res and humidity; particularly enervating
climate astride the Equator
Terrain:
coastal plain, southern basin, central plateau, northern basin
Natural resources:
petroleum, timber, potash, lead, zinc, uranium, copper, phosphates,
natural gas
Land use:
arable land:
2%
permanent crops:
0%
meadows and pastures:
29%
forest and woodland:
62%
other:
7%
Irrigated land:
40 sq km (1989)
Environment:
current issues:
air pollution from vehicle emissions; water pollution from the dumping
of raw sewage; deforestation
natural hazards:
NA
international agreements:
party to - Endangered Species, Tropical Timber; signed, but not
ratified - Biodiversity, Climate Change, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer
Protection
Note:
about 70% of the population lives in Brazzaville, Pointe Noire, or
along the railroad between them

@Congo, People

Population:
2,446,902 (July 1994 est.)
Population growth rate:
2.38% (1994 est.)
Birth rate:
40.27 births/1,000 population (1994 est.)
Death rate:
16.49 deaths/1,000 population (1994 est.)
Net migration rate:
0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1994 est.)
Infant mortality rate:
111 deaths/1,000 live births (1994 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population:
47.56 years
male:
45.76 years
female:
49.41 years (1994 est.)
Total fertility rate:
5.3 children born/woman (1994 est.)
Nationality:
noun:
Congolese (singular and plural)
adjective:
Congolese or Congo
Ethnic divisions:
south:
Kongo 48%
north:
Sangha 20%, M'Bochi 12%
center:
Teke 17%, Europeans 8,500 (mostly French)
Religions:
Christian 50%, animist 48%, Muslim 2%
Languages:
French (official), African languages (Lingala and Kikongo are the most
widely used)
Literacy:
age 15 and over can read and write (1990 est.)
total population:
57%
male:
70%
female:
44%
Labor force:
79,100 wage earners
by occupation:
agriculture 75%, commerce, industry, and government 25%
note:
51% of population of working age; 40% of population economically
active (1985)

@Congo, Government

Names:
conventional long form:
Republic of the Congo
conventional short form:
Congo
local long form:
Republique Populaire du Congo
local short form:
Congo
former:
Congo/Brazzaville
Digraph:
CF
Type:
republic
Capital:
Brazzaville
Administrative divisions:
9 regions (regions, singular - region) and 1 commune*; Bouenza,
Brazzavill