n made)

_#_Climate: tropical; rainy season (March to June); dry season (June
to October); constantly high temperatures 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 NEGL%; meadows and
pastures 29%; forest and woodland 62%; other 7%

_#_Environment: deforestation; about 70% of the population lives in
Brazzaville, Pointe Noire, or along the railroad between them

_*_People
_#_Population: 2,309,444 (July 1991), growth rate 3.0% (1991)

_#_Birth rate: 43 births/1,000 population (1991)

_#_Death rate: 13 deaths/1,000 population (1991)

_#_Net migration rate: 0 migrants/1,000 population (1991)

_#_Infant mortality rate: 108 deaths/1,000 live births (1991)

_#_Life expectancy at birth: 52 years male, 56 years female (1991)

_#_Total fertility rate: 5.7 children born/woman (1991)

_#_Nationality: noun--Congolese (sing., pl.); adjective--Congolese
or Congo

_#_Ethnic divisions: about 15 ethnic groups divided into some 75
tribes, almost all Bantu; most important ethnic groups are Kongo (48%) in
the south, Sangha (20%) and M'Bochi (12%) in the north, Teke (17%) in the
center; about 8,500 Europeans, mostly French

_#_Religion: Christian 50%, animist 48%, Muslim 2%

_#_Language: French (official); many African languages with Lingala
and Kikongo most widely used

_#_Literacy: 57% (male 70%, female 44%) age 15 and over can
read and write (1990 est.)

_#_Labor force: 79,100 wage earners; agriculture 75%, commerce,
industry, and government 25%; 51% of population of working age; 40% of
population economically active (1985)

_#_Organized labor: 20% of labor force (1979 est.)

_*_Government
_#_Long-form name: Republic of the Congo

_#_Type: republic

_#_Capital: Brazzaville

_#_Administrative divisions: 9 regions (regions,
singular--region); Bouenza, Cuvette, Kouilou, Lekoumou, Likouala,
Niari, Plateaux, Pool, Sangha; note--there may be a new capital district
of Brazzaville

_#_Independence: 15 August 1960 (from France; formerly
Congo/Brazzaville)

_#_Constitution: 8 July 1979, currently being modified

_#_Legal system: based on French civil law system and customary law

_#_National holiday: National Day, 15