Africa :: Congo, Republic of the

- Introduction :: Congo, Republic of the
- Background:
  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. The Republic of Congo is 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.
- Geography :: Congo, Republic of the
- Location:
  Central Africa, bordering the South Atlantic Ocean, between Angola and Gabon
  Geographic coordinates:
  1 00 S, 15 00 E
  Map references:
  Africa
  Area:
  total: 342,000 sq km
  land: 341,500 sq km
  water: 500 sq km
  country comparison to the world: 65
  Area - comparative:
  slightly smaller than Montana
  Land boundaries:
  total: 5,008 km
  border countries (5): Angola 231 km, Cameroon 494 km, Central African Republic 487 km, Democratic Republic of the Congo 1229 km, Gabon 2567 km
  Coastline:
  169 km
  Maritime claims:
  territorial sea: 12 nm
  exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
  contiguous zone: 24 nm
  Climate:
  tropical; rainy season (March to June); dry season (June to October); persistent high temperatures and humidity; particularly enervating climate astride the Equator
  Terrain:
  coastal plain, southern basin, central plateau, northern basin
  Elevation:
  mean elevation: 430 m
  elevation extremes: 0 m lowest point: Atlantic Ocean
  903 highest point: Mount Berongou
  Natural resources:
  petroleum, timber, potash, lead, zinc, uranium, copper, phosphates, gold, magnesium, natural gas, hydropower
  Land use:
  agricultural land: 31.1% (2011 est.)
  arable land: 1.6% (2011 est.) / permanent crops: 0.2% (2011 est.) / permanent pasture: 29.3% (2011 est.)
  forest: 65.6% (2011 est.)
  other: 3.3% (2011 est.)
  Irrigated land:
  20 sq km (2012)
  Population distribution:
  the population is primarily located in the south, in and around the capital of Brazzaville
  Natural hazards:
  seasonal flooding
  Environment - current issues:
  air pollution from vehicle emissions; water pollution from raw sewage; tap water is not potable; deforestation; wildlife protection
  Environment - international agreements:
  party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands
  signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
  Geography - note:
  about 70% of the population lives in Brazzaville, Pointe-Noire, or along the railroad between them
- People and Society :: Congo, Republic of the
- Population:
  5,062,021 (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: 122
  Nationality:
  noun: Congolese (singular and plural)
  adjective: Congolese or Congo
  Ethnic groups:
  Kongo 40.5%, Teke 16.9%, Mbochi 13.1%, foreigner 8.2%, Sangha 5.6%, Mbere/Mbeti/Kele 4.4%, Punu 4.3%, Pygmy 1.6%, Oubanguiens 1.6%, Duma 1.5%, Makaa 1.3%, other and unspecified 1% (2014-15 est.)
  Languages:
  French (official), French Lingala and Monokutuba (lingua franca trade languages), many local languages and dialects (of which Kikongo is the most widespread)
  Religions:
  Roman Catholic 33.1%, Awakening Churches/Christian Revival 22.3%, Protestant 19.9%, Salutiste 2.2%, Muslim 1.6%, Kimbanguiste 1.5%, other 8.1%, none 11.3% (2010 est.)
  Age structure:
  0-14 years: 41.75% (male 1,066,474 /female 1,046,924)
  15-24 years: 16.99% (male 431,279 /female 428,999)
  25-54 years: 33.77% (male 857,596 /female 851,712)
  55-64 years: 4.39% (male 112,669 /female 109,429)
  65 years and over: 3.1% (male 69,621 /female 87,318) (2018 est.)
  population pyramid:
  The World Factbook Field Image Modal
  Africa :: Congo, Republic of the Print
  Image Description
  This is the population pyramid for Congo, 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: 84.5 (2015 est.)
  youth dependency ratio: 78.3 (2015 est.)
  elderly dependency ratio: 6.2 (2015 est.)
  potential support ratio: 16.1 (2015 est.)
  Median age:
  total: 19.6 years
  male: 19.4 years
  female: 19.8 years (2018 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 199
  Population growth rate:
  2.17% (2018 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 38
  Birth rate:
  33.7 births/1,000 population (2018 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 26
  Death rate:
  9.2 deaths/1,000 population (2018 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 58
  Net migration rate:
  -2.8 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2018 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 172
  Population distribution:
  the population is primarily located in the south, in and around the capital of Brazzaville
  Urbanization:
  urban population: 66.9% of total population (2018)
  rate of urbanization: 3.28% annual rate of change (2015-20 est.)
  Major urban areas - population:
  2.23 million BRAZZAVILLE (capital), 1.138 million Pointe-Noire (2018)
  Sex ratio:
  at birth: 1.02 male(s)/female (2017 est.)
  0-14 years: 1.02 male(s)/female (2017 est.)
  15-24 years: 1 male(s)/female (2017 est.)
  25-54 years: 1.01 male(s)/female (2017 est.)
  55-64 years: 0.99 male(s)/female (2017 est.)
  65 years and over: 0.78 male(s)/female (2017 est.)
  total population: 1.01 male(s)/female (2017 est.)
  Mother's mean age at first birth:
  19.8 years (2011/12 est.)

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

  Maternal mortality rate:
  442 deaths/100,000 live births (2015 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 25
  Infant mortality rate:
  total: 53.5 deaths/1,000 live births (2018 est.)
  male: 58.3 deaths/1,000 live births (2018 est.)
  female: 48.5 deaths/1,000 live births (2018 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 23
  Life expectancy at birth:
  total population: 60.3 years (2018 est.)
  male: 59 years (2018 est.)
  female: 61.6 years (2018 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 208
  Total fertility rate:
  4.26 children born/woman (2018 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 28
  Contraceptive prevalence rate:
  30.1% (2014/15)
  Health expenditures:
  5.2% of GDP (2014)
  country comparison to the world: 133
  Drinking water source:
  improved: urban: 95.8% of population
  rural: 40% of population
  total: 76.5% of population
  unimproved: urban: 4.2% of population
  rural: 60% of population
  total: 23.5% of population (2015 est.)
  Sanitation facility access:
  improved: urban: 20% of population (2015 est.)
  rural: 5.6% of population (2015 est.)
  total: 15% of population (2015 est.)
  unimproved: urban: 80% of population (2015 est.)
  rural: 94.4% of population (2015 est.)
  total: 85% of population (2015 est.)
  HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
  3.1% (2017 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 18
  HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
  100,000 (2017 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 44
  HIV/AIDS - deaths:
  4,900 (2017 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 28
  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 and dengue fever (2016)
  water contact diseases: schistosomiasis (2016)
  animal contact diseases: rabies (2016)
  Obesity - adult prevalence rate:
  9.6% (2016)
  country comparison to the world: 143
  Children under the age of 5 years underweight:
  12.3% (2015)
  country comparison to the world: 55
  Education expenditures:
  6.2% of GDP (2010)
  country comparison to the world: 30
  Literacy:
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write (2015 est.)
  total population: 79.3% (2015 est.)
  male: 86.4% (2015 est.)
  female: 72.9% (2015 est.)
  School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):
  total: 11 years (2012)
  male: 11 years (2012)
  female: 11 years (2012)
- Government :: Congo, Republic of the
- Country name:
  conventional long form: Republic of the Congo
  conventional short form: Congo (Brazzaville)
  local long form: Republique du Congo
  local short form: Congo
  former: French Congo, Middle Congo, People's Republic of the Congo, Congo/Brazzaville
  etymology: named for the Congo River, which makes up much of the country's eastern border; 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:
  presidential republic
  Capital:
  name: Brazzaville
  geographic coordinates: 4 15 S, 15 17 E
  time difference: UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)
  Administrative divisions:
  12 departments (departments, singular - department); Bouenza, Brazzaville, Cuvette, Cuvette-Ouest, Kouilou, Lekoumou, Likouala, Niari, Plateaux, Pointe-Noire, Pool, Sangha
  Independence:
  15 August 1960 (from France)
  National holiday:
  Independence Day, 15 August (1960)
  Constitution:
  history: several previous; latest approved by referendum 25 October 2015 (2017)
  amendments: proposed by the president of the republic or by Parliament; passage of presidential proposals requires Supreme Court review followed by approval in a referendum; such proposals may also be submitted directly to Parliament, in which case passage requires at least three-quarters majority vote of both houses in joint session; proposals by Parliament require three-fourths majority vote of both houses in joint session; constitutional articles including those affecting the country’s territory, republican form of government, and secularity of the state are not amendable (2017)
  Legal system:
  mixed legal system of French civil law and customary law
  International law organization participation:
  has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; accepts ICCt jurisdiction
  Citizenship:
  citizenship by birth: no
  citizenship by descent only: at least one parent must be a citizen of the Republic of the Congo
  dual citizenship recognized: no
  residency requirement for naturalization: 10 years
  Suffrage:
  18 years of age; universal
  Judicial branch:
  highest courts: Supreme Court or Cour Supreme (consists of NA judges); Constitutional Court (consists of 9 members); note - a High Court of Justice, outside the judicial authority, tries cases involving treason by the president of the republic
  judge selection and term of office: Supreme Court judges elected by Parliament and serve until age 65; Constitutional Court members appointed by the president of the republic - 3 directly by the president and 6 nominated by Parliament; members appointed for renewable 9-year terms with one-third of the membership renewed every 3 years
  subordinate courts: Court of Audit and Budgetary Discipline; courts of appeal; regional and district courts; employment tribunals; juvenile courts
  Executive branch:
  chief of state: President Denis SASSOU-Nguesso (since 25 October 1997)
  head of government: Prime Minister (vacant); Prime Minister Clement MOUAMBA (since 23 April 2016) resigned on 18 August 2017; note - a constitutional referendum held in 2015 approved the change of the head of government from the president to the prime minister
  cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president
  elections/appointments: president directly elected by absolute majority popular vote in 2 rounds if needed for a 5-year term (eligible for 2 additional terms); election last held on 20 March 2016 (next to be held in 2021)
  election results: Denis SASSOU-Nguesso reelected president in the first round; percent of vote - Denis SASSOU-Nguesso (PCT) 60.4%, Guy Price Parfait KOLELAS (MCDDI) 15.1%, Jean-Marie MOKOKO (independent) 13.9%, Pascal Tsaty MABIALA (UPADS) 4.4%, other 6.2%
  Legislative branch:
  description: bicameral Parliament or Parlement consists of:
  Senate (72 seats; members indirectly elected by regional councils by simple majority vote to serve 6-year terms with one-half of membership renewed every 3 years)
  National Assembly (151 seats; members directly elected in single-seat constituencies by absolute majority popular vote in 2 rounds if needed; members serve 5-year terms)
  elections:
  Senate - last held on 31 August 2017 for expiry of half the seats (next to be held in 2020)
  National Assembly - last held on 16 and 30 July 2017 (next to be held in July 2022)
  election results:
  Senate - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - PCT 46, independent 12, MAR 2, RDPS 2, UPADS 2, DRD 1, FP 1, MCDDI 1, PRL 1, Pulp 1, PUR 1, RC 1; composition - men 58, women 14, percent of women 19.4%
  National Assembly - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - PCT 96, UPADS 8, MCDDI 4, other 23 (less than 4 seats) independent 20; composition - men 134, women 17, percent of women 11.3%; note - total Parliament percent of women 13.9%
  Political parties and leaders:
  Action Movement for Renewal or MAR [Roland BOUITI-VIAUDO]
  Citizen's Rally or RC [Claude Alphonse NSILOU]
  Congolese Labour Party or PCT [Denis SASSOU-NGUESSO]
  Congolese Movement for Democracy and Integral Development or MCDDI [Guy Price Parfait KOLELAS]
  Movement for Unity, Solidarity, and Work or MUST [Claudine MUNARI]
  Pan-African Union for Social Development or UPADS [Pascal Tsaty MABIALA]
  Party for the Unity of the Republic or PUR
  Patriotic Union for Democracy and Progress or UPDP [Auguste-Celestin GONGARD NKOUA]
  Prospects and Realities Club or CPR
  Rally for Democracy and Social Progress or RDPS [Bernard BATCHI]
  Rally of the Presidential Majority or RMP
  Republican and Liberal Party or PRL [Bonaventure MIZIDY]
  Union for the Republic or UR
  Union of Democratic Forces or UDF
  Union for Democracy and Republic or UDR
  many smaller parties
  International organization participation:
  ACP, AfDB, AU, BDEAC, CEMAC, EITI (compliant country), FAO, FZ, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, 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
  Diplomatic representation in the US:
  chief of mission: Ambassador Serge MOMBOULI (since 31 July 2001)
  chancery: 1720 16th Street NW, Washington, DC 20009
  telephone: [1] (202) 726-5500
  FAX: [1] (202) 726-1860
  Diplomatic representation from the US:
  chief of mission: Ambassador Todd P. HASKELL (since July 2017)
  embassy: 70-83 Section D, Maya-Maya Boulevard, Brazzaville
  mailing address: B.P. 1015, Brazzaville
  telephone: [242] 06 612-2000
  Flag description:
  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

  note: uses the popular Pan-African colors of Ethiopia

  National symbol(s):
  lion, elephant; national colors: green, yellow, red
  National anthem:
  name: "La Congolaise" (The Congolese)
  lyrics/music: Jacques TONDRA and Georges KIBANGHI/Jean ROYER and Joseph SPADILIERE

  note: originally adopted 1959, restored 1991

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

  The Republic of the Congo’s economy is a mixture of subsistence farming, 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. Natural gas is increasingly being converted to electricity rather than being flared, greatly improving energy prospects. New mining projects, particularly iron ore, which entered production in late 2013, may add as much as $1 billion to annual government revenue. The Republic of the Congo is a member of the Central African Economic and Monetary Community (CEMAC) and shares a common currency – the Central African Franc – with five other member states in the region.

  The current administration faces difficult economic challenges of stimulating recovery and reducing poverty. The drop in oil prices that began in 2014 has constrained government spending; lower oil prices forced the government to cut more than $1 billion in planned spending. The fiscal deficit amounted to 11% of GDP in 2017. The government’s inability to pay civil servant salaries has resulted in multiple rounds of strikes by many groups, including doctors, nurses, and teachers. In the wake of a multi-year recession, the country reached out to the IMF in 2017 for a new program; the IMF noted that the country’s continued dependence on oil, unsustainable debt, and significant governance weakness are key impediments to the country’s economy. In 2018, the country’s external debt level will approach 120% of GDP. The IMF urged the government to renegotiate debts levels to sustainable levels before it agreed to a new macroeconomic adjustment package.

  GDP (purchasing power parity):
  $29.39 billion (2017 est.)
  $30.33 billion (2016 est.)
  $31.22 billion (2015 est.)

  note: data are in 2017 dollars

  country comparison to the world: 133
  GDP (official exchange rate):
  $8.718 billion (2017 est.) (2017 est.)
  GDP - real growth rate:
  -3.1% (2017 est.)
  -2.8% (2016 est.)
  2.6% (2015 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 212
  GDP - per capita (PPP):
  $6,800 (2017 est.)
  $7,200 (2016 est.)
  $7,500 (2015 est.)

  note: data are in 2017 dollars

  country comparison to the world: 161
  Gross national saving:
  19.5% of GDP (2017 est.)
  -12.8% of GDP (2016 est.)
  6.6% of GDP (2015 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 101
  GDP - composition, by end use:
  household consumption: 47.6% (2017 est.)
  government consumption: 9.6% (2017 est.)
  investment in fixed capital: 42.5% (2017 est.)
  investment in inventories: 0.1% (2017 est.)
  exports of goods and services: 62.9% (2017 est.)
  imports of goods and services: -62.7% (2017 est.)
  GDP - composition, by sector of origin:
  agriculture: 9.3% (2017 est.)
  industry: 51% (2017 est.)
  services: 39.7% (2017 est.)
  Agriculture - products:
  cassava (manioc, tapioca), sugar, rice, corn, peanuts, vegetables, coffee, cocoa; forest products
  Industries:
  petroleum extraction, cement, lumber, brewing, sugar, palm oil, soap, flour, cigarettes
  Industrial production growth rate:
  -3% (2017 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 187
  Labor force:
  2.055 million (2016 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 124
  Labor force - by occupation:
  agriculture: 35.4%
  industry: 20.6%
  services: 44% (2005 est.)
  Unemployment rate:
  36% (2014 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 211
  Population below poverty line:
  46.5% (2011 est.)
  Household income or consumption by percentage share:
  lowest 10%: 37.1% (2005)
  highest 10%: 37.1% (2005)
  Distribution of family income - Gini index:
  48.9 (2011 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 20
  Budget:
  revenues: 1.965 billion (2017 est.)
  expenditures: 2.578 billion (2017 est.)
  Taxes and other revenues:
  22.5% (of GDP) (2017 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 132
  Budget surplus (+) or deficit (-):
  -7% (of GDP) (2017 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 194
  Public debt:
  130.8% of GDP (2017 est.)
  128.7% of GDP (2016 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 7
  Fiscal year:
  calendar year
  Inflation rate (consumer prices):
  0.5% (2017 est.)
  3.2% (2016 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 26
  Central bank discount rate:
  4.25% (31 December 2009)
  4.75% (31 December 2008)
  country comparison to the world: 92
  Commercial bank prime lending rate:
  14.6% (31 December 2017 est.)
  14% (31 December 2016 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 44
  Stock of narrow money:
  $2.585 billion (31 December 2017 est.)
  $2.456 billion (31 December 2016 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 126
  Stock of broad money:
  $2.585 billion (31 December 2017 est.)
  $2.456 billion (31 December 2016 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 133
  Stock of domestic credit:
  $3.036 billion (31 December 2017 est.)
  $2.901 billion (31 December 2016 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 139
  Market value of publicly traded shares:

  NA

  Current account balance:
  -$1.128 billion (2017 est.)
  -$5.735 billion (2016 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 145
  Exports:
  $4.193 billion (2017 est.)
  $4.116 billion (2016 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 116
  Exports - partners:
  China 53.8%, Angola 6.2%, Gabon 5.7%, Italy 5.4%, Spain 5.4%, Australia 4.8% (2017)
  Exports - commodities:
  petroleum, lumber, plywood, sugar, cocoa, coffee, diamonds
  Imports:
  $2.501 billion (2017 est.)
  $5.639 billion (2016 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 158
  Imports - commodities:
  capital equipment, construction materials, foodstuffs
  Imports - partners:
  France 15%, China 14%, Belgium 12.2%, Norway 8.1% (2017)
  Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
  $505.7 million (31 December 2017 est.)
  $727.1 million (31 December 2016 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 151
  Debt - external:
  $4.605 billion (31 December 2017 est.)
  $4.721 billion (31 December 2016 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 135
  Stock of direct foreign investment - at home:

  NA

  Exchange rates:
  Cooperation Financiere en Afrique Centrale francs (XAF) per US dollar -
  579.8 (2017 est.)
  593.01 (2016 est.)
  593.01 (2015 est.)
  591.45 (2014 est.)
  494.42 (2013 est.)
- Energy :: Congo, Republic of the
- Electricity access:
  population without electricity: 2.6 million (2013)
  electrification - total population: 42% (2013)
  electrification - urban areas: 62% (2013)
  electrification - rural areas: 5% (2013)
  Electricity - production:
  1.696 billion kWh (2016 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 143
  Electricity - consumption:
  912 million kWh (2016 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 157
  Electricity - exports:
  22 million kWh (2015 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 90
  Electricity - imports:
  18 million kWh (2016 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 115
  Electricity - installed generating capacity:
  591,500 kW (2016 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 139
  Electricity - from fossil fuels:
  64% of total installed capacity (2016 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 121
  Electricity - from nuclear fuels:
  0% of total installed capacity (2017 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 70
  Electricity - from hydroelectric plants:
  36% of total installed capacity (2017 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 59
  Electricity - from other renewable sources:
  0% of total installed capacity (2017 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 183
  Crude oil - production:
  244,200 bbl/day (2017 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 33
  Crude oil - exports:
  254,100 bbl/day (2015 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 28
  Crude oil - imports:
  0 bbl/day (2015 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 113
  Crude oil - proved reserves:
  1.6 billion bbl (1 January 2018 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 37
  Refined petroleum products - production:
  15,760 bbl/day (2015 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 93
  Refined petroleum products - consumption:
  17,000 bbl/day (2016 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 149
  Refined petroleum products - exports:
  5,766 bbl/day (2015 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 89
  Refined petroleum products - imports:
  7,162 bbl/day (2015 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 156
  Natural gas - production:
  1.387 billion cu m (2017 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 61
  Natural gas - consumption:
  1.387 billion cu m (2017 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 85
  Natural gas - exports:
  0 cu m (2017 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 86
  Natural gas - imports:
  0 cu m (2017 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 109
  Natural gas - proved reserves:
  90.61 billion cu m (1 January 2018 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 54
  Carbon dioxide emissions from consumption of energy:
  5.239 million Mt (2017 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 134
- Communications :: Congo, Republic of the
- Telephones - fixed lines:
  total subscriptions: 17,000 (July 2016 est.)
  subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: less than 1 (July 2016 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 184
  Telephones - mobile cellular:
  total subscriptions: 5.056 million (2017 est.)
  subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 102 (2017 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 120
  Telephone system:
  general assessment: primary network consists of microwave radio relay and coaxial cable with services barely adequate for government use; key exchanges are in Brazzaville, Pointe-Noire, and Loubomo; intercity lines frequently out of order (2017)
  domestic: fixed-line infrastructure inadequate, providing less than 1 connection per 100 persons; in the absence of an adequate fixed-line infrastructure, mobile-cellular subscribership has surged to 102 per 100 persons (2017)
  international: country code - 242; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) (2015)
  Broadcast media:
  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)
  Internet country code:
  .cg
  Internet users:
  total: 362,000 (July 2016 est.)
  percent of population: 7.6% (July 2016 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 155
- Transportation :: Congo, Republic of the
- National air transport system:
  number of registered air carriers: 3 (2015)
  inventory of registered aircraft operated by air carriers: 12 (2015)
  annual passenger traffic on registered air carriers: 657,926 (2015)
  annual freight traffic on registered air carriers: 2,987,493 mt-km (2015)
  Civil aircraft registration country code prefix:
  TN (2016)
  Airports:
  27 (2013)
  country comparison to the world: 124
  Airports - with paved runways:
  total: 8 (2017)
  over 3,047 m: 2 (2017)
  2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 (2017)
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 5 (2017)
  Airports - with unpaved runways:
  total: 19 (2013)
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 8 (2013)
  914 to 1,523 m: 9 (2013)
  under 914 m: 2 (2013)
  Pipelines:
  232 km gas, 4 km liquid petroleum gas, 982 km oil (2013)
  Railways:
  total: 510 km (2014)
  narrow gauge: 510 km 1.067-m gauge (2014)
  country comparison to the world: 112
  Roadways:
  total: 17,000 km (2006)
  paved: 1,212 km (2006)
  unpaved: 15,788 km (2006)
  country comparison to the world: 120
  Waterways:
  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, necessitating a rail connection to Pointe Noire; other rivers are used for local traffic only) (2011)
  country comparison to the world: 61
  Merchant marine:
  total: 40 (2017)
  by type: general cargo 27, oil tanker 2, other 11 (2017)
  country comparison to the world: 122
  Ports and terminals:
  major seaport(s): Pointe-Noire
  oil terminal(s): Djeno
  river port(s): Brazzaville (Congo)
  Impfondo (Oubangi) Ouesso (Sangha) Oyo (Alima)
- Military and Security :: Congo, Republic of the
- Military expenditures:
  7.17% of GDP (2016)
  4.97% of GDP (2014)
  2.61% of GDP (2013)
  country comparison to the world: 4
  Military branches:
  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) (2013)
  Military service age and obligation:
  18 years of age for voluntary military service; women may serve in the Armed Forces (2012)
- Transnational Issues :: Congo, Republic of the
- Disputes - international:
  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
  Refugees and internally displaced persons:
  refugees (country of origin): 9,275 (Rwanda), 26,403 (Central African Republic) (2017), 15,715 (Democratic Republic of the Congo) (refugees and asylum seekers) (2018)
  IDPs: 108,000 (multiple civil wars since 1992) (2017)
  Trafficking in persons:
  current situation: the Republic of the Congo is a source and destination country for children, men, and women, subjected to forced labor and sex trafficking; most trafficking victims are from Benin, the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), and, to a lesser extent, other neighboring countries and are subjected to domestic servitude and market vending by West African and Congolese nationals; adults and children, the majority from the DRC, are also sex trafficked in Congo, mainly Brazzaville; internal trafficking victims, often from rural areas, are exploited as domestic servants or forced to work in quarries, bakeries, fishing, and agriculture
  tier rating: Tier 2 Watch List - the 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 country drafted an action plan based on anti-trafficking legislation, which remains pending in the Supreme Court; the government made minimal anti-trafficking law enforcement efforts in 2014, failing to prosecute or convict suspected traffickers from cases dating back to 2010; serious allegations of official complicity continue to be reported; the government lacks a systematic means of identifying victims and relies on NGOs and international organizations to identify victims and NGOs and foster families to provide care to victims; the quality of care varied widely because the foster care system was allegedly undermined by inadequate security and official complicity (2015)