

Topic: Photos of Congo, Republic of the

Topic: Introduction
Background: Upon independence in 1960, the former French region of Middle Congo became the Republic of the Congo. A quarter century of experimentation with Marxism was abandoned in 1990 and a democratically elected government took office in 1992. A two-year civil war that ended in 1999 restored former Marxist President Denis SASSOU-Nguesso, who had ruled from 1979 to 1992, and sparked a short period of ethnic and political unrest that was resolved by a peace agreement in late 1999. A new constitution adopted three years later provided for a multi-party system and a seven-year presidential term, and elections arranged shortly thereafter installed SASSOU-Nguesso. Following a year of renewed fighting, President SASSOU-Nguesso and southern-based rebel groups agreed to a final peace accord in March 2003. SASSOU-Nguesso was reeelected in 2009 and, after passing a referendum allowing him to run for a third term, was reelected again in 2016. The Republic of Congo is one of Africa's largest petroleum producers, but with declining production it will need new offshore oil finds to sustain its oil earnings over the long term.Visit the Definitions and Notes page to view a description of each topic.

Topic: Geography
Location: Central Africa, bordering the South Atlantic Ocean, between Angola and Gabon
Geographic coordinates: 1 00 S, 15 00 E
Map references: Africa
Area: total: 342,000 sq km

land: 341,500 sq km

water: 500 sq km
Area - comparative: slightly smaller than Montana; about twice the size of Florida
Land boundaries: total: 5,554 km

border countries (5): Angola 231 km; Cameroon 494 km; Central African Republic 487 km; Democratic Republic of the Congo 1,775 km; Gabon 2,567 km
Coastline: 169 km
Maritime claims: territorial sea: 12 nm

contiguous zone: 24 nm

exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
Climate: tropical; rainy season (March to June); dry season (June to October); persistent high temperatures and humidity; particularly enervating climate astride the Equator
Terrain: coastal plain, southern basin, central plateau, northern basin
Elevation: highest point: Mont Nabeba 1,020 m
note - the Factbook map is incorrect; it shows the wrong high elevation

lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m

mean elevation: 430 m
Natural resources: petroleum, timber, potash, lead, zinc, uranium, copper, phosphates, gold, magnesium, natural gas, hydropower
Land use: agricultural land: 31.1% (2018 est.)

arable land: 1.6% (2018 est.)

permanent crops: 0.2% (2018 est.)

permanent pasture: 29.3% (2018 est.)

forest: 65.6% (2018 est.)

other: 3.3% (2018 est.)
Irrigated land: 20 sq km (2012)
Major rivers (by length in km): Ubangi (shared with Central African Republic [s] and Democratic Republic of Congo [m]) - 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)
Major aquifers: Congo Basin
Population distribution: the population is primarily located in the south, in and around the capital of Brazzaville as shown in this population distribution map
Natural hazards: seasonal flooding
Geography - note: about 70% of the population lives in Brazzaville, Pointe-Noire, or along the railroad between them
Map description: Republic of the Congo map showing major cities as well as parts of surrounding countries and the South Atlantic Ocean.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: 5,546,307 (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: Kongo 40.5%, Teke 16.9%, Mbochi 13.1%, foreigner 8.2%, Sangha 5.6%, Mbere/Mbeti/Kele 4.4%, Punu 4.3%, Pygmy 1.6%, Oubanguiens 1.6%, Duma 1.5%, Makaa 1.3%, other and unspecified 1% (2014-15 est.)
Languages: French (official), French Lingala and Monokutuba (lingua franca trade languages), many local languages and dialects (of which Kikongo is the most widespread)

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 33.1%, Awakening Churches/Christian Revival 22.3%, Protestant 19.9%, Salutiste 2.2%, Muslim 1.6%, Kimbanguiste 1.5%, other 8.1%, none 11.3% (2007 est.)
Demographic profile: The Republic of the Congo is one of the most urbanized countries in Africa, with nearly 70% of Congolese living in urban areas.  The population is concentrated in the southwest of the country, mainly in the capital Brazzaville, Pointe-Noire, and along the railway line that connects the two.  The tropical jungles in the north of the country are sparsely populated.  Most Congolese are Bantu, and most belong to one of four main ethnic groups, the Kongo, Teke, Mbochi, and Sangha, which consist of over 70 subgroups. The Republic of Congo is in the early stages of a demographic transition, whereby a population shifts from high fertility and mortality rates to low fertility and mortality rates associated with industrialized societies.  Its total fertility rate (TFR), the average number of children born per woman, remains high at 4.4.  While its TFR has steadily decreased, the progress slowed beginning in about 1995.  The slowdown in fertility reduction has delayed the demographic transition and Congo’s potential to reap a demographic dividend, the economic boost that can occur when the share of the working-age population is larger than the dependent age groups.  The TFR differs significantly between urban and rural areas – 3.7 in urban areas versus 6.5 in rural areas.  The TFR also varies among regions.  The urban regions of Brazzaville and Pointe-Noire have much lower TFRs than other regions, which are predominantly or completely rural.  The gap between desired fertility and actual fertility is also greatest in rural areas.  Rural families may have more children to contribute to agricultural production and/or due to a lack of information about and access to contraception.  Urban families may prefer to have fewer children because raising them is more expensive and balancing work and childcare may be more difficult.  The number of births among teenage girls, the frequency of giving birth before the age of fifteen, and a lack of education are the most likely reasons for higher TFRs in rural areas.  Although 90% of school-age children are enrolled in primary school, repetition and dropout rates are high and the quality of education is poor.  Congolese women with no or little education start having children earlier and have more children in total than those with at least some secondary education.  The Republic of the Congo is one of the most urbanized countries in Africa, with nearly 70% of Congolese living in urban areas.  The population is concentrated in the southwest of the country, mainly in the capital Brazzaville, Pointe-Noire, and along the railway line that connects the two.  The tropical jungles in the north of the country are sparsely populated.  Most Congolese are Bantu, and most belong to one of four main ethnic groups, the Kongo, Teke, Mbochi, and Sangha, which consist of over 70 subgroups.The Republic of Congo is in the early stages of a demographic transition, whereby a population shifts from high fertility and mortality rates to low fertility and mortality rates associated with industrialized societies.  Its total fertility rate (TFR), the average number of children born per woman, remains high at 4.4.  While its TFR has steadily decreased, the progress slowed beginning in about 1995.  The slowdown in fertility reduction has delayed the demographic transition and Congo’s potential to reap a demographic dividend, the economic boost that can occur when the share of the working-age population is larger than the dependent age groups. The TFR differs significantly between urban and rural areas – 3.7 in urban areas versus 6.5 in rural areas.  The TFR also varies among regions.  The urban regions of Brazzaville and Pointe-Noire have much lower TFRs than other regions, which are predominantly or completely rural.  The gap between desired fertility and actual fertility is also greatest in rural areas.  Rural families may have more children to contribute to agricultural production and/or due to a lack of information about and access to contraception.  Urban families may prefer to have fewer children because raising them is more expensive and balancing work and childcare may be more difficult.  The number of births among teenage girls, the frequency of giving birth before the age of fifteen, and a lack of education are the most likely reasons for higher TFRs in rural areas.  Although 90% of school-age children are enrolled in primary school, repetition and dropout rates are high and the quality of education is poor.  Congolese women with no or little education start having children earlier and have more children in total than those with at least some secondary education. 
Age structure: 0-14 years: 41.57% (male 1,110,484/female 1,089,732)

15-24 years: 17.14% (male 454,981/female 452,204)

25-54 years: 33.5% (male 886,743/female 886,312)

55-64 years: 4.59% (male 125,207/female 117,810)

65 years and over: 3.2% (2020 est.) (male 75,921/female 93,676)
Dependency ratios: total dependency ratio: 78.7

youth dependency ratio: 73.7

elderly dependency ratio: 4.9

potential support ratio: 20.3 (2020 est.)
Median age: total: 19.5 years

male: 19.3 years

female: 19.7 years (2020 est.)
Population growth rate: 2.34% (2022 est.)
Birth rate: 31.82 births/1,000 population (2022 est.)
Death rate: 8.38 deaths/1,000 population (2022 est.)
Net migration rate: 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2022 est.)
Population distribution: the population is primarily located in the south, in and around the capital of Brazzaville as shown in this population distribution map
Urbanization: urban population: 68.7% of total population (2022)

rate of urbanization: 3.19% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)
Major urban areas - population: 2.553 million BRAZZAVILLE (capital), 1.295 million Pointe-Noire (2022)
Sex ratio: at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female

0-14 years: 1.02 male(s)/female

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

25-54 years: 1.01 male(s)/female

55-64 years: 1.08 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.66 male(s)/female

total population: 1.01 male(s)/female (2022 est.)
Mother's mean age at first birth: 19.8 years (2011/12 est.)

note: median age at first birth among women 25-29
Maternal mortality ratio: 378 deaths/100,000 live births (2017 est.)
Infant mortality rate: total: 47.93 deaths/1,000 live births

male: 52.39 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 43.34 deaths/1,000 live births (2022 est.)
Life expectancy at birth: total population: 62.1 years

male: 60.65 years

female: 63.61 years (2022 est.)
Total fertility rate: 4.36 children born/woman (2022 est.)
Contraceptive prevalence rate: 30.1% (2014/15)
Drinking water source: improved: urban: 97.5% of population

rural: 56.4% of population

total: 84.2% of population

unimproved: urban: 2.5% of population

rural: 43.6% of population

total: 15.8% of population (2020 est.)
Current Health Expenditure: 2.1% (2019)
Physicians density: 0.17 physicians/1,000 population (2011)
Sanitation facility access: improved: urban: 73.4% of population

rural: 15.1% of population

total: 54.7% of population

unimproved: urban: 26.6% of population

rural: 84.9% of population

total: 45.3% of population (2020 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: 3.3% (2020 est.)
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: 110,000 (2020 est.)
HIV/AIDS - deaths: 6,100 (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 and dengue fever

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 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, 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: 9.6% (2016)
Children under the age of 5 years underweight: 12.3% (2014/15)
Child marriage: women married by age 15: 8.4% (2018)

women married by age 18: 29.1% (2018)

men married by age 18: 5.6% (2018 est.)
Education expenditures: 3.9% of GDP (2019)
Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 80.3%

male: 86.1%

female: 74.6% (2018)
School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education): total: 11 years

male: 11 years

female: 11 years (2012)

Topic: Environment
Environment - current issues: air pollution from vehicle emissions; water pollution from raw sewage; tap water is not potable; deforestation; wildlife protection
Environment - international agreements: party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping-London Protocol, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 2006, Wetlands

signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
Air pollutants: particulate matter emissions: 38.67 micrograms per cubic meter (2016 est.)

carbon dioxide emissions: 3.28 megatons (2016 est.)

methane emissions: 2.24 megatons (2020 est.)
Climate: tropical; rainy season (March to June); dry season (June to October); persistent high temperatures and humidity; particularly enervating climate astride the Equator
Land use: agricultural land: 31.1% (2018 est.)

arable land: 1.6% (2018 est.)

permanent crops: 0.2% (2018 est.)

permanent pasture: 29.3% (2018 est.)

forest: 65.6% (2018 est.)

other: 3.3% (2018 est.)
Urbanization: urban population: 68.7% of total population (2022)

rate of urbanization: 3.19% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)
Revenue from forest resources: forest revenues: 3.17% 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 and dengue fever

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 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, CDC recommends that adults who previously completed the full, routine polio vaccine series receive a single, lifetime booster dose of polio vaccine
Food insecurity: severe localized food insecurity: due to floods - on 29 November 2021, a state of emergency was declared due to floods in northern areas that caused crop and livestock losses, and displaced people, particularly in Likouala, Sangha, Cuvette and Plateaux departments; it is estimated that about 71,700 people have been affected, (2022)
Waste and recycling: municipal solid waste generated annually: 451,200 tons (1993 est.)

municipal solid waste recycled annually: 118,214 tons (2005 est.)

percent of municipal solid waste recycled: 26.2% (2005 est.)
Major rivers (by length in km): Ubangi (shared with Central African Republic [s] and Democratic Republic of Congo [m]) - 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)
Major aquifers: Congo Basin
Total water withdrawal: municipal: 63.7 million cubic meters (2017 est.)

industrial: 24 million cubic meters (2017 est.)

agricultural: 4 million cubic meters (2017 est.)
Total renewable water resources: 832 billion cubic meters (2017 est.)

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

conventional short form: Congo (Brazzaville)

local long form: Republique du Congo

local short form: Congo

former: French Congo, Middle Congo, People's Republic of the Congo, Congo/Brazzaville

etymology: named for the Congo River, which makes up much of the country's eastern border; 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: presidential republic
Capital: name: Brazzaville

geographic coordinates: 4 15 S, 15 17 E

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

etymology: named after the Italian-born French explorer and humanitarian, Pierre Savorgnan de BRAZZA (1852-1905), who promoted French colonial interests in central Africa and worked against slavery and the abuse of African laborers
Administrative divisions: 12 departments (departments, singular - department); Bouenza, Brazzaville, Cuvette, Cuvette-Ouest, Kouilou, Lekoumou, Likouala, Niari, Plateaux, Pointe-Noire, Pool, Sangha
Independence: 15 August 1960 (from France)
National holiday: Independence Day, 15 August (1960)
Constitution: history: several previous; latest approved by referendum 25 October 2015

amendments: proposed by the president of the republic or by Parliament; passage of presidential proposals requires Supreme Court review followed by approval in a referendum; such proposals may also be submitted directly to Parliament, in which case passage requires at least three-quarters majority vote of both houses in joint session; proposals by Parliament require three-fourths majority vote of both houses in joint session; constitutional articles including those affecting the country’s territory, republican form of government, and secularity of the state are not amendable
Legal system: mixed legal system of French civil law and customary law
International law organization participation: has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; accepts ICCt jurisdiction
Citizenship: citizenship by birth: no

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

dual citizenship recognized: no

residency requirement for naturalization: 10 years
Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal
Executive branch: chief of state: President Denis SASSOU-Nguesso (since 25 October 1997)

head of government: Prime Minister Clement MOUAMBA (since 24 April 2016); note - a constitutional referendum held in 2015 approved the change of the head of government from the president to the prime minister (2019)

cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president

elections/appointments: president directly elected by absolute majority popular vote in 2 rounds if needed for a 5-year term (eligible for 2 additional terms); election last held on 21 March 2021 (next to be held on 21 March 2026)

election results: Denis SASSOU-Nguesso reelected president in the first round; percent of vote - Denis SASSOU-Nguesso (PCT) 88.4%, Guy Price Parfait KOLELAS (MCDDI) 8.0%, turnout is 67.6%.
Legislative branch: description: bicameral Parliament or Parlement consists of:
Senate (72 seats; members indirectly elected by local, district, and regional councils by simple majority vote to serve 6-year terms with one-half of membership renewed every 3 years)
National Assembly (151 seats; members directly elected in single-seat constituencies by absolute majority popular vote in 2 rounds if needed; members serve 5-year terms)

elections:  
Senate - last held on 31 August 2017 for expiry of half the seats (next to be held in 2020)
National Assembly - last held on 16 and 30 July 2017 (next to be held in July 2022)

election results:  
Senate - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - PCT 46, independent 12, MAR 2, RDPS 2, UPADS 2, DRD 1, FP 1, MCDDI 1, PRL 1, Pulp 1, PUR 1, RC 1; composition - men 58, women 14, percent of women 19.4%

National Assembly - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - PCT 96, UPADS 8, MCDDI 4, other 23 (less than 4 seats) independent 20; composition - men 134, women 17, percent of women 11.3%; note - total Parliament percent of women 13.9%
Judicial branch: highest courts: Supreme Court or Cour Supreme (consists of NA judges); Constitutional Court (consists of 9 members); note - a High Court of Justice, outside the judicial authority, tries cases involving treason by the president of the republic

judge selection and term of office: Supreme Court judges elected by Parliament and serve until age 65; Constitutional Court members appointed by the president of the republic - 3 directly by the president and 6 nominated by Parliament; members appointed for renewable 9-year terms with one-third of the membership renewed every 3 years

subordinate courts: Court of Audit and Budgetary Discipline; courts of appeal; regional and district courts; employment tribunals; juvenile courts
Political parties and leaders: Action Movement for Renewal or MAR [Roland BOUITI-VIAUDO]
Citizen's Rally or RC [Claude Alphonse NSILOU]
Congolese Labour Party or PCT [Denis SASSOU-NGUESSO]
Congolese Movement for Democracy and Integral Development or MCDDI [Guy Price Parfait KOLELAS]
Movement for Unity, Solidarity, and Work or MUST [Claudine MUNARI]
Pan-African Union for Social Development or UPADS [Pascal Tsaty MABIALA]
Party for the Unity of the Republic or PUR
Patriotic Union for Democracy and Progress or UPDP [Auguste-Celestin GONGARD NKOUA]
Prospects and Realities Club or CPR
Rally for Democracy and Social Progress or RDPS [Bernard BATCHI]
Rally of the Presidential Majority or RMP
Republican and Liberal Party or PRL [Bonaventure MIZIDY]
Union for the Republic or UR
Union of Democratic Forces or UDF
Union for Democracy and Republic or UDR
many smaller parties
International organization participation: ACP, AfDB, AU, BDEAC, CEMAC, EITI (compliant country), FAO, FZ, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO (correspondent), ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), LCBC (observer), MIGA, NAM, OIF, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNITAR, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Serge MOMBOULI (since 31 July 2001)

chancery: 1720 16th Street NW, Washington, DC 20009

telephone: [1] (202) 726-5500

FAX: [1] (202) 726-1860

email address and website: 
info@ambacongo-us.org

http://www.ambacongo-us.org/en-us/home.aspx

consulate(s): New Orleans
Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires Ellen B. THORBURN (since January 2021)

embassy: 70-83 Section D, Boulevard Denis Sassou N'Guesso, Brazzaville

mailing address: 2090 Brazzaville Place, Washington DC 20521-2090

telephone: [242] 06 612-2000, [242] 05 387-9700

email address and website: 
BrazzavilleACS@state.gov

https://cg.usembassy.gov/
Flag description: divided diagonally from the lower hoist side by a yellow band; the upper triangle (hoist side) is green and the lower triangle is red; green symbolizes agriculture and forests, yellow the friendship and nobility of the people, red is unexplained but has been associated with the struggle for independence

note: uses the popular Pan-African colors of Ethiopia
National symbol(s): lion, elephant; national colors: green, yellow, red
National anthem: name: "La Congolaise" (The Congolese)

lyrics/music: Jacques TONDRA and Georges KIBANGHI/Jean ROYER and Joseph SPADILIERE

note: originally adopted 1959, restored 1991
National heritage: total World Heritage Sites: 1 (natural)

selected World Heritage Site locales: Sangha Trinational Forest

Topic: Economy
Economic overview: The Republic of the Congo’s economy is a mixture of subsistence farming, an industrial sector based largely on oil and support services, and government spending. Oil has supplanted forestry as the mainstay of the economy, providing a major share of government revenues and exports. Natural gas is increasingly being converted to electricity rather than being flared, greatly improving energy prospects. New mining projects, particularly iron ore, which entered production in late 2013, may add as much as $1 billion to annual government revenue. The Republic of the Congo is a member of the Central African Economic and Monetary Community (CEMAC) and shares a common currency – the Central African Franc – with five other member states in the region.   The current administration faces difficult economic challenges of stimulating recovery and reducing poverty. The drop in oil prices that began in 2014 has constrained government spending; lower oil prices forced the government to cut more than $1 billion in planned spending. The fiscal deficit amounted to 11% of GDP in 2017. The government’s inability to pay civil servant salaries has resulted in multiple rounds of strikes by many groups, including doctors, nurses, and teachers. In the wake of a multi-year recession, the country reached out to the IMF in 2017 for a new program; the IMF noted that the country’s continued dependence on oil, unsustainable debt, and significant governance weakness are key impediments to the country’s economy. In 2018, the country’s external debt level will approach 120% of GDP. The IMF urged the government to renegotiate debts levels to sustainable levels before it agreed to a new macroeconomic adjustment package.The Republic of the Congo’s economy is a mixture of subsistence farming, an industrial sector based largely on oil and support services, and government spending. Oil has supplanted forestry as the mainstay of the economy, providing a major share of government revenues and exports. Natural gas is increasingly being converted to electricity rather than being flared, greatly improving energy prospects. New mining projects, particularly iron ore, which entered production in late 2013, may add as much as $1 billion to annual government revenue. The Republic of the Congo is a member of the Central African Economic and Monetary Community (CEMAC) and shares a common currency – the Central African Franc – with five other member states in the region. The current administration faces difficult economic challenges of stimulating recovery and reducing poverty. The drop in oil prices that began in 2014 has constrained government spending; lower oil prices forced the government to cut more than $1 billion in planned spending. The fiscal deficit amounted to 11% of GDP in 2017. The government’s inability to pay civil servant salaries has resulted in multiple rounds of strikes by many groups, including doctors, nurses, and teachers. In the wake of a multi-year recession, the country reached out to the IMF in 2017 for a new program; the IMF noted that the country’s continued dependence on oil, unsustainable debt, and significant governance weakness are key impediments to the country’s economy. In 2018, the country’s external debt level will approach 120% of GDP. The IMF urged the government to renegotiate debts levels to sustainable levels before it agreed to a new macroeconomic adjustment package.
Real GDP (purchasing power parity): $19.03 billion (2020 est.)

$20.68 billion (2019 est.)

$20.63 billion (2018 est.)

note: data are in 2017 dollars
Real GDP growth rate: -3.1% (2017 est.)

-2.8% (2016 est.)

2.6% (2015 est.)
Real GDP per capita: $3,400 (2020 est.)

$3,800 (2019 est.)

$3,900 (2018 est.)

note: data are in 2017 dollars
GDP (official exchange rate): $8.718 billion (2017 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices): 2.2% (2019 est.)

1.1% (2018 est.)

0.4% (2017 est.)
Credit ratings: Fitch rating: CCC (2019)

Moody's rating: Caa2 (2018)

Standard & Poors rating: CCC+ (2020)
GDP - composition, by sector of origin: agriculture: 9.3% (2017 est.)

industry: 51% (2017 est.)

services: 39.7% (2017 est.)
GDP - composition, by end use: household consumption: 47.6% (2017 est.)

government consumption: 9.6% (2017 est.)

investment in fixed capital: 42.5% (2017 est.)

investment in inventories: 0.1% (2017 est.)

exports of goods and services: 62.9% (2017 est.)

imports of goods and services: -62.7% (2017 est.)
Agricultural products: cassava, sugar cane, oil palm fruit, cassava leaves, bananas, plantains, roots/tubers, game meat, vegetables, mangoes/guavas
Industries: petroleum extraction, cement, lumber, brewing, sugar, palm oil, soap, flour, cigarettes
Industrial production growth rate: -3% (2017 est.)
Labor force: 2.055 million (2016 est.)
Labor force - by occupation: agriculture: 35.4%

industry: 20.6%

services: 44% (2005 est.)
Unemployment rate: 36% (2014 est.)
Population below poverty line: 40.9% (2011 est.)
Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income: 48.9 (2011 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 2.1%

highest 10%: 37.1% (2005)
Budget: revenues: 1.965 billion (2017 est.)

expenditures: 2.578 billion (2017 est.)
Budget surplus (+) or deficit (-): -7% (of GDP) (2017 est.)
Public debt: 130.8% of GDP (2017 est.)

128.7% of GDP (2016 est.)
Taxes and other revenues: 22.5% (of GDP) (2017 est.)
Fiscal year: calendar year
Current account balance: -$1.128 billion (2017 est.)

-$5.735 billion (2016 est.)
Exports: $4.193 billion (2017 est.)

$4.116 billion (2016 est.)
Exports - partners: China 49%, United Arab Emirates 15%, India 6%, Italy 5% (2019)
Exports - commodities: crude petroleum, copper, lumber, ships, refined petroleum (2019)
Imports: $2.501 billion (2017 est.)

$5.639 billion (2016 est.)
Imports - partners: China 15%, France 12%, Belgium 6%, Angola 5% (2019)
Imports - commodities: ships, chicken products, refined petroleum, processed fish, packaged medicines (2019)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: $505.7 million (31 December 2017 est.)

$727.1 million (31 December 2016 est.)
Debt - external: $4.605 billion (31 December 2017 est.)

$4.721 billion (31 December 2016 est.)
Exchange rates: Cooperation Financiere en Afrique Centrale francs (XAF) per US dollar -

579.8 (2017 est.)

593.01 (2016 est.)

593.01 (2015 est.)

591.45 (2014 est.)

494.42 (2013 est.)

Topic: Energy
Electricity access: electrification - total population: 72% (2019)

electrification - urban areas: 89% (2019)

electrification - rural areas: 36% (2019)
Electricity - production: 1.696 billion kWh (2016 est.)
Electricity - consumption: 912 million kWh (2016 est.)
Electricity - exports: 22 million kWh (2015 est.)
Electricity - imports: 18 million kWh (2016 est.)
Electricity - installed generating capacity: 591,500 kW (2016 est.)
Electricity - from fossil fuels: 64% of total installed capacity (2016 est.)
Electricity - from nuclear fuels: 0% of total installed capacity (2017 est.)
Electricity - from hydroelectric plants: 36% of total installed capacity (2017 est.)
Electricity - from other renewable sources: 0% of total installed capacity (2017 est.)
Crude oil - production: 340,000 bbl/day (2018 est.)
Crude oil - exports: 254,100 bbl/day (2015 est.)
Crude oil - imports: 0 bbl/day (2015 est.)
Crude oil - proved reserves: 1.6 billion bbl (1 January 2018 est.)
Refined petroleum products - production: 15,760 bbl/day (2015 est.)
Refined petroleum products - consumption: 17,000 bbl/day (2016 est.)
Refined petroleum products - exports: 5,766 bbl/day (2015 est.)
Refined petroleum products - imports: 7,162 bbl/day (2015 est.)
Natural gas - production: 1.387 billion cu m (2017 est.)
Natural gas - consumption: 1.387 billion cu m (2017 est.)
Natural gas - exports: 0 cu m (2017 est.)
Natural gas - imports: 0 cu m (2017 est.)
Natural gas - proved reserves: 90.61 billion cu m (1 January 2018 est.)

Topic: Communications
Telephones - fixed lines: total subscriptions: 17,000 (2020 est.)

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 0 (2020 est.) less than 1
Telephones - mobile cellular: total subscriptions: 4.89 million (2020 est.)

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 89 (2020 est.)
Telecommunication systems: general assessment: suffering from economic challenges of stimulating recovery and reducing poverty; primary network consists of microwave radio relay and coaxial cable with services barely adequate for government use; key exchanges are in Brazzaville, Pointe-Noire, and Loubomo; intercity lines frequently out of order; youth are seeking the Internet more than their parents and often gain access through cyber cafes; only the most affluent have Internet access in their homes; operator has plans to upgrade national broadband through fiber link to WACS landing station at Pointe-Noire with connections to Angola and DRC; fiber network project with aims to connect north and south regions; DRC operator added fiber link between Brazzaville and Kinshasa (2020)

domestic: fixed-line infrastructure inadequate, providing less than 1 fixed-line connection per 100 persons; mobile-cellular subscribership has surged to nearly 99 per 100 persons (2019)

international: country code - 242; WACS submarine cables to Europe and Western and South Africa; 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: 1 state-owned TV and 3 state-owned radio stations; several privately owned TV and radio stations; satellite TV service is available; rebroadcasts of several international broadcasters are available
Internet country code: .cg
Internet users: total: 484,245 (2019 est.)

percent of population: 9% (2019 est.)
Broadband - fixed subscriptions: total: 1,000 (2020 est.)

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 0.02 (2020 est.) less than 1

Topic: Transportation
National air transport system: number of registered air carriers: 3 (2020)

inventory of registered aircraft operated by air carriers: 12

annual passenger traffic on registered air carriers: 333,899 (2018)

annual freight traffic on registered air carriers: 4.6 million (2018) mt-km
Civil aircraft registration country code prefix: TN
Airports: total: 27 (2021)
Airports - with paved runways: total: 8

over 3,047 m: 2

2,438 to 3,047 m: 1

1,524 to 2,437 m: 5 (2021)
Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 19

1,524 to 2,437 m: 8

914 to 1,523 m: 9

under 914 m: 2 (2021)
Pipelines: 232 km gas, 4 km liquid petroleum gas, 982 km oil (2013)
Railways: total: 510 km (2014)

narrow gauge: 510 km (2014) 1.067-m gauge
Roadways: total: 23,324 km (2017)

paved: 3,111 km (2017)

unpaved: 20,213 km (2017)

note: road network in Congo is composed of 23,324 km of which 17,000 km are classified as national, departmental, and routes of local interest: 6,324 km are non-classified routes
Waterways: 1,120 km (2011) (commercially navigable on Congo and Oubangui Rivers above Brazzaville; there are many ferries across the river to Kinshasa; the Congo south of Brazzaville-Kinshasa to the coast is not navigable because of rapids, necessitating a rail connection to Pointe-Noire; other rivers are used for local traffic only)
Merchant marine: total: 11

by type: general cargo 1, oil tanker 1, other 9 (2021)
Ports and terminals: major seaport(s): Pointe-Noire

oil terminal(s): Djeno

river port(s): Brazzaville (Congo)

Impfondo (Oubangui) Ouesso (Sangha) Oyo (Alima)

Topic: Military and Security
Military and security forces: Congolese Armed Forces (Forces Armees Congolaises, FAC): Army (Armee de Terre), Navy, Congolese Air Force (Armee de l'Air Congolaise), Gendarmerie (2022)
Military expenditures: 2.5% of GDP (2021 est.)

3.2% of GDP (2020 est.)

2.3% of GDP (2019 est.) (approximately $350 million)

2.1% of GDP (2018 est.) (approximately $330 million)

3.6% of GDP (2017 est.) (approximately $580 million)
Military and security service personnel strengths: the Congolese Armed Forces (FAC) have approximately 12,000 active duty troops (8,000 Army; 800 Navy; 1,000 Air Force; 2,000 Gendarmerie) (2021)
Military equipment inventories and acquisitions: the FAC is armed with mostly ageing Russian and Soviet-era weapons, with a smaller mix of French and South African equipment; the leading supplier of arms to the FAC since 2010 is South Africa (2021)
Military service age and obligation: 18 years of age for voluntary military service; women may serve in the armed forces (2021)
Military - note: as of 2022, the FAC had limited capabilities due to obsolescent and poorly maintained equipment and low levels of training; its primary focus was internal security; since its creation in 1961, the FAC has had a turbulent history; it has been sidelined by some national leaders in favor of personal militias, endured an internal rebellion (1996), and clashed with various rebel groups and political or ethnic militias (1993-1996, 2002-2005, 2017); during the 1997-1999 civil war, the military generally split along ethnic lines, with most northern officers supporting eventual winner SASSOU-Nguesso, and most southerners backing the rebels; others joined ethnic-based factions loyal to regional warlords; forces backing SASSOU-Nguesso were supported by Angolan troops and received some French assistance; the FAC also has undergone at least three reorganizations that included the incorporation of former rebel combatants and various ethnic and political militias; in recent years, France has provided some advice and training, and a military cooperation agreement was signed with Russia in 2019as of 2022, the FAC had limited capabilities due to obsolescent and poorly maintained equipment and low levels of training; its primary focus was internal security; since its creation in 1961, the FAC has had a turbulent history; it has been sidelined by some national leaders in favor of personal militias, endured an internal rebellion (1996), and clashed with various rebel groups and political or ethnic militias (1993-1996, 2002-2005, 2017); during the 1997-1999 civil war, the military generally split along ethnic lines, with most northern officers supporting eventual winner SASSOU-Nguesso, and most southerners backing the rebels; others joined ethnic-based factions loyal to regional warlords; forces backing SASSOU-Nguesso were supported by Angolan troops and received some French assistance; the FAC also has undergone at least three reorganizations that included the incorporation of former rebel combatants and various ethnic and political militias; in recent years, France has provided some advice and training, and a military cooperation agreement was signed with Russia in 2019

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

Republic of the Congo-Angola: (Kabinda Exclave) None identifiedRepublic of the Congo-Democratic Republic of Congo(DRC): the location of the boundary in the broad Congo River is indefinite except in the Pool Malebo/Stanley Pool area

Republic of the Congo-Angola: (Kabinda Exclave) None identified
Refugees and internally displaced persons: refugees (country of origin): 29,011 (Central African Republic), 22,108 (Democratic Republic of the Congo) (refugees and asylum seekers) (2022)

IDPs: 304,430 (multiple civil wars since 1992) (2021)