The 1996 CIA World Factbook. United States. Central Intelligence Agency

Africa

      Area:

       total area: 342,000 sq km

       land area: 341,500 sq km

       comparative area: slightly smaller than Montana

      Land boundaries:

       total: 5,504 km

       border countries: Angola 201 km, Cameroon 523 km, Central African

       Republic 467 km, Gabon 1,903 km, Zaire 2,410 km

      Coastline: 169 km

      Maritime claims: territorial sea: 200 nm

      International disputes: long segment of boundary with Zaire along

       the Congo River is indefinite (no division of the river or its

       islands has been made)

      Climate: tropical; rainy season (March to June); dry season (June

       to October); constantly high temperatures and humidity; particularly

       enervating climate astride the Equator

      Terrain: coastal plain, southern basin, central plateau, northern

       basin

       lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m

       highest point: Mount Berongou 903 m

      Natural resources: petroleum, timber, potash, lead, zinc, uranium,

       copper, phosphates, natural gas

      Land use:

       arable land: 2%

       permanent crops: 0%

       meadows and pastures: 29%

       forest and woodland: 62%

       other: 7%

      Irrigated land: 40 sq km (1989)

      Environment:

       current issues: air pollution from vehicle emissions; water

       pollution from the dumping of raw sewage; tap water is not potable;

       deforestation

       natural hazards: seasonal flooding

       international agreements: party to - Endangered Species, Ozone Layer

       Protection, Tropical Timber 83; signed, but not ratified -

       Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Law of the Sea,

       Tropical Timber 94

      Geographic note: about 70% of the population lives in Brazzaville,

       Pointe Noire, or along the railroad between them

      People———

      Population: 2,527,841 (July 1996 est.)

      Age structure:

       0–14 years: 43% (male 550,971; female 545,096)

       15–64 years: 53% (male 657,035; female 688,441)

       65 years and over: 4% (male 34,973; female 51,325) (July 1996 est.)

      Population growth rate: 2.19% (1996 est.)

      Birth rate: 39.19 births/1,000 population (1996 est.)

      Death rate: 17.35 deaths/1,000 population (1996 est.)

      Net migration rate: 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1996 est.)

      Sex ratio:

       at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female

       under 15 years: 1.01 male(s)/female

       15–64 years: 0.95 male(s)/female

       65 years and over: 0.68 male(s)/female

       all ages: 0.97 male(s)/female (1996 est.)

      Infant mortality rate: 108.1 deaths/1,000 live births (1996 est.)

      Life expectancy at birth: total population: 45.77 years male: 44.21 years female: 47.37 years (1996 est.)

      Total fertility rate: 5.15 children born/woman (1996 est.)

      Nationality:

       noun: Congolese (singular and plural)

       adjective: Congolese or Congo

      Ethnic divisions: south: Kongo 48% north: Sangha 20%, M'Bochi 12% center: Teke 17%, Europeans 8,500 (mostly French)

      Religions: Christian 50%, animist 48%, Muslim 2%

      Languages: French (official), African languages (Lingala and

       Kikongo are the most widely used)

      Literacy: age 15 and over can read and write (1995 est.)

       total population: 74.9%

       male: 83.1%

       female: 67.2%

      Government—————

      Name of country:

       conventional long form: Republic of the Congo

       conventional short form: Congo

       local long form: Republique Populaire du Congo

       local short form: Congo

       former: Congo/Brazzaville

      Data code: CF

      Type of government: republic

      Capital: Brazzaville

      Administrative divisions: 9 regions (regions, singular - region) and 1 commune*; Bouenza, Brazzaville*, Cuvette, Kouilou, Lekoumou, Likouala, Niari, Plateaux, Pool, Sangha

      Independence: 15 August 1960 (from France)

      National holiday: Congolese National Day, 15 August (1960)

      Constitution: new constitution approved by referendum March 1992

      Legal system: based on French civil law system and customary law

      Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

      Executive branch:

       chief of state: President Pascal LISSOUBA (since August 1992);

       elected for a five-year term by universal suffrage; election last

       held NA August 1992 (next to be held NA August 1997); results -

       President Pascal LISSOUBA won 61% of the vote

       head of government: Prime Minister Jacques Joachim YHOMBI-OPANGO

       (since 23 June 1993) appointed by the president

       cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president

      Legislative branch: bicameral

       National Assembly (Assemblee Nationale): election last held 3

       October 1993 (next to be held NA); results - percent of vote by

       party NA; seats - (125 total) UPADS 64, URD/PCT 58, others 3

       Senate: election last held 26 July 1992 (next to be held NA July

       1998); results - percent of vote by party NA; seats - (60 total)

       UPADS 23, MCDDI 14, RDD 8, RDPS 5, PCT 2, others 8

      Judicial branch: Supreme Court (Cour Supreme)

      Political parties and leaders: of Congo's many political parties,

       the most important are Congolese Labor Party (PCT), Denis

       SASSOU-NGUESSO, president; Association for Democracy and Development

       (RDD), Joachim Yhombi OPANGO, president; Association for Democracy

       and Social Progress (RDPS), Jean-Pierre Thystere TCHICAYA,

       president; Congolese Movement for Democracy and Integral Development

       (MCDDI), Bernard KOLELAS, leader; Pan-African Union for Social

       Development (UPADS), Pascal LISSOUBA, leader; Union of Democratic

       Forces (UFD), David Charles GANAO, leader; Union for Democratic