Topic: Photos of Sweden

Topic: Introduction
Background: A military power during the 17th century, Sweden has not participated in any war for two centuries. An armed neutrality was preserved in both World Wars. Since then, Sweden has pursued a successful economic formula consisting of a capitalist system intermixed with substantial welfare elements. Sweden joined the EU in 1995, but the public rejected the introduction of the euro in a 2003 referendum. The share of Sweden’s population born abroad increased from 11.3% in 2000 to 19.1% in 2018.  A military power during the 17th century, Sweden has not participated in any war for two centuries. An armed neutrality was preserved in both World Wars. Since then, Sweden has pursued a successful economic formula consisting of a capitalist system intermixed with substantial welfare elements. Sweden joined the EU in 1995, but the public rejected the introduction of the euro in a 2003 referendum. The share of Sweden’s population born abroad increased from 11.3% in 2000 to 19.1% in 2018. Visit the Definitions and Notes page to view a description of each topic.

Topic: Geography
Location: Northern Europe, bordering the Baltic Sea, Gulf of Bothnia, Kattegat, and Skagerrak, between Finland and Norway
Geographic coordinates: 62 00 N, 15 00 E
Map references: Europe
Area: total: 450,295 sq km

land: 410,335 sq km

water: 39,960 sq km
Area - comparative: almost three times the size of Georgia; slightly larger than California
Land boundaries: total: 2,211 km

border countries (2): Finland 545 km; Norway 1,666 km
Coastline: 3,218 km
Maritime claims: territorial sea: 12 nm (adjustments made to return a portion of straits to high seas)

exclusive economic zone: agreed boundaries or midlines

continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation
Climate: temperate in south with cold, cloudy winters and cool, partly cloudy summers; subarctic in north
Terrain: mostly flat or gently rolling lowlands; mountains in west
Elevation: highest point: Kebnekaise South 2,100 m

lowest point: reclaimed bay of Lake Hammarsjon, near Kristianstad -2.4 m

mean elevation: 320 m
Natural resources: iron ore, copper, lead, zinc, gold, silver, tungsten, uranium, arsenic, feldspar, timber, hydropower
Land use: agricultural land: 7.5% (2018 est.)

arable land: 6.4% (2018 est.)

permanent crops: 0% (2018 est.)

permanent pasture: 1.1% (2018 est.)

forest: 68.7% (2018 est.)

other: 23.8% (2018 est.)
Irrigated land: 1,640 sq km (2012)
Major lakes (area sq km): Fresh water lake(s): Vanern - 5,580 sq km; Vattern - 1,910 sq km; Malaren - 1,140 sq km
Population distribution: most Swedes live in the south where the climate is milder and there is better connectivity to mainland Europe; population clusters are found all along the Baltic coast in the east; the interior areas of the north remain sparsely populated
Natural hazards: ice floes in the surrounding waters, especially in the Gulf of Bothnia, can interfere with maritime traffic
Geography - note: strategic location along Danish Straits linking Baltic and North Seas; Sweden has almost 100,000 lakes, the largest of which, Vanern, is the third largest in Europe
Map description: Sweden map showing major cities as well as parts of surrounding countries and the Baltic Sea.Sweden map showing major cities as well as parts of surrounding countries and the Baltic Sea.

Topic: People and Society
Population: 10,483,647 (2022 est.)
Nationality: noun: Swede(s)

adjective: Swedish
Ethnic groups: Swedish 80.3%, Syrian 1.9%, Iraqi 1.4%, Finnish 1.4%, other 15% (2020 est.)

note: data represent the population by country of birth; the indigenous Sami people are estimated to number between 20,000 and 40,000Swedish 80.3%, Syrian 1.9%, Iraqi 1.4%, Finnish 1.4%, other 15%
Languages: Swedish (official)

major-language sample(s):
The World Factbook, den obestridliga källan för grundläggande information. (Swedish)

The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information.

note: Finnish, Sami, Romani, Yiddish, and Meankieli are official minority languages
Religions: Church of Sweden (Lutheran) 57.6%, other (includes Roman Catholic, Orthodox, Baptist, Muslim, Jewish, and Buddhist) 8.9%, none or unspecified 33.5% (2019 est.)

note: estimates reflect registered members of faith communities eligible for state funding (not all religions are state-funded and not all people who identify with a particular religion are registered members) and the Church of Sweden
Age structure: 0-14 years: 17.71% (male 928,413/female 878,028)

15-24 years: 10.8% (male 569,082/female 532,492)

25-54 years: 39.01% (male 2,016,991/female 1,962,617)

55-64 years: 11.9% (male 610,521/female 603,795)

65 years and over: 20.59% (2020 est.) (male 974,410/female 1,126,142)
Dependency ratios: total dependency ratio: 61.2

youth dependency ratio: 28.4

elderly dependency ratio: 32.8

potential support ratio: 3.1 (2020 est.)
Median age: total: 41.1 years

male: 40.1 years

female: 42.1 years (2020 est.)
Population growth rate: 0.5% (2022 est.)
Birth rate: 10.83 births/1,000 population (2022 est.)
Death rate: 9.46 deaths/1,000 population (2022 est.)
Net migration rate: 3.6 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2022 est.)
Population distribution: most Swedes live in the south where the climate is milder and there is better connectivity to mainland Europe; population clusters are found all along the Baltic coast in the east; the interior areas of the north remain sparsely populated
Urbanization: urban population: 88.5% of total population (2022)

rate of urbanization: 0.89% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)
Major urban areas - population: 1.659 million STOCKHOLM (capital) (2022)
Sex ratio: at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female

0-14 years: 1.06 male(s)/female

15-24 years: 1.1 male(s)/female

25-54 years: 1.04 male(s)/female

55-64 years: 1.02 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.69 male(s)/female

total population: 1.01 male(s)/female (2022 est.)
Mother's mean age at first birth: 29.7 years (2020 est.)
Maternal mortality ratio: 4 deaths/100,000 live births (2017 est.)
Infant mortality rate: total: 2.3 deaths/1,000 live births

male: 2.52 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 2.06 deaths/1,000 live births (2022 est.)
Life expectancy at birth: total population: 82.7 years

male: 80.94 years

female: 84.58 years (2022 est.)
Total fertility rate: 1.67 children born/woman (2022 est.)
Contraceptive prevalence rate: 70.3% (2017)

note: percent of women aged 16-49
Drinking water source: improved: urban: 99.8% of population

rural: 99.7% of population

total: 99.8% of population

unimproved: urban: 0.2% of population

rural: 0.3% of population

total: 0.2% of population (2020 est.)
Current Health Expenditure: 10.9% (2019)
Physicians density: 7.09 physicians/1,000 population (2019)
Hospital bed density: 2.1 beds/1,000 population (2018)
Sanitation facility access: improved: urban: 100% of population

rural: 100% of population

total: 100% of population

unimproved: urban: 0% of population

rural: 0% of population

total: 0% of population (2020 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: 0.2% (2016 est.)
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: 11,000 (2016 est.)
HIV/AIDS - deaths: NA
Obesity - adult prevalence rate: 20.6% (2016)
Tobacco use: total: 24% (2020 est.)

male: 29.8% (2020 est.)

female: 18.2% (2020 est.)
Children under the age of 5 years underweight: NA
Education expenditures: 7.6% of GDP (2018)
School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education): total: 19 years

male: 18 years

female: 21 years (2019)
Unemployment, youth ages 15-24: total: 24%

male: 25%

female: 22.8% (2020 est.)

Topic: Environment
Environment - current issues: marine pollution (Baltic Sea and North Sea); acid rain damage to soils and lakes; air pollution; inappropriate timber harvesting practicesmarine pollution (Baltic Sea and North Sea); acid rain damage to soils and lakes; air pollution; inappropriate timber harvesting practices
Environment - international agreements: party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Heavy Metals, Air Pollution-Multi-effect Protocol, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Air Pollution-Sulphur 85, Air Pollution-Sulphur 94, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds, Antarctic-Environmental Protection, Antarctic-Marine Living Resources, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping-London Convention, Marine Dumping-London Protocol, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 2006, Wetlands, Whaling

signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
Air pollutants: particulate matter emissions: 5.89 micrograms per cubic meter (2016 est.)

carbon dioxide emissions: 43.25 megatons (2016 est.)

methane emissions: 4.42 megatons (2020 est.)
Climate: temperate in south with cold, cloudy winters and cool, partly cloudy summers; subarctic in north
Land use: agricultural land: 7.5% (2018 est.)

arable land: 6.4% (2018 est.)

permanent crops: 0% (2018 est.)

permanent pasture: 1.1% (2018 est.)

forest: 68.7% (2018 est.)

other: 23.8% (2018 est.)
Urbanization: urban population: 88.5% of total population (2022)

rate of urbanization: 0.89% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)
Revenue from forest resources: forest revenues: 0.21% of GDP (2018 est.)
Revenue from coal: coal revenues: 0% of GDP (2018 est.)
Waste and recycling: municipal solid waste generated annually: 4.377 million tons (2015 est.)

municipal solid waste recycled annually: 1,416,835 tons (2015 est.)

percent of municipal solid waste recycled: 32.4% (2015 est.)
Major lakes (area sq km): Fresh water lake(s): Vanern - 5,580 sq km; Vattern - 1,910 sq km; Malaren - 1,140 sq km
Total water withdrawal: municipal: 955 million cubic meters (2017 est.)

industrial: 1.345 billion cubic meters (2017 est.)

agricultural: 75 million cubic meters (2017 est.)
Total renewable water resources: 174 billion cubic meters (2017 est.)

Topic: Government
Country name: conventional long form: Kingdom of Sweden

conventional short form: Sweden

local long form: Konungariket Sverige

local short form: Sverige

etymology: name ultimately derives from the North Germanic Svear tribe, which inhabited central Sweden and is first mentioned in the first centuries A.D.
Government type: parliamentary constitutional monarchy
Capital: name: Stockholm

geographic coordinates: 59 20 N, 18 03 E

time difference: UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)

daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last Sunday in October

etymology: "stock" and "holm" literally mean "log" and "islet" in Swedish, but there is no consensus as to what the words refer to
Administrative divisions: 21 counties (lan, singular and plural); Blekinge, Dalarna, Gavleborg, Gotland, Halland, Jamtland, Jonkoping, Kalmar, Kronoberg, Norrbotten, Orebro, Ostergotland, Skane, Sodermanland, Stockholm, Uppsala, Varmland, Vasterbotten, Vasternorrland, Vastmanland, Vastra Gotaland
Independence: 6 June 1523 (Gustav VASA elected king of Sweden, marking the abolishment of the Kalmar Union between Denmark, Norway, and Sweden)
National holiday: National Day, 6 June (1983); note - from 1916 to 1982 this date was celebrated as Swedish Flag Day
Constitution: history: Sweden has four fundamental laws which together make up the Constitution: The Instrument of Government (several previous; latest 1974); The Act of Succession (enacted 1810; changed in 1937 and 1980); The Freedom of the Press Act (many previous; latest in 1949); The Fundamental Law on Freedom of Expression (adopted 1991)

amendments: proposed by Parliament; passage requires simple majority vote in two consecutive parliamentary terms with an intervening general election; passage also requires approval by simple majority vote in a referendum if Parliament approves a motion for a referendum by one third of its members; The Instrument of Government - amended several times, last in 2018; The Act of Succession - changed in 1937, 1980; The Freedom of the Press Act - amended several times, last in 2019; The Fundamental Law on Freedom of Expression - amended several times, last in 2018
Legal system: civil law system influenced by Roman-Germanic law and customary law
International law organization participation: accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations; accepts ICCt jurisdiction
Citizenship: citizenship by birth: no

citizenship by descent only: the father must be a citizen of Sweden; in the case of a child born out of wedlock, the mother must be a citizen of Sweden and the father unknown

dual citizenship recognized: no, unless the other citizenship was acquired involuntarily

residency requirement for naturalization: 5 years
Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal
Executive branch: chief of state: King CARL XVI GUSTAF (since 15 September 1973); Heir Apparent Princess VICTORIA Ingrid Alice Desiree (daughter of the monarch, born 14 July 1977)

head of government: Prime Minister Magdalena ANDERSSON (since 30 November 2021); Deputy Prime Minister Morgan JOHANSSON (since 10 September 2019)

cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the prime minister

elections/appointments: the monarchy is hereditary; following legislative elections, the leader of the majority party or majority coalition usually becomes the prime minister
Legislative branch: description: unicameral Parliament or Riksdag (349 seats; 310 members directly elected in multi-seat constituencies by open party-list proportional representation vote and 39 members in "at-large" seats directly elected by open party-list proportional representation vote; members serve 4-year terms)

elections: last held on 9 September 2018 (next to be held in 2022)

election results: percent of vote by party - SAP 28.3%, M 19.8%, SD 17.5%, C 8.6%, V 8%, KD 6.3%, L 5.5%, MP 4.4%, other 1.6%; seats by party - SAP 100, M 70, SD 62, C 31, V 28, KD 22, L 20, MP 16; composition - men 185, women 164, percent of women 47%
Judicial branch: highest courts: Supreme Court of Sweden (consists of 16 justices, including the court chairman); Supreme Administrative Court (consists of 18 justices, including the court president)

judge selection and term of office: Supreme Court and Supreme Administrative Court justices nominated by the Judges Proposal Board, a 9-member nominating body consisting of high-level judges, prosecutors, and members of Parliament; justices appointed by the Government; following a probationary period, justices' appointments are permanent

subordinate courts: first instance, appellate, general, and administrative courts; specialized courts that handle cases such as land and environment, immigration, labor, markets, and patents
Political parties and leaders: Center Party (Centerpartiet) or C [Annie LOOF]
Christian Democrats (Kristdemokraterna) or KD [Ebba BUSCH]
Green Party (Miljopartiet de Grona) or MP [Marta STEVENI and Per BOLUND]
Left Party (Vansterpartiet) or V [Nooshi DADGOSTAR]
Liberal Party (Liberalerna) or L [Johan PEHRSON]
Moderate Party (Moderaterna) or M [Ulf KRISTERSSON]
Swedish Social Democratic Party (Socialdemokraterna) or SAP [Magdalena ANDERSSON]
Sweden Democrats (Sverigedemokraterna) or SD [Jimmie AKESSON]
International organization participation: ADB (nonregional member), AfDB (nonregional member), Arctic Council, Australia Group, BIS, CBSS, CD, CE, CERN, EAPC, EBRD, ECB, EIB, EITI (implementing country), EMU, ESA, EU, FAO, FATF, G-9, G-10, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (national committees), ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IGAD (partners), IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), MIGA, MINUSMA, MONUSCO, NC, NEA, NIB, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OPCW, OSCE, Paris Club, PCA, PFP, Schengen Convention, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNMISS, UNMOGIP, UNRWA, UN Security Council (temporary), UNSOM, UNTSO, UPU, Wassenaar Arrangement, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC
Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Karin Ulrika OLOFSDOTTER (since 8 September 2017)

chancery: 2900 K Street NW, Washington, DC 20007

telephone: [1] (202) 467-2600

FAX: [1] (202) 467-2699

email address and website:
ambassaden.washington@gov.se

https://www.swedenabroad.se/en/embassies/usa-washington/

consulate(s) general: New York
Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Erik D. RAMANATHAN (since 20 January 2022)

embassy: Dag Hammarskjolds Vag 31, SE-115 89 Stockholm

mailing address: 5750 Stockholm Place, Washington, DC  20521-5750

telephone: [46] (08) 783-53-00

FAX: [46] (08) 661-19-64

email address and website:
STKACSinfo@state.gov

https://se.usembassy.gov/
Flag description: blue with a golden yellow cross extending to the edges of the flag; the vertical part of the cross is shifted to the hoist side in the style of the Dannebrog (Danish flag); the colors reflect those of the Swedish coat of arms - three gold crowns on a blue field
National symbol(s): three crowns, lion; national colors: blue, yellow
National anthem: name: "Du Gamla, Du Fria" (Thou Ancient, Thou Free)

lyrics/music: Richard DYBECK/traditional

note: in use since 1844; also known as "Sang till Norden" (Song of the North), is based on a Swedish folk tune; it has never been officially adopted by the government; "Kungssangen" (The King's Song) serves as the royal anthem and is played in the presence of the royal family and during certain state ceremonies
National heritage: total World Heritage Sites: 15 (13 cultural, 1 natural, 1 mixed)

selected World Heritage Site locales: Royal Domain of Drottningholm (c), Laponian Area (m), High Coast/Kvarken Archipelago (n), Birka and Hovgården (c), Hanseatic Town of Visby (c), Church Town of Gammelstad, Luleå (c), Naval Port of Karlskrona (c), Rock Carvings in Tanum (c), Engelsberg Ironworks (c), Mining Area of the Great Copper Mountain in Falun (c)

Topic: Economy
Economic overview: Sweden’s small, open, and competitive economy has been thriving and Sweden has achieved an enviable standard of living with its combination of free-market capitalism and extensive welfare benefits. Sweden remains outside the euro zone largely out of concern that joining the European Economic and Monetary Union would diminish the country’s sovereignty over its welfare system.   Timber, hydropower, and iron ore constitute the resource base of a manufacturing economy that relies heavily on foreign trade. Exports, including engines and other machines, motor vehicles, and telecommunications equipment, account for more than 44% of GDP. Sweden enjoys a current account surplus of about 5% of GDP, which is one of the highest margins in Europe.   GDP grew an estimated 3.3% in 2016 and 2017 driven largely by investment in the construction sector. Swedish economists expect economic growth to ease slightly in the coming years as this investment subsides. Global economic growth boosted exports of Swedish manufactures further, helping drive domestic economic growth in 2017. The Central Bank is keeping an eye on deflationary pressures and bank observers expect it to maintain an expansionary monetary policy in 2018. Swedish prices and wages have grown only slightly over the past few years, helping to support the country’s competitiveness.   In the short and medium term, Sweden’s economic challenges include providing affordable housing and successfully integrating migrants into the labor market.Sweden’s small, open, and competitive economy has been thriving and Sweden has achieved an enviable standard of living with its combination of free-market capitalism and extensive welfare benefits. Sweden remains outside the euro zone largely out of concern that joining the European Economic and Monetary Union would diminish the country’s sovereignty over its welfare system. Timber, hydropower, and iron ore constitute the resource base of a manufacturing economy that relies heavily on foreign trade. Exports, including engines and other machines, motor vehicles, and telecommunications equipment, account for more than 44% of GDP. Sweden enjoys a current account surplus of about 5% of GDP, which is one of the highest margins in Europe. GDP grew an estimated 3.3% in 2016 and 2017 driven largely by investment in the construction sector. Swedish economists expect economic growth to ease slightly in the coming years as this investment subsides. Global economic growth boosted exports of Swedish manufactures further, helping drive domestic economic growth in 2017. The Central Bank is keeping an eye on deflationary pressures and bank observers expect it to maintain an expansionary monetary policy in 2018. Swedish prices and wages have grown only slightly over the past few years, helping to support the country’s competitiveness. In the short and medium term, Sweden’s economic challenges include providing affordable housing and successfully integrating migrants into the labor market.
Real GDP (purchasing power parity): $524.75 billion (2020 est.)

$539.96 billion (2019 est.)

$532.67 billion (2018 est.)

note: data are in 2017 dollars
Real GDP growth rate: 1.29% (2019 est.)

2.06% (2018 est.)

2.82% (2017 est.)
Real GDP per capita: $50,700 (2020 est.)

$52,500 (2019 est.)

$52,300 (2018 est.)

note: data are in 2017 dollars
GDP (official exchange rate): $531.35 billion (2019 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices): 1.7% (2019 est.)

1.9% (2018 est.)

1.7% (2017 est.)
Credit ratings: Fitch rating: AAA (2004)

Moody's rating: Aaa (2002)

Standard & Poors rating: AAA (2004)
GDP - composition, by sector of origin: agriculture: 1.6% (2017 est.)

industry: 33% (2017 est.)

services: 65.4% (2017 est.)
GDP - composition, by end use: household consumption: 44.1% (2017 est.)

government consumption: 26% (2017 est.)

investment in fixed capital: 24.9% (2017 est.)

investment in inventories: 0.8% (2017 est.)

exports of goods and services: 45.3% (2017 est.)

imports of goods and services: -41.1% (2017 est.)
Agricultural products: wheat, milk, sugar beet, barley, potatoes, oats, rapeseed, pork, rye, triticale
Industries: iron and steel, precision equipment (bearings, radio and telephone parts, armaments), wood pulp and paper products, processed foods, motor vehicles
Industrial production growth rate: 4.1% (2017 est.)
Labor force: 5.029 million (2020 est.)
Labor force - by occupation: agriculture: 2%

industry: 12%

services: 86% (2014 est.)
Unemployment rate: 6.78% (2019 est.)

6.33% (2018 est.)
Unemployment, youth ages 15-24: total: 24%

male: 25%

female: 22.8% (2020 est.)
Population below poverty line: 17.1% (2018 est.)
Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income: 28.8 (2017 est.)

25 (1992)
Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 3.4%

highest 10%: 24% (2012)
Budget: revenues: 271.2 billion (2017 est.)

expenditures: 264.4 billion (2017 est.)
Budget surplus (+) or deficit (-): 1.3% (of GDP) (2017 est.)
Public debt: 40.8% of GDP (2017 est.)

42.3% of GDP (2016 est.)

note: data cover general government debt and include debt instruments issued (or owned) by government entities other than the treasury; the data include treasury debt held by foreign entities; the data include debt issued by subnational entities, as well as intragovernmental debt; intragovernmental debt consists of treasury borrowings from surpluses in the social funds, such as for retirement, medical care, and unemployment; debt instruments for the social funds are not sold at public auctions
Taxes and other revenues: 50.6% (of GDP) (2017 est.)
Fiscal year: calendar year
Current account balance: $22.339 billion (2019 est.)

$13.902 billion (2018 est.)
Exports: $240.08 billion (2020 est.) note: data are in current year dollars

$254.53 billion (2019 est.) note: data are in current year dollars

$254.25 billion (2018 est.) note: data are in current year dollars
Exports - partners: Germany 10%, Norway 9%, United States 8%, Denmark 7%, Finland 6%, United Kingdom 5%, Netherlands 5%, China 5% (2019)
Exports - commodities: cars and vehicle parts, packaged medicines, refined petroleum, broadcasting equipment, lumber (2019)
Imports: $217.68 billion (2020 est.) note: data are in current year dollars

$232.81 billion (2019 est.) note: data are in current year dollars

$241.53 billion (2018 est.) note: data are in current year dollars
Imports - partners: Germany 18%, Netherlands 9%, Denmark 7%, Norway 7%, China 6%, Finland 5%, Belgium 5%, Poland 5% (2019)
Imports - commodities: cars and vehicle parts, crude petroleum, refined petroleum, broadcasting equipment, computers (2019)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: $62.22 billion (31 December 2017 est.)

$59.39 billion (31 December 2016 est.)
Debt - external: $911.317 billion (2019 est.)

$1,012,171,000,000 (2018 est.)
Exchange rates: Swedish kronor (SEK) per US dollar -

8.49085 (2020 est.)

9.52915 (2019 est.)

9.01895 (2018 est.)

8.4335 (2014 est.)

6.8612 (2013 est.)

Topic: Energy
Electricity access: electrification - total population: 100% (2020)
Electricity - production: 152.9 billion kWh (2016 est.)
Electricity - consumption: 133.5 billion kWh (2016 est.)
Electricity - exports: 26.02 billion kWh (2016 est.)
Electricity - imports: 14.29 billion kWh (2016 est.)
Electricity - installed generating capacity: 40.29 million kW (2016 est.)
Electricity - from fossil fuels: 5% of total installed capacity (2016 est.)
Electricity - from nuclear fuels: 22% of total installed capacity (2017 est.)
Electricity - from hydroelectric plants: 42% of total installed capacity (2017 est.)
Electricity - from other renewable sources: 32% of total installed capacity (2017 est.)
Crude oil - production: 0 bbl/day (2018 est.)
Crude oil - exports: 14,570 bbl/day (2017 est.)
Crude oil - imports: 400,200 bbl/day (2017 est.)
Crude oil - proved reserves: 0 bbl (1 January 2018 est.)
Refined petroleum products - production: 413,200 bbl/day (2017 est.)
Refined petroleum products - consumption: 323,100 bbl/day (2017 est.)
Refined petroleum products - exports: 371,100 bbl/day (2017 est.)
Refined petroleum products - imports: 229,600 bbl/day (2017 est.)
Natural gas - production: 0 cu m (2017 est.)
Natural gas - consumption: 764.5 million cu m (2017 est.)
Natural gas - exports: 0 cu m (2017 est.)
Natural gas - imports: 764.5 million cu m (2017 est.)
Natural gas - proved reserves: 0 cu m (1 January 2014 est.)

Topic: Communications
Telephones - fixed lines: total subscriptions: 1,478,610 (2020 est.)

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 15 (2020 est.)
Telephones - mobile cellular: total subscriptions: 12,895,900 (2019)

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 128.49 (2019)
Telecommunication systems: general assessment: Sweden’s telecom market includes mature mobile and broadband sectors stimulated by investment of the main operators in new technologies; one of the best developed LTE infrastructures in the region; ranked among leading countries for fixed-line, mobile-cellular, Internet, and broadband penetration; best developed LTE infrastructure in the region; government promotes national broadband strategy to increase connectivity (2020)

domestic: fixed-line just over 16 per 100 and mobile-cellular roughly 128 per 100; coaxial and multiconductor cables carry most of the voice traffic; parallel microwave radio relay systems carry some additional telephone channels (2020)

international: country code - 46; landing points for Botina, SFL, SFS-4, Baltic Sea Submarine Cable, Eastern Light, Sweden-Latvia, BCS North-Phase1, EE-S1, LV-SE1, BCS East-West Interlink, NordBalt, Baltica, Denmark-Sweden-15,-17,-18, Scandinavian Ring -North,-South, IP-Only Denmark-Sweden, Donica North, Kattegate-1,-2, Energinet Laeso-Varberg and GC2 submarine cables providing links to other Nordic countries and Europe; satellite earth stations - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean), 1 Eutelsat, and 1 Inmarsat (Atlantic and Indian Ocean regions); note - Sweden shares the Inmarsat earth station with the other Nordic countries (Denmark, Finland, Iceland, and Norway) (2019)

note: the COVID-19 pandemic continues to have a significant impact on production and supply chains globally; since 2020, some aspects of the telecom sector have experienced downturn, particularly in mobile device production; many network operators delayed upgrades to infrastructure; progress towards 5G implementation was postponed or slowed in some countries; consumer spending on telecom services and devices was affected by large-scale job losses and the consequent restriction on disposable incomes; the crucial nature of telecom services as a tool for work and school from home became evident, and received some support from governments
Broadcast media: publicly owned TV broadcaster operates 2 terrestrial networks plus regional stations; multiple privately owned TV broadcasters operating nationally, regionally, and locally; about 50 local TV stations; widespread access to pan-Nordic and international broadcasters through multi-channel cable and satellite TV; publicly owned radio broadcaster operates 3 national stations and a network of 25 regional channels; roughly 100 privately owned local radio stations with some consolidating into near national networks; an estimated 900 community and neighborhood radio stations broadcast intermittently
Internet country code: .se
Internet users: total: 9,835,769 (2020 est.)

percent of population: 95% (2020 est.)
Broadband - fixed subscriptions: total: 4,179,574 (2020 est.)

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 41 (2020 est.)

Topic: Transportation
National air transport system: number of registered air carriers: 11 (2020)

inventory of registered aircraft operated by air carriers: 316
Civil aircraft registration country code prefix: SE
Airports: total: 231 (2021)
Airports - with paved runways: total: 149

over 3,047 m: 3

2,438 to 3,047 m: 12

1,524 to 2,437 m: 75

914 to 1,523 m: 22

under 914 m: 37 (2021)
Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 82

914 to 1,523 m: 5

under 914 m: 77 (2021)
Heliports: 2 (2021)
Pipelines: 1626 km gas (2013)
Railways: total: 14,127 km (2016)

standard gauge: 14,062 km (2016) 1.435-m gauge (12,322 km electrified)

narrow gauge: 65 km (2016) 0.891-m gauge (65 km electrified)
Roadways: total: 573,134 km (2016) (includes 2,050 km of expressways)

paved: 140,100 km (2016)

unpaved: 433,034 km (2016)

note: includes 98,500 km of state roads, 433,034 km of private roads, and 41,600 km of municipal roads
Waterways: 2,052 km (2010)
Merchant marine: total: 370

by type: general cargo 49, oil tanker 22, other 299 (2021)
Ports and terminals: major seaport(s): Brofjorden, Goteborg, Helsingborg, Karlshamn, Lulea, Malmo, Stockholm, Trelleborg, Visby

LNG terminal(s) (import): Brunnsviksholme, Lysekil

Topic: Military and Security
Military and security forces: Swedish Armed Forces (Forsvarsmakten): Army, Navy, Air Force, Home Guard (2022)
Military expenditures: 1.3% of GDP (2021 est.)

1.2% of GDP (2020)

1.1% of GDP (2019) (approximately $6.78 billion)

1% of GDP (2018) (approximately $6.26 billion)

1% of GDP (2017) (approximately $6.04 billion)
Military and security service personnel strengths: approximately 15,000 continuous service/full-time troops (7,000 Army; 3,000 Navy; 3,000 Air Force; 2,000 other, including staff, logistics, support, medical, cyber, intelligence, etc); approximately 21,000 Home Guard; approximately 12,000 temporary service personnel (2022)

note - Swedish Armed Forces' (SAF) personnel are divided into continuously serving (full-time) and temporary service troops (part-timers who serve periodically and have another main employer or attend school); additional personnel have signed service agreements with the SAF and mostly serve in the Home Guard; the SAF also has about 9,000 civilian employees
Military equipment inventories and acquisitions: the inventory of the SAF is comprised of domestically-produced and imported Western weapons systems; since 2010, the US is the leading supplier of military hardware to Sweden; Sweden's defense industry produces a range of air, land, and naval systems (2021)
Military service age and obligation: 18-47 years of age for male and female voluntary military service; service obligation: 7.5 months (Army), 7-15 months (Navy), 8-12 months (Air Force); after completing initial service, soldiers have a reserve commitment until age 47; compulsory military service, abolished in 2010, was reinstated in January 2018; conscription is selective, includes both female and male (age 18), and requires 9-12 months of service (2021)

note(s) - Sweden conscripts about 5,500 men and women each year; as of 2021, women made up about 11% of the military's full-time personnel
Military deployments: approximately 475 Mali (EUTM, MINUSMA, Task Force Takuba) (2022)
Military - note: Sweden maintains a policy of military non-alignment, but cooperates with NATO and regional countries; it joined NATO’s Partnership for Peace program in 1994 and has contributed to NATO-led missions, including those in Afghanistan, Iraq, and Kosovo the Swedish military cooperates closely with the military forces of other Nordic countries through the Nordic Defense Cooperation (NORDEFCO), which consists of Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway, and Sweden; areas of cooperation include armaments, education, human resources, training and exercises, and operations; NORDEFCO was established in 2009  Sweden is a signatory of the EU’s Common Security and Defense Policy and contributes to CSDP missions and operationsSweden maintains a policy of military non-alignment, but cooperates with NATO and regional countries; it joined NATO’s Partnership for Peace program in 1994 and has contributed to NATO-led missions, including those in Afghanistan, Iraq, and Kosovothe Swedish military cooperates closely with the military forces of other Nordic countries through the Nordic Defense Cooperation (NORDEFCO), which consists of Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway, and Sweden; areas of cooperation include armaments, education, human resources, training and exercises, and operations; NORDEFCO was established in 2009 Sweden is a signatory of the EU’s Common Security and Defense Policy and contributes to CSDP missions and operations

Topic: Terrorism
Terrorist group(s): Islamic State of Iraq and ash-Sham (ISIS)

note: details about the history, aims, leadership, organization, areas of operation, tactics, targets, weapons, size, and sources of support of the group(s) appear(s) in Appendix-T

Topic: Transnational Issues
Disputes - international: none identifiednone identified
Refugees and internally displaced persons: refugees (country of origin): 114,995 (Syria), 28,744 (Afghanistan), 26,911 (Eritrea), 11,574 (Somalia), 11,153 (Iraq), 7,516 (Iran) (2020); 41,285 (Ukraine) (as of 4 July 2022)

stateless persons: 50,098 (mid-year 2021); note - the majority of stateless people are from the Middle East and Somalia


Topic: Photos of Congo, Democratic Republic of the

Topic: Introduction
Background: The Kingdom of Kongo ruled the area around the mouth of the Congo River from the 14th to 19th centuries. To the center and east, the Kingdoms of Luba and Lunda ruled from the 16th and 17th centuries to the 19th century. in the 1870s, European exploration of the Congo Basin, sponsored by King Leopold II of Belgium, eventually allowed the ruler to acquire rights to the Congo territory and to make it his private property under the name of the Congo Free State. During the Free State, the king's colonial military forced the local population to produce rubber. From 1885 to 1908, millions of Congolese people died as a result of disease and exploitation. International condemnation finally forced Leopold to cede the land to Belgium, creating the Belgian Congo.

The Republic of the Congo gained its independence from Belgium in 1960, but its early years were marred by political and social instability. Col. Joseph MOBUTU seized power and declared himself president in a November 1965 coup. He subsequently changed his name - to MOBUTU Sese Seko - as well as that of the country - to Zaire. MOBUTU retained his position for 32 years through several sham elections, as well as through brutal force. Ethnic strife and civil war, touched off by a massive inflow of refugees in 1994 from conflict in Rwanda and Burundi, led in May 1997 to the toppling of the MOBUTU regime by a rebellion backed by Rwanda and Uganda and fronted by Laurent KABILA. KABILA renamed the country the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), but in August 1998 his regime was itself challenged by a second insurrection again backed by Rwanda and Uganda. Troops from Angola, Chad, Namibia, Sudan, and Zimbabwe intervened to support KABILA's regime. In January 2001, KABILA was assassinated and his son, Joseph KABILA, was named head of state. In October 2002, the new president was successful in negotiating the withdrawal of Rwandan forces occupying the eastern DRC; two months later, the Pretoria Accord was signed by all remaining warring parties to end the fighting and establish a government of national unity. Presidential, National Assembly, and provincial legislatures took place in 2006, with Joseph KABILA elected to office. National elections were held in November 2011 and disputed results allowed Joseph KABILA to be reelected to the presidency. While the DRC constitution barred President KABILA from running for a third term, the DRC Government delayed national elections originally slated for November 2016, to 30 December 2018. This failure to hold elections as scheduled fueled significant civil and political unrest, with sporadic street protests by KABILA’s opponents and exacerbation of tensions in the tumultuous eastern DRC regions. Presidential, legislative, and provincial elections were held in late December 2018 and early 2019 across most of the country. The DRC Government canceled presidential elections in the cities of Beni and Butembo (citing concerns over an ongoing Ebola outbreak in the region) as well as Yumbi (which had recently experienced heavy violence). Opposition candidate Felix TSHISEKEDI was announced the election winner on 10 January 2019 and inaugurated two weeks later. This was the first transfer of power to an opposition candidate without significant violence or a coup since the DRC's independence.  The DRC, particularly in the East, continues to experience violence perpetrated by more than 100 armed groups active in the region, including the Allied Democratic Forces (ADF), the Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Rwanda (FDLR), and assorted Mai Mai militias. The UN Organization Stabilization Mission in the DRC (MONUSCO) has operated in the region since 1999 and is the largest and most expensive UN peacekeeping mission in the world.  The Kingdom of Kongo ruled the area around the mouth of the Congo River from the 14th to 19th centuries. To the center and east, the Kingdoms of Luba and Lunda ruled from the 16th and 17th centuries to the 19th century. in the 1870s, European exploration of the Congo Basin, sponsored by King Leopold II of Belgium, eventually allowed the ruler to acquire rights to the Congo territory and to make it his private property under the name of the Congo Free State. During the Free State, the king's colonial military forced the local population to produce rubber. From 1885 to 1908, millions of Congolese people died as a result of disease and exploitation. International condemnation finally forced Leopold to cede the land to Belgium, creating the Belgian Congo.

The Republic of the Congo gained its independence from Belgium in 1960, but its early years were marred by political and social instability. Col. Joseph MOBUTU seized power and declared himself president in a November 1965 coup. He subsequently changed his name - to MOBUTU Sese Seko - as well as that of the country - to Zaire. MOBUTU retained his position for 32 years through several sham elections, as well as through brutal force. Ethnic strife and civil war, touched off by a massive inflow of refugees in 1994 from conflict in Rwanda and Burundi, led in May 1997 to the toppling of the MOBUTU regime by a rebellion backed by Rwanda and Uganda and fronted by Laurent KABILA. KABILA renamed the country the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), but in August 1998 his regime was itself challenged by a second insurrection again backed by Rwanda and Uganda. Troops from Angola, Chad, Namibia, Sudan, and Zimbabwe intervened to support KABILA's regime. In January 2001, KABILA was assassinated and his son, Joseph KABILA, was named head of state. In October 2002, the new president was successful in negotiating the withdrawal of Rwandan forces occupying the eastern DRC; two months later, the Pretoria Accord was signed by all remaining warring parties to end the fighting and establish a government of national unity. Presidential, National Assembly, and provincial legislatures took place in 2006, with Joseph KABILA elected to office.National elections were held in November 2011 and disputed results allowed Joseph KABILA to be reelected to the presidency. While the DRC constitution barred President KABILA from running for a third term, the DRC Government delayed national elections originally slated for November 2016, to 30 December 2018. This failure to hold elections as scheduled fueled significant civil and political unrest, with sporadic street protests by KABILA’s opponents and exacerbation of tensions in the tumultuous eastern DRC regions. Presidential, legislative, and provincial elections were held in late December 2018 and early 2019 across most of the country. The DRC Government canceled presidential elections in the cities of Beni and Butembo (citing concerns over an ongoing Ebola outbreak in the region) as well as Yumbi (which had recently experienced heavy violence).Opposition candidate Felix TSHISEKEDI was announced the election winner on 10 January 2019 and inaugurated two weeks later. This was the first transfer of power to an opposition candidate without significant violence or a coup since the DRC's independence. The DRC, particularly in the East, continues to experience violence perpetrated by more than 100 armed groups active in the region, including the Allied Democratic Forces (ADF), the Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Rwanda (FDLR), and assorted Mai Mai militias. The UN Organization Stabilization Mission in the DRC (MONUSCO) has operated in the region since 1999 and is the largest and most expensive UN peacekeeping mission in the world. Visit the Definitions and Notes page to view a description of each topic.

Topic: Geography
Location: Central Africa, northeast of Angola
Geographic coordinates: 0 00 N, 25 00 E
Map references: Africa
Area: total: 2,344,858 sq km

land: 2,267,048 sq km

water: 77,810 sq km
Area - comparative: slightly less than one-fourth the size of the US
Land boundaries: total: 11,027 km

border countries (9): Angola 2,646 km (of which 225 km is the boundary of Angola's discontiguous Cabinda Province); Burundi 236 km; Central African Republic 1,747 km; Republic of the Congo 1,775 km; Rwanda 221 km; South Sudan 714 km; Tanzania 479 km; Uganda 877 km; Zambia 2,332 km
Coastline: 37 km
Maritime claims: territorial sea: 12 nm

exclusive economic zone: since 2011, the DRC has had a Common Interest Zone agreement with Angola for the mutual development of off-shore resources
Climate: tropical; hot and humid in equatorial river basin; cooler and drier in southern highlands; cooler and wetter in eastern highlands; north of Equator - wet season (April to October), dry season (December to February); south of Equator - wet season (November to March), dry season (April to October)
Terrain: vast central basin is a low-lying plateau; mountains in east
Elevation: highest point: Pic Marguerite on Mont Ngaliema (Mount Stanley) 5,110 m

lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m

mean elevation: 726 m
Natural resources: cobalt, copper, niobium, tantalum, petroleum, industrial and gem diamonds, gold, silver, zinc, manganese, tin, uranium, coal, hydropower, timber
Land use: agricultural land: 11.4% (2018 est.)

arable land: 3.1% (2018 est.)

permanent crops: 0.3% (2018 est.)

permanent pasture: 8% (2018 est.)

forest: 67.9% (2018 est.)

other: 20.7% (2018 est.)
Irrigated land: 110 sq km (2012)
Major lakes (area sq km): Fresh water lake(s): Lake Tanganyika (shared with Burundi, Tanzania, and Zambia) - 32,000 sq km; Lake Albert (shared with Uganda) - 5,590 sq km; Lake Mweru (shared with Zambia) - 4,350 sq km; Lac Mai-Ndombe - 2,300 sq km; Lake Kivu (shared with Rwanda) - 2,220 sq km; Lake Edward (shared with Uganda) - 2,150 sq km; Lac Tumba - 500 sq km; Lac Upemba - 530 sq km
Major rivers (by length in km): Congo river mouth (shared with Zambia [s], Angola, and Republic of Congo) - 4,700 km; Ubangi river mouth (shared with Central African Republic [s] and Republic of Congo) - 2,270 km
note – [s] after country name indicates river source; [m] after country name indicates river mouth
Major watersheds (area sq km): Atlantic Ocean drainage: Congo (3,730,881 sq km), (Mediterranean Sea) Nile (3,254,853 sq km)
Indian Ocean drainage: Zambezi (1,332,412 sq km)
Major aquifers: Congo Basin
Population distribution: urban clusters are spread throughout the country, particularly in the northeast along the boarder with Uganda, Rwanda, and Burundi; the largest city is the capital, Kinshasha, located in the west along the Congo River; the south is least densely populated as shown in this population distribution map
Natural hazards: periodic droughts in south; Congo River floods (seasonal); active volcanoes in the east along the Great Rift Valleyvolcanism: Nyiragongo (3,470 m), which erupted in 2002 and is experiencing ongoing activity, poses a major threat to the city of Goma, home to a quarter million people; the volcano produces unusually fast-moving lava, known to travel up to 100 km /hr; Nyiragongo has been deemed a Decade Volcano by the International Association of Volcanology and Chemistry of the Earth's Interior, worthy of study due to its explosive history and close proximity to human populations; its neighbor, Nyamuragira, which erupted in 2010, is Africa's most active volcano; Visoke is the only other historically active volcanoperiodic droughts in south; Congo River floods (seasonal); active volcanoes in the east along the Great Rift Valleyvolcanism: Nyiragongo (3,470 m), which erupted in 2002 and is experiencing ongoing activity, poses a major threat to the city of Goma, home to a quarter million people; the volcano produces unusually fast-moving lava, known to travel up to 100 km /hr; Nyiragongo has been deemed a Decade Volcano by the International Association of Volcanology and Chemistry of the Earth's Interior, worthy of study due to its explosive history and close proximity to human populations; its neighbor, Nyamuragira, which erupted in 2010, is Africa's most active volcano; Visoke is the only other historically active volcano
Geography - note: note 1: second largest country in Africa (after Algeria) and largest country in Sub-Saharan Africa; straddles the equator; dense tropical rain forest in central river basin and eastern highlands; the narrow strip of land that controls the lower Congo River is the DRC's only outlet to the South Atlantic Ocean note 2: because of its speed, cataracts, rapids, and turbulence the Congo River, most of which flows through the DRC, has never been accurately measured along much of its length; nonetheless, it is conceded to be the deepest river in the world; estimates of its greatest depth vary between 220 and 250 metersnote 1: second largest country in Africa (after Algeria) and largest country in Sub-Saharan Africa; straddles the equator; dense tropical rain forest in central river basin and eastern highlands; the narrow strip of land that controls the lower Congo River is the DRC's only outlet to the South Atlantic Oceannote 2: because of its speed, cataracts, rapids, and turbulence the Congo River, most of which flows through the DRC, has never been accurately measured along much of its length; nonetheless, it is conceded to be the deepest river in the world; estimates of its greatest depth vary between 220 and 250 meters
Map description: Democratic Republic of the Congo map showing major cities as well as parts of surrounding countries and the South Atlantic Ocean.  Democratic Republic of the Congo map showing major cities as well as parts of surrounding countries and the South Atlantic Ocean.

Topic: People and Society
Population: 108,407,721 (2022 est.)

note: estimates for this country explicitly taken into account the impact of the HIV/AIDS epidemic
Nationality: noun: Congolese (singular and plural)

adjective: Congolese or Congo
Ethnic groups: more than 200 African ethnic groups of which the majority are Bantu; the four largest tribes - Mongo, Luba, Kongo (all Bantu), and the Mangbetu-Azande (Hamitic) - make up about 45% of the population
Languages: French (official), Lingala (a lingua franca trade language), Kingwana (a dialect of Kiswahili or Swahili), Kikongo, Tshiluba

major-language sample(s):
Buku oyo ya bosembo ya Mokili Mobimba Ezali na Makanisi ya Liboso Mpenza. (Lingala)

The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information.
Religions: Roman Catholic 29.9%, Protestant 26.7%, other Christian 36.5%, Kimbanguist 2.8%, Muslim 1.3%, other (includes syncretic sects and indigenous beliefs) 1.2%, none 1.3%, unspecified 0.2% (2014 est.)
Demographic profile: Despite a wealth of fertile soil, hydroelectric power potential, and mineral resources, the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) struggles with many socioeconomic problems, including high infant and maternal mortality rates, malnutrition, poor vaccination coverage, lack of access to improved water sources and sanitation, and frequent and early fertility. Ongoing conflict, mismanagement of resources, and a lack of investment have resulted in food insecurity; almost 30 percent of children under the age of 5 are malnourished. The overall coverage of basic public services – education, health, sanitation, and potable water – is very limited and piecemeal, with substantial regional and rural/urban disparities. Fertility remains high at almost 5 children per woman and is likely to remain high because of the low use of contraception and the cultural preference for larger families.The DRC is a source and host country for refugees. Between 2012 and 2014, more than 119,000 Congolese refugees returned from the Republic of Congo to the relative stability of northwest DRC, but more than 540,000 Congolese refugees remained abroad as of year-end 2015. In addition, an estimated 3.9 million Congolese were internally displaced as of October 2017, the vast majority fleeing violence between rebel group and Congolese armed forces. Thousands of refugees have come to the DRC from neighboring countries, including Rwanda, the Central African Republic, and Burundi.Despite a wealth of fertile soil, hydroelectric power potential, and mineral resources, the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) struggles with many socioeconomic problems, including high infant and maternal mortality rates, malnutrition, poor vaccination coverage, lack of access to improved water sources and sanitation, and frequent and early fertility. Ongoing conflict, mismanagement of resources, and a lack of investment have resulted in food insecurity; almost 30 percent of children under the age of 5 are malnourished. The overall coverage of basic public services – education, health, sanitation, and potable water – is very limited and piecemeal, with substantial regional and rural/urban disparities. Fertility remains high at almost 5 children per woman and is likely to remain high because of the low use of contraception and the cultural preference for larger families.The DRC is a source and host country for refugees. Between 2012 and 2014, more than 119,000 Congolese refugees returned from the Republic of Congo to the relative stability of northwest DRC, but more than 540,000 Congolese refugees remained abroad as of year-end 2015. In addition, an estimated 3.9 million Congolese were internally displaced as of October 2017, the vast majority fleeing violence between rebel group and Congolese armed forces. Thousands of refugees have come to the DRC from neighboring countries, including Rwanda, the Central African Republic, and Burundi.
Age structure: 0-14 years: 46.38% (male 23,757,297/female 23,449,057)

15-24 years: 19.42% (male 9,908,686/female 9,856,841)

25-54 years: 28.38% (male 14,459,453/female 14,422,912)

55-64 years: 3.36% (male 1,647,267/female 1,769,429)

65 years and over: 2.47% (2020 est.) (male 1,085,539/female 1,423,782)
Dependency ratios: total dependency ratio: 95.4

youth dependency ratio: 89.5

elderly dependency ratio: 5.9

potential support ratio: 17 (2020 est.)
Median age: total: 16.7 years

male: 16.5 years

female: 16.8 years (2020 est.)
Population growth rate: 3.14% (2022 est.)
Birth rate: 40.08 births/1,000 population (2022 est.)
Death rate: 7.94 deaths/1,000 population (2022 est.)
Net migration rate: -0.71 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2022 est.)
Population distribution: urban clusters are spread throughout the country, particularly in the northeast along the boarder with Uganda, Rwanda, and Burundi; the largest city is the capital, Kinshasha, located in the west along the Congo River; the south is least densely populated as shown in this population distribution map
Urbanization: urban population: 46.8% of total population (2022)

rate of urbanization: 4.33% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)
Major urban areas - population: 15.628 million KINSHASA (capital), 2.765 million Mbuji-Mayi, 2.695 million Lubumbashi, 1.593 million Kananga, 1.366 million Kisangani, 1.190 million Bukavu (2022)
Sex ratio: at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female

0-14 years: 1.01 male(s)/female

15-24 years: 1.01 male(s)/female

25-54 years: 1 male(s)/female

55-64 years: 0.94 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.6 male(s)/female

total population: 1 male(s)/female (2022 est.)
Mother's mean age at first birth: 19.9 years (2013/14 est.)

note: median age at first birth among women 20-49
Maternal mortality ratio: 473 deaths/100,000 live births (2017 est.)
Infant mortality rate: total: 60.85 deaths/1,000 live births

male: 66.49 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 55.03 deaths/1,000 live births (2022 est.)
Life expectancy at birth: total population: 61.83 years

male: 60.03 years

female: 63.69 years (2022 est.)
Total fertility rate: 5.63 children born/woman (2022 est.)
Contraceptive prevalence rate: 28.1% (2017/18)
Drinking water source: improved: urban: 88.8% of population

rural: 34.7% of population

total: 59.4% of population

unimproved: urban: 11.2% of population

rural: 65.3% of population

total: 40.6% of population (2020 est.)
Current Health Expenditure: 3.5% (2019)
Physicians density: 0.38 physicians/1,000 population (2018)
Sanitation facility access: improved: urban: 53.4% of population

rural: 20.5% of population

total: 35.5% of population

unimproved: urban: 46.6% of population

rural: 79.5% of population

total: 64.5% of population (2020 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: 0.7% (2020 est.)
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: 510,000 (2020 est.)
HIV/AIDS - deaths: 17,000 (2020 est.)
Major infectious diseases: degree of risk: very high (2020)

food or waterborne diseases: bacterial and protozoal diarrhea, hepatitis A, and typhoid fever

vectorborne diseases: malaria, dengue fever, and trypanosomiasis-gambiense (African sleeping sickness)

water contact diseases: schistosomiasis

animal contact diseases: rabies

note: on 21 March 2022, the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) issued a Travel Alert for polio in Africa; the Democratic Republic of the Congo is currently considered a high risk to travelers for circulating vaccine-derived polioviruses (cVDPV); vaccine-derived poliovirus (VDPV) is a strain of the weakened poliovirus that was initially included in oral polio vaccine (OPV) and that has changed over time and behaves more like the wild or naturally occurring virus; this means it can be spread more easily to people who are unvaccinated against polio and who come in contact with the stool or respiratory secretions, such as from a sneeze, of an “infected” person who received oral polio vaccine; the CDC recommends that before any international travel, anyone unvaccinated, incompletely vaccinated, or with an unknown polio vaccination status should complete the routine polio vaccine series; before travel to any high-risk destination, the CDC recommends that adults who previously completed the full, routine polio vaccine series receive a single, lifetime booster dose of polio vaccine
Obesity - adult prevalence rate: 6.7% (2016)
Tobacco use: total: 12.8% (2020 est.)

male: 22.7% (2020 est.)

female: 2.9% (2020 est.)
Children under the age of 5 years underweight: 23.1% (2017/18)
Child marriage: women married by age 15: 0%

women married by age 18: 0.1%

men married by age 18: 0% (2017 est.)
Education expenditures: 1.5% of GDP (2017)
Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write French, Lingala, Kingwana, or Tshiluba

total population: 77%

male: 88.5%

female: 66.5% (2016)
School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education): total: 11 years

male: 10 years

female: 9 years (2013)
Unemployment, youth ages 15-24: total: 8.7%

male: 11.3%

female: 6.8% (2012 est.)

Topic: Environment
Environment - current issues: poaching threatens wildlife populations; water pollution; deforestation (forests endangered by fires set to clean the land for agricultural purposes; forests also used as a source of fuel); soil erosion; mining (diamonds, gold, coltan - a mineral used in creating capacitors for electronic devices) causing environmental damage
Environment - international agreements: party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping-London Convention, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Tropical Timber 2006, Wetlands

signed, but not ratified: Environmental Modification
Air pollutants: particulate matter emissions: 37.62 micrograms per cubic meter (2016 est.)

carbon dioxide emissions: 2.02 megatons (2016 est.)

methane emissions: 61.24 megatons (2020 est.)
Climate: tropical; hot and humid in equatorial river basin; cooler and drier in southern highlands; cooler and wetter in eastern highlands; north of Equator - wet season (April to October), dry season (December to February); south of Equator - wet season (November to March), dry season (April to October)
Land use: agricultural land: 11.4% (2018 est.)

arable land: 3.1% (2018 est.)

permanent crops: 0.3% (2018 est.)

permanent pasture: 8% (2018 est.)

forest: 67.9% (2018 est.)

other: 20.7% (2018 est.)
Urbanization: urban population: 46.8% of total population (2022)

rate of urbanization: 4.33% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)
Revenue from forest resources: forest revenues: 8.72% of GDP (2018 est.)
Revenue from coal: coal revenues: 0% of GDP (2018 est.)
Major infectious diseases: degree of risk: very high (2020)

food or waterborne diseases: bacterial and protozoal diarrhea, hepatitis A, and typhoid fever

vectorborne diseases: malaria, dengue fever, and trypanosomiasis-gambiense (African sleeping sickness)

water contact diseases: schistosomiasis

animal contact diseases: rabies

note: on 21 March 2022, the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) issued a Travel Alert for polio in Africa; the Democratic Republic of the Congo is currently considered a high risk to travelers for circulating vaccine-derived polioviruses (cVDPV); vaccine-derived poliovirus (VDPV) is a strain of the weakened poliovirus that was initially included in oral polio vaccine (OPV) and that has changed over time and behaves more like the wild or naturally occurring virus; this means it can be spread more easily to people who are unvaccinated against polio and who come in contact with the stool or respiratory secretions, such as from a sneeze, of an “infected” person who received oral polio vaccine; the CDC recommends that before any international travel, anyone unvaccinated, incompletely vaccinated, or with an unknown polio vaccination status should complete the routine polio vaccine series; before travel to any high-risk destination, the CDC recommends that adults who previously completed the full, routine polio vaccine series receive a single, lifetime booster dose of polio vaccine
Food insecurity: widespread lack of access: due to internal conflict in eastern regions and economic downturn - according to a November 2021 analysis, 26 million people are projected to be severely food insecure, in "Crisis" or above, between January and June 2022; this is due to persisting conflict in eastern provinces of North Kivu, South Kivu and Ituri, which continues to cause displacements, coupled with the economic effects of the COVID-19 pandemic (2022)
Waste and recycling: municipal solid waste generated annually: 14,385,226 tons (2016 est.)

municipal solid waste recycled annually: 704,876 tons (2005 est.)

percent of municipal solid waste recycled: 4.9% (2005 est.)
Major lakes (area sq km): Fresh water lake(s): Lake Tanganyika (shared with Burundi, Tanzania, and Zambia) - 32,000 sq km; Lake Albert (shared with Uganda) - 5,590 sq km; Lake Mweru (shared with Zambia) - 4,350 sq km; Lac Mai-Ndombe - 2,300 sq km; Lake Kivu (shared with Rwanda) - 2,220 sq km; Lake Edward (shared with Uganda) - 2,150 sq km; Lac Tumba - 500 sq km; Lac Upemba - 530 sq km
Major rivers (by length in km): Congo river mouth (shared with Zambia [s], Angola, and Republic of Congo) - 4,700 km; Ubangi river mouth (shared with Central African Republic [s] and Republic of Congo) - 2,270 km
note – [s] after country name indicates river source; [m] after country name indicates river mouth
Major watersheds (area sq km): Atlantic Ocean drainage: Congo (3,730,881 sq km), (Mediterranean Sea) Nile (3,254,853 sq km)
Indian Ocean drainage: Zambezi (1,332,412 sq km)
Major aquifers: Congo Basin
Total water withdrawal: municipal: 464.9 million cubic meters (2017 est.)

industrial: 146.8 million cubic meters (2017 est.)

agricultural: 71.9 million cubic meters (2017 est.)
Total renewable water resources: 1.283 trillion cubic meters (2017 est.)

Topic: Government
Country name: conventional long form: Democratic Republic of the Congo

conventional short form: DRC

local long form: Republique Democratique du Congo

local short form: RDC

former: Congo Free State, Belgian Congo, Congo/Leopoldville, Congo/Kinshasa, Zaire

abbreviation: DRC (or DROC)

etymology: named for the Congo River, most of which lies within the DRC; the river name derives from Kongo, a Bantu kingdom that occupied its mouth at the time of Portuguese discovery in the late 15th century and whose name stems from its people the Bakongo, meaning "hunters"
Government type: semi-presidential republic
Capital: name: Kinshasa

geographic coordinates: 4 19 S, 15 18 E

time difference: UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)

time zone note: the DRC has two time zones

etymology: founded as a trading post in 1881 and named Leopoldville in honor of King Leopold II of the Belgians, who controlled the Congo Free State, the vast central African territory that became the Democratic Republic of the Congo in 1960; in 1966, Leopoldville was renamed Kinshasa, after a village of that name that once stood near the site
Administrative divisions: 26 provinces (provinces, singular - province); Bas-Uele (Lower Uele), Equateur, Haut-Katanga (Upper Katanga), Haut-Lomami (Upper Lomami), Haut-Uele (Upper Uele), Ituri, Kasai, Kasai-Central, Kasai-Oriental (East Kasai), Kinshasa, Kongo Central, Kwango, Kwilu, Lomami, Lualaba, Mai-Ndombe, Maniema, Mongala, Nord-Kivu (North Kivu), Nord-Ubangi (North Ubangi), Sankuru, Sud-Kivu (South Kivu), Sud-Ubangi (South Ubangi), Tanganyika, Tshopo, Tshuapa
Independence: 30 June 1960 (from Belgium)
National holiday: Independence Day, 30 June (1960)
Constitution: history: several previous; latest adopted 13 May 2005, approved by referendum 18-19 December 2005, promulgated 18 February 2006

amendments: proposed by the president of the republic, by the government, by either house of Parliament, or by public petition; agreement on the substance of a proposed bill requires absolute majority vote in both houses; passage requires a referendum only if both houses in joint meeting fail to achieve three-fifths majority vote; constitutional articles, including the form of government, universal suffrage, judicial independence, political pluralism, and personal freedoms, cannot be amended; amended 2011
Legal system: civil law system primarily based on Belgian law, but also customary and tribal law
International law organization participation: accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations; accepts ICCt jurisdiction
Citizenship: citizenship by birth: no

citizenship by descent only: at least one parent must be a citizen of the Democratic Republic of the Congo

dual citizenship recognized: no

residency requirement for naturalization: 5 years
Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal and compulsory
Executive branch: chief of state: President Felix TSHISEKEDI (since 24 January 2019)

head of government: Prime Minister Anatole Collinet MAKOSSO (since 12 May 2021); Deputy Prime Ministers Jose MAKILA, Leonard She OKITUNDU, Henri MOVA Sankanyi (since February 2018)

cabinet: Ministers of State appointed by the president

elections/appointments: president directly elected by simple majority vote for a 5-year term (eligible for a second term); election last held on 30 December 2018 (next to be held in December 2023); prime minister appointed by the president

election results: Felix TSHISEKEDI elected president; percent of vote - Felix TSHISEKEDI (UDPS) 38.6%, Martin FAYULU (Lamuka coalition) 34.8%, Emmanuel Ramazani SHADARY (PPRD) 23.9%, other 2.7%; note - election marred by serious voting irregularities
Legislative branch: description: bicameral Parliament or Parlement consists of:
Senate (109 seats; 109 members to include 108 indirectly elected by provincial assemblies by proportional representation vote to serve 5-year terms and a former president, appointed for life)

National Assembly (500 seats; 439 members directly elected in multi-seat constituencies by proportional representation vote and 61 directly elected in single-seat constituencies by simple majority vote; members serve 5-year terms)

elections: Senate - last held on 14 March 2019
National Assembly - last held on 30 December 2018 (first round), 31 March 2019 (second round)

election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - PPRD 22, MLC 14, FR 7, RCD 7, PDC 6, CDC 3, MSR 3, PALU 2, other 18, independent 26; composition as of 2022 - men 83, women 26, percent of women 23.9%
National Assembly - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - PPRD 62, UDPS 41, PPPD 29, MSR 27, MLC 22, PALU 19, UNC 17, ARC 16, AFDC 15, ECT 11, RRC 11, other 214 (includes numerous political parties that won 10 or fewer seats and 2 constituencies where voting was halted), independent 16; composition as of 2022 - men 436, women 64, percent of women  12.8%; total Parliament percent of women 14.8%
Judicial branch: highest courts: Court of Cassation or Cour de Cassation (consists of 26 justices and organized into legislative and judiciary sections); Constitutional Court (consists of 9 judges)

judge selection and term of office: Court of Cassation judges nominated by the Judicial Service Council, an independent body of public prosecutors and selected judges of the lower courts; judge tenure NA; Constitutional Court judges - 3 nominated by the president, 3 by the Judicial Service Council, and 3 by the legislature; judges appointed by the president to serve 9-year non-renewable terms with one-third of the membership renewed every 3 years

subordinate courts: State Security Court; Court of Appeals (organized into administrative and judiciary sections); Tribunal de Grande; magistrates' courts; customary courts
Political parties and leaders: Christian Democrat Party or PDC [Jose ENDUNDO]
Congolese Rally for Democracy or RCD [Azarias RUBERWA]
Convention of Christian Democrats or CDC
Engagement for Citizenship and Development or ECiDe [Martin FAYULU]
Forces of Renewal or FR [Mbusa NYAMWISI]
Lamuka coalition [Martin FAYULU] (includes ECiDe, MLC, Together for Change, CNB, and, Nouvel Elan)
Movement for the Liberation of the Congo or MLC [Jean-Pierre BEMBA]
Nouvel Elan [Adolphe MUZITO]
Our Congo or CNB ("Congo Na Biso") [Freddy MATUNGULU]
People's Party for Reconstruction and Democracy or PPRD [Henri MOVA Sakanyi]
Social Movement for Renewal or MSR [Pierre LUMBI]
Together for Change (Ensemble") [Moise KATUMBI]
Unified Lumumbist Party or PALU [Antoine GIZENGA]
Union for the Congolese Nation or UNC [Vital KAMERHE]
Union for Democracy and Social Progress or UDPS [Felix TSHISEKEDI]
International organization participation: ACP, AfDB, AU, CEMAC, CEPGL, COMESA, EITI (compliant country), FAO, G-24, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (NGOs), ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), LCBC (observer), MIGA, NAM, OIF, OPCW, PCA, SADC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Marie-Hélène MATHEY-BOO (since 6 June 2022)

chancery: 1100 Connecticut Avenue NW, Suite 725, Washington DC 20036

telephone: [1] (202) 234-7690; [1] (202) 234-7691

FAX: [1] (202) 234-2609

email address and website:
https://www.ambardcusa.org/

representative office: New York
Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Michael A. HAMMER (since 22 December 2018)

embassy: 310 Avenue des Aviateurs, Kinshasa, Gombe

mailing address: 2220 Kinshasa Place, Washington DC  20521-2220

telephone: [243] 081 556-0151

FAX: [243] 81 556-0175

email address and website:
ACSKinshasa@state.gov

https://cd.usembassy.gov/
Flag description: sky blue field divided diagonally from the lower hoist corner to upper fly corner by a red stripe bordered by two narrow yellow stripes; a yellow, five-pointed star appears in the upper hoist corner; blue represents peace and hope, red the blood of the country's martyrs, and yellow the country's wealth and prosperity; the star symbolizes unity and the brilliant future for the country
National symbol(s): leopard; national colors: sky blue, red, yellow
National anthem: name: "Debout Congolaise" (Arise Congolese)

lyrics/music: Joseph LUTUMBA/Simon-Pierre BOKA di Mpasi Londi

note: adopted 1960; replaced when the country was known as Zaire; but readopted in 1997
National heritage: total World Heritage Sites: 5 (all natural)

selected World Heritage Site locales: Garamba National Park, Kahuzi-Biega National Park, Okapi Wildlife Reserve, Salonga National Park, Virunga National Park

Topic: Economy
Economic overview: The economy of the Democratic Republic of the Congo - a nation endowed with vast natural resource wealth - continues to perform poorly. Systemic corruption since independence in 1960, combined with countrywide instability and intermittent conflict that began in the early-90s, has reduced national output and government revenue, and increased external debt. With the installation of a transitional government in 2003 after peace accords, economic conditions slowly began to improve as the government reopened relations with international financial institutions and international donors, and President KABILA began implementing reforms. Progress on implementing substantive economic reforms remains slow because of political instability, bureaucratic inefficiency, corruption, and patronage, which also dampen international investment prospects.   Renewed activity in the mining sector, the source of most export income, boosted Kinshasa's fiscal position and GDP growth until 2015, but low commodity prices have led to slower growth, volatile inflation, currency depreciation, and a growing fiscal deficit. An uncertain legal framework, corruption, and a lack of transparency in government policy are long-term problems for the large mining sector and for the economy as a whole. Much economic activity still occurs in the informal sector and is not reflected in GDP data.   Poverty remains widespread in DRC, and the country failed to meet any Millennium Development Goals by 2015. DRC also concluded its program with the IMF in 2015. The price of copper – the DRC’s primary export - plummeted in 2015 and remained at record lows during 2016-17, reducing government revenues, expenditures, and foreign exchange reserves, while inflation reached nearly 50% in mid-2017 – its highest level since the early 2000s.The economy of the Democratic Republic of the Congo - a nation endowed with vast natural resource wealth - continues to perform poorly. Systemic corruption since independence in 1960, combined with countrywide instability and intermittent conflict that began in the early-90s, has reduced national output and government revenue, and increased external debt. With the installation of a transitional government in 2003 after peace accords, economic conditions slowly began to improve as the government reopened relations with international financial institutions and international donors, and President KABILA began implementing reforms. Progress on implementing substantive economic reforms remains slow because of political instability, bureaucratic inefficiency, corruption, and patronage, which also dampen international investment prospects. Renewed activity in the mining sector, the source of most export income, boosted Kinshasa's fiscal position and GDP growth until 2015, but low commodity prices have led to slower growth, volatile inflation, currency depreciation, and a growing fiscal deficit. An uncertain legal framework, corruption, and a lack of transparency in government policy are long-term problems for the large mining sector and for the economy as a whole. Much economic activity still occurs in the informal sector and is not reflected in GDP data. Poverty remains widespread in DRC, and the country failed to meet any Millennium Development Goals by 2015. DRC also concluded its program with the IMF in 2015. The price of copper – the DRC’s primary export - plummeted in 2015 and remained at record lows during 2016-17, reducing government revenues, expenditures, and foreign exchange reserves, while inflation reached nearly 50% in mid-2017 – its highest level since the early 2000s.
Real GDP (purchasing power parity): $96.03 billion (2020 est.)

$95.29 billion (2019 est.)

$91.29 billion (2018 est.)

note: data are in 2017 dollars
Real GDP growth rate: 3.4% (2017 est.)

2.4% (2016 est.)

6.9% (2015 est.)
Real GDP per capita: $1,100 (2020 est.)

$1,100 (2019 est.)

$1,100 (2018 est.)

note: data are in 2017 dollars
GDP (official exchange rate): $47.16 billion (2019 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices): 41.5% (2017 est.)

18.2% (2016 est.)
Credit ratings: Moody's rating: Caa1 (2019)

Standard & Poors rating: CCC+ (2017)
GDP - composition, by sector of origin: agriculture: 19.7% (2017 est.)

industry: 43.6% (2017 est.)

services: 36.7% (2017 est.)
GDP - composition, by end use: household consumption: 78.5% (2017 est.)

government consumption: 12.7% (2017 est.)

investment in fixed capital: 15.9% (2017 est.)

investment in inventories: 0% (2017 est.)

exports of goods and services: 25.7% (2017 est.)

imports of goods and services: -32.8% (2017 est.)
Agricultural products: cassava, plantains, sugar cane, maize, oil palm fruit, rice, roots/tubers nes, bananas, sweet potatoes, groundnuts
Industries: mining (copper, cobalt, gold, diamonds, coltan, zinc, tin, tungsten), mineral processing, consumer products (textiles, plastics, footwear, cigarettes), metal products, processed foods and beverages, timber, cement, commercial ship repair
Industrial production growth rate: 1.6% (2017 est.)
Labor force: 20.692 million (2012 est.)
Labor force - by occupation: agriculture: NA

industry: NA

services: NA
Unemployment rate: NANA
Unemployment, youth ages 15-24: total: 8.7%

male: 11.3%

female: 6.8% (2012 est.)
Population below poverty line: 63% (2014 est.)
Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income: 42.1 (2012 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 2.3%

highest 10%: 34.7% (2006)
Budget: revenues: 4.634 billion (2017 est.)

expenditures: 5.009 billion (2017 est.)
Budget surplus (+) or deficit (-): -0.9% (of GDP) (2017 est.)
Public debt: 18.1% of GDP (2017 est.)

19.3% of GDP (2016 est.)
Taxes and other revenues: 11.2% (of GDP) (2017 est.)
Fiscal year: calendar year
Current account balance: -$200 million (2017 est.)

-$1.215 billion (2016 est.)
Exports: $13.93 billion (2020 est.) note: data are in current year dollars

$15.17 billion (2019 est.) note: data are in current year dollars

$16.08 billion (2018 est.) note: data are in current year dollars
Exports - partners: China 53%, United Arab Emirates 11%, Saudi Arabia 6%, South Korea 5% (2019)
Exports - commodities: copper, cobalt, crude petroleum, diamonds (2019)
Imports: $14.56 billion (2020 est.) note: data are in current year dollars

$16.89 billion (2019 est.) note: data are in current year dollars

$17.77 billion (2018 est.) note: data are in current year dollars
Imports - partners: China 29%, South Africa 15%, Zambia 12%, Rwanda 5%, Belgium 5%, India 5% (2019)
Imports - commodities: packaged medicines, refined petroleum, sulfuric acid, stone processing machines, delivery trucks (2019)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: $457.5 million (31 December 2017 est.)

$708.2 million (31 December 2016 est.)
Debt - external: $4.963 billion (31 December 2017 est.)

$5.35 billion (31 December 2016 est.)
Exchange rates: Congolese francs (CDF) per US dollar -

1,546.8 (2017 est.)

1,010.3 (2016 est.)

1,010.3 (2015 est.)

925.99 (2014 est.)

925.23 (2013 est.)

Topic: Energy
Electricity access: electrification - total population: 9% (2019)

electrification - urban areas: 19% (2019)

electrification - rural areas: 0.4% (2019)
Electricity - production: 9.046 billion kWh (2016 est.)
Electricity - consumption: 7.43 billion kWh (2016 est.)
Electricity - exports: 422 million kWh (2015 est.)
Electricity - imports: 20 million kWh (2016 est.)
Electricity - installed generating capacity: 2.587 million kW (2016 est.)
Electricity - from fossil fuels: 2% of total installed capacity (2016 est.)
Electricity - from nuclear fuels: 0% of total installed capacity (2017 est.)
Electricity - from hydroelectric plants: 98% of total installed capacity (2017 est.)
Electricity - from other renewable sources: 0% of total installed capacity (2017 est.)
Crude oil - production: 17,000 bbl/day (2018 est.)
Crude oil - exports: 20,000 bbl/day (2015 est.)
Crude oil - imports: 0 bbl/day (2015 est.)
Crude oil - proved reserves: 180 million bbl (1 January 2018 est.)
Refined petroleum products - production: 0 bbl/day (2017 est.)
Refined petroleum products - consumption: 21,000 bbl/day (2016 est.)
Refined petroleum products - exports: 0 bbl/day (2015 est.)
Refined petroleum products - imports: 21,140 bbl/day (2015 est.)
Natural gas - production: 0 cu m (2017 est.)
Natural gas - consumption: 0 cu m (2017 est.)
Natural gas - exports: 0 cu m (2017 est.)
Natural gas - imports: 0 cu m (2017 est.)
Natural gas - proved reserves: 991.1 million cu m (1 January 2018 est.)

Topic: Communications
Telephones - mobile cellular: total subscriptions: 40,798,396 (2020 est.)

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 46 (2020 est.)
Telecommunication systems: general assessment: the telecom system remains one of the least developed in the region; the government can only loosely regulate the sector, and since the national telco SCPT has little capital to invest, much of the investment made in infrastructure is derived from donor countries or from the efforts of foreign (particularly Chinese) companies and banks; efforts have been made to improve the regulation of the telecom sector; the limited fixed-line infrastructure has become the principal providers of basic telecom services; the development of the DRC’s internet and broadband market has been held back by the poorly developed national and international infrastructure; the country was finally connected to international bandwidth through the WACS submarine cable in 2013, while SCPT continues to roll out a fiber national backbone network with support from China; breakages in the WACS cable have exposed the vulnerability of international bandwidth, which is still limited; Liquid Intelligence Technologies has built a landing station for the Equiano submarine cable, and has also completed a 5,000km cable running through the DRC to link to cable systems landing in countries facing the Atlantic and Indian Oceans; the first commercial LTE networks were launched in May 2018 soon after LTE licenses were issued; mobile operators are keen to develop mobile data services, capitalizing on the growth of smartphones usage; there has been some progress with updating technologies, with Vodacom DRC having upgraded much of its GSM network to 3G by late 2021.  (2022)

domestic: inadequate fixed-line infrastructure with fixed-line connections less than 1 per 100 persons; mobile-cellular subscriptions over 45 per 100 persons (2019)

international: country code - 243; ACE and WACS submarine cables to West and South Africa and Europe; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) (2019)

note: the COVID-19 pandemic continues to have a significant impact on production and supply chains globally; since 2020, some aspects of the telecom sector have experienced downturn, particularly in mobile device production; many network operators delayed upgrades to infrastructure; progress towards 5G implementation was postponed or slowed in some countries; consumer spending on telecom services and devices was affected by large-scale job losses and the consequent restriction on disposable incomes; the crucial nature of telecom services as a tool for work and school from home became evident, and received some support from governments
Broadcast media: state-owned TV broadcast station with near national coverage; more than a dozen privately owned TV stations - 2 with near national coverage; 2 state-owned radio stations are supplemented by more than 100 private radio stations; transmissions of at least 2 international broadcasters are available
Internet country code: .cd
Internet users: total: 12,538,597 (2020 est.)

percent of population: 14% (2020 est.)
Broadband - fixed subscriptions: total: 31,000 (2020 est.)

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 0.03 (2020 est.) less than 1

Topic: Transportation
National air transport system: number of registered air carriers: 8 (2020)

inventory of registered aircraft operated by air carriers: 13

annual passenger traffic on registered air carriers: 932,043 (2018)

annual freight traffic on registered air carriers: 890,000 (2018) mt-km
Civil aircraft registration country code prefix: 9Q
Airports: total: 198 (2021)
Airports - with paved runways: total: 26

over 3,047 m: 3

2,438 to 3,047 m: 3

1,524 to 2,437 m: 17

914 to 1,523 m: 2

under 914 m: 1 (2021)
Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 172

1,524 to 2,437 m: 20

914 to 1,523 m: 87

under 914 m: 65 (2021)
Heliports: 1 (2021)
Pipelines: 62 km gas, 77 km oil, 756 km refined products (2013)
Railways: total: 4,007 km (2014)

narrow gauge: 3,882 km (2014) 1.067-m gauge (858 km electrified)

125 1.000-m gauge
Roadways: total: 152,373 km (2015)

paved: 3,047 km (2015)

unpaved: 149,326 km (2015)

urban: 7,400 km (2015)

non-urban: 144,973 km
Waterways: 15,000 km (2011) (including the Congo River, its tributaries, and unconnected lakes)
Merchant marine: total: 22

by type: general cargo 4, oil tanker 2, other 16 (2021)
Ports and terminals: major seaport(s): Banana

river or lake port(s): Boma, Bumba, Kinshasa, Kisangani, Matadi, Mbandaka (Congo); Kindu (Lualaba); Bukavu, Goma (Lake Kivu); Kalemie (Lake Tanganyika)

Topic: Military and Security
Military and security forces: Armed Forces of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (Forces d'Armees de la Republique Democratique du Congo, FARDC): Land Forces, National Navy (La Marine Nationale), Congolese Air Force (Force Aerienne Congolaise, FAC); Republican Guard; Ministry of Interior: Congolese National Police, Directorate General for Migration (2022)

note - the Republican Guard is a division-size element consisting of approximately 5 regiments; it is regarded as the country’s best equipped and trained military unit and is under the direct control of the president
Military expenditures: 0.7% of GDP (2020 est.)

0.9% of GDP (2019 est.) (approximately $570 million)

0.8% of GDP (2018 est.) (approximately $520 million)

0.9% of GDP (2017 est.) (approximately $550 million)

1.3% of GDP (2016 est.) (approximately $650 million)
Military and security service personnel strengths: limited and widely varied information; approximately 100,000 active troops (mostly Army, but includes several thousand Navy and Air Force personnel, as well as about 10,000 Republican Guard; note -  Navy personnel includes naval infantry) (2021)
Military equipment inventories and acquisitions: the FARDC is equipped mostly with a mix of second-hand Russian and Soviet-era weapons acquired from former Warsaw Pact nations; most equipment was acquired between 1970 and 2000; in recent years, Ukraine is the largest supplier of arms to the FARDC (2021)
Military service age and obligation: 18-45 years of age for voluntary (men and women) and compulsory (men only) military service; unclear how much conscription is used (2021)
Military - note: the modern FARDC was created out of the armed factions of the two Congo wars of 1996-1997 and 1998-2003; as part of the peace accords that ended the last war, the largest rebel groups were incorporated into the FARDC; many armed groups, however, continue to fight (note - there are over 100 illegal armed groups in the country by some estimates); as of 2022, the FARDC was actively engaged in combat operations against numerous armed groups inside the country, particularly in the eastern provinces of Ituri, North Kivu, and South Kivu, although violence also continues in Maniema, Kasai, Kasai Central, and Tanganyika provinces; the military is widely assessed as being unable to provide adequate security throughout the country due to insufficient training, poor morale and leadership, ill-discipline and corruption, low equipment readiness, a fractious ethnic makeup, and the sheer size of the country and diversity of armed rebel groups

 MONUSCO, the United Nations peacekeeping and stabilization force in the Democratic Republic of Congo, has operated in the central and eastern parts of the country since 1999; as of February 2022, MONUSCO had around 15,000 personnel; MONUSCO includes a Force Intervention Brigade (FIB; 3 infantry battalions, plus artillery and special forces), the first ever UN peacekeeping force specifically tasked to carry out targeted offensive operations to neutralize and disarm groups considered a threat to state authority and civilian securitythe modern FARDC was created out of the armed factions of the two Congo wars of 1996-1997 and 1998-2003; as part of the peace accords that ended the last war, the largest rebel groups were incorporated into the FARDC; many armed groups, however, continue to fight (note - there are over 100 illegal armed groups in the country by some estimates); as of 2022, the FARDC was actively engaged in combat operations against numerous armed groups inside the country, particularly in the eastern provinces of Ituri, North Kivu, and South Kivu, although violence also continues in Maniema, Kasai, Kasai Central, and Tanganyika provinces; the military is widely assessed as being unable to provide adequate security throughout the country due to insufficient training, poor morale and leadership, ill-discipline and corruption, low equipment readiness, a fractious ethnic makeup, and the sheer size of the country and diversity of armed rebel groups

Topic: Terrorism
Terrorist group(s): Islamic State of Iraq and ash-Sham – Democratic Republic of the Congo (ISIS-DRC)

note: details about the history, aims, leadership, organization, areas of operation, tactics, targets, weapons, size, and sources of support of the group(s) appear(s) in Appendix-T

Topic: Transnational Issues
Disputes - international: heads of the Great Lakes states and UN pledged in 2004 to abate tribal, rebel, and militia fighting in the region, including northeast Congo, where the UN Organization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (MONUC), organized in 1999, maintains over 16,500 uniformed peacekeepers

Democratic Republic of Congo(DRC)-Republic of the Congo: the location of the boundary in the broad Congo River is indefinite except in the Pool Malebo/Stanley Pool area

Democratic Republic of Congo(DRC)-Uganda: Uganda rejects the DRC claim to Margherita Peak in the Rwenzori mountains and considers it a boundary divide; there is tension and violence on Lake Albert over prospective oil reserves at the mouth of the Semliki River

Democratic Republic of Congo(DRC)-Zambia: boundary commission continues discussions over Congolese-administered triangle of land on the right bank of the Lunkinda River claimed by Zambia near the DRC village of Pweto

Democratic Republic of Congo(DRC)-Angola: DRC accuses Angola of shifting monumentsheads of the Great Lakes states and UN pledged in 2004 to abate tribal, rebel, and militia fighting in the region, including northeast Congo, where the UN Organization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (MONUC), organized in 1999, maintains over 16,500 uniformed peacekeepers

Democratic Republic of Congo(DRC)-Republic of the Congo: the location of the boundary in the broad Congo River is indefinite except in the Pool Malebo/Stanley Pool area

Democratic Republic of Congo(DRC)-Uganda: Uganda rejects the DRC claim to Margherita Peak in the Rwenzori mountains and considers it a boundary divide; there is tension and violence on Lake Albert over prospective oil reserves at the mouth of the Semliki River

Democratic Republic of Congo(DRC)-Zambia: boundary commission continues discussions over Congolese-administered triangle of land on the right bank of the Lunkinda River claimed by Zambia near the DRC village of Pweto

Democratic Republic of Congo(DRC)-Angola: DRC accuses Angola of shifting monuments
Refugees and internally displaced persons: refugees (country of origin): 210,094 (Rwanda), 209,495 (Central African Republic), 56,303 (South Sudan) (refugees and asylum seekers), 41,286 (Burundi) (2022)

IDPs: 5.61 million (fighting between government forces and rebels since mid-1990s; conflict in Kasai region since 2016) (2021)
Trafficking in persons: current situation: human traffickers exploit domestic and foreign victims in Democratic Republic of the Congo and Congolese abroad; most trafficking is internal and involves the forced labor of men, women, and children in artisanal mining, agriculture, domestic servitude, sex trafficking, or child recruitment by armed groups; some traffickers are family members or others who promise victims or victims’ families educational or job opportunities and instead force victims to work as domestic servants, street vendors, gang members, or in commercial sex; some Congolese women and girls who migrate to other countries in Africa or the Middle East are exploited in sex trafficking or forced labor in agriculture, diamond mines, or domestic service; they may be fraudulently recruited by traffickers with false promises of jobs or education

tier rating: Tier 2 Watch List — The Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) does not fully meet the minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking but is making significant efforts to do so; the DRC was upgraded to Tier 2 Watch List because of several accomplishments; the government drafted and launched its first national anti-trafficking action plan; authorities increased law enforcement efforts, including investigating and prosecuting more trafficking crimes; a number of traffickers were convicted, including a high-ranking army officer and the leader of an armed group; however, authorities continued to lack standard operating procedures for identifying victims and referring them to care; there were credible allegations that the army abducted women and girls for sexual slavery and recruited and used child soldiers (2020)Tier 2 Watch List — The Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) does not fully meet the minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking but is making significant efforts to do so; the DRC was upgraded to Tier 2 Watch List because of several accomplishments; the government drafted and launched its first national anti-trafficking action plan; authorities increased law enforcement efforts, including investigating and prosecuting more trafficking crimes; a number of traffickers were convicted, including a high-ranking army officer and the leader of an armed group; however, authorities continued to lack standard operating procedures for identifying victims and referring them to care; there were credible allegations that the army abducted women and girls for sexual slavery and recruited and used child soldiers (2020)
Illicit drugs: country of origin of methamphetamine destined for overseas markets


Topic: Introduction
Background: Beginning in the 16th century, Portugal established coastal colonies and trading posts and introduced Christianity. Angola gained independence from Portugal in 1975. A 27-year civil war ended in 2002.Beginning in the 16th century, Portugal established coastal colonies and trading posts and introduced Christianity. Angola gained independence from Portugal in 1975. A 27-year civil war ended in 2002.

Topic: Geography
Area: total: 1,246,700 sq km

land: 1,246,700 sq km

water: 0 sq km
Climate: semiarid in south and along coast to Luanda; north has cool, dry season (May to October) and hot, rainy season (November to April)
Natural resources: petroleum, diamonds, iron ore, phosphates, copper, feldspar, gold, bauxite, uranium

Topic: People and Society
Population: 34,795,287 (2022 est.)
Ethnic groups: Ovimbundu 37%, Kimbundu 25%, Bakongo 13%, mestico (mixed European and native African) 2%, European 1%, other 22%
Languages: Portuguese 71.2% (official), Umbundu 23%, Kikongo 8.2%, Kimbundu 7.8%, Chokwe 6.5%, Nhaneca 3.4%, Nganguela 3.1%, Fiote 2.4%, Kwanhama 2.3%, Muhumbi 2.1%, Luvale 1%, other 3.6%; note - data represent most widely spoken languages; shares sum to more than 100% because some respondents gave more than one answer on the census (2014 est.)
Religions: Roman Catholic 41.1%, Protestant 38.1%, other 8.6%, none 12.3% (2014 est.)
Population growth rate: 3.36% (2022 est.)

Topic: Government
Government type: presidential republic
Capital: name: Luanda
Executive branch: chief of state: President Joao Manuel Goncalves LOURENCO (since 26 September 2017); Vice President Bornito De Sousa Baltazar DIOGO (since 26 September 2017); note - the president is both chief of state and head of government

head of government: President Joao Manuel Goncalves LOURENCO (since 26 September 2017); Vice President Bornito De Sousa Baltazar DIOGO (since 26 September 2017)
Legislative branch: description: unicameral National Assembly or Assembleia Nacional (220 seats; members directly elected in a single national constituency and in multi-seat constituencies by closed list proportional representation vote; members serve 5-year terms)

Topic: Economy
Economic overview: African oil leader and OPEC member; fairly stable currency; widespread poverty; emerging African finance and investment capital; systemic public corruption and lack of oversight; massive foreign direct investment recipientAfrican oil leader and OPEC member; fairly stable currency; widespread poverty; emerging African finance and investment capital; systemic public corruption and lack of oversight; massive foreign direct investment recipient
Real GDP (purchasing power parity): $203.71 billion (2020 est.)
Real GDP per capita: $6,200 (2020 est.)
Agricultural products: cassava, bananas, maize, sweet potatoes, pineapples, sugar cane, potatoes, citrus fruit, vegetables, cabbage
Industries: petroleum; diamonds, iron ore, phosphates, feldspar, bauxite, uranium, and gold; cement; basic metal products; fish processing; food processing, brewing, tobacco products, sugar; textiles; ship repair
Exports: $21 billion (2020 est.)
Exports - partners: China 62%, India 10%, United Arab Emirates 4%, Portugal 3%, Spain 3% (2019)
Exports - commodities: crude petroleum, diamonds, natural gas, refined petroleum, ships (2019)
Imports: $15.12 billion (2020 est.)
Imports - partners: China 22%, Portugal 15%, Nigeria 6%, Belgium 6%, United States 5%, South Africa 5%, Brazil 5% (2019)
Imports - commodities: refined petroleum, scrap vessels, meat, rice, palm oil (2019)Page last updated: Thursday, May 12, 2022