Africa :: Congo, Democratic Republic of the

- Introduction :: Congo, Democratic Republic of the
- Background:

  Established as an official Belgian colony in 1908, the then-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 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. KABILA 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. In January 2001, KABILA was assassinated 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 the eastern DRC; 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; it held a successful constitutional referendum in December 2005 and elections for the presidency, National Assembly, and provincial legislatures took place in 2006.

  In 2009, following a resurgence of conflict in the eastern DRC, the government signed a peace agreement with the National Congress for the Defense of the People (CNDP), a primarily Tutsi rebel group. An attempt to integrate CNDP members into the Congolese military failed, prompting their defection in 2012 and the formation of the M23 armed group - named after the 23 March 2009 peace agreements. Renewed conflict led to large population displacements and significant human rights abuses before the M23 was pushed out of DRC to Uganda and Rwanda in late 2013 by a joint DRC and UN offensive. In addition, the DRC continues to experience violence committed by other armed groups including the Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Rwanda, the Allied Democratic Forces, and assorted Mai Mai militias. In the most recent national elections, held in November 2011, disputed results allowed Joseph KABILA to be reelected to the presidency. The DRC Constitution bars President KABILA from running for a third term, but the DRC Government has delayed national elections, originally slated for November 2016, to December 2018. The failure to hold elections as scheduled has fueled sporadic street protests by KABILA’s opponents and has exacerbated tensions in the tumultuous eastern DRC regions.

- Geography :: Congo, Democratic Republic of the
- Location:
  Central Africa, northeast of Angola
  Geographic coordinates:
  0 00 N, 25 00 E
  Map references:
  Africa
  Area:
  total: 2,344,858 sq km
  land: 2,267,048 sq km
  water: 77,810 sq km
  country comparison to the world: 12
  Area - comparative:
  slightly less than one-fourth the size of the US
  Land boundaries:
  total: 10,481 km
  border countries (9): Angola 2646 km (of which 225 km is the boundary of Angola's discontiguous Cabinda Province), Burundi 236 km, Central African Republic 1747 km, Republic of the Congo 1229 km, Rwanda 221 km, South Sudan 714 km, Tanzania 479 km, Uganda 877 km, Zambia 2332 km
  Coastline:
  37 km
  Maritime claims:
  territorial sea: 12 nm
  exclusive economic zone: since 2011 the DRC has a Common Interest Zone agreement with Angola for the mutual development of off-shore resources
  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
  Elevation:
  mean elevation: 726 m
  elevation extremes: 0 m lowest point: Atlantic Ocean
  5110 highest point: Pic Marguerite on Mont Ngaliema (Mount Stanley)
  Natural resources:
  cobalt, copper, niobium, tantalum, petroleum, industrial and gem diamonds, gold, silver, zinc, manganese, tin, uranium, coal, hydropower, timber
  Land use:
  agricultural land: 11.4% (2011 est.)
  arable land: 3.1% (2011 est.) / permanent crops: 0.3% (2011 est.) / permanent pasture: 8% (2011 est.)
  forest: 67.9% (2011 est.)
  other: 20.7% (2011 est.)
  Irrigated land:
  110 sq km (2012)
  Population distribution:
  urban clusters are spread throughout the country, particularly in the northeast along the boarder with Uganda, Rwanda, and Burundi; the largest city is the capital, Kinshasha, located in the west along the Congo River; the south is least densely populated
  Natural hazards:

  periodic droughts in south; Congo River floods (seasonal); active volcanoes in the east along the Great Rift Valley

  volcanism: Nyiragongo (3,470 m), which erupted in 2002 and is experiencing ongoing activity, poses a major threat to the city of Goma, home to a quarter million people; the volcano produces unusually fast-moving lava, known to travel up to 100 km /hr; Nyiragongo has been deemed a Decade Volcano by the International Association of Volcanology and Chemistry of the Earth's Interior, worthy of study due to its explosive history and close proximity to human populations; its neighbor, Nyamuragira, which erupted in 2010, is Africa's most active volcano; Visoke is the only other historically active volcano

  Environment - current issues:
  poaching threatens wildlife populations; water pollution; deforestation (forests endangered by fires set to clean the land for agricultural purposes; forests also used as a source of fuel); soil erosion; mining (diamonds, gold, coltan - a mineral used in creating capacitors for electronic devices) causing environmental damage
  Environment - international agreements:
  party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands
  signed, but not ratified: Environmental Modification
  Geography - note:

  note 1: second largest country in Africa (after Algeria) and largest country in Sub-Saharan Africa; straddles the equator; dense tropical rain forest in central river basin and eastern highlands; the narrow strip of land that controls the lower Congo River is the DRC's only outlet to the South Atlantic Ocean

  note 2: because of its speed, cataracts, rapids, and turbulence the Congo River, most of which flows through the DRC, has never been accurately measured along much of its length; nonetheless, it is conceded to be the deepest river in the world; estimates of its greatest depth vary between 220 and 250 meters

- People and Society :: Congo, Democratic Republic of the
- Population:
  85,281,024 (July 2018 est.)

  note: estimates for this country explicitly take into account the effects of excess mortality due to AIDS; this can result in lower life expectancy, higher infant mortality, higher death rates, lower population growth rates, and changes in the distribution of population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected

  country comparison to the world: 16
  Nationality:
  noun: Congolese (singular and plural)
  adjective: Congolese or Congo
  Ethnic groups:
  other and unspecified 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 (official), Lingala (a lingua franca trade language), Kingwana (a dialect of Kiswahili or Swahili), Kikongo, Tshiluba
  Religions:
  Roman Catholic 50%, Protestant 20%, Kimbanguist 10%, Muslim 10%, other (includes syncretic sects and indigenous beliefs) 10%
  Demographic profile:

  Despite a wealth of fertile soil, hydroelectric power potential, and mineral resources, the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) struggles with many socioeconomic problems, including high infant and maternal mortality rates, malnutrition, poor vaccination coverage, lack of access to improved water sources and sanitation, and frequent and early fertility. Ongoing conflict, mismanagement of resources, and a lack of investment have resulted in food insecurity; almost 30 percent of children under the age of 5 are malnourished. The overall coverage of basic public services – education, health, sanitation, and potable water – is very limited and piecemeal, with substantial regional and rural/urban disparities. Fertility remains high at almost 5 children per woman and is likely to remain high because of the low use of contraception and the cultural preference for larger families.

  The DRC is a source and host country for refugees. Between 2012 and 2014, more than 119,000 Congolese refugees returned from the Republic of Congo to the relative stability of northwest DRC, but more than 540,000 Congolese refugees remained abroad as of year-end 2015. In addition, an estimated 3.9 million Congolese were internally displaced as of October 2017, the vast majority fleeing violence between rebel group and Congolese armed forces. Thousands of refugees have come to the DRC from neighboring countries, including Rwanda, the Central African Republic, and Burundi.

  Age structure:
  0-14 years: 41.25% (male 17,735,697 /female 17,446,866)
  15-24 years: 21.46% (male 9,184,871 /female 9,117,462)
  25-54 years: 30.96% (male 13,176,714 /female 13,225,429)
  55-64 years: 3.63% (male 1,472,758 /female 1,625,637)
  65 years and over: 2.69% (male 974,293 /female 1,321,297) (2018 est.)
  population pyramid:
  The World Factbook Field Image Modal
  Africa :: Congo, Democratic Republic of the Print
  Image Description
  This is the population pyramid for Congo, Democratic Republic of the. A population pyramid illustrates the age and sex structure of a country's population and may provide insights about political and social stability, as well as economic development. The population is distributed along the horizontal axis, with males shown on the left and females on the right. The male and female populations are broken down into 5-year age groups represented as horizontal bars along the vertical axis, with the youngest age groups at the bottom and the oldest at the top. The shape of the population pyramid gradually evolves over time based on fertility, mortality, and international migration trends.
  For additional information, please see the entry for Population pyramid on the Definitions and Notes page under the References tab.
  Dependency ratios:
  total dependency ratio: 97.5 (2015 est.)
  youth dependency ratio: 91.5 (2015 est.)
  elderly dependency ratio: 6 (2015 est.)
  potential support ratio: 16.8 (2015 est.)
  Median age:
  total: 18.8 years
  male: 18.6 years
  female: 19 years (2018 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 206
  Population growth rate:
  2.33% (2018 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 31
  Birth rate:
  32.8 births/1,000 population (2018 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 29
  Death rate:
  9.4 deaths/1,000 population (2018 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 50
  Net migration rate:
  -0.1 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2018 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 105
  Population distribution:
  urban clusters are spread throughout the country, particularly in the northeast along the boarder with Uganda, Rwanda, and Burundi; the largest city is the capital, Kinshasha, located in the west along the Congo River; the south is least densely populated
  Urbanization:
  urban population: 44.5% of total population (2018)
  rate of urbanization: 4.53% annual rate of change (2015-20 est.)
  Major urban areas - population:
  13.171 million KINSHASA (capital), 2.305 million Mbuji-Mayi, 2.281 million Lubumbashi, 1.335 million Kananga, 1.167 million Kisangani, 973,000 Bukavu (2018)
  Sex ratio:
  at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female (2017 est.)
  0-14 years: 1.02 male(s)/female (2017 est.)
  15-24 years: 1.01 male(s)/female (2017 est.)
  25-54 years: 1 male(s)/female (2017 est.)
  55-64 years: 0.89 male(s)/female (2017 est.)
  65 years and over: 0.73 male(s)/female (2017 est.)
  total population: 1 male(s)/female (2017 est.)
  Mother's mean age at first birth:
  19.9 years (2013/14 est.)

  note: median age at first birth among women 25-29

  Maternal mortality rate:
  693 deaths/100,000 live births (2015 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 10
  Infant mortality rate:
  total: 66.7 deaths/1,000 live births (2018 est.)
  male: 70.1 deaths/1,000 live births (2018 est.)
  female: 63.1 deaths/1,000 live births (2018 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 8
  Life expectancy at birth:
  total population: 58.1 years (2018 est.)
  male: 56.5 years (2018 est.)
  female: 59.7 years (2018 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 213
  Total fertility rate:
  4.54 children born/woman (2018 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 25
  Contraceptive prevalence rate:
  20.4% (2013/14)
  Health expenditures:
  4.3% of GDP (2014)
  country comparison to the world: 159
  Physicians density:
  0.09 physicians/1,000 population (2009)
  Drinking water source:
  improved: urban: 81.1% of population
  rural: 31.2% of population
  total: 52.4% of population
  unimproved: urban: 18.9% of population
  rural: 68.8% of population
  total: 47.6% of population (2015 est.)
  Sanitation facility access:
  improved: urban: 28.5% of population (2015 est.)
  rural: 28.7% of population (2015 est.)
  total: 28.7% of population (2015 est.)
  unimproved: urban: 71.5% of population (2015 est.)
  rural: 71.3% of population (2015 est.)
  total: 71.3% of population (2015 est.)
  HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
  0.7% (2017 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 52
  HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
  390,000 (2017 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 18
  HIV/AIDS - deaths:
  17,000 (2017 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 12
  Major infectious diseases:
  degree of risk: very high (2016)
  food or waterborne diseases: bacterial and protozoal diarrhea, hepatitis A, and typhoid fever (2016)
  vectorborne diseases: malaria, dengue fever, and trypanosomiasis-gambiense (African sleeping sickness) (2016)
  water contact diseases: schistosomiasis (2016)
  animal contact diseases: rabies (2016)
  Obesity - adult prevalence rate:
  6.7% (2016)
  country comparison to the world: 164
  Children under the age of 5 years underweight:
  23.4% (2013)
  country comparison to the world: 22
  Education expenditures:
  2.3% of GDP (2015)
  country comparison to the world: 168
  Literacy:
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write French, Lingala, Kingwana, or Tshiluba (2016 est.)
  total population: 77% (2016 est.)
  male: 88.5% (2016 est.)
  female: 66.5% (2016 est.)
  School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):
  total: 9 years (2013)
  male: 10 years (2013)
  female: 8 years (2013)
  Unemployment, youth ages 15-24:
  total: 8.7% (2012 est.)
  male: 11.3% (2012 est.)
  female: 6.8% (2012 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 134
- Government :: Congo, Democratic Republic of the
- 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
  former: Congo Free State, Belgian Congo, Congo/Leopoldville, Congo/Kinshasa, Zaire
  abbreviation: DRC (or DROC)
  etymology: named for the Congo River, most of which lies within the DRC; the river name derives from Kongo, a Bantu kingdom that occupied its mouth at the time of Portuguese discovery in the late 15th century and whose name stems from its people the Bakongo, meaning "hunters"
  Government type:
  semi-presidential republic
  Capital:
  name: Kinshasa
  geographic coordinates: 4 19 S, 15 18 E
  time difference: UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)

  note: the DRC has two time zones

  Administrative divisions:
  26 provinces (provinces, singular - province); Bas-Uele (Lower Uele), Equateur, Haut-Katanga (Upper Katanga), Haut-Lomami (Upper Lomami), Haut-Uele (Upper Uele), Ituri, Kasai, Kasai-Central, Kasai-Oriental (East Kasai), Kinshasa, Kongo Central, Kwango, Kwilu, Lomami, Lualaba, Mai-Ndombe, Maniema, Mongala, Nord-Kivu (North Kivu), Nord-Ubangi (North Ubangi), Sankuru, Sud-Kivu (South Kivu), Sud-Ubangi (South Ubangi), Tanganyika, Tshopo, Tshuapa
  Independence:
  30 June 1960 (from Belgium)
  National holiday:
  Independence Day, 30 June (1960)
  Constitution:
  history: several previous; latest adopted 13 May 2005, approved by referendum 18-19 December 2005, promulgated 18 February 2006 (2017)
  amendments: proposed by the president of the republic, by the government, by either house of Parliament, or by public petition; agreement on the substance of a proposed bill requires absolute majority vote in both houses; passage requires a referendum only if both houses in joint meeting fail to achieve three-fifths majority vote; constitutional articles including the form of government, universal suffrage, judicial independence, political pluralism, and personal freedoms cannot be amended; amended 2011 (2017)
  Legal system:
  civil law system primarily based on Belgian law, but also customary and tribal law
  International law organization participation:
  accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations; accepts ICCt jurisdiction
  Citizenship:
  citizenship by birth: no
  citizenship by descent only: at least one parent must be a citizen of the Democratic Republic of the Congo
  dual citizenship recognized: no
  residency requirement for naturalization: 5 years
  Suffrage:
  18 years of age; universal and compulsory
  Judicial branch:
  highest courts: Court of Cassation or Cour de Cassation (consists of 26 justices and organized into legislative and judiciary sections); Constitutional Court (consists of 9 judges)
  judge selection and term of office: Court of Cassation judges nominated by the Judicial Service Council, an independent body of public prosecutors and selected judges of the lower courts; judge 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 with one-third of the membership renewed every 3 years
  subordinate courts: State Security Court; Court of Appeals (organized into administrative and judiciary sections); Tribunal de Grande; magistrates' courts; customary courts
  Executive branch:
  chief of state: President Joseph KABILA (since 17 January 2001)
  head of government: Prime Minister Bruno TSHIBALA (since 7 April 2017); Deputy Prime Ministers Jose MAKILA, Leonard She OKITUNDU, Henri MOVA Sankanyi (since February 2018)
  cabinet: Ministers of State appointed by the president
  elections/appointments: president directly elected by simple majority vote for a 5-year term (eligible for a second term); election last held on 28 November 2011 (next originally scheduled for 27 November 2016 but now scheduled for 30 December 2018); prime minister appointed by the president
  election results: Joseph KABILA reelected president; percent of vote - Joseph KABILA (PPRD) 49%, Etienne TSHISEKEDI (UDPS) 32.3%, other 18.7%; note - election marred by serious voting irregularities
  Legislative branch:
  description: bicameral Parliament or Parlement consists of:
  Senate (108 seats; members indirectly elected by provincial assemblies by proportional representation vote; members serve 5-year terms)
  National Assembly (500 seats; 439 members directly elected in multi-seat constituencies by proportional representation vote and 61 directly elected in single-seat constituencies by simple majority vote; members serve 5-year terms)
  elections:
  Senate - last held on 19 January 2007 (follow-on election has been delayed)
  National Assembly - last held on 28 November 2011 (next originally scheduled for 27 November 2016 but postponed
  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, other 18, independent 26; composition - men 103, women 5, percent of women 4.6%
  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, other 214 (includes numerous political parties that won 10 or fewer seats and 2 constituencies where voting was halted), independent 16; composition - men 456, women 44, percent of women 8.8%; total Parliament percent of women 8.1%;note - the November 2011 election was marred by violence including the destruction of ballots in 2 constituencies resulting in the closure of polling sites; election results were delayed 3 months, strongly contested, and continue to be unresolved
  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 [Henri MOVA Sakanyi]
  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 [Felix TSHISEKEDI]
  International organization participation:
  ACP, AfDB, AU, CEMAC, CEPGL, COMESA, EITI (compliant country), FAO, G-24, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (NGOs), ICCt, 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
  Diplomatic representation in the US:
  chief of mission: Ambassador Francois Nkuna BALUMUENE (since 23 September 2015)
  chancery: 1726 M Street, NW, Suite 601, Washington, DC, 20036
  telephone: [1] (202) 234-7690 through 7691
  FAX: [1] (202) 234-2609
  representative office: New York New York
  Diplomatic representation from the US:
  chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires Jennifer HASKELL (since 31 December 2016)
  embassy: 310 Avenue des Aviateurs, Kinshasa, Gombe
  mailing address: Unit 2220, DPO AE 09828
  telephone: [243] 081 556-0151
  FAX: [243] 81 556-0175
  Flag description:
  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; blue represents peace and hope, red the blood of the country's martyrs, and yellow the country's wealth and prosperity; the star symbolizes unity and the brilliant future for the country
  National symbol(s):
  leopard; national colors: sky blue, red, yellow
  National anthem:
  name: "Debout Congolaise" (Arise Congolese)
  lyrics/music: Joseph LUTUMBA/Simon-Pierre BOKA di Mpasi Londi

  note: adopted 1960; replaced when the country was known as Zaire; but readopted in 1997

- Economy :: Congo, Democratic Republic of the
- Economy - overview:

  The economy of the Democratic Republic of the Congo - a nation endowed with vast natural resource wealth - continues to perform poorly. Systemic corruption since independence in 1960, combined with countrywide instability and intermittent conflict that began in the early-90s, has reduced national output and government revenue, and increased external debt. With the installation of a transitional government in 2003 after peace accords, economic conditions slowly began to improve as the government reopened relations with international financial institutions and international donors, and President KABILA began implementing reforms. Progress on implementing substantive economic reforms remains slow because of political instability, bureaucratic inefficiency, corruption, and patronage, which also dampen international investment prospects.

  Renewed activity in the mining sector, the source of most export income, boosted Kinshasa's fiscal position and GDP growth until 2015, but low commodity prices have led to slower growth, volatile inflation, currency depreciation, and a growing fiscal deficit. An uncertain legal framework, corruption, and a lack of transparency in government policy are long-term problems for the large mining sector and for the economy as a whole. Much economic activity still occurs in the informal sector and is not reflected in GDP data.

  Poverty remains widespread in DRC, and the country failed to meet any Millennium Development Goals by 2015. DRC also concluded its program with the IMF in 2015. The price of copper – the DRC’s primary export - plummeted in 2015 and remained at record lows during 2016-17, reducing government revenues, expenditures, and foreign exchange reserves, while inflation reached nearly 50% in mid-2017 – its highest level since the early 2000s.

  GDP (purchasing power parity):
  $68.6 billion (2017 est.)
  $66.33 billion (2016 est.)
  $64.78 billion (2015 est.)

  note: data are in 2017 dollars

  country comparison to the world: 103
  GDP (official exchange rate):
  $41.44 billion (2017 est.) (2017 est.)
  GDP - real growth rate:
  3.4% (2017 est.)
  2.4% (2016 est.)
  6.9% (2015 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 101
  GDP - per capita (PPP):
  $800 (2017 est.)
  $800 (2016 est.)
  $800 (2015 est.)

  note: data are in 2017 dollars

  country comparison to the world: 226
  Gross national saving:
  11.5% of GDP (2017 est.)
  8.7% of GDP (2016 est.)
  16.5% of GDP (2015 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 154
  GDP - composition, by end use:
  household consumption: 78.5% (2017 est.)
  government consumption: 12.7% (2017 est.)
  investment in fixed capital: 15.9% (2017 est.)
  investment in inventories: 0% (2017 est.)
  exports of goods and services: 25.7% (2017 est.)
  imports of goods and services: -32.8% (2017 est.)
  GDP - composition, by sector of origin:
  agriculture: 19.7% (2017 est.)
  industry: 43.6% (2017 est.)
  services: 36.7% (2017 est.)
  Agriculture - products:
  coffee, sugar, palm oil, rubber, tea, cotton, cocoa, quinine, cassava (manioc, tapioca), bananas, plantains, peanuts, root crops, corn, fruits; wood products
  Industries:
  mining (copper, cobalt, gold, diamonds, coltan, zinc, tin, tungsten), mineral processing, consumer products (textiles, plastics, footwear, cigarettes), metal products, processed foods and beverages, timber, cement, commercial ship repair
  Industrial production growth rate:
  1.6% (2017 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 140
  Labor force:
  31.36 million (2017 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 18
  Labor force - by occupation:
  agriculture: NA
  industry: NA
  services: NA
  Unemployment rate:

  NA

  Population below poverty line:
  63% (2014 est.)
  Household income or consumption by percentage share:
  lowest 10%: 34.7% (2006)
  highest 10%: 34.7% (2006)
  Distribution of family income - Gini index:
  42.1 (2012 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 53
  Budget:
  revenues: 4.634 billion (2017 est.)
  expenditures: 5.009 billion (2017 est.)
  Taxes and other revenues:
  11.2% (of GDP) (2017 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 211
  Budget surplus (+) or deficit (-):
  -0.9% (of GDP) (2017 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 72
  Public debt:
  18.1% of GDP (2017 est.)
  19.3% of GDP (2016 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 192
  Fiscal year:
  calendar year
  Inflation rate (consumer prices):
  41.5% (2017 est.)
  18.2% (2016 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 224
  Central bank discount rate:
  20% (31 December 2017)
  20% (31 December 2011)
  country comparison to the world: 4
  Commercial bank prime lending rate:
  20.62% (31 December 2017 est.)
  19.05% (31 December 2016 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 13
  Stock of narrow money:
  $1.044 billion (31 December 2017 est.)
  $1.192 billion (31 December 2016 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 157
  Stock of broad money:
  $1.044 billion (31 December 2017 est.)
  $1.192 billion (31 December 2016 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 162
  Stock of domestic credit:
  $3.252 billion (31 December 2017 est.)
  $3.582 billion (31 December 2016 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 136
  Market value of publicly traded shares:

  NA

  Current account balance:
  -$200 million (2017 est.)
  -$1.215 billion (2016 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 98
  Exports:
  $10.98 billion (2017 est.)
  $8.228 billion (2016 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 91
  Exports - partners:
  China 41.4%, Zambia 22.7%, South Korea 7.2%, Finland 6.2% (2017)
  Exports - commodities:
  diamonds, copper, gold, cobalt, wood products, crude oil, coffee
  Imports:
  $10.82 billion (2017 est.)
  $10.21 billion (2016 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 101
  Imports - commodities:
  foodstuffs, mining and other machinery, transport equipment, fuels
  Imports - partners:
  China 19.9%, South Africa 18%, Zambia 10.4%, Belgium 9.1%, India 4.3%, Tanzania 4.2% (2017)
  Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
  $457.5 million (31 December 2017 est.)
  $708.2 million (31 December 2016 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 155
  Debt - external:
  $4.963 billion (31 December 2017 est.)
  $5.35 billion (31 December 2016 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 134
  Exchange rates:
  Congolese francs (CDF) per US dollar -
  1,546.8 (2017 est.)
  1,010.3 (2016 est.)
  1,010.3 (2015 est.)
  925.99 (2014 est.)
  925.23 (2013 est.)
- Energy :: Congo, Democratic Republic of the
- Electricity access:
  population without electricity: 61.4 million (2013)
  electrification - total population: 9% (2013)
  electrification - urban areas: 19% (2013)
  electrification - rural areas: 2% (2013)
  Electricity - production:
  9.046 billion kWh (2016 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 106
  Electricity - consumption:
  7.43 billion kWh (2016 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 106
  Electricity - exports:
  422 million kWh (2015 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 70
  Electricity - imports:
  20 million kWh (2016 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 113
  Electricity - installed generating capacity:
  2.587 million kW (2016 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 105
  Electricity - from fossil fuels:
  2% of total installed capacity (2016 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 210
  Electricity - from nuclear fuels:
  0% of total installed capacity (2017 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 69
  Electricity - from hydroelectric plants:
  98% of total installed capacity (2017 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 4
  Electricity - from other renewable sources:
  0% of total installed capacity (2017 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 182
  Crude oil - production:
  19,160 bbl/day (2017 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 65
  Crude oil - exports:
  20,000 bbl/day (2015 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 49
  Crude oil - imports:
  0 bbl/day (2015 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 112
  Crude oil - proved reserves:
  180 million bbl (1 January 2018 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 58
  Refined petroleum products - production:
  0 bbl/day (2017 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 132
  Refined petroleum products - consumption:
  21,000 bbl/day (2016 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 136
  Refined petroleum products - exports:
  0 bbl/day (2015 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 145
  Refined petroleum products - imports:
  21,140 bbl/day (2015 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 115
  Natural gas - production:
  0 cu m (2017 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 118
  Natural gas - consumption:
  0 cu m (2017 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 134
  Natural gas - exports:
  0 cu m (2017 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 85
  Natural gas - imports:
  0 cu m (2017 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 108
  Natural gas - proved reserves:
  991.1 million cu m (1 January 2018 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 99
  Carbon dioxide emissions from consumption of energy:
  3.146 million Mt (2017 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 145
- Communications :: Congo, Democratic Republic of the
- Telephones - fixed lines:
  total subscriptions: NA (2017 est.)
  subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: NA (2017 est.)
  Telephones - mobile cellular:
  total subscriptions: 35,270,156 (2017 est.)
  subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 42 (2017 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 39
  Telephone system:
  general assessment: barely adequate wire and microwave radio relay service in and between urban areas; domestic satellite system with 14 earth stations; inadequate fixed-line infrastructure; efforts have been made to improve regulating the telecom sector; wars and social upheavel have not promoted advancement; a revised Telecommunications Act adopted in May 2018, though the practical implementation of the Act's measures remains dubious (2017)
  domestic: fixed-line connections only about 8 per 100 persons; given the backdrop of a wholly inadequate fixed-line infrastructure, the use of mobile-cellular services has surged and mobile teledensity is over 42 per 100 persons (2017)
  international: country code - 243; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean); the country was finally connected to low-cost, high-quality international bandwidth through the WACS submarine fibre optic cable in 2013, and SCPT is rolling out a fibre optic national backbone network with support from China (2017)
  Broadcast media:
  state-owned TV broadcast station with near national coverage; more than a dozen privately owned TV stations - 2 with 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 users:
  total: 3.016 million (July 2016 est.)
  percent of population: 3.8% (July 2016 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 97
  Broadband - fixed subscriptions:
  total: 1,000 (2017 est.)
  subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: less than 1 (2017 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 191
- Transportation :: Congo, Democratic Republic of the
- National air transport system:
  number of registered air carriers: 8 (2015)
  inventory of registered aircraft operated by air carriers: 13 (2015)
  annual passenger traffic on registered air carriers: 476,352 (2015)
  annual freight traffic on registered air carriers: 85,839 mt-km (2015)
  Civil aircraft registration country code prefix:
  9Q (2016)
  Airports:
  198 (2013)
  country comparison to the world: 27
  Airports - with paved runways:
  total: 26 (2017)
  over 3,047 m: 3 (2017)
  2,438 to 3,047 m: 3 (2017)
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 17 (2017)
  914 to 1,523 m: 2 (2017)
  under 914 m: 1 (2017)
  Airports - with unpaved runways:
  total: 172 (2013)
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 20 (2013)
  914 to 1,523 m: 87 (2013)
  under 914 m: 65 (2013)
  Heliports:
  1 (2013)
  Pipelines:
  62 km gas, 77 km oil, 756 km refined products (2013)
  Railways:
  total: 4,007 km (2014)
  narrow gauge: 3,882 km 1.067-m gauge (858 km electrified) (2014)
  125 1.000-m gauge
  country comparison to the world: 47
  Roadways:
  total: 153,497 km (2004)
  paved: 2,794 km (2004)
  unpaved: 150,703 km (2004)
  country comparison to the world: 34
  Waterways:
  15,000 km (including the Congo River, its tributaries, and unconnected lakes) (2011)
  country comparison to the world: 8
  Merchant marine:
  total: 33 (2017)
  by type: general cargo 18, oil tanker 1, other 14 (2017)
  country comparison to the world: 125
  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)
- Military and Security :: Congo, Democratic Republic of the
- Military expenditures:
  1.34% of GDP (2016)
  1.36% of GDP (2015)
  1% of GDP (2014)
  1.25% of GDP (2013)
  1.21% of GDP (2012)
  country comparison to the world: 85
  Military branches:
  Armed Forces of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (Forces d'Armees de la Republique Democratique du Congo, FARDC): Army, National Navy (La Marine Nationale), Congolese Air Force (Force Aerienne Congolaise, FAC) (2011)
  Military service age and obligation:
  18-45 years of age for voluntary and compulsory military service (2012)
- Transnational Issues :: Congo, Democratic Republic of the
- Disputes - international:
  heads of the Great Lakes states and UN pledged in 2004 to abate tribal, rebel, and militia fighting in the region, including northeast Congo, where the UN Organization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (MONUC), organized in 1999, maintains over 16,500 uniformed peacekeepersmembers of Uganda's Lord's Resistance Army forces continue to seek refuge in Congo's Garamba National Park as peace talks with the Uganda Government evolvethe location of the boundary in the broad Congo River with the Republic of the Congo is indefinite except in the Pool Malebo/Stanley Pool areaUganda and DRC dispute Rukwanzi Island in Lake Albert and other areas on the Semliki River with hydrocarbon potentialboundary commission continues discussions over Congolese-administered triangle of land on the right bank of the Lunkinda River claimed by Zambia near the DRC village of Pweto
  Refugees and internally displaced persons:
  refugees (country of origin): 219,489 (Rwanda), 171,966 (Central African Republic), 95,438 (South Sudan) (refugees and asylum seekers), 42,309 (Burundi) (2018)
  IDPs: 4.5 million (fighting between government forces and rebels since mid-1990s; conflict in Kasai region since 2016) (2017)
  Trafficking in persons:
  current situation: The Democratic Republic of the Congo is a source, destination, and possibly a transit country for men, women, and children subjected to forced labor and sex trafficking; the majority of this trafficking is internal, and much of it is perpetrated by armed groups and rogue government forces outside official control in the country's unstable eastern provinces; Congolese adults are subjected to forced labor, including debt bondage, in unlicensed mines, and women may be forced into prostitution; Congolese women and girls are subjected to forced marriages where they are vulnerable to domestic servitude or sex trafficking, while children are forced to work in agriculture, mining, mineral smuggling, vending, portering, and begging; Congolese women and children migrate to countries in Africa, the Middle East, and Europe where some are subjected to forced prostitution, domestic servitude, and forced labor in agriculture and diamond mining; indigenous and foreign armed groups, including the Lord’s Resistance Army, abduct and forcibly recruit Congolese adults and children to serve as laborers, porters, domestics, combatants, and sex slaves; some elements of the Congolese national army (FARDC) also forced adults to carry supplies, equipment, and looted goods, but no cases of the FARDC recruiting child soldiers were reported in 2014 – a significant change
  tier rating: Tier 2 Watch List - The Democratic Republic of the Congo does not fully comply with the minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking; however, it is making significant efforts to do so; the government took significant steps to hold military and police officials complicit in human trafficking accountable with convictions for sex slavery and arrests of armed group commanders for the recruitment and use of child soldiers; the government appears to have ceased the recruitment of child soldiers through the implementation of a UN-backed action plan; little effort was made to address labor and sex trafficking crimes committed by persons other than officials, or to identify the victims, or to provide or refer the victims to care services; awareness of various forms of trafficking is limited among law enforcement personnel and training and resources are inadequate to conduct investigations (2015)
  Illicit drugs:
  traffickers exploit lax shipping controls to transit pseudoephedrine through the capital; while rampant corruption and inadequate supervision leave 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