es: French, Lingala, Swahili, Kingwana, Kikongo, Tshiluba

Literacy: age 15 and over can read and write (1990 est.)
total population: 72%
male: 84%
female: 61%

Labor force: 15 million (25% of the labor force comprises wage
earners)
by occupation: agriculture 75%, industry 13%, services 12% (1985)

@Zaire:Government

Names:
conventional long form: Republic of Zaire
conventional short form: Zaire
local long form: Republique du Zaire
local short form: Zaire
former: Belgian Congo Congo/Leopoldville Congo/Kinshasa

Digraph: CG

Type: republic with a strong presidential system

Capital: Kinshasa

Administrative divisions: 10 regions (regions, singular - region) and
1 town* (ville); Bandundu, Bas-Zaire, Equateur, Haut-Zaire,
Kasai-Occidental, Kasai-Oriental, Kinshasa*, Maniema, Nord-Kivu,
Shaba, Sud-Kivu

Independence: 30 June 1960 (from Belgium)

National holiday: Anniversary of the Regime (Second Republic), 24
November (1965)

Constitution: 24 June 1967, amended August 1974, revised 15 February
1978; amended April 1990; new transitional constitution promulgated in
April 1994

Legal system: based on Belgian civil law system and tribal law; has
not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal and compulsory

Executive branch:
chief of state: President Marshal MOBUTU Sese Seko Kuku Ngbendu wa Za
Banga (since 24 November 1965) election last held 29 July 1984 (next
to be held by 9 July 1995); results - President MOBUTU was reelected
without opposition
head of government: Prime Minister Leon KENGO wa Dondo (since 14 June
1994)
cabinet: National Executive Council; appointed by mutual agreement of
the president and the prime minister

Legislative branch: unicameral
parliament: a single body consisting of the High Council of the
Republic and the Parliament of the Transition with membership equally
divided between presidential supporters and opponents

Judicial branch: Supreme Court (Cour Supreme)

Political parties and leaders: sole legal party until January 1991 -
Popular Movement of the Revolution (MPR); other parties include Union
for Democracy and Social Progress (UDPS), Etienne TSHISEKEDI wa
Mulumba; Democratic Social Christian Party (PDSC); Union of
Federalists and Independent Republicans (UFERI); Unified Lumumbast
Party (PALU), Antoine GIZENGA; Union of Independent Democrats (UDI),
Leon KENGO wa Dondo

Member of: