Congo, Republic of the

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: 171

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)

Telephones - fixed lines

total subscriptions: 17,000 | subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: less than 1 (July 2016 est.) | country comparison to the world: 193

Telephones - mobile cellular

total: 5.216 million | subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 110 (July 2016 est.) | country comparison to the world: 118

Agriculture - products

cassava (manioc, tapioca), sugar, rice, corn, peanuts, vegetables, coffee, cocoa; forest products

Budget

revenues: $2.085 billion | expenditures: $3.507 billion (2016 est.)

Budget surplus (+) or deficit (-)

-17.9% of GDP (2016 est.) | country comparison to the world: 214

Central bank discount rate

4.25% (31 December 2009) | 4.75% (31 December 2008) | country comparison to the world: 88

Commercial bank prime lending rate

14% (31 December 2016 est.) | 14.8% (31 December 2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 52

Current account balance

$-5.514 billion (2016 est.) | $-1.262 billion (2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 153

Debt - external

$4.721 billion (31 December 2016 est.) | $4.204 billion (31 December 2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 135

Economy - overview

The economy is a mixture of subsistence farming and hunting, 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. | Economic reform efforts have been undertaken with the support of international organizations, notably the World Bank and the IMF, including the recently concluded Article IV consultations. The current administration faces difficult economic challenges of stimulating recovery and reducing poverty. The recent drop in oil prices has constrained government spending; lower oil prices forced the government to cut more than $1 billion in planned spending. However, the government increased infrastructure spending for the September 2015 All-Africa Games and the March 2016 presidential election, which put further pressure on the budget. The fiscal deficit exceeded 18% of GDP in 2015. Substantial macroeconomic imbalances continued in 2016 following sustained low oil prices.

Exchange rates

Cooperation Financiere en Afrique Centrale francs (XAF) per US dollar - | 593.01 (2016 est.) | 593.01 (2015 est.) | 591.45 (2014 est.) | 494.42 (2013 est.) | 510.53 (2012 est.)

Exports

$4.116 billion (2016 est.) | $5.313 billion (2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 112

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)

Fiscal year

calendar year

GDP (official exchange rate)

$7.867 billion (2016 est.)

GDP (purchasing power parity)

$29.74 billion (2016 est.) | $30.22 billion (2015 est.) | $29.13 billion (2014 est.) | note: data are in 2016 dollars | country comparison to the world: 130

GDP - composition, by end use

household consumption: 56.5% | government consumption: 15.5% | investment in fixed capital: 50.4% | investment in inventories: 0% | exports of goods and services: 57.1% | imports of goods and services: -79.4% (2016 est.)

GDP - composition, by sector of origin

agriculture: 8.7% | industry: 50.2% | services: 41.1% (2016 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP)

$7,000 (2016 est.) | $7,400 (2015 est.) | $7,400 (2014 est.) | note: data are in 2016 dollars | country comparison to the world: 158

GDP - real growth rate

-2.8% (2016 est.) | 2.6% (2015 est.) | 6.8% (2014 est.) | country comparison to the world: 207

Gross national saving

-26.3% of GDP (2016 est.) | -2.2% of GDP (2015 est.) | 28.9% of GDP (2014 est.) | country comparison to the world: 49

Household income or consumption by percentage share

lowest 10%: 2.1% | highest 10%: 37.1% (2005)

Imports

$3.498 billion (2016 est.) | $3.779 billion (2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 134

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)

Industrial production growth rate

-4.7% (2016 est.) | country comparison to the world: 187

Industries

petroleum extraction, cement, lumber, brewing, sugar, palm oil, soap, flour, cigarettes

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

3.6% (2016 est.) | 4.5% (2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 156

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.)

Market value of publicly traded shares

$NA

Population below poverty line

46.5% (2011 est.)

Public debt

83.1% of GDP (2016 est.) | 72.5% of GDP (2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 32

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold

$727.1 million (31 December 2016 est.) | $2.233 billion (31 December 2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 132

Stock of broad money

$3.037 billion (31 December 2016 est.) | $3.704 billion (31 December 2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 142

Stock of domestic credit

$2.901 billion (31 December 2016 est.) | $1.807 billion (31 December 2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 139

Stock of narrow money

$2.456 billion (31 December 2016 est.) | $3.131 billion (31 December 2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 123

Taxes and other revenues

26.2% of GDP (2016 est.) | country comparison to the world: 112

Unemployment rate

36% (2014 est.) | country comparison to the world: 208

Carbon dioxide emissions from consumption of energy

6.5 million Mt (2013 est.) | country comparison to the world: 121

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: 108

Crude oil - production

308,400 bbl/day (2016 est.) | country comparison to the world: 31

Crude oil - proved reserves

1.6 billion bbl (1 January 2017 es) | country comparison to the world: 40

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 - from fossil fuels

61.7% of total installed capacity (2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 125

Electricity - from hydroelectric plants

38.3% of total installed capacity (2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 55

Electricity - from nuclear fuels

0% of total installed capacity (2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 64

Electricity - from other renewable sources

0% of total installed capacity (2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 173

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 - production

1.676 billion kWh (2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 143

Electricity access

population without electricity: 2,600,000 | electrification - total population: 42% | electrification - urban areas: 62% | electrification - rural areas: 5% (2013)

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 - production

1.5 billion cu m (2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 62

Natural gas - proved reserves

90.61 billion cu m (1 January 2017 es) | country comparison to the world: 56

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

Refined petroleum products - production

16,530 bbl/day (2014 est.) | country comparison to the world: 95

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

Climate

tropical; rainy season (March to June); dry season (June to October); persistent high temperatures and humidity; particularly enervating climate astride the Equator

Coastline

169 km

Elevation

mean elevation: 430 m | elevation extremes: lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m | highest point: Mount Berongou 903 m

Environment - current issues

air pollution from vehicle emissions; water pollution from raw sewage; tap water is not potable; deforestation

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

Geographic coordinates

1 00 S, 15 00 E

Geography - note

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

Irrigated land

20 sq km (2012)

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

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.)

Location

Central Africa, bordering the South Atlantic Ocean, between Angola and Gabon

Map references

Africa

Maritime claims

territorial sea: 12 nm | contiguous zone: 24 nm | exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

Natural hazards

seasonal flooding

Natural resources

petroleum, timber, potash, lead, zinc, uranium, copper, phosphates, gold, magnesium, natural gas, hydropower

Population - distribution

the population is primarily located in the south, in and around the capital of Brazzaville

Terrain

coastal plain, southern basin, central plateau, northern basin

Administrative divisions

12 departments (departments, singular - department); Bouenza, Brazzaville, Cuvette, Cuvette-Ouest, Kouilou, Lekoumou, Likouala, Niari, Plateaux, Pointe-Noire, Pool, Sangha

Capital

name: Brazzaville | geographic coordinates: 4 15 S, 15 17 E | time difference: UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)

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

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)

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"

Diplomatic representation from the US

chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires Mary DASCHBACH (since January 2015) | embassy: 70-83 Section D, Maya-Maya Boulevard, Brazzaville | mailing address: B.P. 1015, Brazzaville | telephone: [242] 06 612-2000

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

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%

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

Government type

presidential republic

Independence

15 August 1960 (from France)

International law organization participation

has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; accepts ICCt jurisdiction

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

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

Legal system

mixed legal system of French civil law and customary law

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

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

National holiday

Independence Day, 15 August (1960)

National symbol(s)

lion, elephant; national colors: green, yellow, red

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

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

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.

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 expenditures

7.17% of GDP (2016) | 4.97% of GDP (2014) | 2.61% of GDP (2013)

Military service age and obligation

18 years of age for voluntary military service; women may serve in the Armed Forces (2012)

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.)

Birth rate

34.4 births/1,000 population (2017 est.) | country comparison to the world: 22

Children under the age of 5 years underweight

12.3% (2015) | country comparison to the world: 61

Contraceptive prevalence rate

30.1% (2014/15)

Death rate

9.5 deaths/1,000 population (2017 est.) | country comparison to the world: 52

Dependency ratios

total dependency ratio: 84.5 | youth dependency ratio: 78.3 | elderly dependency ratio: 6.2 | potential support ratio: 16.1 (2015 est.)

Drinking water source

urban: 95.8% of population | rural: 40% of population | total: 76.5% of population | urban: 4.2% of population | rural: 60% of population | total: 23.5% of population (2015 est.)

Education expenditures

6.2% of GDP (2010) | country comparison to the world: 39

Ethnic groups

Kongo 48%, Sangha 20%, M'Bochi 12%, Teke 17%, Europeans and other 3%

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate

3.1% (2016 est.) | country comparison to the world: 19

HIV/AIDS - deaths

3,800 (2016 est.) | country comparison to the world: 37

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS

91,000 (2016 est.) | country comparison to the world: 45

Health expenditures

5.2% of GDP (2014) | country comparison to the world: 135

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

Languages

French (official), Lingala and Monokutuba (lingua franca trade languages), many local languages and dialects (of which Kikongo is the most widespread)

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

Literacy

definition: age 15 and over can read and write | total population: 79.3% | male: 86.4% | female: 72.9% (2015 est.)

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)

Major urban areas - population

BRAZZAVILLE (capital) 1.888 million; Pointe-Noire 969,000 (2015)

Maternal mortality rate

442 deaths/100,000 live births (2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 25

Median age

total: 19.7 years | male: 19.5 years | female: 19.8 years (2017 est.) | country comparison to the world: 192

Mother's mean age at first birth

19.8 years | note: median age at first birth among women 25-29 (2011/12 est.)

Nationality

noun: Congolese (singular and plural) | adjective: Congolese or Congo

Net migration rate

-3.8 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2017 est.) | country comparison to the world: 181

Obesity - adult prevalence rate

9.6% (2016) | country comparison to the world: 143

Physicians density

0.11 physicians/1,000 population (2007)

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

Population distribution

the population is primarily located in the south, in and around the capital of Brazzaville

Population growth rate

2.11% (2017 est.) | country comparison to the world: 44

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.)

Sanitation facility access

urban: 20% of population | rural: 5.6% of population | total: 15% of population | urban: 80% of population | rural: 94.4% of population | total: 85% of population (2015 est.)

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education)

total: 11 years | male: 11 years | female: 11 years (2012)

Sex ratio

at birth: 1.03 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 (2016 est.)

Total fertility rate

4.59 children born/woman (2017 est.) | country comparison to the world: 22

Urbanization

urban population: 66.2% of total population (2017) | rate of urbanization: 3.02% annual rate of change (2015-20 est.)

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); 49,974 (Central African Republic); 12,280 (Democratic Republic of the Congo) (2017) | IDPs: 33,000 (multiple civil wars since 1992) (2016)

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)

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)

Civil aircraft registration country code prefix

TN (2016)

Merchant marine

registered in other countries: 1 (Democratic Republic of the Congo 1) (2010) | country comparison to the world: 149

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)

Pipelines

gas 232 km; liquid petroleum gas 4 km; oil 982 km (2013)

Ports and terminals

major seaport(s): Pointe-Noire | river port(s): Brazzaville (Congo); Impfondo (Oubangi); Ouesso (Sangha); Oyo (Alima) | oil terminal(s): Djeno

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