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NAVIGATION
Democratic Republic of the Congo
Republique Democratique du Congo
former: Congo Free State, Belgian Congo, Congo/Leopoldville, Congo/Kinshasa, Zaire
GOVERNMENT
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Country name:
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conventional long form: Democratic Republic of the Congo
conventional short form: none local short form: none former: Congo Free State, Belgian Congo, Congo/Leopoldville, Congo/Kinshasa, Zaire local long form: Republique Democratique du Congo abbreviation: DROC |
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Government type:
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dictatorship; presumably undergoing a transition to representative government |
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Capital:
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Kinshasa |
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Administrative divisions:
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10 provinces (provinces, singular - province) and one city* (ville); Bandundu, Bas-Congo, Equateur, Kasai-Occidental, Kasai-Oriental, Katanga, Kinshasa*, Maniema, Nord-Kivu, Orientale, Sud-Kivu |
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Independence:
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30 June 1960 (from Belgium) |
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National holiday:
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Independence Day, 30 June (1960) |
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Constitution:
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24 June 1967, amended August 1974, revised 15 February 1978, amended April 1990; transitional constitution promulgated in April 1994; in November 1998, a draft constitution was approved by former President Laurent KABILA but it was not ratified by a national referendum; one outcome of the ongoing inter-Congolese dialogue is to be a new constitution |
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Legal system:
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based on Belgian civil law system and tribal law; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction |
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Suffrage:
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18 years of age; universal and compulsory |
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Executive branch:
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chief of state: President Joseph KABILA (since 26 January 2001); note - following the assassination of his father, Laurent Desire KABILA, on 16 January 2001, Joseph KABILA succeeded to the presidency; the president is both the chief of state and head of government
head of government: President Joseph KABILA (since 26 January 2001); note - following the assassination of his father, Laurent Desire KABILA, on 16 January 2001, Joseph KABILA succeeded to the presidency; the president is both the chief of state and head of government cabinet: National Executive Council, appointed by the president elections: before Laurent Desire KABILA seized power on 16 May 1997, the president was elected by popular vote for a seven-year term; election last held 29 July 1984 (next was scheduled to be held in May 1997); formerly, there was also a prime minister who was elected by the High Council of the Republic; note - elections were not held in 1991 as called for by the constitution note: Marshal MOBUTU Sese Seko Kuku Ngbendu wa Za Banga was president from 24 November 1965 until forced into exile on 16 May 1997 when his government was overthrown militarily by Laurent Desire KABILA; KABILA immediately assumed governing authority and pledged to hold elections by April 1999, but, in December 1998, announced that elections would be postponed until all foreign military forces attempting to topple the government had withdrawn from the country; KABILA was assassinated in January 2001 and was succeeded by his son Joseph KABILA election results: results of the last election were: MOBUTU Sese Seko Kuku Ngbendu wa Za Banga reelected president in 1984 without opposition |
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Legislative branch:
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a 300-member Transitional Constituent Assembly established in August 2000
elections: NA; members of the Transitional Constituent Assembly were appointed by former President Laurent Desire KABILA |
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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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Democratic Social Christian Party or PDSC [Andre BO-BOLIKO]; Forces for Renovation for Union and Solidarity or FONUS [Joseph OLENGHANKOY]; National Congolese Lumumbist Movement or MNC [Francois LUMUMBA]; Popular Movement of the Revolution or MPR (three factions: MPR-Fait Prive [Catherine NZUZI wa Mbombo]; MPR/Vunduawe [Felix VUNDUAWE]; MPR/Mananga [MANANGA Dintoka Mpholo]); Unified Lumumbast Party or PALU [Antoine GIZENGA]; Union for Democracy and Social Progress or UDPS [Etienne TSHISEKEDI wa Mulumba]; Union of Federalists and Independent Republicans or UFERI (two factions: UFERI [Lokambo OMOKOKO]; UFERI/OR [Adolph Kishwe MAYA]) |
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Political pressure groups and leaders:
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NA |
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International organization participation:
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ACCT, ACP, AfDB, CEEAC, CEPGL, ECA, FAO, G-19, G-24, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ITU, NAM, OAU, OPCW (signatory), PCA, SADC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO |
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Diplomatic representation in the US:
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chief of mission: Ambassador Faida MITIFU
FAX: [1] (202) 234-2609 telephone: [1] (202) 234-7690, 7691 chancery: 1800 New Hampshire Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20009 |
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Diplomatic representation from the US:
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chief of mission: Ambassador Aubrey HOOKS
embassy: 310 Avenue des Aviateurs, Kinshasa mailing address: Unit 31550, APO AE 09828 telephone: [243] (88) 43608 FAX: [243] (88) 43467 |
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Flag description:
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light blue with a large yellow five-pointed star in the center and a columnar arrangement of six small yellow five-pointed stars along the hoist side |
ECONOMY
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Economy - overview:
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The economy of the Democratic Republic of the Congo - a nation endowed with vast potential wealth - has declined drastically since the mid-1980s. The war, which began in August 1998, has dramatically reduced national output and government revenue, has increased external debt, and has resulted in the deaths from war, famine, and disease of perhaps 3.5 million people. Foreign businesses have curtailed operations due to uncertainty about the outcome of the conflict, lack of infrastructure, and the difficult operating environment. The war has intensified the impact of such basic problems as an uncertain legal framework, corruption, inflation, and lack of openness in government economic policy and financial operations. Conditions improved in late 2002 with the withdrawal of a large portion of the invading foreign troops. A number of IMF and World Bank missions have met with the government to help it develop a coherent economic plan, and President KABILA has begun implementing reforms. Much economic activity lies outside the GDP data. |
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GDP:
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purchasing power parity - $34 billion (2002 est.) |
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GDP - real growth rate:
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3.5% (2002 est.) |
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GDP - per capita:
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purchasing power parity - $610 (2002 est.) |
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GDP - composition by sector:
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agriculture: 55%
industry: 11% services: 34% (2000 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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16% (2002 est.) |
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Labor force:
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14.51 million (1993 est.) |
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Labor force - by occupation:
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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: $269 million
expenditures: $244 million, including capital expenditures of $24 million (1996 est.) |
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Industries:
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mining (diamonds, copper, zinc), mineral processing, consumer products (including textiles, footwear, cigarettes, processed foods and beverages), cement |
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Industrial production growth rate:
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NA% |
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Electricity - production:
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5.243 billion kWh (2001) |
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Electricity - production by source:
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fossil fuel: 1.8%
hydro: 98.2% other: 0% (2001) nuclear: 0% |
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Electricity - consumption:
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3.839 billion kWh (2001) |
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Electricity - exports:
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1.097 billion kWh (2001) |
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Electricity - imports:
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60 million kWh (2001) |
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Oil - production:
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24,000 bbl/day (2001 est.) |
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Oil - consumption:
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14,000 bbl/day (2001 est.) |
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Oil - exports:
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NA (2001) |
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Oil - imports:
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NA (2001) |
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Oil - proved reserves:
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1.538 billion bbl (January 2002 est.) |
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Natural gas - proved reserves:
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104.8 billion cu m (January 2002 est.) |
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Agriculture - products:
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coffee, sugar, palm oil, rubber, tea, quinine, cassava (tapioca), palm oil, bananas, root crops, corn, fruits; wood products |
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Exports:
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$1.2 billion f.o.b. (2002 est.) |
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Exports - commodities:
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diamonds, copper, crude oil, coffee, cobalt |
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Exports - partners:
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Belgium 59.7%, US 12.9%, Zimbabwe 7.4%, France 6.9%, South Africa, Finland, Italy (2000) |
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Imports:
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$890 million f.o.b. (2002 est.) |
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Imports - commodities:
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foodstuffs, mining and other machinery, transport equipment, fuels |
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Imports - partners:
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South Africa 18.2%, Belgium 16.4%, Nigeria 11.8%, France 5.9%, Kenya, China (2000) |
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Debt - external:
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$12.9 billion (2000 est.) |
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Economic aid - recipient:
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$195.3 million (1995) |
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Currency:
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Congolese franc (CDF) |
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Currency code:
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CDF |
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Exchange rates:
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Congolese francs per US dollar - 346.49 (2002), 206.62 (2001), 21.82 (2000), 4.02 (1999), 1.61 (1998) |
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Fiscal year:
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calendar year |