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NAVIGATION
Republic of the Congo
Republique du Congo
former: Middle Congo, Congo/Brazzaville, Congo
GOVERNMENT
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Country name:
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conventional long form: Republic of the Congo
conventional short form: Congo (Brazzaville) local short form: none former: Middle Congo, Congo/Brazzaville, Congo local long form: Republique du Congo |
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Government type:
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republic |
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Capital:
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Brazzaville |
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Administrative divisions:
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9 regions (regions, singular - region) and 1 commune*; Bouenza, Brazzaville*, Cuvette, Kouilou, Lekoumou, Likouala, Niari, Plateaux, Pool, Sangha |
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Independence:
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15 August 1960 (from France) |
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National holiday:
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Independence Day, 15 August (1960) |
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Constitution:
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constitution approved by referendum in January 2002 |
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Legal system:
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based on French civil law system and customary law |
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Suffrage:
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18 years of age; universal |
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Executive branch:
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chief of state: President Denis SASSOU-NGUESSO (since 25 October 1997, following the civil war in which he toppled elected president Pascal LISSOUBA); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government
head of government: President Denis SASSOU-NGUESSO (since 25 October 1997, following the civil war in which he toppled elected president Pascal LISSOUBA); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president elections: president elected by popular vote for a seven-year term (eligible for a second seven-year term); election last held 10 March 2002 (next to be held NA 2009) election results: Denis SASSOU-NGUESSO reelected president; percent of vote - Denis SASSOU-NGUESSO 89.4%, Joseph Kignoumbi Kia MBOUNGOU 2.7% |
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Legislative branch:
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bicameral Parliament consists of the Senate (66 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms) and the National Assembly (137 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms)
elections: Senate - last held 11 July 2002 (next to be held NA July 2007); National Assembly - last held 27 May and 26 June 2002 (next to be held by NA May 2007) election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - FDP 56, other 10; National Assembly - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - FDP 83, UDR 6, UPADS 3, other 45 |
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Judicial branch:
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Supreme Court or Cour Supreme |
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Political parties and leaders:
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the most important of the many parties are the Democratic and Patriotic Forces or FDP (an alliance of Convention for Alternative Democracy, Congolese Labor Party or PCT, Liberal Republican Party, National Union for Democracy and Progress, Patriotic Union for the National Reconstruction, and Union for the National Renewal) [Denis SASSOU-NGUESSO, president]; Congolese Movement for Democracy and Integral Development or MCDDI [Michel MAMPOUYA]; Pan-African Union for Social Development or UPADS [Martin MBERI]; Rally for Democracy and Social Progress or RDPS [Jean-Pierre Thystere TCHICAYA, president]; Rally for Democracy and the Republic or RDR [Raymond Damasge NGOLLO]; Union for Democracy and Republic or UDR [leader NA]; Union of Democratic Forces or UFD [Sebastian EBAO] |
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Political pressure groups and leaders:
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Congolese Trade Union Congress or CSC; General Union of Congolese Pupils and Students or UGEEC; Revolutionary Union of Congolese Women or URFC; Union of Congolese Socialist Youth or UJSC |
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International organization participation:
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ACCT, ACP, AfDB, BDEAC, CCC, CEEAC, CEMAC, ECA, FAO, FZ, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ITU, NAM, OAU, OPCW (signatory), UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO |
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Diplomatic representation in the US:
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chief of mission: Ambassador Serge MOMBOULI
FAX: [1] (202) 726-1860 telephone: [1] (202) 726-5500 chancery: 4891 Colorado Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20011 |
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Diplomatic representation from the US:
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chief of mission: Ambassador Robin R. SANDERS
embassy: NA mailing address: NA telephone: [243] (88) 43608 note: the embassy is temporarily collocated with the US Embassy in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (US Embassy Kinshasa, 310 Avenue des Aviateurs, Kinshasa) |
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Flag description:
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divided diagonally from the lower hoist side by a yellow band; the upper triangle (hoist side) is green and the lower triangle is red; uses the popular pan-African colors of Ethiopia |
ECONOMY
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Economy - overview:
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The economy is a mixture of village agriculture and handicrafts, an industrial sector based largely on oil, support services, and a government characterized by budget problems and overstaffing. Oil has supplanted forestry as the mainstay of the economy, providing a major share of government revenues and exports. In the early 1980s, rapidly rising oil revenues enabled the government to finance large-scale development projects with GDP growth averaging 5% annually, one of the highest rates in Africa. The government has mortgaged a substantial portion of its oil earnings, contributing to a shortage of revenues. The 12 January 1994 devaluation of Franc Zone currencies by 50% resulted in inflation of 61% in 1994, but inflation has subsided since. Economic reform efforts continued with the support of international organizations, notably the World Bank and the IMF. The reform program came to a halt in June 1997 when civil war erupted. Denis SASSOU-NGUESSO, who returned to power when the war ended in October 1997, publicly expressed interest in moving forward on economic reforms and privatization and in renewing cooperation with international financial institutions. However, economic progress was badly hurt by slumping oil prices and the resumption of armed conflict in December 1998, which worsened the republic's budget deficit. Given a fragile peace, agreements with the IMF and the World Bank, and general international support for reconstruction and development, prospects for structural reform and 4% growth in 2002-03 appear strong. |
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GDP:
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purchasing power parity - $2.5 billion (2001 est.) |
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GDP - real growth rate:
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4.2% (2001 est.) |
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GDP - per capita:
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purchasing power parity - $900 (2001 est.) |
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GDP - composition by sector:
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agriculture: 10%
industry: 48% services: 42% (2001 est.) |
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Population below poverty line:
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NA% |
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Household income or consumption by percentage share:
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lowest 10%: NA%
highest 10%: NA% |
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Inflation rate (consumer prices):
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3% (2001 est.) |
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Labor force:
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NA |
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Unemployment rate:
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NA% |
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Budget:
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revenues: $870 million
expenditures: $970 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (1997 est.) |
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Industries:
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petroleum extraction, cement, lumber, brewing, sugar, palm oil, soap, flour, cigarettes |
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Industrial production growth rate:
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NA% |
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Electricity - production:
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302 million kWh (1999) |
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Electricity - production by source:
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fossil fuel: 1%
hydro: 99% other: 0% (1999) nuclear: 0% |
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Electricity - consumption:
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406.9 million kWh (1999) |
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Electricity - exports:
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0 kWh (1999) |
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Electricity - imports:
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126 million kWh (1999) |
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Agriculture - products:
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cassava (tapioca), sugar, rice, corn, peanuts, vegetables, coffee, cocoa; forest products |
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Exports:
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$2.6 billion f.o.b. (2001) |
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Exports - commodities:
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petroleum 90%, lumber, plywood, sugar, cocoa, coffee, diamonds |
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Exports - partners:
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US 20.9%, South Korea 15.5%, China 6.7%, Germany 3.2% (2000) |
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Imports:
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$725 million f.o.b. (2001) |
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Imports - commodities:
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petroleum products, capital equipment, construction materials, foodstuffs |
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Imports - partners:
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France 20.5%, US 9.8%, Italy 7.5%, Belgium 3.8% (2000) |
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Debt - external:
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$5 billion (1999 est.) |
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Economic aid - recipient:
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$159.1 million (1995) (1995) |
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Currency:
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Communaute Financiere Africaine franc (XAF); note - responsible authority is the Bank of the Central African States |
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Currency code:
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XAF |
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Exchange rates:
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Communaute Financiere Africaine francs (XAF) per US dollar - 742.79 (January 2002), 733.04 (2001), 711.98 (2000), 615.70 (1999), 589.95 (1998), 583.67 (1997); note - from 1 January 1999, the XAF is pegged to the euro at a rate of 655.957 XAF per euro |
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Fiscal year:
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calendar year |