The Republic of Congo (ex Zaire)

Congo News

CONGO: Government moves to curb food inflation "taking time"

BRAZZAVILLE Tuesday, December 02, 2008 (IRIN) - Government measures aimed at reducing the cost of staple commodities in the Republic of Congo, where...

CONGO: Financial crisis threatens timber jobs

BRAZZAVILLE Tuesday, November 25, 2008 (IRIN) - Guy-Blaise Bakala, a timber worker in Pointe-Noire in the south of the Republic of Congo, has been...

CONGO: Orders to demolish makeshift fuel stations

BRAZZAVILLE Wednesday, September 24, 2008 (IRIN) - The government of the Republic of Congo has ordered the demolition of all unauthorised makeshift...

CONGO: "Irresponsible officials" put patients at risk

BRAZZAVILLE Wednesday, October 01, 2008 (IRIN) - Health officials in some hospitals in Congo are putting patients' lives at risk by engaging in...

CONGO: Bibouti - “I work non-stop but never see my salary”

BRAZZAVILLE Wednesday, October 29, 2008 (IRIN) - Congolese authorities may have good reason to keep a wary eye on events in Niger, where an...

CONGO: Heavy rains cause havoc, raise fears of disease outbreaks

BRAZZAVILLE Friday, November 07, 2008 (IRIN) - Days of torrential rain have caused severe damage to the capital of the Republic of Congo and given...

Congo - Central African CFA franc

Country Name Currency Currency Code Congo (Republic) Central African CFA franc XAF ...

Facts and Figures about Republic of the Congo

National name: République du Congo

Geography

Capital: Brazzaville
Major Towns: Loubomo, Djambala, Ouesso, Impfondo
Location (geographical coordinates/latitude and longitude): 4°14'S, 15°14'E
Time Zone: WAT
Size (Land and Sea): 342,000 sq km
Borders with Angola 201 km, Cameroon 523 km, Central African Republic 467 km, Democratic Republic of the Congo 2,410 km, Gabon 1,903 km
Elevation extremes: Lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m; highest point: Mount Berongou 903 m

Politics

Head of State: President Denis Sassou Nguesso
Form of Government: Republic
Independancy (from France): August 15, 1960
Currency: CFA franc (XAF)

Industry

Main industries: Petroleum extraction, cement, lumber, brewing, sugar, palm oil, soap, flour, cigarettes
Natural resources: petroleum, timber, potash, lead, zinc, uranium, copper, phosphates, natural gas, hydropower
Agriculture: cassava (tapioca), sugar, rice, corn, peanuts, vegetables, coffee, cocoa; forest products

Population and People

Population: 3,800,610
Population density per sq mi: 29
Growth rate: 2.6%
Birth rate: 42.16 births/1,000 population (2007 est.)
Total fertility rate: 5.99 children born/woman (2007 est.)
Infant mortality rate: 83.3/1000
Religion: Christian 50%, animist 48%, Muslim 2%
Languages: French (official), Lingala and Monokutuba (lingua franca trade languages), many local languages and dialects (of which Kikongo is the most widespread)
Ethnic groups / Tribes: Kongo 48%, Sangha 20%, M'Bochi 12%, Teke 17%, Europeans and other 3%
Age Structure: 0-14 years: 46.3% (male 885,039/female 873,753); 15-64 years: 50.8% (male 958,992/female 973,445) ; 65 years and over: 2.9% (male 44,994/female 64,387) (2007 est.)
Life expectancy: 53.3
Literacy (definition: age 15 and over can read and write): Total population: 83.8%; male: 89.6%, female: 78.4% (2003 est.)

Congo Map

Did you know...? about Congo

Congo-Brazzaville
Congo River: second longest in Western Central Africa with 4,667km
Pygmy history
Bantu tribes
5,500km of land boundaries
Natural resources: petroleum, timber, potash, lead, zinc, uranium, copper, phosphates, natural gas, hydropower
Huge forests
Wildlife
Coastal plains
Mayombe Mountains
Temple Mosque in Brazzaville
The first church in Congo was built in 1882
Lac Bleu with good fishing
Valley of Butterflies
Congo Rapids
Waterskiing on the Congo and Kouillou rivers
Loufoulakari Falls
Lively evening markets
Côte Sauvage with beautiful beaches
Gorges of Diosso, spectacular cliffs formed by the erosion of the sea and the wind
Mont Nabebe 1,020
Located on the Equator

Congo Photos