Congo (Brazzaville) - Economic Indicators

Economic Overview

The Republic of the Congo’s economy is a mixture of subsistence farming, an industrial sector based largely on oil and support services, and government spending. Oil has supplanted forestry as the mainstay of the economy, providing a major share of government revenues and exports. Natural gas is increasingly being converted to electricity rather than being flared, greatly improving energy prospects. New mining projects, particularly iron ore, which entered production in late 2013, may add as much as $1 billion to annual government revenue. The Republic of the Congo is...

Continue reading View Factbook for Congo (Brazzaville)

GDP Reference Last Previous Units Frequency
Private Consumption 2022 2,230,182,791,270 2,855,039,724,586 CDF Annual
Investment 2022 2,284,595,987,456 1,664,025,913,808 CDF Annual
Nominal Gross Domestic Product 2022 8,689,848,696,485 7,419,748,378,237 CDF Annual
Real Government Consumption 2017 719,321,000,000 470,206,000,000 NCU Annual
Real Investment 2017 3,564,993,000,000 3,621,573,000,000 NCU Annual
Nominal Fixed Investment (gross fixed capital formation) 2017 4,917,188,000,000 4,411,677,000,000 NCU Annual
Government Consumption 2015 527.25 701.03 Bil. XAF Annual
Real Gross Domestic Product 2000 100 92.59 Index 2000=100 Annual
Price Reference Last Previous Units Frequency
Consumer Price Index (CPI) Dec 2023 141.14 140.39 2010=100, NSA Monthly
Producer Price Index (PPI) Aug 1987 108.61 1985=100, NSA Monthly
Labor Reference Last Previous Units Frequency
Agriculture Employment 2017 787,635 756,379 # Annual
Trade Reference Last Previous Units Frequency
Imports of Goods and Services 2022 4,588,400,071,696 3,158,721,983,662 CDF Annual
Exports of Goods and Services 2022 7,315,111,989,455 4,905,717,723,504 CDF Annual
Imports of Goods 2021 2,779,384,566 2,237,300,750 USD Annual
Current Account Balance 2021 1,715,906,879 1,440,630,928 USD Annual
Exports of Goods 2021 7,511,577,244 4,435,821,892 USD Annual
Balance of Goods 2021 4,732,192,677 2,198,521,142 USD Annual
Real Exports of Goods and Services 2017 6,555,504,000,000 5,575,288,000,000 NCU Annual
Real Imports of Goods and Services 2017 6,423,268,000,000 5,974,799,000,000 NCU Annual
Government Reference Last Previous Units Frequency
Government Expenditures 2017 4,013,843,000,000 5,683,587,000,000 NCU Annual
Markets Reference Last Previous Units Frequency
Lending Rate Apr 2013 4 4 % Monthly
Monetary Policy Rate 2011 0 0 % Annual
Real Estate Reference Last Previous Units Frequency
Building Completions 2011 3,000,450,000,000 2,225,700,000,000 current LCU Annual
Demographics Reference Last Previous Units Frequency
Population 2020 5,518,092 5,380,504 # Annual
Net Migration 2017 -20,003 # Annual
Birth Rate 2016 34.63 35.23 # per Ths. pop. Annual
Death Rate 2016 7.33 7.56 # per Ths. pop. Annual

Factbook

Background

Background:
Upon independence in 1960, the former French region of Middle Congo became the Republic of the Congo. A quarter century of experimentation with Marxism was abandoned in 1990 and a democratically elected government took office in 1992. A brief civil war in 1997 restored former Marxist President Denis SASSOU-Nguesso, and ushered in a period of ethnic and political unrest. Southern-based rebel groups agreed to a final peace accord in March 2003. The Republic of Congo is one of Africa's largest petroleum producers, but with declining production it will need new offshore oil finds to sustain its oil earnings over the long term.

Geography

Location:
Central Africa, bordering the South Atlantic Ocean, between Angola and Gabon
Geographic coordinates:
1 00 S, 15 00 E
Map references:
Africa
Area:
total: 342,000 sq km
land: 341,500 sq km
water: 500 sq km
country comparison to the world: 65
Area - comparative:
slightly smaller than Montana
Land boundaries:
total: 5,008 km
border countries (5): Angola 231 km, Cameroon 494 km, Central African Republic 487 km, Democratic Republic of the Congo 1,229 km, Gabon 2,567 km
Coastline:
169 km
Maritime claims:
territorial sea: 12 nm
contiguous zone: 24 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
Climate:
tropical; rainy season (March to June); dry season (June to October); persistent high temperatures and humidity; particularly enervating climate astride the Equator
Terrain:
coastal plain, southern basin, central plateau, northern basin
Elevation:
mean elevation: 430 m
elevation extremes: lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m
highest point: Mount Berongou 903 m
Natural resources:
petroleum, timber, potash, lead, zinc, uranium, copper, phosphates, gold, magnesium, natural gas, hydropower
Land use:
agricultural land: 31.1%
arable land 1.6%; permanent crops 0.2%; permanent pasture 29.3%
forest: 65.6%
other: 3.3% (2011 est.)
Irrigated land:
20 sq km (2012)
Population - distribution:
the population is primarily located in the south, in and around the capital of Brazzaville
Natural hazards:
seasonal flooding
Environment - current issues:
air pollution from vehicle emissions; water pollution from raw sewage; tap water is not potable; deforestation; wildlife protection
Environment - international agreements:
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
Geography - note:
about 70% of the population lives in Brazzaville, Pointe-Noire, or along the railroad between them

People & Society

Population:
4,954,674
note: estimates for this country explicitly take into account the effects of excess mortality due to AIDS; this can result in lower life expectancy, higher infant mortality, higher death rates, lower population growth rates, and changes in the distribution of population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July 2017 est.)
country comparison to the world: 122
Nationality:
noun: Congolese (singular and plural)
adjective: Congolese or Congo
Ethnic groups:
Kongo 48%, Sangha 20%, M'Bochi 12%, Teke 17%, Europeans and other 3%
Languages:
French (official), Lingala and Monokutuba (lingua franca trade languages), many local languages and dialects (of which Kikongo is the most widespread)
Religions:
Roman Catholic 33.1%, Awakening Churches/Christian Revival 22.3%, Protestant 19.9%, Salutiste 2.2%, Muslim 1.6%, Kimbanguiste 1.5%, other 8.1%, none 11.3% (2010 est.)
Age structure:
0-14 years: 41.67% (male 1,041,761/female 1,022,763)
15-24 years: 17.1% (male 424,521/female 422,755)
25-54 years: 33.89% (male 843,856/female 835,041)
55-64 years: 4.29% (male 106,776/female 105,573)
65 years and over: 3.06% (male 66,962/female 84,666) (2017 est.)
population pyramid:
Dependency ratios:
total dependency ratio: 84.5
youth dependency ratio: 78.3
elderly dependency ratio: 6.2
potential support ratio: 16.1 (2015 est.)
Median age:
total: 19.7 years
male: 19.5 years
female: 19.8 years (2017 est.)
country comparison to the world: 199
Population growth rate:
2.11% (2017 est.)
country comparison to the world: 41
Birth rate:
34.4 births/1,000 population (2017 est.)
country comparison to the world: 22
Death rate:
9.5 deaths/1,000 population (2017 est.)
country comparison to the world: 52
Net migration rate:
-3.8 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2017 est.)
country comparison to the world: 180
Population distribution:
the population is primarily located in the south, in and around the capital of Brazzaville
Urbanization:
urban population: 66.2% of total population (2017)
rate of urbanization: 3.02% annual rate of change (2015-20 est.)
Major urban areas - population:
BRAZZAVILLE (capital) 1.888 million; Pointe-Noire 969,000 (2015)
Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.02 male(s)/female
0-14 years: 1.02 male(s)/female
15-24 years: 1 male(s)/female
25-54 years: 1.01 male(s)/female
55-64 years: 0.99 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.78 male(s)/female
total population: 1.01 male(s)/female (2017 est.)
Mother's mean age at first birth:
19.8 years
note: median age at first birth among women 25-29 (2011/12 est.)
Maternal mortality ratio:
442 deaths/100,000 live births (2015 est.)
country comparison to the world: 25
Infant mortality rate:
total: 54.9 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 59.8 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 49.9 deaths/1,000 live births (2017 est.)
country comparison to the world: 22
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 59.8 years
male: 58.6 years
female: 61.1 years (2017 est.)
country comparison to the world: 206
Total fertility rate:
4.59 children born/woman (2017 est.)
country comparison to the world: 22
Contraceptive prevalence rate:
30.1% (2014/15)
Health expenditures:
5.2% of GDP (2014)
country comparison to the world: 135
Drinking water source:
improved:
urban: 95.8% of population
rural: 40% of population
total: 76.5% of population
unimproved:
urban: 4.2% of population
rural: 60% of population
total: 23.5% of population (2015 est.)
Sanitation facility access:
improved:
urban: 20% of population
rural: 5.6% of population
total: 15% of population
unimproved:
urban: 80% of population
rural: 94.4% of population
total: 85% of population (2015 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
3.1% (2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 19
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
91,000 (2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 45
HIV/AIDS - deaths:
3,800 (2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 37
Major infectious diseases:
degree of risk: very high
food or waterborne diseases: bacterial and protozoal diarrhea, hepatitis A, and typhoid fever
vectorborne disease: malaria and dengue fever
animal contact disease: rabies
water contact disease: schistosomiasis (2016)
Obesity - adult prevalence rate:
9.6% (2016)
country comparison to the world: 143
Children under the age of 5 years underweight:
12.3% (2015)
country comparison to the world: 61
Education expenditures:
6.2% of GDP (2010)
country comparison to the world: 39
Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 79.3%
male: 86.4%
female: 72.9% (2015 est.)
School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):
total: 11 years
male: 11 years
female: 11 years (2012)

Government

Country name:
conventional long form: Republic of the Congo
conventional short form: Congo (Brazzaville)
local long form: Republique du Congo
local short form: Congo
former: French Congo, Middle Congo, People's Republic of the Congo, Congo/Brazzaville
etymology: named for the Congo River, which makes up much of the country's eastern border; the river name derives from Kongo, a Bantu kingdom that occupied its mouth at the time of Portuguese discovery in the late 15th century and whose name stems from its people the Bakongo, meaning "hunters"
Government type:
presidential republic
Capital:
name: Brazzaville
geographic coordinates: 4 15 S, 15 17 E
time difference: UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)
Administrative divisions:
12 departments (departments, singular - department); Bouenza, Brazzaville, Cuvette, Cuvette-Ouest, Kouilou, Lekoumou, Likouala, Niari, Plateaux, Pointe-Noire, Pool, Sangha
Independence:
15 August 1960 (from France)
National holiday:
Independence Day, 15 August (1960)
Constitution:
history: several previous; latest approved by referendum 25 October 2015
amendments: proposed by the president of the republic or by Parliament; passage of presidential proposals requires Supreme Court review followed by approval in a referendum; such proposals may also be submitted directly to Parliament, in which case passage requires at least three-quarters majority vote of both houses in joint session; proposals by Parliament require three-fourths majority vote of both houses in joint session; constitutional articles including those affecting the country’s territory, republican form of government, and secularity of the state are not amendable (2017)
Legal system:
mixed legal system of French civil law and customary law
International law organization participation:
has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; accepts ICCt jurisdiction
Citizenship:
citizenship by birth: no
citizenship by descent only: at least one parent must be a citizen of the Republic of the Congo
dual citizenship recognized: no
residency requirement for naturalization: 10 years
Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal
Executive branch:
chief of state: President Denis SASSOU-Nguesso (since 25 October 1997)
head of government: Prime Minister (vacant); Prime Minister Clement MOUAMBA (since 23 April 2016) resigned on 18 August 2017; note - a constitutional referendum held in 2015 approved the change of the head of government from the president to the prime minister
cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president
elections/appointments: president directly elected by absolute majority popular vote in 2 rounds if needed for a 5-year term (eligible for 2 additional terms); election last held on 20 March 2016 (next to be held in 2021)
election results: Denis SASSOU-Nguesso reelected president; percent of vote - Denis SASSOU-Nguesso (PCT) 60.4%, Guy Price Parfait KOLELAS (MCDDI) 15.1%, Jean-Marie MOKOKO (independent) 13.9%, Pascal Tsaty MABIALA (UPADS) 4.4%, other 6.2%
Legislative branch:
description: bicameral Parliament or Parlement consists of the Senate (72 seats; members indirectly elected by regional councils by simple majority vote to serve 6-year terms with one-half of membership renewed every 3 years) and the National Assembly (151 seats; members directly elected in single-seat constituencies by absolute majority popular vote in 2 rounds if needed; members serve 5-year terms)
elections: Senate - last held on 12 October 2014 for expiry of half the seats (next to be held in 2020); National Assembly - last held on 16 and 30 July 2017 (next to be held in July 2022)
election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - RMP 33, FDU 23, UPADS 2, other 7, independent 7; National Assembly - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - PCT 89, MCDDI 7, UPADS 7, RDPS 5, MAR 4, RC 3, MUST 2, UPDP 2, CPR 1, PRL 1, PUR 1, UFD 1, UR 1, independent 12, vacant 3
Judicial branch:
highest court(s): Supreme Court or Cour Supreme (consists of NA judges); Constitutional Court (consists of 9 members); note - a High Court of Justice, outside the judicial authority, tries cases involving treason by the president of the republic
judge selection and term of office: Supreme Court judges elected by Parliament and serve until age 65; Constitutional Court members appointed by the president of the republic - 3 directly by the president and 6 nominated by Parliament; members appointed for renewable 9-year terms with one-third of the membership renewed every 3 years
subordinate courts: Court of Audit and Budgetary Discipline; courts of appeal; regional and district courts; employment tribunals; juvenile courts
Political parties and leaders:
Action Movement for Renewal or MAR [Roland BOUITI-VIAUDO]
Citizen's Rally or RC [Claude Alphonse NSILOU]
Congolese Labour Party or PCT [Denis SASSOU-NGUESSO]
Congolese Movement for Democracy and Integral Development or MCDDI [Guy Price Parfait KOLELAS]
Movement for Unity, Solidarity, and Work or MUST [Claudine MUNARI]
Pan-African Union for Social Development or UPADS [Pascal Tsaty MABIALA]
Party for the Unity of the Republic or PUR
Patriotic Union for Democracy and Progress or UPDP [Auguste-Celestin GONGARD NKOUA]
Prospects and Realities Club or CPR
Rally for Democracy and Social Progress or RDPS [Bernard BATCHI]
Rally of the Presidential Majority or RMP
Republican and Liberal Party or PRL [Bonaventure MIZIDY]
Union for the Republic or UR
Union of Democratic Forces or UDF
Union for Democracy and Republic or UDR
many smaller parties
Political pressure groups and leaders:
Congolese Trade Union Confereration or CSC
General Union of Congolese Pupils and Students or UGEEC
Revolutionary Union of Congolese Women or URFC
Congolese Socialist Youth Union or UJSC
International organization participation:
ACP, AfDB, AU, BDEAC, CEMAC, EITI (compliant country), FAO, FZ, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO (correspondent), ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), MIGA, NAM, OIF, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNITAR, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Serge MOMBOULI (since 31 July 2001)
chancery: 1720 16th Street NW, Washington, DC 20009
telephone: [1] (202) 726-5500
FAX: [1] (202) 726-1860
Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Todd P. HASKELL (since July 2017)
embassy: 70-83 Section D, Maya-Maya Boulevard, Brazzaville
mailing address: B.P. 1015, Brazzaville
telephone: [242] 06 612-2000
Flag description:
divided diagonally from the lower hoist side by a yellow band; the upper triangle (hoist side) is green and the lower triangle is red; green symbolizes agriculture and forests, yellow the friendship and nobility of the people, red is unexplained but has been associated with the struggle for independence
note: uses the popular Pan-African colors of Ethiopia
National symbol(s):
lion, elephant; national colors: green, yellow, red
National anthem:
name: "La Congolaise" (The Congolese)
lyrics/music: Jacques TONDRA and Georges KIBANGHI/Jean ROYER and Joseph SPADILIERE
note: originally adopted 1959, restored 1991

Economy

Economy - overview:
The Republic of the Congo’s economy is a mixture of subsistence farming, an industrial sector based largely on oil and support services, and government spending. Oil has supplanted forestry as the mainstay of the economy, providing a major share of government revenues and exports. Natural gas is increasingly being converted to electricity rather than being flared, greatly improving energy prospects. New mining projects, particularly iron ore, which entered production in late 2013, may add as much as $1 billion to annual government revenue. The Republic of the Congo is a member of the Central African Economic and Monetary Community (CEMAC) and shares a common currency – the Central African Franc – with five other member states in the region.
The current administration faces difficult economic challenges of stimulating recovery and reducing poverty. The drop in oil prices that began in 2014 has constrained government spending; lower oil prices forced the government to cut more than $1 billion in planned spending. The fiscal deficit amounted to 11% of GDP in 2017. The government’s inability to pay civil servant salaries has resulted in multiple rounds of strikes by many groups, including doctors, nurses, and teachers. In the wake of a multi-year recession, the country reached out to the IMF in 2017 for a new program; the IMF noted that the country’s continued dependence on oil, unsustainable debt, and significant governance weakness are key impediments to the country’s economy. In 2018, the country’s external debt level will approach 120% of GDP. The IMF urged the government to renegotiate debts levels to sustainable levels before it agreed to a new macroeconomic adjustment package.
GDP (purchasing power parity):
$29.16 billion (2017 est.)
$30.26 billion (2016 est.)
$31.13 billion (2015 est.)
note: data are in 2017 dollars
country comparison to the world: 135
GDP (official exchange rate):
$7.799 billion (2017 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:
-3.6% (2017 est.)
-2.8% (2016 est.)
2.6% (2015 est.)
country comparison to the world: 216
GDP - per capita (PPP):
$6,700 (2017 est.)
$7,100 (2016 est.)
$7,500 (2015 est.)
note: data are in 2017 dollars
country comparison to the world: 161
Gross national saving:
13.5% of GDP (2017 est.)
-26.3% of GDP (2016 est.)
-2.2% of GDP (2015 est.)
country comparison to the world: 133
GDP - composition, by end use:
household consumption: 54.8%
government consumption: 12.8%
investment in fixed capital: 46.5%
investment in inventories: 0.1%
exports of goods and services: 58.2%
imports of goods and services: -72.4% (2017 est.)
GDP - composition, by sector of origin:
agriculture: 8.9%
industry: 50.8%
services: 40.3% (2017 est.)
Agriculture - products:
cassava (manioc, tapioca), sugar, rice, corn, peanuts, vegetables, coffee, cocoa; forest products
Industries:
petroleum extraction, cement, lumber, brewing, sugar, palm oil, soap, flour, cigarettes
Industrial production growth rate:
2% (2017 est.)
country comparison to the world: 132
Labor force:
2.055 million (2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 124
Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture: 35.4%
industry: 20.6%
services: 44% (2005 est.)
Unemployment rate:
36% (2014 est.)
country comparison to the world: 210
Population below poverty line:
46.5% (2011 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: 2.1%
highest 10%: 37.1% (2005 est.)
Distribution of family income - Gini index:
48.9 (2011 est.)
country comparison to the world: 21
Budget:
revenues: $2.516 billion
expenditures: $3.336 billion (2017 est.)
Taxes and other revenues:
32.3% of GDP (2017 est.)
country comparison to the world: 72
Budget surplus (+) or deficit (-):
-10.5% of GDP (2017 est.)
country comparison to the world: 209
Public debt:
92.2% of GDP (2017 est.)
83.1% of GDP (2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 23
Fiscal year:
calendar year
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
-0.4% (2017 est.)
3.6% (2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 5
Central bank discount rate:
4.25% (31 December 2009 est.)
4.75% (31 December 2008 est.)
country comparison to the world: 89
Commercial bank prime lending rate:
14% (31 December 2017 est.)
14% (31 December 2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 51
Stock of narrow money:
$2.955 billion (31 December 2017 est.)
$2.456 billion (31 December 2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 120
Stock of broad money:
$3.581 billion (31 December 2017 est.)
$3.037 billion (31 December 2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 141
Stock of domestic credit:
$2.703 billion (31 December 2017 est.)
$2.901 billion (31 December 2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 142
Market value of publicly traded shares:
$NA
Current account balance:
$-1.243 billion (2017 est.)
$-5.514 billion (2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 140
Exports:
$5.238 billion (2017 est.)
$4.116 billion (2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 106
Exports - commodities:
petroleum, lumber, plywood, sugar, cocoa, coffee, diamonds
Exports - partners:
China 39.8%, Italy 10.2%, Australia 7%, Gabon 6.6%, Angola 6%, Singapore 4.2% (2016)
Imports:
$3.519 billion (2017 est.)
$3.498 billion (2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 137
Imports - commodities:
capital equipment, construction materials, foodstuffs
Imports - partners:
South Korea 18.2%, France 12.8%, China 12.2%, Norway 11.2%, Belgium 6.9% (2016)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
$813.4 million (31 December 2017 est.)
$727.1 million (31 December 2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 132
Debt - external:
$5.197 billion (31 December 2017 est.)
$4.721 billion (31 December 2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 135
Exchange rates:
Cooperation Financiere en Afrique Centrale francs (XAF) per US dollar -
579.8 (2017 est.)
593.01 (2016 est.)
593.01 (2015 est.)
591.45 (2014 est.)
494.42 (2013 est.)

Energy

Electricity access:
population without electricity: 2,600,000
electrification - total population: 42%
electrification - urban areas: 62%
electrification - rural areas: 5% (2013)
Electricity - production:
1.676 billion kWh (2015 est.)
country comparison to the world: 143
Electricity - consumption:
900.5 million kWh (2015 est.)
country comparison to the world: 158
Electricity - exports:
22 million kWh (2015 est.)
country comparison to the world: 90
Electricity - imports:
18 million kWh (2015 est.)
country comparison to the world: 109
Electricity - installed generating capacity:
545,000 kW (2015 est.)
country comparison to the world: 144
Electricity - from fossil fuels:
61.7% of total installed capacity (2015 est.)
country comparison to the world: 125
Electricity - from nuclear fuels:
0% of total installed capacity (2015 est.)
country comparison to the world: 64
Electricity - from hydroelectric plants:
38.3% of total installed capacity (2015 est.)
country comparison to the world: 55
Electricity - from other renewable sources:
0% of total installed capacity (2015 est.)
country comparison to the world: 174
Crude oil - production:
308,400 bbl/day (2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 31
Crude oil - exports:
254,400 bbl/day (2014 est.)
country comparison to the world: 28
Crude oil - imports:
0 bbl/day (2014 est.)
country comparison to the world: 107
Crude oil - proved reserves:
1.6 billion bbl (1 January 2017 est.)
country comparison to the world: 40
Refined petroleum products - production:
16,530 bbl/day (2014 est.)
country comparison to the world: 95
Refined petroleum products - consumption:
18,000 bbl/day (2015 est.)
country comparison to the world: 144
Refined petroleum products - exports:
6,058 bbl/day (2014 est.)
country comparison to the world: 92
Refined petroleum products - imports:
6,821 bbl/day (2014 est.)
country comparison to the world: 153
Natural gas - production:
1.5 billion cu m (2015 est.)
country comparison to the world: 62
Natural gas - consumption:
2.6 billion cu m (2015 est.)
country comparison to the world: 82
Natural gas - exports:
39 million cu m (2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 51
Natural gas - imports:
0 cu m (2013 est.)
country comparison to the world: 105
Natural gas - proved reserves:
90.61 billion cu m (1 January 2017 est.)
country comparison to the world: 56
Carbon dioxide emissions from consumption of energy:
6.5 million Mt (2013 est.)
country comparison to the world: 121

Communications

Telephones - fixed lines:
total subscriptions: 17,000
subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: less than 1 (July 2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 184
Telephones - mobile cellular:
total: 5.424 million
subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 109 (July 2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 117
Telephone system:
general assessment: primary network consists of microwave radio relay and coaxial cable with services barely adequate for government use; key exchanges are in Brazzaville, Pointe-Noire, and Loubomo; intercity lines frequently out of order
domestic: fixed-line infrastructure inadequate, providing less than 1 connection per 100 persons; in the absence of an adequate fixed-line infrastructure, mobile-cellular subscribership has surged to 110 per 100 persons
international: country code - 242; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) (2015)
Broadcast media:
1 state-owned TV and 3 state-owned radio stations; several privately owned TV and radio stations; satellite TV service is available; rebroadcasts of several international broadcasters are available (2007)
Internet country code:
.cg
Internet users:
total: 362,000
percent of population: 7.6% (July 2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 156

Transportation

National air transport system:
number of registered air carriers: 3
inventory of registered aircraft operated by air carriers: 12
annual passenger traffic on registered air carriers: 657,926
annual freight traffic on registered air carriers: 2,987,493 mt-km (2015)
Civil aircraft registration country code prefix:
TN (2016)
Airports:
27 (2013)
country comparison to the world: 125
Airports - with paved runways:
total: 8
over 3,047 m: 2
2,438 to 3,047 m: 1
1,524 to 2,437 m: 5 (2017)
Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 19
1,524 to 2,437 m: 8
914 to 1,523 m: 9
under 914 m: 2 (2013)
Pipelines:
gas 232 km; liquid petroleum gas 4 km; oil 982 km (2013)
Railways:
total: 510 km
narrow gauge: 510 km 1.067-m gauge (2014)
country comparison to the world: 113
Roadways:
total: 17,000 km
paved: 1,212 km
unpaved: 15,788 km (2006)
country comparison to the world: 119
Waterways:
1,120 km (commercially navigable on Congo and Oubanqui Rivers above Brazzaville; there are many ferries across the river to Kinshasa; the Congo south of Brazzaville-Kinshasa to the coast is not navigable because of rapids, necessitating a rail connection to Pointe Noire; other rivers are used for local traffic only) (2011)
country comparison to the world: 61
Merchant marine:
total: 40
by type: general cargo 27, oil tanker 2, other 11 (2017)
country comparison to the world: 123
Ports and terminals:
major seaport(s): Pointe-Noire
river port(s): Brazzaville (Congo); Impfondo (Oubangi); Ouesso (Sangha); Oyo (Alima)
oil terminal(s): Djeno

Military & Security

Military expenditures:
7.17% of GDP (2016)
4.97% of GDP (2014)
2.61% of GDP (2013)
country comparison to the world: 4
Military branches:
Congolese Armed Forces (Forces Armees Congolaises, FAC): Army (Armee de Terre), Navy, Congolese Air Force (Armee de l'Air Congolaise); Gendarmerie; Special Presidential Security Guard (GSSP) (2013)
Military service age and obligation:
18 years of age for voluntary military service; women may serve in the Armed Forces (2012)

Transnational Issues

Disputes - international:
the location of the boundary in the broad Congo River with the Democratic Republic of the Congo is undefined except in the Pool Malebo/Stanley Pool area
Refugees and internally displaced persons:
refugees (country of origin): 9,202 (Rwanda) (2016); 31,688 (Central African Republic) (2017); 15,654 (Democratic Republic of the Congo) (refugees and asylum seekers) (2018)
IDPs: 108,000 (multiple civil wars since 1992) (2017)
Trafficking in persons:
current situation: the Republic of the Congo is a source and destination country for children, men, and women, subjected to forced labor and sex trafficking; most trafficking victims are from Benin, the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), and, to a lesser extent, other neighboring countries and are subjected to domestic servitude and market vending by West African and Congolese nationals; adults and children, the majority from the DRC, are also sex trafficked in Congo, mainly Brazzaville; internal trafficking victims, often from rural areas, are exploited as domestic servants or forced to work in quarries, bakeries, fishing, and agriculture
tier rating: Tier 2 Watch List - the Republic of the Congo does not fully comply with the minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking; however, it is making significant efforts to do so; the country drafted an action plan based on anti-trafficking legislation, which remains pending in the Supreme Court; the government made minimal anti-trafficking law enforcement efforts in 2014, failing to prosecute or convict suspected traffickers from cases dating back to 2010; serious allegations of official complicity continue to be reported; the government lacks a systematic means of identifying victims and relies on NGOs and international organizations to identify victims and NGOs and foster families to provide care to victims; the quality of care varied widely because the foster care system was allegedly undermined by inadequate security and official complicity (2015)

Economic Indicators for Congo (Brazzaville) including actual values, historical data, and latest data updates for the Congo (Brazzaville) economy.