NON MEMBER COUNTRIES
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Order the complete Congo file in French PRESENTATION OFFICIAL NAME : REPUBLIC OF CONGO GEOGRAPHIC SITUATION
: Congo is limited SUPERFICIE : 132 032 sq miles CLIMATE : Equatorial, hot and humid (rainy in
the north, and more moderate in the south) MAIN CITIES : LANGUAGES - ETHNICAL GROUPS - RELIGIONS : French is the official language. The national languages are : Lingala and Monokutuba, (but also : Kongo, Teke, Mbosi) There are about 80 ethnical
groups, among which : the Congolese, the Teke, the Mochi, the Mbele,
the Punu, the Sanga, the Maka, the Pygmees (in the great northern
forest). Religions : christian,
traditional beliefs (kibanguist), islam (minority). HEALTH - EDUCATION : POLITICAL DATA : INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS : The Republic of Congo is a member of several regional and international organizations, among which : ZONE FRANC, OHADA, CIMA, MAISON DE L'AFRIQUE, ASECNA, OUA, ONU, OAB, OCEAC, CEMAC, COBAC… FINANCIAL BACKERS : BEAC, AFD, BEI, BAD/FAD, WORLD BANK…
ECONOMY AND FINANCE : CURRENCY : Franc CFA (1 € = 655.96 FCFA) GDP : 1,650.6 billion FCFA (2000) GDP DISTRIBUTION : Primary sector : 11 % - Secondary sector : 48,5 % - Tertiary sector : 40,5 %
Main productions : Oil, timber, eucalyptus, sugar, cement, soft drinks, beer, cigarettes. AGRICULTURE : Despite its real potential, agriculture is only a small part of Congo's economy. Its main subsistence crops are: manioc, rib-grass bananas, tarot, cereals, beans, peanuts, potatoes. The top industrial plantations are sugar cane and eucalyptus.
TIMBER : It is Congo's second largest export
sector. The Congolese forest covers over 49.4 million acres, representing
60% of the country's total area. Following a regulation limiting to 60%
the local transformation of log production, a new law is under study to
raise this limit to 85%. Artificial forests cover more than 123,500 acres
of fast-growing savanna tree plantations, mainly located in the Pointe-Noire
region. Eucalyptus forests cover 106,000 acres. OIL : The sale of oil and petroleum products
represents almost 85% of Congo's export revenues. ELF-CONGO has been established
in the country for thirty years, and produces two thirds of the Congolese
oil. The second producer is AGIP. In 2000, ELF committed to drill three new
wells, and, in case of positive results, could bring them into production
by 2005 or 2006.
MANUFACTURING INDUSTRY : The production volume increased
in 1998, growth mainly derived from the production of bakeries,
drinks industries, saw-mills and mechanics. The food industry dominates
the sector. The drinks industry is represented by four companies
: les Brasseries du Congo, les Boissons Africaines de Brazzaville,
Sapro boissons and the Société des Plastiques du Congo which produces
the Mayo mineral water. Sugar is produced by SARIS Congo, 66% owned
by SOMDIAA. Despite the destruction during armed conflict of a part
of its equipment, SARIS produced 40,000 tons of sugar in 1999. MAB
(flour-mill, live-stock food, bakery) manufactures and imports flour
and baking powder. MAB is a state-owned company whose privatization
has been undertaken through several tenders since the end of 1999.
In March 2000, three candidates were retained : the Soufflet Group,
Siborn (an American group) and a group of private expatriate investors.
Due to its geographical position and its diverse transportation systems (waterways, maritime harbour, railroads, trails and roads), Congo is a transit country. THE RAILROAD NETWORK : The railroad, managed by CFCO (Chemin de Fer Congo Océan), has 317 miles of tracks and 48 railstations; but the trains and infratructures are in very poor condition. A contract was signed between the congolese government and SNCF International in november 1999 bearing the renewal (among other things) of war-damaged equipment. THE HARBOUR of Pointe-Noire is situated on the Atlantic
Coast. Due to the prevailing ocean and weather conditions, the Pointe-Noire
harbour is easily accessible and its traffic spreads over two maritime
sites: the public harbour assembling the transportation of various
goods, as well as fish and that of research and offshore oil production
boats, and the oil harbour of Djéno. General traffic in
1999 The BANKING SECTOR : In the banking area, the state is
enforcing its policy of capital disengagement in the existing publicly-owned
banks. Two banks have been liquidated : BCC and BNDC, while FIBA
ceased all activities in early 2000. Its assets have been overtaken
by gabonese interests. UCB and BIDC have been placed under temporary
supervision by COBAC. The ex-Crédit Rural, CAIC, is managed by a
representant of Banques Populaires within the framework of a technical
assistance contract signed in june 1999.
PRIVATIZATIONS - TELECOMMUNICATIONS - HISTORY AND CIVILIZATION - ADDRESS BOOK - SOURCES…
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POPULATION : 2 800 000 inhabitants
PRIMARY SECTOR
FISHING : Congo enjoys a ZEE (Exclusive
Economic Zone) which spreads over about 23,000 sq miles. Though not well
known, the halieutic potential should be about 84,000 tons. Shrimp are
mainly exported, and the produce of maritime industrial fishing is sold
fresh or frozen on the national markets. Continental fishing, enabled by
some 13,000 individual fishermen, produces around 32,000 tons of fish.
AIRPORT INFRASTRUCTURES 
