ongo River is indefinite (no division of the river or its islands has
been 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: 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; tap water is not potable;
deforestation
natural hazards: seasonal flooding
international agreements: party to - Endangered Species, Ozone Layer
Protection, Tropical Timber 83; signed, but not ratified -
Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Law of the Sea,
Tropical Timber 94

Note: about 70% of the population lives in Brazzaville, Pointe Noire,
or along the railroad between them

@Congo:People

Population: 2,504,996 (July 1995 est.)

Age structure:
0-14 years: 44% (female 543,324; male 548,840)
15-64 years: 53% (female 682,927; male 645,045)
65 years and over: 3% (female 49,879; male 34,981) (July 1995 est.)

Population growth rate: 2.32% (1995 est.)

Birth rate: 39.86 births/1,000 population (1995 est.)

Death rate: 16.7 deaths/1,000 population (1995 est.)

Net migration rate: 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1995 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 109.4 deaths/1,000 live births (1995 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 47.09 years
male: 45.23 years
female: 49 years (1995 est.)

Total fertility rate: 5.23 children born/woman (1995 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 (1984)
total population: 60%
male: 71%
female: 49%

Labor force: 79,100 wage earners
by occupation: agriculture 75%, commerce, industry, and government 25%

@Congo:Government

Names:
conventional long form: