01 male(s)/female15-64 years: 0.98 male(s)/female65 years and over: 0.7 male(s)/femaletotal population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2004 est.)
Infant mortality rate:total: 93.86 deaths/1,000 live birthsfemale: 87.59 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)male: 99.95 deaths/1,000 live births
Life expectancy at birth:total population: 49.51 yearsmale: 48.51 yearsfemale: 50.55 years (2004 est.)
Total fertility rate:3.54 children born/woman (2004 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:4.9% (2003 est.)
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:90,000 (2003 est.)
HIV/AIDS - deaths:9,700 (2003 est.)
Major infectious diseases:typhoid fever, malariaoverall degree of risk: very high (2004)
Nationality:noun: Congolese (singular and plural)adjective: Congolese or Congo
Ethnic groups:Kongo 48%, Sangha 20%, M'Bochi 12%, Teke 17%, Europeans and other 3%note: Europeans estimated at 8,500, mostly French, before the 1997civil war; may be half that in 1998, following the widespreaddestruction of foreign businesses in 1997
Religions:Christian 50%, animist 48%, Muslim 2%
Languages:French (official), Lingala and Monokutuba (lingua franca tradelanguages), many local languages and dialects (of which Kikongo isthe most widespread)
Literacy:definition: age 15 and over can read and writetotal population: 83.8%male: 89.6%female: 78.4% (2003 est.)
Government Congo, Republic of the
Country name:conventional long form: Republic of the Congoconventional short form: Congo (Brazzaville)local short form: noneformer: Middle Congo, Congo/Brazzaville, Congolocal long form: Republique du Congo
Government type:republic
Capital:Brazzaville
Administrative divisions:10 regions (regions, singular - region) and 1 commune*; Bouenza,Brazzaville*, Cuvette, Cuvette-Ouest, Kouilou, Lekoumou, Likouala,Niari, Plateaux, Pool, Sangha
Independence:15 August 1960 (from France)
National holiday:Independence Day, 15 August (1960)
Constitution:constitution approved by referendum 20 January 2002
Legal system:based on French civil law system and customary law
Suffrage:18 years of age; universal
Executive branch:chief of state: President Denis SASSOU-NGUESSO (since 25 October1997, following the civil war in which he toppled elected presidentPascal LISSOUBA); note - the president is both the chief of stateand head of governmenthead of government: President Denis SASSOU-NGUESSO (since 25 October1997, following the civil war in which he toppled elected presidentPascal LISSOUBA); note - the president is both the chief of stateand head of governmentcabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the presidentelections: president elected by popular vote for a seven-year term(eligible for a second seven-year term); election last held 10 March2002 (next to be held NA 2009)election results: Denis SASSOU-NGUESSO reelected president; percentof vote - Denis SASSOU-NGUESSO 89.4%, Joseph Kignoumbi Kia MBOUNGOU2.7%
Legislative branch:bicameral Parliament consists of the Senate (66 seats; members areelected by popular vote to serve five-year terms) and the NationalAssembly (137 seats; members are elected by popular vote to servefive-year terms)elections: Senate - last held 11 July 2002 (next to be held NA July2007); National Assembly - last held 27 May and 26 June 2002 (nextto be held by NA May 2007)election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - NA; seats byparty - FDP 56, other 10; National Assembly - percent of vote byparty - NA; seats by party - FDP 83, UDR 6, UPADS 3, other 45
Judicial branch:Supreme Court or Cour Supreme
Political parties and leaders:the most important of the many parties are the Democratic andPatriotic Forces or FDP (an alliance of Convention for AlternativeDemocracy, Congolese Labor Party or PCT, Liberal Republican Party,National Union for Democracy and Progress, Patriotic Union for theNational Reconstruction, and Union for the National Renewal) [DenisSASSOU-NGUESSO, president]; Congolese Movement for Democracy andIntegral Development or MCDDI [Michel MAMPOUYA]; Pan-African Unionfor Social Development or UPADS [Martin MBERI]; Rally for Democracyand Social Progress or RDPS [Jean-Pierre Thystere TCHICAYA,president]; Rally for Democracy and the Republic or RDR [RaymondDamasge NGOLLO]; Union for Democracy and Republic or UDR [leaderNA]; Union of Democratic Forces or UFD [Sebastian EBAO]
Political pressure groups and leaders:Congolese Trade Union Congress or CSC; General Union of CongolesePupils and Students or UGEEC; Revolutionary Union of Congolese Womenor URFC; Union of Congolese Socialist Youth or UJSC
International organization participation:ACCT, ACP, AfDB, AU, BDEAC, CEMAC, FAO, FZ, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt,ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC,IOM, ITU, MIGA, NAM, OPCW (signatory), UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO,UNOCI, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO
Diplomatic representation in the US:chief of mission: Ambassador Serge MOMBOULIFAX: [1] (202) 726-1860telephone: [1] (202) 726-5500chancery: 4891 Colorado Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20011
Diplomatic representation from the US:chief of mission: Ambassador Robin R. SANDERSembassy: NAmailing address: NAtelephone: [243] (88) 43608note: the embassy is temporarily collocated with the US Embassy inthe Democratic Republic of the Congo (US Embassy Kinshasa, 310Avenue des Aviateurs, Kinshasa)
Flag description:divided diagonally from the lower hoist side by a yellow band; theupper triangle (hoist side) is green and the lower triangle is red;uses the popular pan-African colors of Ethiopia
Economy Congo, Republic of the
Economy - overview:The economy is a mixture of village agriculture and handicrafts, anindustrial sector based largely on oil, support services, and agovernment characterized by budget problems and overstaffing. Oilhas supplanted forestry as the mainstay of the economy, providing amajor share of government revenues and exports. In the early 1980s,rapidly rising oil revenues enabled the government to financelarge-scale development projects with GDP growth averaging 5%annually, one of the highest rates in Africa. The government hasmortgaged a substantial portion of its oil earnings, contributing toa shortage of revenues. The 12 January 1994 devaluation of FrancZone currencies by 50% resulted in inflation of 61% in 1994, butinflation has subsided since. Economic reform efforts continued withthe support of international organizations, notably the World Bankand the IMF. The reform program came to a halt in June 1997 whencivil war erupted. Denis SASSOU-NGUESSO, who returned to power whenthe war ended in October 1997, publicly expressed interest in movingforward on economic reforms and privatization and in renewingcooperation with international financial institutions. However,economic progress was badly hurt by slumping oil prices and theresumption of armed conflict in December 1998, which worsened therepublic's budget deficit. The current administration presides overan uneasy internal peace and faces difficult economic problems ofstimulating recovery and reducing poverty.
GDP:purchasing power parity - $2.148 billion (2003 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:1.3% (2003 est.)
GDP - per capita:purchasing power parity - $700 (2003 est.)
GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 6.9% industry: 53.9% services: 39.2% (2003 est.)
Investment (gross fixed):31.3% of GDP (2003)
Population below poverty line:NA
Household income or consumption by percentage share:lowest 10%: NAhighest 10%: NA
Inflation rate (consumer prices):2.4% (2003 est.)
Labor force:NA (2000 est.)
Unemployment rate:NA (2003)
Budget:revenues: $1.025 billionexpenditures: $946.8 million, including capital expenditures of NA(2003 est.)
Agriculture - products:cassava (tapioca), sugar, rice, corn, peanuts, vegetables, coffee,cocoa; forest products
Industries:petroleum extraction, cement, lumber, brewing, sugar, palm oil,soap, flour, cigarettes
Industrial production growth rate:0% (2002 est.)
Electricity - production:358.1 million kWh (2001)
Electricity - consumption:633 million kWh (2001)
Electricity - exports:0 kWh (2001)
Electricity - imports:300 million kWh (2001)
Oil - production:275,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)
Oil - consumption:5,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)
Oil - exports:NA (2001)
Oil - imports:NA (2001)
Oil - proved reserves:93.5 million bbl (1 January 2002)
Natural gas - production:0 cu m (2001 est.)
Natural gas - consumption:0 cu m (2001 est.)
Natural gas - exports:0 cu m (2001 est.)
Natural gas - imports:0 cu m (2001 est.)
Natural gas - proved reserves:495.5 million cu m (1 January 2002)
Current account balance:$139.2 million (2003)
Exports:$2.293 billion f.o.b. (2003 est.)
Exports - commodities:petroleum, lumber, plywood, sugar, cocoa, coffee, diamonds
Exports - partners:China 28.6%, Taiwan 19.3%, US 16%, South Korea 12.9% (2003)
Imports:$666.9 million f.o.b. (2003 est.)
Imports - commodities:capital equipment, construction materials, foodstuffs
Imports - partners:France 22.2%, US 6.8%, Italy 6.2%, China 5.1%, Belgium 4.6%, India4.4% (2003)
Reserves of foreign exchange & gold:$44.53 million (2003)
Debt - external:$5 billion (2000 est.)
Economic aid - recipient:$159.1 million (1995)
Currency:Communaute Financiere Africaine franc (XAF); note - responsibleauthority is the Bank of the Central African States
Currency code:XAF
Exchange rates:Communaute Financiere Africaine francs (XAF) per US dollar - 581.2(2003), 696.988 (2002), 733.039 (2001), 711.98 (2000), 615.7 (1999)
Fiscal year:calendar year
Communications Congo, Republic of the
Telephones - main lines in use:7,000 (2003)
Telephones - mobile cellular:330,000 (2003)
Telephone system:general assessment: services barely adequate for government use;key exchanges are in Brazzaville, Pointe-Noire, and Loubomo;intercity lines frequently out of orderdomestic: primary network consists of microwave radio relay andcoaxial cableinternational: country code - 242; satellite earth station - 1Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)
Radio broadcast stations:AM 1, FM 5, shortwave 3 (2001)
Radios:341,000 (1997)
Television broadcast stations:1 (2002)
Televisions:33,000 (1997)
Internet country code:.cg
Internet hosts:46 (2003)
Internet Service Providers (ISPs):1 (2000)
Internet users:15,000 (2003)
Transportation Congo, Republic of the
Railways: total: 894 km narrow gauge: 894 km 1.067-m gauge (2003)
Highways: total: 12,800 km paved: 1,242 km unpaved: 11,558 km (1999 est.)
Waterways:4,385 km (on Congo and Oubanqui rivers) (2004)
Pipelines:gas 53 km; oil 646 km (2004)
Ports and harbors:Brazzaville, Impfondo, Ouesso, Oyo, Pointe-Noire
Airports:32 (2003 est.)
Airports - with paved runways: total: 4 over 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 3 (2004 est.)
Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 28 1,524 to 2,437 m: 6 914 to 1,523 m: 11 under 914 m: 11 (2004 est.)
Military Congo, Republic of the
Military branches:Congolese Armed Forces (FAC): Army, Air Force, Navy
Military manpower - military age and obligation:18 years of age for voluntary military service (2001)
Military manpower - availability:males age 15-49: 773,790 (2004 est.)
Military manpower - fit for military service:males age 15-49: 390,884 (2004 est.)
Military manpower - reaching military age annually:males: 31,964 (2004 est.)
Military expenditures - dollar figure:$68.6 million (2003)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP:2.8% (2003)
Transnational Issues Congo, Republic of the
Disputes - international:the location of the boundary in the broad Congo River with theDemocratic Republic of the Congo is indefinite except in the PoolMalebo/Stanley Pool area
Refugees and internally displaced persons:IDPs: 60,000 (multiple civil wars since 1992; most IDPs are ethnicLari) (2004)
This page was last updated on 10 February, 2005
======================================================================
@Cook Islands
Introduction Cook Islands
Background:Named after Captain Cook, who sighted them in 1770, the islandsbecame a British protectorate in 1888. By 1900, administrativecontrol was transferred to New Zealand; in 1965 residents choseself-government in free association with New Zealand. The emigrationof skilled workers to New Zealand and government deficits arecontinuing problems.
Geography Cook Islands
Location:Oceania, group of islands in the South Pacific Ocean, aboutone-half of the way from Hawaii to New Zealand
Geographic coordinates:21 14 S, 159 46 W
Map references:Oceania
Area:total: 240 sq kmwater: 0 sq kmland: 240 sq km
Area - comparative:1.3 times the size of Washington, DC
Land boundaries:0 km
Coastline:120 km
Maritime claims:territorial sea: 12 nmcontinental shelf: 200 nm or to the edge of the continental marginexclusive economic zone: 200 nm
Climate:tropical; moderated by trade winds
Terrain:low coral atolls in north; volcanic, hilly islands in south
Elevation extremes:lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 mhighest point: Te Manga 652 m
Natural resources:NEGL
Land use:arable land: 17.39%permanent crops: 13.04%other: 69.57% (2001)
Irrigated land:NA sq km
Natural hazards:typhoons (November to March)
Environment - current issues:NA
Environment - international agreements:party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-KyotoProtocol, Desertification, Law of the Seasigned, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
Geography - note:the northern Cook Islands are seven low-lying, sparsely populated,coral atolls; the southern Cook Islands consist of eight elevated,fertile, volcanic isles where most of the populace lives
People Cook Islands
Population: 21,200 (July 2004 est.)
Age structure: 0-14 years: NA 15-64 years: NA 65 years and over: NA (2004 est.)
Population growth rate:NA (2004 est.)
Birth rate:NA births/1,000 population (2004 est.)
Death rate:NA deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)
Sex ratio:NA (2004 est.)
Infant mortality rate:total: NAmale: NAfemale: NA (2004 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:total population: NA yearsmale: NA yearsfemale: NA years (2004 est.)
Total fertility rate:NA children born/woman (2004 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:NA
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:NA
HIV/AIDS - deaths:NA
Nationality:noun: Cook Islander(s)adjective: Cook Islander
Ethnic groups:Polynesian (full blood) 81.3%, Polynesian and European 7.7%,Polynesian and non-European 7.7%, European 2.4%, other 0.9%
Religions:Christian (majority of populace are members of the Cook IslandsChristian Church)
Languages:English (official), Maori
Literacy: definition: NA total population: 95% male: NA female: NA
Government Cook Islands
Country name:conventional long form: noneconventional short form: Cook Islandsformer: Harvey Islands
Dependency status:self-governing in free association with New Zealand; Cook Islandsis fully responsible for internal affairs; New Zealand retainsresponsibility for external affairs and defense, in consultationwith the Cook Islands
Government type:self-governing parliamentary democracy
Capital:Avarua
Administrative divisions:none
Independence:none (became self-governing in free association with New Zealand on4 August 1965 and has the right at any time to move to fullindependence by unilateral action)
National holiday:Constitution Day, first Monday in August (1965)
Constitution:4 August 1965
Legal system:based on New Zealand law and English common law
Suffrage:NA years of age; universal adult
Executive branch:chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952),represented by Frederick GOODWIN (since 9 February 2001); NewZealand High Commissioner Kurt MEYER (since July 2001),representative of New Zealandelections: none; the monarch is hereditary; the UK representative isappointed by the monarch; the New Zealand high commissioner isappointed by the New Zealand Government; following legislativeelections, the leader of the majority party or the leader of themajority coalition usually becomes prime ministerhead of government: Prime Minister Jim MARURAI (since 14 December2004); Deputy Prime Minister SIR Geoffrey HENRY (since 14 December2004)cabinet: Cabinet chosen by the prime minister; collectivelyresponsible to Parliament
Legislative branch:unicameral Parliament (25 seats; members elected by popular vote toserve five-year terms)elections: last held 7 September 2004 (next to be held by 2009)election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party -CIP 10, DAP 9, Demo Tumu 4, independent 1; note - one seat undecidedpending by-electionnote: the House of Ariki (chiefs) advises on traditional matters andmaintains considerable influence, but has no legislative powers
Judicial branch:High Court
Political parties and leaders:Cook Islands People's Party or CIP [Geoffrey HENRY]; DemocraticAlliance Party or DAP [Terepai MAOATE]; New Alliance Party or NAP[Norman GEORGE]; Cook Islands National Party or CIN [TearikiHEATHER]; Demo Party Tumu [Robert WOONTON]
Political pressure groups and leaders:NA
International organization participation:ACP, AsDB, FAO, ICAO, ICFTU, IFAD, IFRCS, IOC, OPCW, PIF, Sparteca,UNESCO, UPU, WHO, WMO
Diplomatic representation in the US:none (self-governing in free association with New Zealand)
Diplomatic representation from the US:none (self-governing in free association with New Zealand)
Flag description:blue, with the flag of the UK in the upper hoist-side quadrant anda large circle of 15 white five-pointed stars (one for every island)centered in the outer half of the flag
Economy Cook Islands
Economy - overview:Like many other South Pacific island nations, the Cook Islands'economic development is hindered by the isolation of the countryfrom foreign markets, the limited size of domestic markets, lack ofnatural resources, periodic devastation from natural disasters, andinadequate infrastructure. Agriculture provides the economic basewith major exports made up of copra and citrus fruit. Manufacturingactivities are limited to fruit processing, clothing, andhandicrafts. Trade deficits are offset by remittances from emigrantsand by foreign aid, overwhelmingly from New Zealand. In the 1980sand 1990s, the country lived beyond its means, maintaining a bloatedpublic service and accumulating a large foreign debt. Subsequentreforms, including the sale of state assets, the strengthening ofeconomic management, the encouragement of tourism, and a debtrestructuring agreement, have rekindled investment and growth.
GDP:purchasing power parity - $105 million (2001 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:7.1% (2001 est.)
GDP - per capita:purchasing power parity - $5,000 (2001 est.)
GDP - composition by sector:agriculture: 17%industry: 7.8%services: 75.2% (2000 est.)
Population below poverty line:NA
Household income or consumption by percentage share:lowest 10%: NAhighest 10%: NA
Inflation rate (consumer prices):3.2% (2000 est.)
Labor force:8,000 (1996)
Labor force - by occupation: agriculture 29%, industry 15%, services 56% note: shortage of skilled labor (1995)
Unemployment rate:13% (1996)
Budget:revenues: $28 millionexpenditures: $27 million, including capital expenditures of $3.3million (FY00/01 est.)
Agriculture - products: copra, citrus, pineapples, tomatoes, beans, pawpaws, bananas, yams, taro, coffee; pigs, poultry
Industries:fruit processing, tourism, fishing, clothing, handicrafts
Industrial production growth rate:1% (2002)
Electricity - production:27.43 million kWh (2001)
Electricity - consumption:25.51 million kWh (2001)
Electricity - exports:0 kWh (2001)
Electricity - imports:0 kWh (2001)
Oil - production:0 bbl/day (2001 est.)
Oil - consumption:450 bbl/day (2001 est.)
Oil - exports:NA (2001)
Oil - imports:NA (2001)
Exports:$9.1 million (2000)
Exports - commodities:copra, papayas, fresh and canned citrus fruit, coffee; fish; pearlsand pearl shells; clothing
Exports - partners:Australia 34%, Japan 27%, New Zealand 25%, US 8% (2000)
Imports:$50.7 million (2000)
Imports - commodities:foodstuffs, textiles, fuels, timber, capital goods
Imports - partners:New Zealand 61%, Fiji 19%, US 9%, Australia 6%, Japan 2% (2000)
Debt - external:$141 million (1996 est.)
Economic aid - recipient:$13.1 million; note - New Zealand continues to furnish the greaterpart (1995)
Currency:New Zealand dollar (NZD)
Currency code:NZD
Exchange rates:New Zealand dollars per US dollar - 1.7229 (2003), 2.1622 (2002),2.3776 (2001), 2.1863 (2000), 1.8886 (1999)
Fiscal year:1 April - 31 March
Communications Cook Islands
Telephones - main lines in use:6,200 (2002)
Telephones - mobile cellular:1,500 (2002)
Telephone system:general assessment: Telecom Cook Islands offers internationaldirect dialing, Internet, email, fax, and Telexdomestic: the individual islands are connected by a combination ofsatellite earth stations, microwave systems, and VHF and HFradiotelephone; within the islands, service is provided by smallexchanges connected to subscribers by open-wire, cable, andfiber-optic cableinternational: country code - 682; satellite earth station - 1Intelsat (Pacific Ocean)
Radio broadcast stations:AM 1, FM 1, shortwave 0 (2004)
Radios:14,000 (1997)
Television broadcast stations:1 (outer islands receive satellite broadcasts) (2004)
Televisions:4,000 (1997)
Internet country code:.ck
Internet Service Providers (ISPs):3 (2000)
Internet users:3,600 (2002)
Transportation Cook Islands