AO, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO,
INTELSAT, INTERPOL, IOC, ITU, NAM, OAU, UDEAC, UN, UNAMIR, UNAVEM II,
UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Diplomatic representation in US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Pierre Damien BOUSSOUKOU-BOUMBA
chancery: 4891 Colorado Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20011
telephone: [1] (202) 726-0825
FAX: [1] (202) 726-1860

US diplomatic representation:
chief of mission: Ambassador William C. RAMSEY
embassy: Avenue Amilcar Cabral, Brazzaville
mailing address: B. P. 1015, Brazzaville
telephone: [242] 83 20 70
FAX: [242] 83 63 38

Flag: red, divided diagonally from the lower hoist side by a yellow
band; the upper triangle (hoist side) is green and the lower triangle
is red; uses the popular pan-African colors of Ethiopia

@Congo:Economy

Overview: Congo's economy is a mixture of village agriculture and
handicrafts, an industrial sector based largely on oil, support
services, and a government characterized by budget problems and
overstaffing. A reform program, supported by the IMF and World Bank,
ran into difficulties in 1990-91 because of problems in changing to a
democratic political regime and a heavy debt-servicing burden. Oil has
supplanted forestry as the mainstay of the economy, providing about
two-thirds of government revenues and exports. In the early 1980s
rapidly rising oil revenues enabled Congo to finance large-scale
development projects with growth averaging 5% annually, one of the
highest rates in Africa. Subsequently, growth has slowed to an average
of roughly 1.5% annually, only two-thirds of the population growth
rate. Political turmoil and misguided government investment have
derailed economic reform programs sponsored by the IMF and World Bank.
Even with these difficulties Congo enjoys one of the highest incomes
per capita in sub-Saharan Africa

National product: GDP - purchasing power parity - $6.7 billion (1993
est.)

National product real growth rate: -2.1% (1993 est.)

National product per capita: $2,820 (1994 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices): 2.2% (1992 est.)

Unemployment rate: NA%

Budget:
revenues: $765 million
expenditures: $952 million, including capital expenditures of $65
million (1990)

Exports: $1.1 billion (f.o.b., 1993)
commodities: crude oil 83%, lumber, plywood, sugar, cocoa, coffee,
diamonds
partners: US, Italy, France, Spain, other EC countries

Imports: $