STATISTICS: CONGO, REPUBLIC OF THE

Congo, Republic of the Official name: Rpublique du Congo (Republic of the Congo). Form of government: transitional{1} regime with one legislative house (National Transitional Council ). Chief of state: President. Capital: Brazzaville. Official language: French{2}. Official religion: none. Monetary unit: 1 CFA franc (CFAF) = 100 centimes; valuation (Sept. 25, 1998) 1 U.S.$ = CFAF 560.38; 1 = CFAF 954.05. Demography Population (1998): 2,658,000. Density (1998): persons per sq mi 20.1, persons per sq km 7.8. Urban-rural (1991): urban 41.1%; rural 58.9%. Sex distribution (1995): male 48.92%; female 51.08%. Age breakdown (1995): under 15, 45.6%; 15-29, 26.4%; 30-44, 14.6%; 45-59, 8.1%; 60-74, 4.2%; 75 and over, 1.0%. Population projection: (2000) 2,776,000; (2010) 3,368,000. Doubling time: 23 years. Ethnic composition (1983): Kongo 51.5%; Teke 17.3%; Mboshi 11.5%; Mbete 4.9%; Punu 3.0%; Sango 2.7%; Maka 1.8%; Pygmy 1.5%; other 5.8%. Religious affiliation (1995): Roman Catholic 40.9%; traditional beliefs 32.9%; Protestant 24.2%; Muslim 2.0%. Major cities (1992): Brazzaville 937,579; Pointe-Noire 576,206; Loubomo 83,605; Nkayi 42,465; Mossendjo 16,405. Vital statistics Birth rate per 1,000 population (1990-95): 44.7 (world avg. 25.0). Death rate per 1,000 population (1990-95): 14.9 (world avg. 9.3). Natural increase rate per 1,000 population (1990-95): 29.8 (world avg. 15.7). Total fertility rate (avg. births per childbearing woman; 1990-95): 6.3. Life expectancy at birth (1990-95): male 48.9 years; female 53.8 years. Major causes of morbidity and mortality in the early 1990s included malaria, acute respiratory infections, diarrhea, trauma, helminthiasis{3}, and sexually transmitted diseases. National economy Budget (1996). Revenue: CFAF 353,750,000,000 (petroleum revenue 59.6%; nonpetroleum receipts 40.4%, of which customs duties 19.2%, income tax 12.6%). Expenditures: CFAF 380,500,000,000 (debt service 39.6%; salaries 27.9%; transfers and subsidies 8.7%, goods and services 7.1%). Public debt (external, outstanding; 1996): U.S.$4,665,000,000. Production (metric tons except as noted). Agriculture, forestry, fishing (1996): cassava 720,000, sugarcane 460,000, plantains 99,000, bananas 46,000, peanuts (groundnuts) 28,000, corn (maize) 26,000, avocados 26,000, yams 17,000, palm oil 17,000, pineapples 13,000, cacao beans 2,000, coffee 1,000; livestock (number of live animals) 312,000 goats, 114,000 sheep, 70,000 cattle; roundwood (1995) 3,834,000 cu m; fish catch (1995) 35,024. Mining and quarrying (1997): artisanal extraction of gold only. Manufacturing (1994): residual fuel oil 288,000; cement 87,400; distillate fuel oils 95,000; aviation gas 58,000; gasoline 58,000; kerosene 52,000; refined sugar 27,000; wheat flour 15,131{4}; dried, cured, or salted fish 4,000{5}; cigarettes 655,000,000 cartons; mechanical cultivators 294,404 units{5}; beer 507,000 hectolitres; soft drinks 220,000 hectolitres; cotton textiles 1,800,000 m{4}; veneer sheets 35,000 cu m{4}; footwear 300,000 pairs{6}. Energy production (consumption): electricity (kW-hr; 1994) 435,000,000 (547,000,000); crude petroleum (barrels; 1996) 80,300,000 ( 8,040,000); petroleum products (metric tons; 1994) 570,000 (540,000); natural gas (cu m; 1994) 5,125,000 (5,125,000). Household income and expenditure. Average household size (1984) 5.2; income per household: n.a.; sources of income: n.a.; expenditure (1977){7}{8}; food, beverages, and tobacco 62.0%, housing 10.1%, transportation and recreation 8.6%, clothing and footwear 6.9%, fuel, energy, and water 5.7%, health and medical care 3.8%. Gross national product (1996): U.S.$1,813,000,000 (U.S.$670 per capita). Population economically active (1992): total 886,000; activity rate of total population 37.4% (participation rates : ages 15-64, 54.0%; female 45.6%; unemployed{9} 2.3%). Land use (1994): forested 58.3%; meadows and pastures 29.3%; agricultural and under permanent cultivation 0.5%; other 11.9%. Tourism (1995): receipts U.S.$4,000,000; expenditures U.S.$39,000,000. Foreign trade Imports (1995): CFAF 271,910,000,000 (1991{10}; machinery and transport equipment 38.0%, basic manufactures 27.4%, food and live animals 11.2%, chemicals and chemical products 8.4%, mineral fuels 3.2%, beverages and tobacco 2.3%). Major import sources: France 32.0%; U.S. 9.6%; The Netherlands 6.6%; Italy 4.4%; Belgium-Luxembourg 3.8%; Germany 3.3%. Exports (1995): CFAF 585,300,000,000 (petroleum and petroleum products 84.6%, wood and wood products 8.4%, other 7.0%). Major export destinations: U.S. 22.6%; Italy 15.4%; The Netherlands 12.5%; France 9.2%. Transport Transport. Railroads: (1995) length 795 km; passenger-km 302,000,000; metric ton-km cargo 267,000,000. Roads (1995): total length 12,760 km (paved 10%). Vehicles (1995): passenger cars 36,100; trucks and buses 15,600. Air transport (1996) {11}: passenger-km 224,736,000; metric ton-km cargo 16,420,000; airports (1997) with scheduled flights 10. Education and health Educational attainment (1984). Percentage of population age 25 and over having: no formal schooling 58.7%; primary education 21.4%; secondary education 16.9%; postsecondary 3.0%. Literacy (1995): total population age 15 and over literate 74.9%; males literate 83.1%; females literate 67.2%. Health: physicians (1990) 613 (1 per 3,595 persons); hospital beds (1989) 4,817 (1 per 446 persons); infant mortality rate per 1,000 live births (1990-95) 84. Food (1995): daily per capita caloric intake 2,141 (vegetable products 93%, animal products 7%); 96% of FAO recommended minimum requirement. Military Total active duty personnel (1997): 10,000 (army 80.0%, navy 8.0%, air force 12.0%). Military expenditure as percentage of GNP (1995): 2.5% (world 2.8%); per capita expenditure U.S.$19. {1} From February 1998 until November 2000. {2} "Functional" national languages are Lingala and Monokutuba. {3} Parasitic infestation by helminthic worms. {4} 1993. {5} 1992. {6} 1990. {7} European households only; Brazzaville. {8} Cost-of-living components. {9} Previously employed only. {10} Based on c.i.f. valuation. {11} Represents 1/11 of the traffic of Air Afrique, which is operated by 11 African states.