Independence Year : 1960
Population : 2943000
Life Expectancy : 47.4
Capital : 2296
GNP : 2108.00
GNP Old : 2287.00
Local Name : Congo
Government Form : Republic
Location : Astride the Equator in west-central Africa, west of the Congo and Oubangui (Ubangi) rivers.
Terrain : North-East: two thirds of the country are covered by equatorial forest, savanna in the south, coastal plains, fertile valleys, forested flood plains.
Climate : Tropical. (climate is equatorial with two reversed seasons--half of the country lies above, half below the Equator).
Ethnic Group : 15 principal Bantu groups: BaCongo, Vili, BaTeke, M'Bochi, and Sangha; more than 70 subgroups. A small population of Pygmies (less than 100 000), ethnically unrelated to the Bantu majority.
Religions : Traditional beliefs 50%, Christianity 45%, Muslim 2%.
Official Website :
www.congo-site.com/
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General Information - Congo
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 installed in 1992. A brief civil war in 1997 restored former Marxist President SASSOU-NGUESSO, but ushered in a period of ethnic unrest. Southern-based rebel groups agreed to a final peace accord in March 2003, but the calm is tenuous and refugees continue to present a humanitarian crisis. The Republic of Congo is one of Africa's largest petroleum producers with significant potential for offshore development.
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