Republic of the Congo
Republic of the Congo | ||
---|---|---|
Motto: "Unité, Travail, Progrès" (French) (English: "Unity, Work, Progress") | ||
Anthem: " Prime Minister | Anatole Collinet Makosso | |
Legislature | Parliament | |
Senate | ||
National Assembly | ||
Independence | ||
• Republic established | 28 November 1958 | |
• from France | 15 August 1960 | |
Area | ||
• Total | 342,000 km2 (132,000 sq mi) ( +242 | |
Internet TLD | .cg |
The Republic of the Congo
The region was dominated by
The Republic of the Congo is a member of the
Etymology
It is named after the
During the period when it was colonized by France, it was known as the
History
The
The area north of the Congo River came under French sovereignty in 1880 as a result of
In 1908, France organized
During the
Following the revision of the
Elections took place in April 1959. By the time the Congo became independent in August 1960, Opangault, the former opponent of Youlou, agreed to serve under him. Youlou, an avid anti-communist, became the first President of the Republic of the Congo.[29] Since the political tension was so high in Pointe-Noire, Youlou moved the capital to Brazzaville.
The Republic of the Congo became fully independent from France on 15 August 1960. Youlou ruled as the country's first president until labor elements and rival political parties instigated a 3-day uprising that ousted him.[30] The Congolese military took over the country and installed a civilian provisional government headed by Alphonse Massamba-Débat.
Under the 1963 constitution, Massamba-Débat was elected president for a five-year term.
Marien Ngouabi, who had participated in the coup, assumed the presidency on 31 December 1968. One year later, Ngouabi proclaimed the Congo Africa's first "people's republic", the
Sassou Nguesso aligned the country with the Eastern Bloc and signed a 20-year friendship pact with the Soviet Union. Over the years, Sassou had to rely more on political repression and less on patronage to maintain his dictatorship.[36] The collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991 resulted in the ending of Soviet aid to prop up the regime, and it abdicated power.
Pascal Lissouba who became Congo's first elected president (1992–1997) during the period of multi-party democracy attempted to implement economic reforms with IMF backing to liberalize the economy. In the years 1993 and 1994 the first Congo Civil War in Congo occurred. In June 1996, IMF approved a 3-year SDR69.5m (US$100m) enhanced structural adjustment facility (ESAF) and was on the verge of announcing a renewed annual agreement when civil war broke out in Congo in 1997.[37]
Congo's democratic progress was derailed in 1997 when Lissouba and Sassou started to fight for power in the
In the
Sassou won the following
In 2023, the
Government
The government of the Republic is a
Sassou's regime has seen corruption revelations, with attempts to censor them. One French investigation found over 110 bank accounts and dozens of "lavish properties" in France.[44] Sassou denounced embezzlement investigations as "racist" and "colonial".[45][46][47] Denis Christel Sassou-Nguesso, son of Denis Sassou Nguesso, has been named in association with the Panama Papers.[48]
On 27 March 2015, Sassou Nguesso announced that his government would hold a referendum on changing the country's 2002 constitution to allow him to run for a third consecutive term in office.[49] On 25 October, the government held a referendum on allowing Sassou Nguesso to run in the next election. The government claimed that the proposal was approved by 92% of voters, with 72% of eligible voters participating. The opposition who boycotted the referendum said that the government's statistics were false and the vote was a fake one.[50] The election raised questions and was accompanied by civil unrest and police shootings of protesters;[51] at least 18 people were killed by security forces during opposition rallies leading up to the referendum held in October.
Administrative divisions
It is divided into 12 départements (departments). Departments are divided into communes and districts.[52] These are:
Human rights
Some
Geography
Natural landscapes range from the savanna plains in the North Niari flooded forests, to the Congo River, to the rugged mountains and forests of Mayombe, and 170 km of beaches along the Atlantic coast.[56]
Congo is located in the central-western part of
The southwest is a coastal plain for which the primary drainage is the Kouilou-Niari River; the interior of the country consists of a central plateau between 2 basins to the south and north. Forests are under increasing exploitation pressure.[57] Congo had a 2018 Forest Landscape Integrity Index mean score of 8.89/10, ranking it 12th globally out of 172 countries.[58]
Congo lies within 4 terrestrial ecoregions: Atlantic Equatorial coastal forests, Northwestern Congolian lowland forests, Western Congolian swamp forests, and Western Congolian forest–savanna mosaic.[59] Since the country is located on the Equator, the climate is more consistent year-round, with the average day temperature a humid 24 °C (75 °F) and nights generally between 16 °C (61 °F) and 21 °C (70 °F). The average yearly rainfall ranges from 1,100 millimetres (43 in) in the Niari Valley in the south to over 2,000 millimetres (79 in) in central parts. The dry season is from June to August, while in the majority of the country, the wet season has 2 rainfall maxima: 1 in March–May and another in September–November.[60]
In 2006–07, researchers from the
Wildlife
Economy
The economy is a mixture of village agriculture and handicrafts, an industrial sector based mainly on
In the 1980s, rising oil revenues enabled the government to finance larger-scale development projects. GDP grew an average of 5% annually. The government has mortgaged a portion of its petroleum earnings, contributing to a "shortage of revenues". On 12 January 1994, the devaluation of Franc Zone currencies by 50% resulted in an inflation of 46% in 1994, and inflation has subsided since.[64]
Economic reform efforts continued with the support of international organizations, including the
The administration presides over an "uneasy internal peace" and faces "difficult" economic problems of stimulating recovery and reducing poverty, with record-high oil prices since 2003. Natural gas and diamonds are other exports, while Congo was excluded from the
The Republic of the Congo has untapped base metal, gold, iron, and phosphate deposits.
The GDP of the Republic of the Congo grew by 6% in 2014 and is expected to have grown by 7.5% in 2015.[71][72]
In 2018, the Republic of the Congo joined the
Congo–Ocean Railway was built by forced laborers during the 1930s. Some colonial architectural heritage is preserved. Restoration of architectural works is underway in Brazzaville, for example, at the Basilica of Sainte-Anne du Congo, which was completed in 2011.[74]
Demographics
Year | Million |
---|---|
1950 | 0.8 |
2000 | 3.2 |
2021 | 5.8 |
Its population is concentrated in the southwestern portion, leaving the areas of tropical jungle in the north virtually uninhabited. 70% of its total population lives in urban areas, namely in Brazzaville, Pointe-Noire, or one of the cities or villages lining the 534-kilometre (332 mi), railway which connects the two cities. In rural areas, industrial and commercial activity has declined in some years, leaving rural economies dependent on the government for support and subsistence.[78]
Before the 1997 war, about 9,000 Europeans and other non-Africans lived in Congo, most of whom were French; a fraction of this number remains.[78] Around 300 American immigrants reside in the Congo.[78]
According to CIA World Factbook, the people of the Republic of the Congo are largely a mix of
According to a 2011–12 survey, the total fertility rate was 5.1 children born per woman, with 4.5 in urban areas and 6.5 in rural areas.[83]
Rank | Department | Pop. | |||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Brazzaville Pointe-Noire |
1 | Brazzaville | Brazzaville |
1,373,382 | |||||
2 | Pointe-Noire | Pointe-Noire |
715,334 | ||||||
3 | Dolisie | Niari | 83,798 | ||||||
4 | Nkayi | Bouenza |
71,620 | ||||||
5 | Impfondo | Likouala | 33,911 | ||||||
6 | Ouésso | Sangha | 28,179 | ||||||
7 | Madingou |
Bouenza | 25,713 | ||||||
8 | Owando | Cuvette | 24,736 | ||||||
9 | Sibiti | Lékoumou | 22,951 | ||||||
10 | Loutété | Bouenza | 19,212 |
Health
Public expenditure health was at 8.9% of the GDP in 2004 whereas private expenditure was at 1.3%.[84] As of 2012[update], the HIV/AIDS prevalence was at 2.8% among 15- to 49-year-olds.[13] Health expenditure was at US$30 per capita in 2004.[84] A proportion of the population is undernourished,[84] and malnutrition is a problem in Congo-Brazzaville.[85] There were 20 physicians per 100,000 persons in the 2000s (decade).[84]
As of 2010[update], the
Education
Public expenditure of the GDP was less in 2002–05 than in 1991.[84] Public education is theoretically free and mandatory for under-16-year-olds,[87] and in practice, expenses exist.[87] In 2005 net primary enrollment rate was 44%, a drop from 79% in 1991.[84]
Culture
Media
See also
Notes
References
- ^ "Constitution de 2015". Digithèque matériaux juridiques et politiques, Jean-Pierre Maury, Université de Perpignan (in French). Archived from the original on 13 March 2016. Retrieved 2 January 2021.
- ^ "Religions in Republic of the Congo | PEW-GRF". Archived from the original on 10 October 2022. Retrieved 8 October 2022.
- ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 4 January 2024.
- ^ "Elections in Congo-Brazzaville". DW. 18 March 2016. Retrieved 4 January 2024.
- ^ "Congo Brazzaville's Sassou Nguesso re-elected with more than 88% of vote, early results show". France 24. 23 March 2021. Retrieved 4 January 2024.
- ISBN 978-1-58826-555-5.
- ^ "Congo, Republic of the". The World Factbook (2024 ed.). Central Intelligence Agency. Retrieved 22 June 2023.
- ^ a b c d "World Economic Outlook Database, October 2023 Edition. (Congo)". IMF.org. International Monetary Fund. 10 October 2023. Retrieved 17 October 2023.
- ^ "GINI index". World Bank. Archived from the original on 9 February 2015. Retrieved 12 September 2015.
- ISBN 978-92-1-126442-5. Archived(PDF) from the original on 15 December 2020. Retrieved 16 December 2020.
- ^ SEWELL CHAN, MADELEINE KRUHLY & HANNAH OLIVENNES (12 May 2016). "Congo Republic". Archived from the original on 7 January 2014. Retrieved 6 January 2014.
- ^ "Le congo". Archived from the original on 3 June 2020. Retrieved 3 June 2020.
- ^ a b c d "Congo, Republic of the". CIA – The World Factbook. Archived from the original on 9 January 2021. Retrieved 30 May 2007.
- ^ a b c Nzaou-Kongo, Aubin (2018). Exploitation des hydrocarbures et protection de l'environnement en République du Congo : essai sur la complexité de leurs rapports à la lumière du droit international. Archived from the original on 9 May 2021. Retrieved 15 January 2021.
- ^ Gates, Louis & Appiah, Anthony. Africana: The Encyclopedia of the African and African American Experience, p. 1105. 1999.
- ISBN 0-313-26257-8.
- ^ Bentley, Wm. Holman. Pioneering on the Congo. Fleming H. Revell Co., 1900.[verification needed]
- ^ Gjelten, Tom (28 April 2007). "A Visit to the Other Congo, the Forgotten Congo". NPR. Retrieved 8 August 2023.
- ^ Frau, Giovanni Dizionario Toponomastico Friuli-Venezia Giulia. Istituto per l'Enciclopedia del Friuli-Venezia Giulia, 1978.
- ^ a b c d e "Background Note: Republic of the Congo". Department of State. March 2009. Archived from the original on 14 July 2017. Retrieved 25 June 2017.
- ^ ISBN 0-313-26257-8. Accessed 9 October 2011.
- ISBN 0090979400
- ^ "BBC NEWS – Africa – The man who would be Congo's king". 12 February 2003. Archived from the original on 29 November 2016. Retrieved 29 November 2016.
- ISBN 978-0-19-538207-5, archivedfrom the original on 22 January 2021, retrieved 16 January 2021
- ^ United States State Department. Office of the Historian. A Guide to the United States' History of Recognition, Diplomatic, and Consular Relations, by Country, since 1776. "Republic of the Congo Archived 12 May 2017 at the Wayback Machine". Accessed 9 October 2010.
- ^ United States State Department. Bureau of African Affairs. Background Notes. "Republic of the Congo Archived 4 June 2019 at the Wayback Machine ". Accessed 9 October 2011.
- ISBN 0-8160-6078-9. Accessed 9 October 2011.
- ^ CONGO REPUBLIC: BRAZZAVILLE RIOTS AFTERMATH Archived 5 May 2014 at the Wayback Machine. Reuters (27 February 1959)
- ^ "Fulbert Youlou facts, information, pictures – Encyclopedia.com articles about Fulbert Youlou". Archived from the original on 28 November 2016. Retrieved 27 November 2016.
- ISBN 978-1620971901. 2013. p.175
- ^ ISBN 978-1579582456.
- ^ John F. Clark, "Congo: Transition and the Struggle to Consolidate", in Political Reform in Francophone Africa (1997)
- ^ Bazenguissa-Ganga, Rémy. Les voies du politique au Congo: essai de sociologie historique Archived 1 August 2020 at the Wayback Machine. Paris: Karthala, 1997. p. 110
- ^ Africa Research Bulletin Archived 13 April 2021 at the Wayback Machine. Oxford, England: Blackwell, 1965. p. 242
- ^ "Congo President Slain by Gunman— Military Group Takes Control, Radio Reports", Los Angeles Times, March 20, 1977, p. I-1
- ISBN 978-1579582456.
- ^ Country Report Congo-Brazzaville. The Economist Intelligence Unit. 2003. p. 24. Archived from the original on 13 October 2013. Retrieved 16 June 2013.
- ^ "Congo, Republic of". Freedom House. 2006. Archived from the original on 15 October 2009. Retrieved 12 June 2009.
- ^ "Congo approves new constitution". BBC. 24 January 2002. Archived from the original on 30 September 2009. Retrieved 12 June 2009.
- ^ "Congo peace deal signed". BBC. 18 March 2003. Archived from the original on 30 September 2009. Retrieved 15 June 2009.
- ^ "17 candidates in Congo presidential race: commission". AFP. 13 June 2009. Archived from the original on 12 March 2011. Retrieved 15 June 2009.
- ^ Vote results expected as opposition alleges fraud Archived 27 July 2009 at the Wayback Machine. France24 (16 July 2009).
- ^ "Congo-Brazzaville's hidden war". New Humanitarian. 18 June 2018. Archived from the original on 8 April 2019. Retrieved 7 April 2019.
- ^ "FACTBOX-African leaders' French assets under scrutiny". Reuters. 29 April 2009. Archived from the original on 4 February 2012. Retrieved 1 July 2017.
- ^ "Congo leader son fails in gag bid". BBC. 15 August 2007. Archived from the original on 30 September 2009. Retrieved 26 July 2009.
- ^ "Propping Up Africa's Dictators". Foreign Policy In Focus. 22 June 2009. Archived from the original on 12 October 2009.
- ^ "FACTBOX-African leaders' French assets under scrutiny". Reuters. 29 April 2009. Archived from the original on 4 February 2012.
- ^ Joan Tilouine; ICIJ (4 April 2016). "Les Africains du Panama (1) : les circuits offshore des " fils de "". Le Monde (in French). Archived from the original on 12 November 2016. Retrieved 10 December 2016.
- ^ Ross, Aaron (27 March 2015) Congo Republic president says expects referendum over the third term Archived 29 September 2015 at the Wayback Machine. Reuters
- ^ "Congo opposition holds ceremony for killed protesters=Reuters". Reuters. 30 October 2015. Archived from the original on 28 November 2015. Retrieved 1 July 2017.
- ^ lefigaro.fr (4 April 2016). "Violences au Congo : le government accuse les opposants à Sassou-Nguesso". Le Figaro (in French). Archived from the original on 14 May 2016. Retrieved 1 June 2016.
- ^
With inconsistent figures:
- The site of the Presidency of the Republic of the Congo Archived 27 July 2009 at the Wayback Machine lists 11 departments, 7 communes, and 76 districts.
- The 2004 Statistical directory of Congo Archived 13 November 2009 at the Wayback Machine lists 12 departments, 6 communes, and 85 districts
- A list of subprefects (higher representatives of State in a district) nominated in December 2008 lists 86 districts. Search "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 16 January 2009. Retrieved 6 August 2009.
{{cite web}}
: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link) - Finally, the good figures seem to come from this site Archived 18 May 2009 at the Wayback Machine: 12 departments, 7 communes, and 86 districts
- ^ a b "Pygmies in the Congo treated like "pets": report". globalpost.com. 13 July 2014. Archived from the original on 14 November 2011. Retrieved 13 November 2011.
- ^ Thomas, Katie (4 March 2007). "Slaves of the Congo". International Reporting Project. Archived from the original on 14 July 2014. Retrieved 13 July 2014.
- ^ "UN expert praises Congo's draft law on indigenous rights". Archived from the original on 24 November 2010. Retrieved 17 January 2011.. iwgia.org, 15 November 2010
- ^ Moen, John. "Congo Geography". www.worldatlas.com. World Atlas. Archived from the original on 21 March 2020. Retrieved 21 March 2020.
- ^ Map: Situation de l'exploitation forestière en République du Congo Archived 14 January 2009 at the Wayback Machine. (PDF) . Retrieved on 25 February 2013.
- PMID 33293507.
- PMID 28608869.
- S2CID 120659948.
- ^ "'Mother Lode' Of Gorillas Found In Congo Forests : NPR". NPR.org. Archived from the original on 28 August 2008. Retrieved 15 August 2008.
- ^ "Congo-Brazzaville". Energy Information Administration, U.S. Government. Archived from the original on 23 March 2008. Retrieved 11 June 2009.
- ^ Republic of the Congo Archived 4 May 2009 at the Wayback Machine World Bank
- ^ "Congo, Republic of". EconStats. Archived from the original on 28 April 2009. Retrieved 11 June 2009.
- Kimberley Process. 9 July 2004. Archived from the originalon 10 May 2009. Retrieved 11 June 2008.
- Kimberley Process. 8 November 2007. Archived from the originalon 4 March 2008. Retrieved 11 June 2008.
- ^ "Mining in Congo". MBendi. Archived from the original on 27 December 2016. Retrieved 14 June 2009.
- ^ "OHADA.com: The business law portal in Africa". Archived from the original on 26 March 2009. Retrieved 22 March 2009.
- ^ Goodspeed, Peter (21 October 2009) "South Africa's white farmers prepare to trek to the Congo". Archived from the original on 18 February 2011. Retrieved 10 September 2016.. National Post.
- ^ Congo hands land to South African farmers Archived 21 May 2018 at the Wayback Machine. Telegraph. 21 October 2009.
- ^ "Republic of the Congo GDP Annual Growth Rate". Trading Economics.
{{cite web}}
: Missing or empty|url=
(help) - ^ "Republic of the Congo GDP and Economic Data". Global Finance. Archived from the original on 24 January 2016. Retrieved 14 January 2016.
- ^ "OPEC Member Countries". Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries. Archived from the original on 8 February 2019. Retrieved 20 January 2019.
- ^ "Inauguration de la basilique Sainte-Anne du Congo à Brazzaville". Latitude France (in French). Brazzaville. 31 March 2011. Archived from the original on 13 April 2011. Retrieved 21 March 2020.
- ^ "Congo, Republic of the". Association of Religion Data Archives. 2015. Archived from the original on 22 October 2020. Retrieved 18 May 2020.
- ^ "World Population Prospects 2022". United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Population Division. Retrieved 17 July 2022.
- ^ "World Population Prospects 2022: Demographic indicators by region, subregion and country, annually for 1950-2100" (XSLX) ("Total Population, as of 1 July (thousands)"). United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Population Division. Retrieved 17 July 2022.
- ^ a b c Background Note: Republic of the Congo Archived 4 June 2019 at the Wayback Machine United States Department of State. Accessed on 21 August 2008.
- ^ "Languages of Congo". SIL International. Archived from the original on 23 September 2008. Retrieved 13 June 2009.
- ISBN 978-1-57356-019-1. Archivedfrom the original on 13 April 2021. Retrieved 20 December 2020.
- ^ "Congo Overview". Minority Rights Group International. Archived from the original on 14 June 2008. Retrieved 13 June 2009.
- ^ "Les pygmées du Congo en "danger d'extinction"". Le Monde. 5 August 2011. Archived from the original on 7 November 2017. Retrieved 5 November 2017.
- ^ Congo. Enquête Démographique et de Santé 2011–2012 Archived 22 February 2014 at the Wayback Machine. Centre National de la Statistique et des Études Économiques (CNSEE), Brazzaville. December 2012
- ^ a b c d e f "Human Development Report 2009". Archived from the original on 17 January 2010. Retrieved 24 June 2014.
{{cite web}}
: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link). undp.org - ^ "IRIN Africa – CONGO: Grappling with malnutrition and post-conflict woes – Congo – Food Security – Health & Nutrition". IRINnews. 8 August 2007. Archived from the original on 29 November 2014. Retrieved 23 January 2015.
- ^ "CONGO (BRAZZAVILLE): UNFPA Leads Fight Against FGM " UNFPA in the News". Archived from the original on 29 November 2014. Retrieved 23 January 2015.
- ^ a b Refworld | 2008 Findings on the Worst Forms of Child Labor – Congo, Republic of the Archived 10 May 2011 at the Wayback Machine. UNHCR. Retrieved on 25 February 2013.
Further reading
- Maria Petringa, Brazza, A Life for Africa (2006) ISBN 978-1-4259-1198-0
External links
Government
- Presidency of the Republic Archived 22 December 2010 at the Wayback Machine (in French)
- Chief of State and Cabinet Members Archived 10 December 2008 at the Wayback Machine
General
- Country Profile from BBC News
- Republic of the Congo. The World Factbook. Central Intelligence Agency.
- Republic of the Congo from UCB Libraries GovPubs
- Republic of the Congo at Curlie
- Wikimedia Atlas of the Republic of the Congo
Tourism
- Republic of the Congo travel guide from Wikivoyage