The 2010 CIA World Factbook. United States. Central Intelligence Agency

country comparison to the world: 37

      Natural gas - production:

      180 million cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 75

      Natural gas - consumption:

      180 million cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 100

      Natural gas - exports:

      0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 185

      Natural gas - imports:

      0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 187

      Natural gas - proved reserves:

      90.61 billion cu m (1 January 2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 55

      Current account balance:

      -$569 million (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 120 -$1.195 billion (2009 est.)

      Exports:

      $9.2 billion (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 90 $7.425 billion (2009 est.)

      Exports - commodities:

      petroleum, lumber, plywood, sugar, cocoa, coffee, diamonds

      Exports - partners:

      US 40.08%, China 30.18%, France 8.17%, Taiwan 6.4%, India 4.2% (2009)

      Imports:

      $3.607 billion (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 133 $3.259 billion (2009 est.)

      Imports - commodities:

      capital equipment, construction materials, foodstuffs

      Imports - partners:

      France 20.64%, China 14.54%, Italy 9.56%, US 9.02%, India 5.55%,

       Belgium 4.51% (2009)

      Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:

      $4.123 billion (31 December 2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 71 $3.806 billion (31 December 2009 est.)

      Debt - external:

      $5 billion (2000 est.) country comparison to the world: 105

      Exchange rates:

      Cooperation Financiere en Afrique Centrale francs per US dollar - 507.71 (2010), 472.19 (2009), 447.81 (2008), 483.6 (2007), 522.59 (2006)

      Communications ::Congo, Republic of the

      Telephones - main lines in use:

      24,300 (2009) country comparison to the world: 185

      Telephones - mobile cellular:

      2.171 million (2009) country comparison to the world: 131

      Telephone system:

      general assessment: primary network consists of microwave radio relay and coaxial cable with services barely adequate for government use; key exchanges are in Brazzaville, Pointe-Noire, and Loubomo; intercity lines frequently out of order

      domestic: fixed-line infrastructure inadequate providing less than 1 connection per 100 persons; in the absence of an adequate fixed line infrastructure, mobile-cellular subscribership has surged and now exceeds 50 per 100 persons

      international: country code - 242; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) (2009)

      Broadcast media:

      1 state-owned TV and 3 state-owned radio stations; several privately-owned TV and radio stations; satellite TV service is available; rebroadcasts of several international broadcasters are available (2007)

      Internet country code:

      .cg

      Internet hosts:

      42 (2010) country comparison to the world: 213

      Internet users:

      245,200 (2009) country comparison to the world: 136

      Transportation ::Congo, Republic of the

      Airports:

      25 (2010) country comparison to the world: 130

      Airports - with paved runways:

      total: 6

      over 3,047 m: 2

      2,438 to 3,047 m: 1

      1,524 to 2,437 m: 3 (2010)

      Airports - with unpaved runways:

      total: 19

      1,524 to 2,437 m: 8

      914 to 1,523 m: 10

      under 914 m: 1 (2010)

      Pipelines:

      gas 7 km; oil 211 km (2009)

      Railways:

      total: 795 km country comparison to the world: 103 narrow gauge: 795 km 1.067-m gauge (2008)

      Roadways:

      total: 17,289 km country comparison to the world: 118 paved: 864 km

      unpaved: 16,425 km (2004)

      Waterways:

      1,120 km (commercially navigable on Congo and Oubanqui rivers above Brazzaville; there are many ferries across the river to Kinshasa; the Congo south of Brazzaville-Kinshasa to the coast is not navigable because of rapids, thereby necessitating a rail connection to Pointe Noire; other rivers are used for local traffic only) (2010) country comparison to the world: 62

      Merchant marine:

      registered in other countries: 1 (Democratic Republic of the Congo 1) (2010) country comparison to the world: 163

      Ports and terminals:

      Brazzaville, Djeno, Impfondo, Ouesso, Oyo, Pointe-Noire

      Military ::Congo, Republic of the

      Military branches:

      Congolese Armed Forces (Forces Armees Congolaises, FAC): Army (Armee de Terre), Navy, Congolese Air Force (Armee de l'Air Congolaise), Gendarmerie, Special Presidential Security Guard (GSSP) (2009)

      Military service age and obligation:

      18 years of age for voluntary military service; women allowed to serve (2007)

      Manpower available for military service:

      males age 16–49: 898,850

      females age 16–49: 886,063 (2010 est.)

      Manpower fit for military service:

      males age 16–49: 557,764

      females age 16–49: 546,755 (2010 est.)

      Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:

      male: 48,365

      female: 47,874 (2010 est.)

      Military expenditures:

      0.9% of GDP (2009) country comparison to the world: 137

      Transnational Issues ::Congo, Republic of the

      Disputes - international:

      the location of the boundary in the broad Congo River with the Democratic Republic of the Congo is indefinite except in the Pool Malebo/Stanley Pool area

      Refugees and internally displaced persons:

      refugees (country of origin): 46,341 (Democratic Republic of Congo); 6,564 (Rwanda)

      IDPs: 48,000 (multiple civil wars since 1992; most IDPs are ethnic

       Lari) (2007)

      Trafficking in persons:

      current situation: Republic of the Congo is a source and destination country for children