The 2004 CIA World Factbook. United States. Central Intelligence Agency
since 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 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
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 Congo
became the Republic of the Congo. A quarter century of
experimentation with Marxism was abandoned in 1990 and a
democratically elected government installed in 1992. A brief civil
war in 1997 restored former Marxist President SASSOU-NGUESSO, but
ushered in a period of ethnic unrest. Southern-based rebel groups
agreed to a final peace accord in March 2003. The Republic of Congo
is one of Africa's largest petroleum producers with significant
potential for offshore development.
Geography Congo, Republic of the
Location:
Western Africa, bordering the South Atlantic Ocean, between Angola
and Gabon
Geographic coordinates:
1 00 S, 15 00 E
Map references:
Africa
Area:
total: 342,000 sq km
water: 500 sq km
land: 341,500 sq km
Area - comparative:
slightly smaller than Montana
Land boundaries:
total: 5,504 km
border countries: Angola 201 km, Cameroon 523 km, Central African
Republic 467 km, Democratic Republic of the Congo 2,410 km, Gabon
1,903 km
Coastline:
169 km
Maritime claims:
territorial sea: 200 nm
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
Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m
highest 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 the
dumping of raw sewage; tap water is not potable; deforestation
Environment - international agreements:
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered
Species, Ozone Layer Protection, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber
94, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: Law of the Sea
Geography - note:
about 70% of the population lives in Brazzaville, Pointe-Noire, or
along the railroad between them
People Congo, Republic of the
Population:
2,998,040
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
2004 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 years
male: 20 years
female: 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)/female
under 15 years: 1.01 male(s)/female
15–64 years: 0.98 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.7 male(s)/female
total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2004 est.)
Infant mortality rate:
total: 93.86 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 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 years
male: 48.51 years
female: 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, malaria
overall degree of risk: very high (2004)
Nationality:
noun: Congolese (singular and plural)
adjective: Congolese or Congo
Ethnic