GDP (purchasing power parity):$366.7 billion (2006 est.)
GDP (official exchange rate):$105.5 billion (2006 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:5.4% (2006 est.)
GDP - per capita (PPP):$8,400 (2006 est.)
GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 12% industry: 35.2% services: 52.7% (2006 est.)
Labor force: 20.81 million (2006 est.)
Labor force - by occupation: agriculture: 22.7% industry: 18.7% services: 58.5% (2000 est.)
Unemployment rate:11.1% (2006 est.)
Population below poverty line:49.2% (2005)
Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 7.9% highest 10%: 34.3% (2004)
Distribution of family income - Gini index:53.8 (2005)
Inflation rate (consumer prices):4.3% (2006 est.)
Investment (gross fixed):22.8% of GDP (2006 est.)
Budget:revenues: $50.7 billionexpenditures: $52.29 billion; including capital expenditures of $NA(2006 est.)
Public debt:45.3% of GDP (2006 est.)
Agriculture - products:coffee, cut flowers, bananas, rice, tobacco, corn, sugarcane, cocoabeans, oilseed, vegetables; forest products; shrimp
Industries:textiles, food processing, oil, clothing and footwear, beverages,chemicals, cement; gold, coal, emeralds
Industrial production growth rate:5.8% (2006 est.)
Electricity - production:46.93 billion kWh (2004)
Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 26% hydro: 72.7% nuclear: 0% other: 1.3% (2001)
Electricity - consumption:42.01 billion kWh (2004)
Electricity - exports:1.682 billion kWh (2004)
Electricity - imports:48 million kWh (2004)
Oil - production:512,400 bbl/day (2005 est.)
Oil - consumption:269,000 bbl/day (2004 est.)
Oil - exports:NA bbl/day (2003)
Oil - imports:NA bbl/day (2003)
Oil - proved reserves:1.282 billion bbl (2006 est.)
Natural gas - production:6.18 billion cu m (2004 est.)
Natural gas - consumption:6.18 billion cu m (2004 est.)
Natural gas - exports:0 cu m (2004 est.)
Natural gas - imports:0 cu m (2004 est.)
Natural gas - proved reserves:114.4 billion cu m (1 January 2005 est.)
Current account balance:$-2.219 billion (2006 est.)
Exports:$24.86 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)
Exports - commodities:petroleum, coffee, coal, nickel, emeralds, apparel, bananas, cutflowers
Exports - partners:US 41.8%, Venezuela 9.9%, Ecuador 6.3% (2005)
Imports:$24.33 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)
Imports - commodities:industrial equipment, transportation equipment, consumer goods,chemicals, paper products, fuels, electricity
Imports - partners:US 28.5%, Mexico 8.3%, China 7.6%, Brazil 6.5%, Venezuela 5.7%(2005)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:$16.5 billion (2006 est.)
Debt - external:$37.21 billion (30 June 2006 est.)
Economic aid - recipient:$NA
Currency (code):Colombian peso (COP)
Currency code:COP
Exchange rates:Colombian pesos per US dollar - 2,382.9 (2006), 2,320.75 (2005),2,628.61 (2004), 2,877.65 (2003), 2,504.24 (2002)
Fiscal year:calendar year
Communications Colombia
Telephones - main lines in use:7,678,800 (2005)
Telephones - mobile cellular:21.85 million (2005)
Telephone system:general assessment: modern system in many respectsdomestic: nationwide microwave radio relay system; domesticsatellite system with 41 earth stations; fiber-optic network linking50 citiesinternational: country code - 57; satellite earth stations - 6Intelsat, 1 Inmarsat; 3 fully digitalized international switchingcenters; 8 submarine cables
Radio broadcast stations:AM 454, FM 34, shortwave 27 (1999)
Radios:21 million (1997)
Television broadcast stations:60 (includes seven low-power stations) (1997)
Televisions:4.59 million (1997)
Internet country code:.co
Internet hosts:581,877 (2006)
Internet Service Providers (ISPs):18 (2000)
Internet users:4.739 million (2005)
Transportation Colombia
Airports: 984 (2006)
Airports - with paved runways: total: 101 over 3,047 m: 2 2,438 to 3,047 m: 9 1,524 to 2,437 m: 38 914 to 1,523 m: 40 under 914 m: 12 (2006)
Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 883 over 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 35 914 to 1,523 m: 275 under 914 m: 572 (2006)
Heliports:2 (2006)
Pipelines:gas 4,360 km; oil 6,140 km; refined products 3,158 km (2006)
Railways:total: 3,304 kmstandard gauge: 150 km 1.435-m gaugenarrow gauge: 3,154 km 0.914-m gauge (2005)
Roadways:total: 112,988 kmpaved: 16,270 kmunpaved: 96,718 km (2004)
Waterways:18,000 km (2005)
Merchant marine:total: 17 ships (1000 GRT or over) 42,413 GRT/58,737 DWTby type: cargo 13, liquefied gas 1, petroleum tanker 3registered in other countries: 7 (Antigua and Barbuda 2, Panama 5)(2006)
Ports and terminals:Barranquilla, Buenaventura, Cartagena, Muelles El Bosque, PuertoBolivar, Santa Marta, Turbo
Military Colombia
Military branches:Army (Ejercito Nacional), National Navy (Armada Nacional, includesnaval aviation, marines, and coast guard), Colombian Air Force(Fuerza Aerea de Colombia, FAC) (2006)
Military service age and obligation:18 years of age for compulsory and voluntary military service;conscript service obligation - 24 months (2004)
Manpower available for military service:males age 18-49: 10,212,456females age 18-49: 10,561,562 (2005 est.)
Manpower fit for military service:males age 18-49: 6,986,228females age 18-49: 8,794,465 (2005 est.)
Manpower reaching military service age annually:males age 18-49: 389,735females age 18-49: 383,146 (2005 est.)
Military expenditures - dollar figure:$3.3 billion (FY01)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP:3.4% (FY01)
Transnational Issues Colombia
Disputes - international:Nicaragua filed a claim against Honduras in 1999 and againstColombia in 2001 at the ICJ over disputed maritime boundaryinvolving 50,000 sq km in the Caribbean Sea, including theArchipelago de San Andres y Providencia and Quita Sueno Bank;dispute with Venezuela over maritime boundary and Los Monjes Islandsnear the Gulf of Venezuela; Colombian-organized illegal narcotics,guerrilla, and paramilitary activities penetrate all of itsneighbors' borders and have created a serious refugee crisis withover 300,000 persons having fled the country, mostly intoneighboring states
Refugees and internally displaced persons:IDPs: 1.8-3.8 million (conflict between government and illegalarmed groups and FARC factions; drug wars) (2006)
Illicit drugs:illicit producer of coca, opium poppy, and cannabis; world'sleading coca cultivator (cultivation of coca in 2004 was 114,100hectares, virtually unchanged from 2003, but down one-third from itspeak of 169,800 ha); producing a potential of 430 mt of purecocaine; the world's largest producer of coca derivatives; supplyingmost of the US market and the great majority of cocaine to otherinternational drug markets; important supplier of heroin to the USmarket; opium poppy cultivation fell 50% between 2003 and 2004 to2,100 hectares yielding a potential 3.8 metric tons of pure heroin,mostly for the US market; in 2004, aerial eradication treated over130,000 hectares of coca but aggressive replanting on the part ofgrowers means Colombia remains a key producer; a significant portionof non-US narcotics proceeds are either laundered or invested inColombia through the black market peso exchange
This page was last updated on 8 February, 2007
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@Comoros
Introduction Comoros
Background:Comoros has endured 19 coups or attempted coups since gainingindependence from France in 1975. In 1997, the islands of Anjouanand Moheli declared independence from Comoros. In 1999, militarychief Col. AZALI seized power. He pledged to resolve thesecessionist crisis through a confederal arrangement named the 2000Fomboni Accord. In December 2001, voters approved a new constitutionand presidential elections took place in the spring of 2002. Eachisland in the archipelago elected its own president and a new unionpresident took office in May 2002.
Geography Comoros
Location:Southern Africa, group of islands at the northern mouth of theMozambique Channel, about two-thirds of the way between northernMadagascar and northern Mozambique
Geographic coordinates:12 10 S, 44 15 E
Map references:Africa
Area:total: 2,170 sq kmland: 2,170 sq kmwater: 0 sq km
Area - comparative:slightly more than 12 times the size of Washington, DC
Land boundaries:0 km
Coastline:340 km
Maritime claims: territorial sea: 12 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
Climate:tropical marine; rainy season (November to May)
Terrain:volcanic islands, interiors vary from steep mountains to low hills
Elevation extremes:lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 mhighest point: Le Kartala 2,360 m
Natural resources:NEGL
Land use:arable land: 35.87%permanent crops: 23.32%other: 40.81% (2005)
Irrigated land:NA
Natural hazards:cyclones possible during rainy season (December to April); LeKartala on Grand Comore is an active volcano
Environment - current issues:soil degradation and erosion results from crop cultivation onslopes without proper terracing; deforestation
Environment - international agreements: party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
Geography - note: important location at northern end of Mozambique Channel
People Comoros
Population:690,948 (July 2006 est.)
Age structure:0-14 years: 42.7% (male 148,009/female 147,038)15-64 years: 54.3% (male 185,107/female 190,139)65 years and over: 3% (male 9,672/female 10,983) (2006 est.)
Median age:total: 18.6 yearsmale: 18.4 yearsfemale: 18.9 years (2006 est.)
Population growth rate:2.87% (2006 est.)
Birth rate:36.93 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)
Death rate:8.2 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)
Net migration rate:0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)
Sex ratio:at birth: 1.03 male(s)/femaleunder 15 years: 1.01 male(s)/female15-64 years: 0.97 male(s)/female65 years and over: 0.88 male(s)/femaletotal population: 0.99 male(s)/female (2006 est.)
Infant mortality rate:total: 72.85 deaths/1,000 live birthsmale: 81.27 deaths/1,000 live birthsfemale: 64.19 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:total population: 62.33 yearsmale: 60 yearsfemale: 64.72 years (2006 est.)
Total fertility rate:5.03 children born/woman (2006 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:0.12% (2001 est.)
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:NA
HIV/AIDS - deaths:NA
Nationality:noun: Comoran(s)adjective: Comoran
Ethnic groups:Antalote, Cafre, Makoa, Oimatsaha, Sakalava
Religions:Sunni Muslim 98%, Roman Catholic 2%
Languages:Arabic (official), French (official), Shikomoro (a blend of Swahiliand Arabic)
Literacy:definition: age 15 and over can read and writetotal population: 56.5%male: 63.6%female: 49.3% (2003 est.)
Government Comoros
Country name:conventional long form: Union of the Comorosconventional short form: Comoroslocal long form: Union des Comoreslocal short form: Comores
Government type:republic
Capital:name: Moronigeographic coordinates: 11 41 S, 43 16 Etime difference: UTC+3 (8 hours ahead of Washington, DC duringStandard Time)
Administrative divisions:3 islands and 4 municipalities*; Grande Comore (Njazidja), Anjouan(Nzwani), Domoni*, Fomboni*, Moheli (Mwali), Moroni*, Moutsamoudou*
Independence:6 July 1975 (from France)
National holiday:Independence Day, 6 July (1975)
Constitution:23 December 2001
Legal system:French and Sharia (Islamic) law in a new consolidated code
Suffrage:18 years of age; universal
Executive branch:chief of state: President Ahmed Abdallah SAMBI (since 26 May 2006);head of government: President Ahmed Abdallah SAMBI (since 26 May2006);cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the presidentelections: as defined by the 2001 constitution, the presidencyrotates every four years among the elected presidents from the threemain islands in the Union; election last held 14 May 2006 (next tobe held by May 2010); prime minister appointed by the president;note - the post of Prime Minister has been vacant since May 2002election results: Ahmed Abdallah SAMBI elected president; percent ofvote - Ahmed Abdallah SAMBI 58.0%, Ibrahim HALIDI 28.3%, MohamedDJAANFAMI 13.7%
Legislative branch:unicameral Assembly of the Union (33 seats; 15 deputies areselected by the individual islands' local assemblies and the 18 byuniversal suffrage; deputies serve for five years);elections: last held 18 and 25 April 2004 (next to be held in 2009)election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party -CdIA 12, CRC 6; note - 15 additional seats are filled by deputiesfrom local island assemblies
Judicial branch:Supreme Court or Cour Supremes (two members appointed by thepresident, two members elected by the Federal Assembly, one electedby the Council of each island, and others are former presidents ofthe republic)
Political parties and leaders:Convention for the Renewal of the Comoros [AZALI Assowmani]; Campof the Autonomous Islands (a coalition of parties organized by theisland Presidents in opposition to the Union President); FrontNational pour la Justice or FNJ [Ahmed RACHID] (Islamic party inopposition); Mouvement pour la Democratie et le Progress or MDP-NGDC[Abbas DJOUSSOUF]; Parti Comorien pour la Democratie et le Progressor PCDP [Ali MROUDJAE]; Rassemblement National pour le Developmentor RND [Omar TAMOU, Abdoulhamid AFFRAITANE]
Political pressure groups and leaders:NA
International organization participation:ACCT, ACP, AfDB, AMF, AU, COMESA, FAO, FZ, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt,ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, InOC, Interpol,IOC, ITU, LAS, NAM, OIC, OIF, OPCW (signatory), UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO,UNIDO, UPU, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO
Diplomatic representation in the US:chief of mission: Representative to the US and Ambassador to the UNMahmoud M. ABOUDchancery: Mission to the US, 336 East 45th Street (2nd floor), NewYork, NY 10017telephone: [1] (212) 750-1637
Diplomatic representation from the US:the US does not have an embassy in Comoros; the ambassador toMadagascar is accredited to Comoros
Flag description:four equal horizontal bands of yellow (top), white, red, and bluewith a green isosceles triangle based on the hoist; centered withinthe triangle is a white crescent with the convex side facing thehoist and four white, five-pointed stars placed vertically in a linebetween the points of the crescent; the horizontal bands and thefour stars represent the four main islands of the archipelago -Mwali, Njazidja, Nzwani, and Mayotte (a territorial collectivity ofFrance, but claimed by Comoros); the crescent, stars, and colorgreen are traditional symbols of Islam
Economy Comoros
Economy - overview:One of the world's poorest countries, Comoros is made up of threeislands that have inadequate transportation links, a young andrapidly increasing population, and few natural resources. The loweducational level of the labor force contributes to a subsistencelevel of economic activity, high unemployment, and a heavydependence on foreign grants and technical assistance. Agriculture,including fishing, hunting, and forestry, contributes 40% to GDP,employs 80% of the labor force, and provides most of the exports.The country is not self-sufficient in food production; rice, themain staple, accounts for the bulk of imports. The government -which is hampered by internal political disputes - is struggling toupgrade education and technical training, privatize commercial andindustrial enterprises, improve health services, diversify exports,promote tourism, and reduce the high population growth rate.Increased foreign support is essential if the goal of 4% annual GDPgrowth is to be met. Remittances from 150,000 Comorans abroad helpsupplement GDP.
GDP (purchasing power parity):$441 million (2002 est.)
GDP (official exchange rate):$402 million (2005 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:3% (2005 est.)
GDP - per capita (PPP):$600 (2005 est.)
GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 40% industry: 4% services: 56% (2001 est.)
Labor force: 144,500 (1996 est.)
Labor force - by occupation: agriculture: 80% industry and services: 20%
Unemployment rate:20% (1996 est.)
Population below poverty line:60% (2002 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share:lowest 10%: NA%highest 10%: NA%
Inflation rate (consumer prices):3% (2005 est.)
Budget:revenues: $27.6 millionexpenditures: $NA (2001 est.)
Agriculture - products:vanilla, cloves, perfume essences, copra, coconuts, bananas,cassava (tapioca)
Industries:fishing, tourism, perfume distillation
Industrial production growth rate:-2% (1999 est.)
Electricity - production:19 million kWh (2004)
Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 90.6% hydro: 9.4% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001)
Electricity - consumption:17.67 million kWh (2004)
Electricity - exports:0 kWh (2004)
Electricity - imports:0 kWh (2004)
Oil - production:0 bbl/day (2004)
Oil - consumption:720 bbl/day (2004 est.)
Oil - exports:NA bbl/day
Oil - imports:NA bbl/day
Natural gas - production:0 cu m (2004 est.)
Natural gas - consumption:0 cu m (2004 est.)
Current account balance:$-17 million (2005 est.)
Exports:$34 million f.o.b. (2004 est.)
Exports - commodities:vanilla, ylang-ylang (perfume essence), cloves, copra
Exports - partners:France 26.9%, Singapore 16.3%, Japan 14.6%, Germany 13.2%, US 5.6%,Netherlands 5% (2005)
Imports:$115 million f.o.b. (2004 est.)
Imports - commodities:rice and other foodstuffs, consumer goods, petroleum products,cement, transport equipment
Imports - partners:France 19.2%, Kenya 18.2%, UAE 8.5%, South Africa 6.3%, Pakistan5.6%, Belgium 4% (2005)
Debt - external:$232 million (2000 est.)
Economic aid - recipient:$24 million (2003 est.)
Currency (code):Comoran franc (KMF)
Currency code:KMF
Exchange rates:Comoran francs (KMF) per US dollar - 395.6 (2005), 396.21 (2004),435.9 (2003), 522.74 (2002), note, the Comoran franc is pegged tothe euro at a rate of 491.9677 Comoran francs per euro
Fiscal year:calendar year
Communications Comoros
Telephones - main lines in use:16,900 (2005)
Telephones - mobile cellular:16,100 (2005)
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:5 (2006)
Internet Service Providers (ISPs):1 (2000)
Internet users:20,000 (2005)
Transportation Comoros
Airports:4 (2006)
Airports - with paved runways:total: 42,438 to 3,047 m: 1914 to 1,523 m: 3 (2006)
Roadways:total: 880 kmpaved: 673 kmunpaved: 207 km (1999)
Merchant marine:total: 121 ships (1000 GRT or over) 564,882 GRT/801,238 DWTby type: bulk carrier 10, cargo 85, chemical tanker 1, container 1,livestock carrier 1, passenger 2, passenger/cargo 1, petroleumtanker 9, refrigerated cargo 5, roll on/roll off 5, specializedtanker 1foreign-owned: 72 (Bangladesh 1, Bulgaria 1, Greece 10, India 1,Kenya 1, Kuwait 1, Lebanon 6, Nigeria 2, Norway 1, Pakistan 2,Philippines 1, Russia 4, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 1, SaudiArabia 3, Syria 4, Turkey 11, UAE 6, Ukraine 14, US 2) (2006)
Ports and terminals:Mayotte, Moutsamoudou
Military Comoros
Military branches:Comoran Defense Force: Comoran Security Force (includes Gendarmerieand Army), Comoran Federal Police (2006)
Manpower available for military service:males age 18-49: 138,940females age 18-49: 139,491 (2005 est.)
Manpower fit for military service:males age 18-49: 98,792females age 18-49: 106,415 (2005 est.)
Military expenditures - dollar figure:$12.87 million (2005 est.)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP:3% (2005 est.)
Transnational Issues Comoros
Disputes - international: claims French-administered Mayotte
This page was last updated on 8 February, 2007
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@Congo, Democratic Republic of the
Introduction Congo, Democratic Republic of the
Background:Established as a Belgian colony in 1908, the Republic of the Congogained its independence in 1960, but its early years were marred bypolitical and social instability. Col. Joseph MOBUTU seized powerand declared himself president in a November 1965 coup. Hesubsequently changed his name - to MOBUTU Sese Seko - as well asthat of the country - to Zaire. MOBUTU retained his position for 32years through several subsequent sham elections, as well as throughthe use of brutal force. Ethnic strife and civil war, touched off bya massive inflow of refugees in 1994 from fighting in Rwanda andBurundi, led in May 1997 to the toppling of the MOBUTU regime by arebellion led by Laurent KABILA. He renamed the country theDemocratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), but in August 1998 hisregime was itself challenged by an insurrection backed by Rwanda andUganda. Troops from Angola, Chad, Namibia, Sudan, and Zimbabweintervened to support the Kinshasa regime. A cease-fire was signedin July 1999 by the DRC, Congolese armed rebel groups, Angola,Namibia, Rwanda, Uganda, and Zimbabwe but sporadic fightingcontinued. Laurent KABILA was assassinated in January 2001 and hisson, Joseph KABILA, was named head of state. In October 2002, thenew president was successful in negotiating the withdrawal ofRwandan forces occupying eastern Congo; two months later, thePretoria Accord was signed by all remaining warring parties to endthe fighting and establish a government of national unity. Atransitional government was set up in July 2003; with Joseph KABILAas president and joined by four vice presidents representing theformer government, former rebel groups, and the politicalopposition. The transitional government held a successfulconstitutional referendum in December 2005 and elections for thepresidency, National Assembly, and provincial legislatures in 2006.KABILA was inaugurated president in December 2006.
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 kmland: 2,267,600 sq kmwater: 77,810 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, niobium, tantalum, petroleum, industrial and gemdiamonds, gold, silver, zinc, manganese, tin, uranium, coal,hydropower, timber
Land use:arable land: 2.86%permanent crops: 0.47%other: 96.67% (2005)
Irrigated land:110 sq km (2003)
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:62,660,551note: 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 (July2006 est.)
Age structure:0-14 years: 47.4% (male 14,906,488/female 14,798,210)15-64 years: 50.1% (male 15,597,353/female 15,793,350)65 years and over: 2.5% (male 632,143/female 933,007) (2006 est.)
Median age:total: 16.2 yearsmale: 16 yearsfemale: 16.4 years (2006 est.)
Population growth rate:3.07% (2006 est.)
Birth rate:43.69 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)
Death rate:13.27 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)
Net migration rate:0.23 migrant(s)/1,000 populationnote: fighting between the Congolese Government and Uganda- andRwanda-backed Congolese rebels spawned a regional war in DRC inAugust 1998, which left 2.33 million Congolese internally displacedand caused 412,000 Congolese refugees to flee to surroundingcountries (2006 est.)
Sex ratio:at birth: 1.03 male(s)/femaleunder 15 years: 1.01 male(s)/female15-64 years: 0.99 male(s)/female65 years and over: 0.68 male(s)/femaletotal population: 0.99 male(s)/female (2006 est.)
Infant mortality rate:total: 88.62 deaths/1,000 live birthsmale: 96.9 deaths/1,000 live birthsfemale: 80.1 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:total population: 51.46 yearsmale: 50.01 yearsfemale: 52.94 years (2006 est.)
Total fertility rate:6.45 children born/woman (2006 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: degree of risk: very high food or waterborne diseases: bacterial and protozoal diarrhea, hepatitis A, and typhoid fever vectorborne diseases: malaria, plague, and African trypanosomiasis (sleeping sickness) are high risks in some locations water contact disease: schistosomiasis (2007)
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 long form: Republique Democratique du Congolocal short form: noneformer: Congo Free State, Belgian Congo, Congo/Leopoldville,Congo/Kinshasa, Zaireabbreviation: DRC
Government type:transitional government
Capital:name: Kinshasageographic coordinates: 4 18 S, 15 18 Etime difference: UTC+1 (six hours ahead of Washington, DC duringStandard Time)
Administrative divisions:10 provinces (provinces, singular - province) and 1 city* (ville);Bandundu, Bas-Congo, Equateur, Kasai-Occidental, Kasai-Oriental,Katanga, Kinshasa*, Maniema, Nord-Kivu, Orientale, Sud-Kivunote: According to the Constitution adopted in December 2005, thecurrent administrative divisions will be subdivided into 26 newprovinces
Independence:30 June 1960 (from Belgium)
National holiday:Independence Day, 30 June (1960)
Constitution:18 February 2006
Legal system:a new constitution was adopted by referendum 18 December 2005;accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations
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, his presidency was reconfirmed by the October 2006elections; 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, his presidency was reconfirmed by the October 2006elections; the president is both the chief of state and head ofgovernmentcabinet: National Executive Council appointed by the presidentelections: under the new constitution the president is elected bypopular vote to a five-year term (eligible for a second term);elections last held 30 July 2006 with a second round held on 29October 2006 (next to be held in 2011)election results: results of 29 October 2006 elections (secondround); Joseph KABILA 58%, Jean-Pierre BEMBA Gombo 42%note: 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 held on 30 July 2006 and29 October 2006 where the poplar vote confirmed Joseph KABILA aspresident
Legislative branch:bicameral legislature consists of a National Assembly (500 seats;60 members elected by majority vote in single-member constituencies440 members elected by open list proportional-representation inmulti-member constituencies; members serve 5-year terms) and aSenate (108 seats; members elected by provincial assemblies to serve5-year terms)elections: National Assembly - last held 30 July 2006 (next to beheld in 2011)election results: National Assembly - percent of vote by party - NA;seats by party - PPRD 111, MLC 64, PALU 34, MSR 27, FR 26, RCD 15,Independents 63, others 160 (includes 63 political parties that wonfewer than 10 seats)
Judicial branch:Supreme Court or Cour Supreme
Political parties and leaders:Congolese Rally for Democracy or RCD [Azaria RUBERWA]; Forces forRenovation for Union and Solidarity or FONUS [Joseph OLENGHANKOY];Forces of Renewal or FR [Mbusa NYAMWISI]; Movement for theLiberation of the Congo or MLC [Jean-Pierre BEMBA]; NationalCongolese Lumumbist Movement or MNC [Francois LUMUMBA]; People'sParty for Reconstruction and Democracy or PPRD [Joseph Kabila];Social Movement for Renewal or MSR; Unified Lumumbast Party or PALU[Antoine GIZENGA]; Union for Democracy and Social Progress or UDPS[Etienne TSHISEKEDI wa Mulumba]
Political pressure groups and leaders:NA
International organization participation:ACCT, ACP, AfDB, AU, CEPGL, COMESA, FAO, G-24, G-77, IAEA, IBRD,ICAO, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO (suspended), ILO, IMF,IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITU, ITUC, MIGA, NAM, OIF, OPCW,PCA, SADC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNWTO, UPU, WCL, WCO,WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
Diplomatic representation in the US:chief of mission: Ambassador Faida MITIFUchancery: 1800 New Hampshire Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20009: note -Consular Office at 1726 M Street, NW, Washington, DC, 20036telephone: [1] (202) 234-7690, 7691FAX: [1] (202) 234-2609
Diplomatic representation from the US:chief of mission: Ambassador Roger MEECEembassy: 310 Avenue des Aviateurs, Kinshasamailing address: Unit 31550, APO AE 09828telephone: [243] (88) 43608FAX: [243] (88) 43467
Flag description:sky blue field divided diagonally from the lower hoist corner toupper fly corner by a red stripe bordered by two narrow yellowstripes; a yellow, five-pointed star appears in the upper hoistcorner
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, dramaticallyreduced national output and government revenue, increased externaldebt, and resulted in the deaths of perhaps 3.5 million people fromviolence, famine, and disease. Foreign businesses curtailedoperations due to uncertainty about the outcome of the conflict,lack of infrastructure, and the difficult operating environment.Conditions improved in late 2002 with the withdrawal of a largeportion of the invading foreign troops. The transitional governmenthas reopened relations with international financial institutions andinternational donors, and President KABILA has begun implementingreforms. Much economic activity lies outside the GDP data. Economicstability improved in 2003-06, although an uncertain legalframework, corruption, and a lack of openness in government policycontinues to hamper growth. In 2005-06, renewed activity in themining sector, the source of most exports, boosted Kinshasa's fiscalposition and GDP growth. Business and economic prospects areexpected to improve once a new government is installed afterelections.
GDP (purchasing power parity):$44.6 billion (2006 est.)
GDP (official exchange rate):$8.061 billion (2006 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:7.5% (2006 est.)
GDP - per capita (PPP):$700 (2006 est.)
GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 55% industry: 11% services: 34% (2000 est.)
Labor force: 14.51 million (1993 est.)
Labor force - by occupation: agriculture: NA% industry: NA% services: NA%
Unemployment rate:NA%
Population below poverty line:NA%
Household income or consumption by percentage share:lowest 10%: NA%highest 10%: NA%
Inflation rate (consumer prices):9% (2004 est.)
Budget:revenues: $700 millionexpenditures: $750 million; including capital expenditures of $24million (2004 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, commercial ship repair
Industrial production growth rate:NA%
Electricity - production:353 million kWh (2004)
Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 1.8% hydro: 98.2% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001)
Electricity - consumption:658.3 million kWh (2004)
Electricity - exports:0 kWh (2004)
Electricity - imports:330 million kWh (2004)
Oil - production:21,090 bbl/day (2004)
Oil - consumption:8,200 bbl/day (2004 est.)
Oil - exports:NA bbl/day (2001)
Oil - imports:NA bbl/day (2001)
Oil - proved reserves:1.538 billion bbl (1 January 2002)
Natural gas - production:0 cu m (2004 est.)
Natural gas - consumption:0 cu m (2004 est.)
Natural gas - proved reserves:991.1 million cu m (1 January 2005 est.)
Exports:$1.108 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)
Exports - commodities:diamonds, copper, crude oil, coffee, cobalt
Exports - partners:Belgium 38.1%, US 17.8%, China 11.6%, France 8%, Finland 7.7%,Chile 4.3% (2005)
Imports:$1.319 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)
Imports - commodities:foodstuffs, mining and other machinery, transport equipment, fuels
Imports - partners:South Africa 18%, Belgium 15.6%, France 8.8%, Zambia 6.7%, Kenya6.2%, Germany 4.5%, US 4.4%, Cote d'Ivoire 4.2%, Netherlands 4%(2005)
Debt - external:$10.6 billion (2003 est.)
Economic aid - recipient:$2.2 billion (FY03/04)
Currency (code):Congolese franc (CDF)
Currency code:CDF
Exchange rates:Congolese francs per US dollar - 437.86 (2005), 401.04 (2004),405.34 (2003), 346.49 (2002)
Fiscal year:calendar year
Communications Congo, Democratic Republic of the
Telephones - main lines in use:10,600 (2005)
Telephones - mobile cellular:2.746 million (2005)
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:1,778 (2006)
Internet Service Providers (ISPs):1 (2001)
Internet users:140,600 (2005)
Transportation Congo, Democratic Republic of the
Airports: 234 (2006)
Airports - with paved runways: total: 25 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 under 914 m: 1 (2006)
Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 209 1,524 to 2,437 m: 18 914 to 1,523 m: 94 under 914 m: 97 (2006)
Pipelines:gas 54 km; oil 78 km (2006)
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 (2005)
Roadways:total: 153,497 kmpaved: 2,794 kmunpaved: 150,703 km (2004)
Waterways:15,000 km (2005)
Merchant marine:total: 1 ship (1000 GRT or over) 1,004 GRT/1,640 DWTby type: petroleum tanker 1foreign-owned: 1 (Congo, Republic of the 1) (2006)
Ports and terminals:Banana, Boma, Bukavu, Bumba, Goma, Kalemie, Kindu, Kinshasa,Kisangani, Matadi, Mbandaka
Military Congo, Democratic Republic of the
Military branches:Army, Navy, Air Force
Military service age and obligation:18-45 years of age for military service
Manpower available for military service:males age 18-49: 11,365,610 (2005 est.)
Manpower fit for military service:males age 18-49: 6,464,223 (2005 est.)
Military expenditures - dollar figure:$103.7 million (2005 est.)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP:1.5% (2005 est.)
Transnational Issues Congo, Democratic Republic of the
Disputes - international:heads of the Great Lakes states and UN pledge to end conflict butunchecked tribal, rebel, and militia fighting continues unabated inthe northeastern region of the Democratic Republic of the Congo,drawing in the neighboring states of Burundi, Rwanda and Uganda; theUN Organization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo(MONUC) has maintained over 14,000 peacekeepers in the region since1999; thousands of Ituri refugees from the Congo continue to fleethe fighting primarily into Uganda; 90,000 Angolan refugees wererepatriated by 2004 with the remainder in the DRC expected to returnin 2005; in 2005, DRC and Rwanda established a border verificationmechanism to address accusations of Rwandan military supportingCongolese rebels and the DRC providing rebel Rwandan "Interhamwe"forces the means and bases to attack Rwandan forces; the location ofthe boundary in the broad Congo River with the Republic of the Congois indefinite except in the Pool Malebo/Stanley Pool area
Refugees and internally displaced persons:refugees (country of origin): 106,772 (Angola), 42,360 (Rwanda),19,032 (Burundi), 18,954 (Uganda), 11,723 (Sudan), 5,243 (Republicof Congo)IDPs: 1.1 million (fighting between government forces and rebelssince mid-1990s; most IDPs are in eastern provinces) (2006)
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 8 February, 2007
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@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 took office in 1992. A brief civilwar in 1997 restored former Marxist President Denis SASSOU-NGUESSO,and ushered in a period of ethnic and political unrest.Southern-based rebel groups agreed to a final peace accord in March2003, but the calm is tenuous and refugees continue to present ahumanitarian crisis. The Republic of Congo was once one of Africa'slargest petroleum producers, but with declining production it willneed to hope for new offshore oil finds to sustain its oil earningsover the long term.
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 kmland: 341,500 sq kmwater: 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); persistent 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,gold, magnesium, natural gas, hydropower
Land use: arable land: 1.45% permanent crops: 0.15% other: 98.4% (2005)
Irrigated land:20 sq km (2003)
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:3,702,314note: 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 (July2006 est.)
Age structure:0-14 years: 46.4% (male 864,407/female 853,728)15-64 years: 50.7% (male 930,390/female 945,545)65 years and over: 2.9% (male 44,430/female 63,814) (2006 est.)
Median age:total: 16.6 yearsmale: 16.4 yearsfemale: 16.9 years (2006 est.)
Population growth rate:2.6% (2006 est.)
Birth rate:42.57 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)
Death rate:12.93 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)
Net migration rate:-3.62 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 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: 0.99 male(s)/female (2006 est.)
Infant mortality rate:total: 85.29 deaths/1,000 live birthsmale: 91 deaths/1,000 live birthsfemale: 79.41 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:total population: 52.8 yearsmale: 51.65 yearsfemale: 53.98 years (2006 est.)
Total fertility rate:6.07 children born/woman (2006 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:degree of risk: very highfood or waterborne diseases: bacterial diarrhea, hepatitis A, andtyphoid fevervectorborne disease: malaria (2007)
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%
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 long form: Republique du Congolocal short form: noneformer: Middle Congo, Congo/Brazzaville, Congo
Government type:republic
Capital:name: Brazzavillegeographic coordinates: 4 16 S, 15 17 Etime difference: UTC+1 (six hours ahead of Washington, DC duringStandard Time)
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: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 term); election last held 10 March 2002 (nextto be held in 2009)election results: Denis SASSOU-NGUESSO reelected president; percentof vote - Denis SASSOU-NGUESSO 89.4%, Joseph Kignoumbi Kia MBOUNGOU2.7%