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 brief civil war in 1997 restored former Marxist President Denis SASSOU-Nguesso, and ushered in a period of ethnic and political unrest. Southern-based rebel groups agreed to a final peace accord in March 2003, but the calm is tenuous and refugees continue to present a humanitarian crisis. The Republic of Congo was once 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.

Central Africa, bordering the South Atlantic Ocean, between Angola and Gabon

slightly smaller than Montana

tropical; rainy season (March to June); dry season (June to October); persistent high temperatures and humidity; particularly enervating climate astride the Equator

coastal plain, southern basin, central plateau, northern basin

petroleum, timber, potash, lead, zinc, uranium, copper, phosphates, gold, magnesium, natural gas, hydropower

air pollution from vehicle emissions; water pollution from the dumping of raw sewage; tap water is not potable; deforestation

about 70% of the population lives in Brazzaville, Pointe-Noire, or along the railroad between them

Kongo 48%, Sangha 20%, M'Bochi 12%, Teke 17%, Europeans and other 3%

French (official), Lingala and Monokutuba (lingua franca trade languages), many local languages and dialects (of which Kikongo is the most widespread)

Christian 50%, animist 48%, Muslim 2%

4,366,266 (July 2012 est.)

40.09 births/1,000 population (2012 est.)

11.25 deaths/1,000 population (July 2012 est.)

-0.35 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2012 est.)

BRAZZAVILLE (capital) 1.292 million (2009)

560 deaths/100,000 live births (2010)

5.59 children born/woman (2012 est.)

0.095 physicians/1,000 population (2007)

1.6 beds/1,000 population (2005)

urban: 31% of population

rural: 29% of population

total: 30% of population

urban: 69% of population

rural: 71% of population

total: 70% of population

10 regions (regions, singular - region) and 1 commune*; Bouenza, Brazzaville*, Cuvette, Cuvette-Ouest, Kouilou, Lekoumou, Likouala, Niari, Plateaux, Pool, Sangha

15 August 1960 (from France)

Independence Day, 15 August (1960)

approved by referendum 20 January 2002

mixed legal system of French civil law and customary law

has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; accepts ICCt jurisdiction

18 years of age; universal

bicameral Parliament consists of the Senate (72 seats; members elected by indirect vote to serve five-year terms) and the National Assembly (139 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms)

Supreme Court or Cour Supreme

Action Movement for Renewal or MAR; Congolese Labour Party or PCT; Congolese Movement for Democracy and Integral Development or MCDDI [Michel MAMPOUYA]; Movement for Solidarity and Development or MSD; Pan-African Union for Social Development or UPADS [Martin MBERI]; Rally for Democracy and the Republic or RDR [Raymond Damasge NGOLLO]; Rally for Democracy and Social Progress or RDPS [Jean-Pierre Thystere TCHICAYA, president]; Rally of the Presidential Majority or RMP; Union for Democracy and Republic or UDR; United Democratic Forces or FDU [Sebastian EBAO]; many smaller parties

Congolese Trade Union Congress or CSC; General Union of Congolese Pupils and Students or UGEEC; Revolutionary Union of Congolese Women or URFC; Union of Congolese Socialist Youth or UJSC

ACP, AfDB, AU, BDEAC, CEMAC, EITI (candidate country), FAO, FZ, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO (correspondent), ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), MIGA, NAM, OIF, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNITAR, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

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

The economy is a mixture of subsistence agriculture, 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. In the early 1980s, rapidly rising oil revenues enabled the government to finance large-scale development projects with GDP growth averaging 5% annually, one of the highest rates in Africa. Characterized by budget problems and overstaffing, the government has mortgaged a substantial portion of its oil earnings through oil-backed loans that have contributed to a growing debt burden and chronic revenue shortfalls. Economic reform efforts have been undertaken with the support of international organizations, notably the World Bank and the IMF. However, the reform program came to a halt in June 1997 when civil war erupted. Denis SASSOU-Nguesso, who returned to power when the war ended in October 1997, publicly expressed interest in moving forward on economic reforms and privatization and in renewing cooperation with international financial institutions. Economic progress was badly hurt by slumping oil prices and the resumption of armed conflict in December 1998, which worsened the republic's budget deficit. The current administration presides over an uneasy internal peace and faces difficult economic challenges of stimulating recovery and reducing poverty. The drop in oil prices during the global crisis reduced oil revenue by about 30%, but the subsequent recovery of oil prices has boosted the economy's GDP and near-term prospects. In March 2006, the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund (IMF) approved Heavily Indebted Poor Countries (HIPC) treatment for Congo, which received $1.9 billion in debt relief under the program in 2010.

$19.27 billion (2012 est.)

$18.36 billion (2011 est.)

$17.75 billion (2010 est.)

$13.74 billion (2012 est.)

1.514 million (2007)

45.2% of GDP (2012 est.)

48.9% of GDP (2012 est.)

16.3% of GDP (2012 est.)

4.25% (31 December 2009)

4.75% (31 December 2008)

14.8% (31 December 2012 est.)

15% (31 December 2011 est.)

$3.341 billion (31 December 2011 est.)

$3.753 billion (31 December 2011 est.)

$2.882 billion (31 December 2010 est.)

$2.392 billion (31 December 2011 est.)

$1.982 billion (31 December 2010 est.)

cassava (tapioca), sugar, rice, corn, peanuts, vegetables, coffee, cocoa; forest products

$1.277 billion (2012 est.)

$1.85 billion (2011 est.)

$12.35 billion (2012 est.)

$12.38 billion (2011 est.)

petroleum, lumber, plywood, sugar, cocoa, coffee, diamonds

China 38.5%, US 20.3%, Australia 6.4%, France 6.1%, Spain 4.9%, Italy 4.4%, Netherlands 4.4% (2011)

$4.751 billion (2012 est.)

$4.917 billion (2011 est.)

capital equipment, construction materials, foodstuffs

France 17.2%, China 12.5%, India 9.2%, Italy 7.5%, Brazil 7.3%, US 5.8% (2011)

$6.033 billion (31 December 2012 est.)

$5.658 billion (31 December 2011 est.)

$4.225 billion (31 December 2012 est.)

$4.865 billion (31 December 2011 est.)

Cooperation Financiere en Afrique Centrale francs (XAF) per US dollar -

502 million kWh (2009 est.)

563 million kWh (2009 est.)

440 million kWh (2009 est.)

148,000 kW (2009 est.)

19.6% of total installed capacity (2009 est.)

0% of total installed capacity (2009 est.)

80.4% of total installed capacity (2009 est.)

0% of total installed capacity (2009 est.)

308,600 bbl/day (2011 est.)

269,800 bbl/day (2009 est.)

0 bbl/day (2009 est.)

1.6 billion bbl (1 January 2012 est.)

10,460 bbl/day (2008 est.)

10,710 bbl/day (2011 est.)

5,146 bbl/day (2008 est.)

5,326 bbl/day (2008 est.)

930 million cu m (2010 est.)

90.61 billion cu m (1 January 2012 est.)

6.518 million Mt (2010 est.)

3.885 million (2011)

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 (2007)

gas 65 km; oil 273 km (2010)

1,120 km (commercially navigable on Congo and Oubanqui 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, thereby necessitating a rail connection to Pointe Noire; other rivers are used for local traffic only) (2011)

Brazzaville, Djeno, Impfondo, Ouesso, Oyo, Pointe-Noire

Congolese Armed Forces (Forces Armees Congolaises, FAC): Army (Armee de Terre), Navy, Congolese Air Force (Armee de l'Air Congolaise); Gendarmerie; Special Presidential Security Guard (GSSP) (2011)

18 years of age for voluntary military service; women can serve in the Armed Forces (2012)

the location of the boundary in the broad Congo River with the Democratic Republic of the Congo is undefined except in the Pool Malebo/Stanley Pool area