Established as a Belgian colony in 1908, the Republic of the Congo gained its independence in 1960, but its early years were marred by political and social instability. Col. Joseph MOBUTU seized power and declared himself president in a November 1965 coup. He subsequently changed his name - to MOBUTU Sese Seko - as well as that of the country - to Zaire. MOBUTU retained his position for 32 years through several sham elections, as well as through the use of brutal force. Ethnic strife and civil war, touched off by a massive inflow of refugees in 1994 from fighting in Rwanda and Burundi, led in May 1997 to the toppling of the MOBUTU regime by a rebellion backed by Rwanda and Uganda and fronted by Laurent KABILA. He renamed the country the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), but in August 1998 his regime was itself challenged by a second insurrection again backed by Rwanda and Uganda. Troops from Angola, Chad, Namibia, Sudan, and Zimbabwe intervened to support KABILA's regime. A cease-fire was signed in July 1999 by the DRC, Congolese armed rebel groups, Angola, Namibia, Rwanda, Uganda, and Zimbabwe but sporadic fighting continued. Laurent KABILA was assassinated in January 2001 and his son, Joseph KABILA, was named head of state. In October 2002, the new president was successful in negotiating the withdrawal of Rwandan forces occupying eastern Congo; two months later, the Pretoria Accord was signed by all remaining warring parties to end the fighting and establish a government of national unity. A transitional government was set up in July 2003. Joseph KABILA as president and four vice presidents represented the former government, former rebel groups, and the political opposition. The transitional government held a successful constitutional referendum in December 2005 and elections for the presidency, National Assembly, and provincial legislatures in 2006. KABILA was inaugurated president in December 2006. The National Assembly was installed in September 2006. Its president, Vital KAMERHE, was chosen in December. Provincial assemblies were constituted in early 2007, and elected governors and national senators in January 2007.
Location
Central Africa, northeast of Angola
Geographic coordinates
0 00 N, 25 00 E
Map references
Africa
Area
total
2,345,410 sq km
land
2,267,600 sq km
water
77,810 sq km
Area - comparative
slightly less than one-fourth the size of the US
Land boundaries
total
10,730 km
border countries
Angola 2,511 km (of which 225 km is the boundary of Angola's discontiguous Cabinda Province), Burundi 233 km, Central African Republic 1,577 km, Republic of the Congo 2,410 km, Rwanda 217 km, Sudan 628 km, Tanzania 459 km, Uganda 765 km, Zambia 1,930 km
Coastline
37 km
Maritime claims
territorial sea
12 nm
exclusive economic zone
boundaries with neighbors
Climate
tropical; hot and humid in equatorial river basin; cooler and drier in southern highlands; cooler and wetter in eastern highlands; north of Equator - wet season (April to October), dry season (December to February); south of Equator - wet season (November to March), dry season (April to October)
Terrain
vast central basin is a low-lying plateau; mountains in east
Elevation extremes
lowest point
Atlantic Ocean 0 m
highest point
Pic Marguerite on Mont Ngaliema (Mount Stanley) 5,110 m
periodic droughts in south; Congo River floods (seasonal); in the east, 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 - a mineral used in creating capacitors, diamonds, and gold) causing environmental damage
Environment - international agreements
party to
Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified
Environmental Modification
Geography - note
straddles equator; has very narrow strip of land that controls the lower Congo River and is only outlet to South Atlantic Ocean; dense tropical rain forest in central river basin and eastern highlands
Population
65,751,512
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 2007 est.)
Age structure
0-14 years
47.6% (male 15,718,614/female 15,557,058)
15-64 years
49.9% (male 16,224,734/female 16,571,549)
65 years and over
2.6% (male 680,313/female 999,244) (2007 est.)
Median age
total
16.1 years
male
15.8 years
female
16.4 years (2007 est.)
Population growth rate
3.39% (2007 est.)
Birth rate
42.96 births/1,000 population (2007 est.)
Death rate
10.34 deaths/1,000 population (2007 est.)
Net migration rate
1.28 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2007 est.)
Sex ratio
at birth
1.03 male(s)/female
under 15 years
1.01 male(s)/female
15-64 years
0.979 male(s)/female
65 years and over
0.681 male(s)/female
total population
0.985 male(s)/female (2007 est.)
Infant mortality rate
total
65.52 deaths/1,000 live births
male
71.55 deaths/1,000 live births
female
59.32 deaths/1,000 live births (2007 est.)
Life expectancy at birth
total population
57.2 years
male
54.97 years
female
59.5 years (2007 est.)
Total fertility rate
6.37 children born/woman (2007 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; the four largest tribes - Mongo, Luba, Kongo (all Bantu), and the Mangbetu-Azande (Hamitic) make up about 45% of the population
Religions
Roman Catholic 50%, Protestant 20%, Kimbanguist 10%, Muslim 10%, other (includes 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 Tshiluba
total population
65.5%
male
76.2%
female
55.1% (2003 est.)
Country name
conventional long form
Democratic Republic of the Congo
conventional short form
none
local long form
Republique Democratique du Congo
local short form
none
former
Congo Free State, Belgian Congo, Congo/Leopoldville, Congo/Kinshasa, Zaire
abbreviation
DRC
Government type
republic
Capital
name
Kinshasa
geographic coordinates
4 18 S, 15 18 E
time difference
UTC+1 (six hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)
note: according to the Constitution adopted in December 2005, the current administrative divisions will be subdivided into 26 new provinces by 2009
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 17 January 2001); note - following the assassination of his father, Joseph KABILA succeeded to the presidency which he retained through the 2003-2006 transition; he was subsequently elected president in October 2006
head of government
Prime Minister Antoine GIZENGA (since 30 December 2006);
cabinet
Ministers of State appointed by the president
elections
under the new constitution the president is elected by popular vote to a five-year term (eligible for a second term); elections last held 30 July 2006 with a second round held on 29 October 2006 (next to be held in 2011); prime minister appointed by the president
election results
results of 29 October 2006 elections (second round); 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; negotiations with rebel leaders led to the establishment of a transitional government in July 2003 with free elections held on 30 July 2006 and 29 October 2006 confirming Joseph KABILA as president
Legislative branch
bicameral legislature consists of a National Assembly (500 seats; 61 members elected by majority vote in single-member constituencies, 439 members elected by open list proportional-representation in multi-member constituencies; to serve five-year terms) and a Senate (108 seats; members elected by provincial assemblies to serve five-year terms)
elections: National Assembly - last held 30 July 2006 (next to be held in 2011); Senate - last held 19 January 2007 (next to be held by 2012)
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 won 10 or fewer seats); Senate - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - PPRD 22, MLC 14, FR 7, RCD 7, PDC 6, CDC 3, MSR 3, PALU 2, independents 26, others 18 (political parties that won a single seat)
Judicial branch
Constitutional Court; Appeals Court or Cour de Cassation; Council of State; High Military Court; plus civil and military courts and tribunals
Political parties and leaders
Christian Democrat Party or PDC [Jose ENDUNDO]; Congolese Rally for Democracy or RCD [Azarias RUBERWA]; Convention of Christian Democrats or CDC; Forces of Renewal or FR [Mbusa NYAMWISI]; Movement for the Liberation of the Congo or MLC [Jean-Pierre BEMBA]; People's Party for Reconstruction and Democracy or PPRD [Joseph KABILA]; Social Movement for Renewal or MSR [Pierre LUMBI]; Unified Lumumbist Party or PALU [Antoine GIZENGA]; Union for Democracy and Social Progress or UDPS [Etienne TSHISEKEDI]; Union of Mobutuist Democrats or UDEMO [MOBUTU Nzanga]
1800 New Hampshire Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20009: note - Consular Office at 1726 M Street, NW, Washington, DC, 20036
telephone
[1] (202) 234-7690, 7691
FAX
[1] (202) 234-2609
Diplomatic representation from the US
chief of mission
Ambassador Roger MEECE
embassy
310 Avenue des Aviateurs, Kinshasa
mailing address
Unit 31550, APO AE 09828
telephone
[243] (81) 225 5872
FAX
[243] (81) 301 0558
Flag description
sky blue field divided diagonally from the lower hoist corner to upper fly corner by a red stripe bordered by two narrow yellow stripes; a yellow, five-pointed star appears in the upper hoist corner
Economy - overview
The economy of the Democratic Republic of the Congo - a nation endowed with vast potential wealth - is recovering from two decades of decline. Conflict, which began in August 1998, dramatically reduced national output and government revenue, increased external debt, and resulted in the deaths of perhaps 3.5 million people from violence, famine, and disease. Foreign businesses curtailed operations due to uncertainty about the outcome of the conflict, lack of infrastructure, and the difficult operating environment. Conditions began to improve in late 2002 with the withdrawal of a large portion of the invading foreign troops. The transitional government reopened relations with international financial institutions and international donors, and President KABILA has begun implementing reforms. Much economic activity still occurs in the informal sector, and is not reflected in GDP data. Economic stability improved during the period 2003-06, although an uncertain legal framework, corruption, and a lack of transparency in government policy continues to hamper growth. In 2005-06, renewed activity in the mining sector, the source of most export income, boosted Kinshasa's fiscal position and GDP growth. The International Monetary Fund program for the DRC, however, expired at the end of March 2006 and probably will not be reinstated until mid-2007. Government reforms and improved security may lead to increased government revenues, outside budget assistance, and foreign direct investment in 2007.
GDP (purchasing power parity)
$44.44 billion (2006 est.)
GDP (official exchange rate)
$7.98 billion (2006 est.)
GDP - real growth rate
6.4% (2006 est.)
GDP - per capita (PPP)
$700 (2006 est.)
GDP - composition by sector
agriculture
55%
industry
11%
services
34% (2000 est.)
Labor force
15 million (2006 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
Armed Forces of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (FARDC): Army, Navy, Congolese Air Force (Force Aerienne Congolaise, FAC) (2006)
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 - percent of GDP
2.5% (2006)
Disputes - international
heads of the Great Lakes states and UN pledge to abate tribal, rebel, and militia fighting in the northeastern region of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DROC); in 2006, the UN Organization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (MONUC) maintained over 18,000 uniformed peacekeepers in the region, first deployed in 1999; despite significant repatriation efforts by governments and international organizations, in 2006, Angolans, Rwandans, Sudanese, and residents of other neighboring states reside as refugees in the DROC; members of Uganda's Lords Resistance Army forces take refuge in DROC's Garamba National Park; the location of the boundary in the broad Congo River with the Republic of the Congo is indefinite except in the Pool Malebo/Stanley Pool area
1.1 million (fighting between government forces and rebels since mid-1990s; most IDPs are in eastern provinces) (2006)
Illicit drugs
one of Africa's biggest producers of cannabis, but mostly for domestic consumption; while rampant corruption and inadequate supervision leaves the banking system vulnerable to money laundering, the lack of a well-developed financial system limits the country's utility as a money-laundering center
