Democratic+Republic+of+Congo

DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF CONGO  Background:  Established as a Belgian colony in 1908, the Republic of the Congo gained its independence in 1960, but its early years were marred by political and social instability. Col. Joseph Mobutu seized power and declared himself president in a November 1965 coup. He subsequently changed his name - to Mobutu Sese Seko - as well as that of the country - to Zaire. Mobutu retained his position for 32 years through several sham elections, as well as through the use of brutal force. Ethnic strife and civil war, touched off by a massive inflow of refugees in 1994 from fighting in Rwanda and Burundi, led in May 1997 to the toppling of the Mobutu regime by a rebellion backed by Rwanda and Uganda and fronted by Laurent Kabila. He renamed the country the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), but in August 1998 his regime was itself challenged by a second insurrection again backed by Rwanda and Uganda. Troops from Angola, Chad, Namibia, Sudan, and Zimbabwe intervened to support Kabila's regime. A cease-fire was signed in July 1999 by the DRC, Congolese armed rebel groups, Angola, Namibia, Rwanda, Uganda, and Zimbabwe but sporadic fighting continued. Laurent Kabila was assassinated in January 2001 and his son, Joseph Kabila, was named head of state. In October 2002, the new president was successful in negotiating the withdrawal of Rwandan forces occupying eastern Congo; two months later, the Pretoria Accord was signed by all remaining warring parties to end the fighting and establish a government of national unity. A transitional government was set up in July 2003.

Flag: Sky blue field divided diagonally from the lower hoist corner to upper fly corner by a red stripe bordered by two narrow yellow stripes; a yellow, five-pointed star appears in the upper hoist corner Meaning:The blue stands for peace, red for the blood of martyrs, yellow for the nation's wealth, and the star for a radiant future. 

Leader: Joseph Kabila as president and four vice presidents represented the former government, former rebel groups, the political opposition, and civil society. The transitional government held a successful constitutional referendum in December 2005 and elections for the presidency, National Assembly, and provincial legislatures in 2006. KABILA was inaugurated president in December 2006. The National Assembly was installed in September 2006.  Geography: --Location--Central Africa, northeast of Angola --Area--total: 2,344,858 sq km land: 2,267,048 sq km water: 77,810 sq km --Borders--total: 10,730 km border countries: Angola 2,511 km, Burundi 233 km,Central African Republic 1,577 km, Republic of the Congo 2,410 km, Rwanda 217 km, Sudan 628 km, Tanzania 459 km, Uganda 765 km, Zambia 1,930 km coastline: 37 km --Climate--tropical; hot and humid in equatorial river basin; cooler and drier in southern highlands; cooler and wetter in eastern highlands; north of Equator - wet season (April to October), dry season (December to February); south of Equator - wet season (November to March), dry season (April to October) --Terrain--vast central basin is a low-lying plateau; mountains in east --Natural Resources--cobalt, copper, niobium, tantalum, petroleum, industrial and gem diamonds, gold, silver, zinc, manganese, tin, uranium, coal, hydropower, timber --Land Use--arable land: 2.86% permanent crops: <span class="category_data" style="font-weight: normal; vertical-align: top;">0.47% other: 96.67% (2005) --Natural Hazards--periodic droughts in south; Congo River floods (seasonal); in the east, in the Great Rift Valley, there are active volcanoes --Enviormental Issues--poaching threatens wildlife populations; water pollution; deforestation; refugees responsible for significant deforestation, soil erosion, and wildlife poaching; mining of minerals (coltan - a mineral used in creating capacitors, diamonds, and gold) causing environmental damage <span class="category_data" style="font-weight: normal; vertical-align: top;"> <span style="color: #5da1f4; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS',Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 130%; font-weight: normal; vertical-align: top;"> People: <span style="color: #5da1f4; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS',Helvetica,sans-serif; font-weight: normal; vertical-align: top;"> --Ethnic Groups--over 200 African ethnic groups of which the majority are Bantu; the four largest tribes - Mongo, Luba, Kongo (all Bantu), and the Mangbetu-Azande (Hamitic) make up about 45% of the population --Languages--French, Lingala, Kingwana, Kikongo, Tshiluba --Literacy--*<span class="category_data" style="font-weight: normal; vertical-align: top;">age 15 and over can read and write French, Lingala, Kingwana, or Tshiluba* total population: <span class="category_data" style="font-weight: normal; vertical-align: top;">67.2% male: <span class="category_data" style="font-weight: normal; vertical-align: top;">80.9% female: 54.1% (2001 est.) --Unempoyment--NA% --Religon--Roman Catholic 50%, Protestant 20%, Kimbanguist 10%, Muslim 10%, other 10% --Education--NA --Population--68,692,542 --Population Growth Rate--3.208% (2009 est.) --Net Migration Rate--1.07 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2009 est.) --Infant Morality Rate--total: <span class="category_data" style="font-weight: normal; vertical-align: top;">81.21 deaths/1,000 live births male: <span class="category_data" style="font-weight: normal; vertical-align: top;">89.11 deaths/1,000 live births female: 73.07 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.) --Life Expectancy At Birth--total population: <span class="category_data" style="font-weight: normal; vertical-align: top;">54.36 years <span style="color: #5da1f4; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS',Helvetica,sans-serif;">male: <span class="category_data" style="font-weight: normal; vertical-align: top;">52.58 years female: <span style="color: #5da1f4; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS',Helvetica,sans-serif; font-weight: normal; vertical-align: top;">56.2 years (2009 est.) <span class="category_data" style="font-weight: normal; vertical-align: top;">

<span style="color: #dede3b; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS',Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 130%; font-weight: normal; vertical-align: top;">Diseases: <span style="color: #dede3b; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS',Helvetica,sans-serif; font-weight: normal; vertical-align: top;"> HIV/AIDS--(2003 est.) --HIV/AIDS-Adult Prevalence Rate:4.2% --HIV/AIDS-People Living With It:1.1 million --HIV/AIDS-Deaths:100,000 <span class="category_data" style="font-weight: normal; vertical-align: top;"> <span style="color: #dede3b; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS',Helvetica,sans-serif;">Major Infectious Diseases--(2009 est.) --degree of risk: <span class="category_data" style="font-weight: normal; vertical-align: top;">very high --food or waterborne diseases: <span class="category_data" style="font-weight: normal; vertical-align: top;">bacterial and protozoal diarrhea, hepatitis A, and typhoid fever --vectorborne diseases: <span class="category_data" style="font-weight: normal; vertical-align: top;">malaria, plague, and African trypanosomiasis (sleeping sickness) --water contact disease: <span class="category_data" style="font-weight: normal; vertical-align: top;">schistosomiasis --animal contact disease: <span style="color: #dede3b; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS',Helvetica,sans-serif;">rabies  <span class="category_data" style="font-weight: normal; vertical-align: top;">

<span style="color: #ff0000; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS',Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 130%; font-weight: normal; vertical-align: top;">Government: <span style="color: #ff0000; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS',Helvetica,sans-serif; font-weight: normal; vertical-align: top;"> --Government Type--Republic --Suffrage--18 years of age; universal and compulsory --Capital--name: <span class="category_data" style="font-weight: normal; vertical-align: top;">Kinshasa geographic coordinates: 4.19 South, 15.18 East --Independence--30 June 1960 (from Belgium) <span class="category_data" style="font-weight: normal; vertical-align: top;"> <span style="color: #5da1f4; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS',Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 130%; font-weight: normal; vertical-align: top;"> Economy: <span style="color: #5da1f4; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS',Helvetica,sans-serif; font-weight: normal; vertical-align: top;"> The economy of the Democratic Republic of the Congo - a nation endowed with vast potential wealth - is slowly recovering from two decades of decline. Conflict that began in August 1998 has dramatically reduced national output and government revenue, increased external debt, and resulted in the deaths of more than 5 million people from violence, famine, and disease. Foreign businesses curtailed operations due to uncertainty about the outcome of the conflict, lack of infrastructure, and the difficult operating environment. Conditions began to improve in late 2002 with the withdrawal of a large portion of the invading foreign troops. The transitional government reopened relations with international financial institutions and international donors, and President KABILA began implementing reforms, although progress has been slow and the International Monetary Fund curtailed their program for the DRC at the end of March 2006 because of fiscal overruns. Much economic activity still occurs in the informal sector, and is not reflected in GDP data. Renewed activity in the mining sector, the source of most export income, boosted Kinshasa's fiscal position and GDP growth from 2006-2008, however, renewed strife in the second half of 2008, combined with a fall in world market prices for the DRC's key mineral exports inflicted major damage on the economy and halted growth. Government reforms may lead to increased government revenues, outside budget assistance, and foreign direct investment, although an uncertain legal framework, corruption, a lack of transparency in government policy are long-term problems. The DRC government has applied to the IMF for an Exogenous Shock Facility in the amount of $200 million to help it deal with its deteriorating financial situation, and the World Bank will consider a separate $100 million in emergency funding. The global recession probably will cut economic growth in 2009 to half its 2008 level.

--GDP Per Capita--$300 (2008 est.) $300 (2007 est.)$300 (2006 est.) --Agriculture Products--coffee, sugar, palm oil, rubber, tea, quinine, cassava (tapioca), bananas, root crops, corn, fruits, wood products --Imports(commodities)--foodstuffs, mining and other machinery, transport equipment, fuels --Exports(commodities)--diamonds, gold, copper, cobalt, wood products, crude oil, coffee --Indusries--mining (diamonds, gold, copper, cobalt, coltan, zinc), mineral processing, consumer products (including textiles, footwear, cigarettes, processed foods and beverages), cement, commercial ship repair --Exchange Rate/Currency--Congolese francs (CDF) per US dollar - NA (2007), 464.69 (2006), 437.86 (2005), 401.04 (2004), 405.34 (2003) <span class="category_data" style="font-weight: normal; vertical-align: top;"> <span style="color: #dede3b; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS',Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 130%; font-weight: normal; vertical-align: top;">Internet Access: <span style="color: #dede3b; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS',Helvetica,sans-serif; font-weight: normal; vertical-align: top;"> --Internet Hosts-- <span style="color: #dede3b; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS',Helvetica,sans-serif;">3,211 (2008) --Internet Users-- 230,400 (2007) <span style="color: #ff0000; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS',Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 130%;">Military: <span style="color: #ff0000; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS',Helvetica,sans-serif;"> --Military Expenditures--2.5% of GDP (2006)

<span style="color: #5da1f4; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS',Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 130%;">Illicit Drugs: <span style="color: #5da1f4; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS',Helvetica,sans-serif;"> 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).

<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS',Helvetica,sans-serif;">Works Cited: --The CIA World Factbook<[] > <span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS',Helvetica,sans-serif;">--Culture Grams<[]>