Democratic Republic of the Congo Population: 75,507,308

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Straddles equator; has narrow strip of land that controls the lower Congo River and is only outlet to South Atlantic Ocean; dense tropical rain forest in central river basin and eastern highlands; second largest country in Africa (after Algeria)
Location: Central Africa, northeast of Angola
Geographic coordinates: 0 00 N, 25 00 E
Area: total: 2,344,858 sq km
land: 2,267,048 sq km
water: 77,810 sq km

Land Boundaries: total: 10,730 km
Coastline: 37 km
Maritime claims: territorial sea: 12 nm
exclusive economic zone: boundaries with neighbors
Elevation extremes: lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m
highest point: Pic Marguerite on Mont Ngaliema (Mount Stanley) 5,110 m
Land use: arable land: 2.9%
permanent crops: 0.32%
other: 96.78% (2011)
Irrigated land: 105 sq km (2003)
signed, but not ratified: Environmental Modification
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Nationality: noun: Congolese (singular and plural)
adjective: Congolese or Congo
Age structure: 0-14 years: 43.5% (male 16,549,895/female 16,303,497)
15-24 years: 21.3% (male 8,055,525/female 8,014,205)
25-54 years: 29.1% (male 10,955,261/female 11,003,910)
55-64 years: 3.5% (male 1,247,479/female 1,420,102)
65 years and over: 2.6% (male 822,168/female 1,135,266) (2013 est.)
Dependency ratios: total dependency ratio: 91.9 %
youth dependency ratio: 86.4 %
elderly dependency ratio: 5.5 %
potential support ratio: 18.2 (2013)
Median age: total: 17.7 years
male: 17.5 years
female: 17.9 years (2013 est.)
Population growth rate: 2.54% (2013 est.)
Birth rate: 36.34 births/1,000 population (2013 est.)
Death rate: 10.54 deaths/1,000 population (2013 est.)
Net migration rate: -0.4 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2013 est.)
rate of urbanization: 4.19% annual rate of change (2010-15 est.)
Major urban areas - population: KINSHASA (capital) 8.798 million; Lubumbashi 1.543 million; Mbuji-Mayi 1.488 million; Kananga 878,000; Kisangani 812,000 (2011)
0-14 years: 1.02 male(s)/female
15-24 years: 1.01 male(s)/female
25-54 years: 1 male(s)/female
55-64 years: 0.87 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.72 male(s)/female
Mother's mean age at first birth: 20.2 (2007 est.)
Infant mortality rate: total: 74.87 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 78.56 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 71.07 deaths/1,000 live births (2013 est.)
Life expectancy at birth: total population: 56.14 years
male: 54.66 years
female: 57.66 years (2013 est.)
Total fertility rate: 4.95 children born/woman (2013 est.)
Contraceptive prevalence rate: 17.7% (2010)
Health expenditures: 7.9% of GDP (2010)
Physicians density: 0.11 physicians/1,000 population (2004)
Hospital bed density: 0.8 beds/1,000 population (2006)
Drinking water source: improved:
urban: 79% of population
rural: 27% of population
total: 45% of population

urban: 21% of population
rural: 73% of population
total: 55% of population (2010 est.)
Sanitation facility access: improved:
urban: 24% of population
rural: 24% of population
total: 24% of population

urban: 76% of population
rural: 76% of population
total: 76% of population (2010 est.)
Obesity - adult prevalence rate: 1.7% (2008)
Children under the age of 5 years underweight: 28.2% (2007)
Education expenditures: 2.5% of GDP (2010)
total population: 66.8%
male: 76.9%
female: 57% (2010 est.)
male: 10 years
female: 7 years (2011)
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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
abbreviation: DRC
Government type: republic
Capital: name: Kinshasa
geographic coordinates: 4 19 S, 15 18 E
Administrative divisions: 10 provinces (provinces, singular - province) and 1 city* (ville); Bandundu, Bas-Congo (Lower Congo), Equateur, Kasai-Occidental (West Kasai), Kasai-Oriental (East Kasai), Katanga, Kinshasa*, Maniema, Nord-Kivu (North Kivu), Orientale, Sud-Kivu (South Kivu)

Independence: 30 June 1960 (from Belgium)
National holiday: Independence Day, 30 June (1960)
Constitution: 18 February 2006
Legal system: civil legal system based on Belgian version of French civil law
Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal and compulsory
Executive branch: chief of state: President Joseph KABILA (since 17 January 2001)

head of government: Prime Minister Augustin MATATA PONYO Mapon (since 18 April 2012)

cabinet: Ministers of State appointed by the president (For more information visit the World Leaders website )

elections: under the new constitution the president elected by popular vote for a five-year term (eligible for a second term); elections last held on 28 November 2011 (next to be held in November 2016); prime minister appointed by the president

election results: Joseph KABILA reelected president; percent of vote - Joseph KABILA 49%, Etienne TSHISEKEDI 32.3%, other 18.7%; note - election marred by serious voting irregularities

note: Joseph KABILA succeeded his father, Laurent Desire KABILA, following the latter's assassination in January 2001; negotiations with rebel leaders led to the establishment of a transitional government in July 2003 with free elections held on 30 July 2006 and a run-off on 29 October 2006 confirming Joseph KABILA as president
Legislative branch: bicameral legislature consists of a Senate (108 seats; members elected by provincial assemblies to serve five-year terms) and a National Assembly (500 seats; 61 members elected by majority vote in single-member constituencies, 439 members elected by open list proportional-representation in multi-member constituencies to serve five-year terms)

elections: Senate - last held on 19 January 2007 (next scheduled for 5 June 2013; though likely to be delayed); National Assembly - last held on 28 November 2011 (next to be held in 2016)

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, independents 26, others 18 (political parties that won a single seat); 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, independents 16, others 214 (includes numerous political parties that won 10 or fewer seats and 2 constituencies where voting was halted); note - the November 2011 elections were married by violence including the destruction of ballots in two constituencies resulting in the closure of polling sites; election results were delayed three months, stongly contested, and continue to be unresolved
Judicial branch: highest court(s): Supreme Court of Justice (organized into legislative and judiciary sections and consists of 26 justices); Constitutional Court (consists of 9 judges) judge selection and term of office: Supreme Court of Justice judges nominated by the Judicial Service Council, an independent body of public prosecutors and selected judges of the lower courts; judges 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

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 Forces of Renewal or FR [Mbusa NYAMWISI] Movement for the Liberation of the Congo or MLC [Jean-Pierre BEMBA] People's Party for Reconstruction and Democracy or PPRD [Joseph KABILA] Social Movement for Renewal or MSR [Pierre LUMBI] Unified Lumumbist Party or PALU [Antoine GIZENGA] Union for the Congolese Nation or UNC [Vital KAMERHE] Union for Democracy and Social Progress or UDPS [Etienne TSHISEKEDI] Union of Mobutuist Democrats or UDEMO [MOBUTU Nzanga]
Political pressure groups and leaders: FARDC (Forces Armées de la République Démocratique du Congo) - Army of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, which commits atrocities on citizens FDLR (Forces Democratiques de Liberation du Rwanda) - Rwandan militia group made up of some of the perpetrators of Rwanda's Genocide in 1994 CNDP (National Congress for the Defense of the People) - mainly Congolese Tutsis who want refugees returned and more representation in government M23 - rebel group comprised largely from ex-CNDP forces
International organization participation: ACP, AfDB, AU, CEPGL, COMESA, EITI (candidate country), FAO, G-24, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), MIGA, NAM, OIF, OPCW, PCA, SADC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
National symbol(s): leopard

note: adopted 1960; the anthem was replaced during the period in which the country was known as Zaire, but was readopted in 1997
Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Faida Maramuke MITIFU
chancery: Suite 601, 1726 M Street, NW, Washington, DC, 20036
FAX: [1] (202) 234-2609
consulate(s) general: New York
Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador James F. ENTWISTLE
embassy: 310 Avenue des Aviateurs, Kinshasa
mailing address: Unit 2220, DPO AE 09828
telephone: [243] (081) 556-0151
FAX: [243] (081) 556-0175
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GDP (purchasing power parity): GDP (purchasing power parity): $28.03 billion (2012 est.) $26.17 billion (2011 est.) $24.48 billion (2010 est.)

note: data are in 2012 US dollars
GDP (official exchange rate): GDP (official exchange rate): $17.7 billion (2012 est.)
GDP - real growth rate: 7.1% (2012 est.) 6.9% (2011 est.) 7.2% (2010 est.)
GDP - per capita (PPP): GDP - per capita (PPP): $400 (2012 est.) $400 (2011 est.) $300 (2010 est.)

note: data are in 2012 US dollars
GDP - composition, by end use: household consumption: 64.5%
government consumption: 12%
investment in fixed capital: 18.3%
investment in inventories: 1%
exports of goods and services: 58.5%
GDP - composition, by sector of origin: household consumption: 64.5%
government consumption: 12%
investment in fixed capital: 18.3%
investment in inventories: 1%
exports of goods and services: 58.5%
Industrial production growth rate: NA%
Labor force: 35.86 million (2012 est.)
Labor force - by occupation: agriculture: NA%
industry: NA%
services: NA%
Unemployment rate: NA%
Population below poverty line: 71% (2006 est.)
highest 10%: 34.7% (2006)
Budget: revenues: $5.009 billion
expenditures: $5.537 billion (2012 est.)
Taxes and other revenues: 28.3% of GDP (2012 est.)
Fiscal year: calendar year
Inflation rate (consumer prices): Inflation rate (consumer prices): 10.5% (2012 est.) 15.5% (2011 est.)
Current account balance: -$2.2 billion (2012 est.) -$831 million (2011 est.)
Exports: $8.872 billion (2012 est.) $9.472 billion (2011 est.)
Exports - partners: China 53.4%, Zambia 24.5%, Belgium 5.6% (2012)
Imports: $8.187 billion (2012 est.) $8.916 billion (2011 est.)
Imports - partners: South Africa 21.4%, China 15.1%, Belgium 7.9%, Zambia 7.5%, Zimbabwe 6.1%, Kenya 5.1%, France 4.9% (2012)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: $1.633 billion (31 December 2012 est.) $1.268 billion (31 December 2011 est.)
Debt - external: $6.089 billion (31 December 2012 est.) $5.448 billion (31 December 2011 est.)
Market value of publicly traded shares: $NA
Exchange rates: Congolese francs (CDF) per US dollar - 920.25 (2012 est.) 916.25 (2011 est.) 905.91 (2010 est.) 472.19 (2009) 559 (2008)
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Electricity - production: 7.75 billion kWh (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 99
Electricity - consumption: 6.588 billion kWh (2009 est.)
Electricity - exports: 887 million kWh (2009 est.)
Electricity - imports: 105 million kWh (2009 est.)
Electricity - installed generating capacity: 2.475 million kW (2009 est.)
Electricity - from fossil fuels: 1.3% of total installed capacity (2009 est.)
Electricity - from hydroelectric plants: 98.7% of total installed capacity (2009 est.)
Crude oil - production: 20,160 bbl/day (2011 est.)
Crude oil - exports: 11,000 bbl/day (2009 est.)
Crude oil - proved reserves: 180 million bbl (1 January 2012 est.)
Refined petroleum products - consumption: 10,240 bbl/day (2011 est.)
Refined petroleum products - imports: 11,500 bbl/day (2008 est.)
Carbon dioxide emissions from consumption of energy: 2.804 million Mt (2010 est.)
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Telephones in use: 57,000 (2011)
country comparison to the world: 161
Cellular Phones in use: 15.645 million (2011)

domestic: state-owned operator providing less than 1 fixed-line connection per 1000 persons; given the backdrop of a wholly inadequate fixed-line infrastructure, the use of mobile-cellular services has surged and mobile teledensity is roughly 20 per 100 persons

Broadcast media: state-owned TV broadcast station with near national coverage; more than a dozen privately owned TV stations with 2 having 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 (2007)
Internet country code: .cd
Internet hosts: 2,515 (2012)
Internet users: 290,000 (2008)
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Airports: 198 (2013)
country comparison to the world: 27
Airports (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 (2013)
Airports (unpaved runways): total 172

1,524 to 2,437 m: 20
914 to 1,523 m: 87
under 914 m: 65 (2013)
Heliports: 1 (2013)
Pipelines: gas 62 km; oil 77 km; refined products 756 km (2013)
Railways: total 4,007 km

narrow gauge: 3,882 km 1.067-m gauge (858 km electrified); 125 km 1.000-m gauge (2008)
Roadways: total 153,497 km
paved: 2,794 km
unpaved: 150,703 km (2004)
Waterways: 15,000 km (including the Congo, its tributaries, and unconnected lakes) (2011)
Merchant marine: total 1

by type: petroleum tanker 1

foreign-owned: 1 (Republic of the Congo 1) (2010)
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)
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Manpower available for military service: males age 16-49: 15,980,106 (2010 est.)
Manpower fit for military service: males age 16-49: 10,168,258
females age 16-49: 10,331,693 (2010 est.)
Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually: male: 877,684
female: 871,880 (2010 est.)
Military expenditures: 1.2% of GDP (2012)
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 Transnational Issues
Refugees and internally displaced persons: refugees (country of origin): 50,736 (Rwanda); 9,368 (Burundi) (2012); 69,500 (Central African Republic) (2013) IDPs: 2,665,021 (fighting between government forces and rebels since mid-1990s; most IDPs are in eastern provinces) (2012)
Illicit drugs: one of Africa's biggest producers of cannabis, but mostly for domestic consumption; traffickers exploit lax shipping controls to transit pseudoephedrine through the capital; while rampant corruption and inadequate supervision leaves the banking system vulnerable to money laundering, the lack of a well-developed financial system limits the country's utility as a money-laundering center (2008)
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   Source: CIA - The World Factbook


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