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Compare Congo, Democratic Republic of the (2001) - Bhutan (2005)

Compare Congo, Democratic Republic of the (2001) z Bhutan (2005)

 Congo, Democratic Republic of the (2001)Bhutan (2005)
 Congo, Democratic Republic of theBhutan
Administrative divisions 10 provinces (provinces, singular - province) and one city* (ville); Bandundu, Bas-Congo, Equateur, Kasai-Occidental, Kasai-Oriental, Katanga, Kinshasa*, Maniema, Nord-Kivu, Orientale, Sud-Kivu 18 districts (dzongkhag, singular and plural); Bumthang, Chhukha, Chirang, Dagana, Geylegphug, Ha, Lhuntshi, Mongar, Paro, Pemagatsel, Punakha, Samchi, Samdrup Jongkhar, Shemgang, Tashigang, Thimphu, Tongsa, Wangdi Phodrang


note: there may be two new districts named Gasa and Yangtse
Age structure 0-14 years:
48.24% (male 12,988,488; female 12,878,232)

15-64 years:
49.21% (male 12,931,886; female 13,459,109)

65 years and over:
2.55% (male 575,113; female 791,890) (2001 est.)
0-14 years: 39.1% (male 452,213/female 420,675)


15-64 years: 56.9% (male 654,109/female 615,431)


65 years and over: 4% (male 45,281/female 44,582) (2005 est.)
Agriculture - products coffee, sugar, palm oil, rubber, tea, quinine, cassava (tapioca), palm oil, bananas, root crops, corn, fruits; wood products rice, corn, root crops, citrus, foodgrains; dairy products, eggs
Airports 232 (2000 est.) 2 (2004 est.)
Airports - with paved runways total:
24

over 3,047 m:
4

2,438 to 3,047 m:
3

1,524 to 2,437 m:
15

914 to 1,523 m:
2 (2000 est.)
total: 1


1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2004 est.)
Airports - with unpaved runways total:
208

1,524 to 2,437 m:
20

914 to 1,523 m:
96

under 914 m:
92 (2000 est.)
total: 1


914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2004 est.)
Area total:
2,345,410 sq km

land:
2,267,600 sq km

water:
77,810 sq km
total: 47,000 sq km


land: 47,000 sq km


water: 0 sq km
Area - comparative slightly less than one-fourth the size of the US about half the size of Indiana
Background Since 1994 the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DROC; formerly called Zaire) has been rent by ethnic strife and civil war, touched off by a massive inflow of refugees from the fighting in Rwanda and Burundi. The government of former president MOBUTU Sese Seko was toppled by a rebellion led by Laurent KABILA in May 1997; his regime was subsequently challenged by a Rwanda- and Uganda-backed rebellion in August 1998. Troops from Zimbabwe, Angola, Namibia, Chad, and Sudan intervened to support the Kinshasa regime. A cease-fire was signed on 10 July 1999, but sporadic fighting continued. KABILA was assassinated in January 2001 and his son Joseph KABILA was named head of state. The new president quickly began overtures to end the war. In 1865, Britain and Bhutan signed the Treaty of Sinchulu, under which Bhutan would receive an annual subsidy in exchange for ceding some border land. Under British influence, a monarchy was set up in 1907; three years later, a treaty was signed whereby the British agreed not to interfere in Bhutanese internal affairs and Bhutan allowed Britain to direct its foreign affairs. This role was assumed by independent India after 1947. Two years later, a formal Indo-Bhutanese accord returned the areas of Bhutan annexed by the British, formalized the annual subsidies the country received, and defined India's responsibilities in defense and foreign relations. A refugee issue of some 100,000 Bhutanese in Nepal remains unresolved; 90% of the refugees are housed in seven United Nations Office of the High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) camps.
Birth rate 46.02 births/1,000 population (2001 est.) 34.03 births/1,000 population (2005 est.)
Budget revenues:
$269 million

expenditures:
$244 million, including capital expenditures of $24 million (1996 est.)
revenues: $146 million


expenditures: $152 million, including capital expenditures of NA


note: the government of India finances nearly three-fifths of Bhutan's budget expenditures (FY95/96 est.)
Capital Kinshasa Thimphu
Climate tropical; hot and humid in equatorial river basin; cooler and drier in southern highlands; cooler and wetter in eastern highlands; north of Equator - wet season April to October, dry season December to February; south of Equator - wet season November to March, dry season April to October varies; tropical in southern plains; cool winters and hot summers in central valleys; severe winters and cool summers in Himalayas
Coastline 37 km 0 km (landlocked)
Constitution 24 June 1967, amended August 1974, revised 15 February 1978, amended April 1990; transitional constitution promulgated in April 1994; in November 1998, a draft constitution was approved by former President Laurent KABILA but it has not been ratified by a national referendum no written constitution or bill of rights; note - in 2001 the King commissioned the drafting of a constitution, and in November 2004 presented a draft to the Council of Ministers; now awaiting referendum
Country name conventional long form:
Democratic Republic of the Congo

conventional short form:
none

local long form:
Republique Democratique du Congo

local short form:
none

former:
Congo Free State, Belgian Congo, Congo/Leopoldville, Congo/Kinshasa, Zaire

abbreviation:
DROC
conventional long form: Kingdom of Bhutan


conventional short form: Bhutan
Currency Congolese franc (CDF) -
Death rate 15.15 deaths/1,000 population (2001 est.) 12.94 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.)
Debt - external $13 billion (1998 est.) $245 million (2000)
Diplomatic representation from the US chief of mission:
Ambassador William Lacy SWING

embassy:
310 Avenue des Aviateurs, Kinshasa

mailing address:
Unit 31550, APO AE 09828

telephone:
[243] (12) 21804, 21807

FAX:
[243] (88) 43805
the US and Bhutan have no formal diplomatic relations, although informal contact is maintained between the Bhutanese and US Embassy in New Delhi (India)
Diplomatic representation in the US chief of mission:
Ambassador Faida MITIFU

chancery:
1800 New Hampshire Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20009

telephone:
[1] (202) 234-7690, 7691

FAX:
[1] (202) 234-2609
none; note - Bhutan has a Permanent Mission to the UN; address: 2 United Nations Plaza, 27th Floor, New York, NY 10017; telephone [1] (212) 826-1919; FAX [1] (212) 826-2998; the Bhutanese mission to the UN has consular jurisdiction in the US


consulate(s) general: New York
Disputes - international the Democratic Republic of the Congo is in the grip of a civil war that has drawn in military forces from neighboring states, with Uganda and Rwanda supporting the rebel movements that occupy much of the eastern portion of the state; most of the Congo river boundary with the Republic of the Congo is indefinite (no agreement has been reached on the division of the river or its islands, except in the Pool Malebo/Stanley Pool area) approximately 104,000 Bhutanese refugees live in Nepal, 90% of whom reside in seven UN Office of the High Commissioner for Refugees camps; Bhutan cooperates with India to expel Indian separatists
Economic aid - recipient $195.3 million (1995) substantial aid from India and other nations
Economy - overview The economy of the Democratic Republic of the Congo - a nation endowed with vast potential wealth - has declined drastically since the mid-1980s. The new government instituted a tight fiscal policy that initially curbed inflation and currency depreciation, but these small gains were quickly reversed when the foreign-backed rebellion in the eastern part of the country began in August 1998. The war has dramatically reduced national output and government revenue and has increased external debt. Foreign businesses have curtailed operations due to uncertainty about the outcome of the conflict and because of increased government harassment and restrictions. The war has intensified the impact of such basic problems as an uncertain legal framework, corruption, raging inflation, and lack of openness in government economic policy and financial operations. A number of IMF and World Bank missions have met with the government to help it develop a coherent economic plan but associated reforms are on hold. The economy, one of the world's smallest and least developed, is based on agriculture and forestry, which provide the main livelihood for more than 90% of the population. Agriculture consists largely of subsistence farming and animal husbandry. Rugged mountains dominate the terrain and make the building of roads and other infrastructure difficult and expensive. The economy is closely aligned with India's through strong trade and monetary links and dependence on India's financial assistance. The industrial sector is technologically backward, with most production of the cottage industry type. Most development projects, such as road construction, rely on Indian migrant labor. Bhutan's hydropower potential and its attraction for tourists are key resources. Model education, social, and environment programs are underway with support from multilateral development organizations. Each economic program takes into account the government's desire to protect the country's environment and cultural traditions. For example, the government, in its cautious expansion of the tourist sector, encourages visits by upscale, environmentally conscientious tourists. Detailed controls and uncertain policies in areas like industrial licensing, trade, labor, and finance continue to hamper foreign investment.
Electricity - consumption 4.55 billion kWh (1999) 312.9 million kWh (2002)
Electricity - exports 404 million kWh (1999) 1.56 billion kWh (2002)
Electricity - imports 55 million kWh (1999) 12 million kWh (2002)
Electricity - production 5.268 billion kWh (1999) 2.001 billion kWh (2002)
Electricity - production by source fossil fuel:
2.05%

hydro:
97.95%

nuclear:
0%

other:
0% (1999)
-
Elevation extremes lowest point:
Atlantic Ocean 0 m

highest point:
Pic Marguerite on Mont Ngaliema (Mount Stanley) 5,110 m
lowest point: Drangme Chhu 97 m


highest point: Kula Kangri 7,553 m
Environment - current issues poaching threatens wildlife populations; water pollution; deforestation; refugees who arrived in mid-1994 were responsible for significant deforestation, soil erosion, and wildlife poaching in the eastern part of the country (most of those refugees were repatriated in November and December 1996) soil erosion; limited access to potable water
Environment - international agreements party to:
Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands

signed, but not ratified:
Environmental Modification
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes


signed, but not ratified: Law of the Sea
Ethnic groups over 200 African ethnic groups of which the majority are Bantu; the four largest tribes - Mongo, Luba, Kongo (all Bantu), and the Mangbetu-Azande (Hamitic) make up about 45% of the population Bhote 50%, ethnic Nepalese 35% (includes Lhotsampas - one of several Nepalese ethnic groups), indigenous or migrant tribes 15%
Exchange rates Congolese francs per US dollar - 50 (January 2001), 4.5 (January 2000), 4.02 (1999), 1.61 (1998), 1.31 (1997), 0.50 (1996)

note:
on 30 June 1998 the Congolese franc was introduced, replacing the new zaire
ngultrum per US dollar - 45.317 (2004), 46.583 (2003), 48.61 (2002), 47.186 (2001), 44.942 (2000)
Executive branch chief of state:
Joseph KABILA (since 26 January 2001); note - the president succeeded his father Laurent Desire KABILA after his assassination on 16 January 2001; as president he is both chief of state and head of government

head of government:
Joseph KABILA (since 26 January 2001); note - the president succeeded his father Laurent Desire KABILA after his assassination on 16 January 2001; as president he is both chief of state and head of government

cabinet:
National Executive Council, appointed by the president

elections:
before Laurent Desire KABILA seized power, the president was elected by popular vote for a seven-year term; election last held 29 July 1984 (next was scheduled to be held in May 1997); formerly, the prime minister was elected by the High Council of the Republic; note - elections were not held in 1991 as called for by the constitution

election results:
results of the last election were: MOBUTU Sese Seko Kuku Ngbendu wa Za Banga reelected president in 1984 without opposition

note:
Marshal MOBUTU Sese Seko Kuku Ngbendu wa Za Banga was president from 24 November 1965 until forced into exile on 16 May 1997 when his government was overthrown militarily by Laurent Desire KABILA, who immediately assumed governing authority; KABILA pledged to hold elections by April 1999, but in December 1998 announced that elections would be postponed until all foreign military forces attempting to topple the government had withdrawn from the country; KABILA was assassinated in January 2001 and was succeeded by his son Joseph KABILA
chief of state: King Jigme Singye WANGCHUCK (since 24 July 1972)


head of government: Chairman of the Council of Ministers Lyonpo Sangay NGEDUP (since 5 September 2005)


cabinet: Council of Ministers (Lhengye Shungtsog) nominated by the monarch, approved by the National Assembly; members serve fixed, five-year terms; note - there is also a Royal Advisory Council (Lodoi Tsokde), members nominated by the monarch


elections: none; the monarch is hereditary, but democratic reforms in July 1998 grant the National Assembly authority to remove the monarch with two-thirds vote
Exports $960 million (f.o.b., 2000 est.) NA
Exports - commodities diamonds, copper, coffee, cobalt, crude oil electricity (to India), cardamom, gypsum, timber, handicrafts, cement, fruit, precious stones, spices
Exports - partners Benelux 62%, US 18%, South Africa, Finland, Italy (1999) Bangladesh 47.4%, Japan 30.2%, France 3.4% (2004)
Fiscal year calendar year 1 July - 30 June
Flag description light blue with a large yellow five-pointed star in the center and a columnar arrangement of six small yellow five-pointed stars along the hoist side divided diagonally from the lower hoist side corner; the upper triangle is yellow and the lower triangle is orange; centered along the dividing line is a large black and white dragon facing away from the hoist side
GDP purchasing power parity - $31 billion (2000 est.) -
GDP - composition by sector agriculture:
58%

industry:
17%

services:
25% (1997 est.)
agriculture: 45%


industry: 10%


services: 45% (2002 est.)
GDP - per capita purchasing power parity - $600 (2000 est.) purchasing power parity - $1,400 (2003 est.)
GDP - real growth rate -15% (2000 est.) 5.3% (2003 est.)
Geographic coordinates 0 00 N, 25 00 E 27 30 N, 90 30 E
Geography - note straddles Equator; very narrow strip of land that controls the lower Congo river and is only outlet to South Atlantic Ocean; dense tropical rain forest in central river basin and eastern highlands landlocked; strategic location between China and India; controls several key Himalayan mountain passes
Highways total:
157,000 km (including 30 km of expressways)(1996)

paved:
NA km

unpaved:
NA km
total: 4,007 km


paved: 24 km


unpaved: 3,983 km (2002)
Household income or consumption by percentage share lowest 10%:
NA%

highest 10%:
NA%
lowest 10%: NA


highest 10%: NA
Illicit drugs illicit producer of cannabis, mostly for domestic consumption -
Imports $660 million (c.i.f., 2000 est.) NA
Imports - commodities foodstuffs, mining and other machinery, transport equipment, fuels fuel and lubricants, grain, machinery and parts, vehicles, fabrics, rice
Imports - partners South Africa 28%, Benelux 14%, Nigeria 9%, Kenya 7%, China (1999) Germany 65.4%, Japan 14.3%, Austria 6.8%, UK 4.5% (2004)
Independence 30 June 1960 (from Belgium) 8 August 1949 (from India)
Industrial production growth rate NA% 9.3% (1996 est.)
Industries mining (diamonds, copper, zinc), mineral processing, consumer products (including textiles, footwear, cigarettes, processed foods and beverages), cement cement, wood products, processed fruits, alcoholic beverages, calcium carbide
Infant mortality rate 99.88 deaths/1,000 live births (2001 est.) total: 100.44 deaths/1,000 live births


male: 98.19 deaths/1,000 live births


female: 102.81 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices) 540% (2000 est.) 3% (2002 est.)
International organization participation ACCT, ACP, AfDB, CCC, CEEAC, CEPGL, ECA, FAO, G-19, G-24, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, IOM (observer), ISO (correspondent), ITU, NAM, OAU, OPCW, PCA, SADC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO AsDB, CP, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IMF, IOC, IOM (observer), ITU, NAM, OPCW (signatory), SAARC, SACEP, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO (observer)
Internet Service Providers (ISPs) 2 (2000) -
Irrigated land 100 sq km (1993 est.) 400 sq km (1998 est.)
Judicial branch Supreme Court or Cour Supreme Supreme Court of Appeal (the monarch); High Court (judges appointed by the monarch)
Labor force 14.51 million (1993 est.) NA


note: massive lack of skilled labor
Labor force - by occupation agriculture 65%, industry 16%, services 19% (1991 est.) agriculture 93%, industry and commerce 2%, services 5%
Land boundaries total:
10,744 km

border countries:
Angola 2,511 km, Burundi 233 km, Central African Republic 1,577 km, Republic of the Congo 2,410 km, Rwanda 217 km, Sudan 628 km, Tanzania 473 km, Uganda 765 km, Zambia 1,930 km
total: 1,075 km


border countries: China 470 km, India 605 km
Land use arable land:
3%

permanent crops:
0%

permanent pastures:
7%

forests and woodland:
77%

other:
13% (1993 est.)
arable land: 3.09%


permanent crops: 0.43%


other: 96.48% (2001)
Languages French (official), Lingala (a lingua franca trade language), Kingwana (a dialect of Kiswahili or Swahili), Kikongo, Tshiluba Dzongkha (official), Bhotes speak various Tibetan dialects, Nepalese speak various Nepalese dialects
Legal system based on Belgian civil law system and tribal law; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction based on Indian law and English common law; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
Legislative branch a 300-member Transitional Constituent Assembly established in August 2000

elections:
NA; members of the Transitional Constituent Assembly were appointed by former President KABILA
unicameral National Assembly or Tshogdu (150 seats; 105 elected from village constituencies, 10 represent religious bodies, and 35 are designated by the monarch to represent government and other secular interests; members serve three-year terms)


elections: local elections last held November 2002 (next to be held NA 2005)


election results: NA
Life expectancy at birth total population:
48.94 years

male:
46.96 years

female:
50.98 years (2001 est.)
total population: 54.39 years


male: 54.65 years


female: 54.11 years (2005 est.)
Literacy definition:
age 15 and over can read and write French, Lingala, Kingwana, or Tshiluba

total population:
77.3%

male:
86.6%

female:
67.7% (1995 est.)
definition: age 15 and over can read and write


total population: 42.2%


male: 56.2%


female: 28.1% (1995 est.)
Location Central Africa, northeast of Angola Southern Asia, between China and India
Map references Africa Asia
Maritime claims exclusive economic zone:
boundaries with neighbors

territorial sea:
12 NM
none (landlocked)
Merchant marine none (2000 est.) -
Military branches Army, Navy, Air Force, Special Presidential Security Group Royal Bhutan Army (includes Royal Bodyguard and Royal Bhutan Police) (2005)
Military expenditures - dollar figure $250 million (FY97) $13.7 million (2004)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP 4.6% (FY97) 1.8% (2004)
Military manpower - availability males age 15-49:
11,615,554 (2001 est.)
-
Military manpower - fit for military service males age 15-49:
5,915,251 (2001 est.)
-
National holiday Independence Day, 30 June (1960) National Day (Ugyen WANGCHUCK became first hereditary king), 17 December (1907)
Nationality noun:
Congolese (singular and plural)

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


adjective: Bhutanese
Natural hazards periodic droughts in south; volcanic activity violent storms from the Himalayas are the source of the country's name which translates as Land of the Thunder Dragon; frequent landslides during the rainy season
Natural resources cobalt, copper, cadmium, petroleum, industrial and gem diamonds, gold, silver, zinc, manganese, tin, germanium, uranium, radium, bauxite, iron ore, coal, hydropower, timber timber, hydropower, gypsum, calcium carbonate
Net migration rate 0.14 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2001 est.)

note:
one million refugees fled into Zaire (now called the Democratic Republic of the Congo or DROC) in 1994 to escape the fighting between the Hutus and the Tutsis; fighting in the DROC between rebels and government forces in October 1996 caused 875,000 refugees to return to Rwanda in late 1996 and early 1997; an additional 173,000 Rwandan refugees disappeared in early 1997 and are assumed to have been killed by Zairian forces; fighting between the Congolese government and Uganda- and Rwanda-backed Congolese rebels spawned a regional war in DROC in August 1998, which left 1.8 million Congolese displaced in DROC and caused 300,000 Congolese refugees to flee to surrounding countries
0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.)
Pipelines petroleum products 390 km -
Political parties and leaders Democratic Social Christian Party or PDSC [Andre BO-BOLIKO]; Popular Movement of the Revolution or MPR [leader NA]; Unified Lumumbast Party or PALU [Antoine GIZENGA]; Union for Democracy and Social Progress or UDPS [Etienne TSHISEKEDI wa Mulumba]; Union of Federalists and Independent Republicans or UFERI [Kouyoumba MUCHULI Mulembe] no legal parties
Political pressure groups and leaders NA Buddhist clergy; ethnic Nepalese organizations leading militant antigovernment campaign; Indian merchant community; United Front for Democracy (exiled)
Population 53,624,718

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 and death rates, lower population and growth rates, and changes in the distribution of population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July 2001 est.)
2,232,291


note: other estimates range as low as 810,000 (July 2005 est.)
Population below poverty line NA% NA
Population growth rate 3.1% (2001 est.) 2.11% (2005 est.)
Ports and harbors Banana, Boma, Bukavu, Bumba, Goma, Kalemie, Kindu, Kinshasa, Kisangani, Matadi, Mbandaka -
Radio broadcast stations AM 3, FM 12, shortwave 1 (1999) AM 0, FM 1, shortwave 1 (2004)
Radios 18.03 million (1997) -
Railways total:
5,138 km (1995)

note:
severely reduced route-distance in use because of damage to facilities by civil strife

narrow gauge:
3,987 km 1.067-m gauge (858 km electrified); 125 km 1.000-m gauge; 1,026 km 0.600-m gauge (2000)
-
Religions Roman Catholic 50%, Protestant 20%, Kimbanguist 10%, Muslim 10%, other syncretic sects and indigenous beliefs 10% Lamaistic Buddhist 75%, Indian- and Nepalese-influenced Hinduism 25%
Sex ratio at birth:
1.03 male(s)/female

under 15 years:
1.01 male(s)/female

15-64 years:
0.96 male(s)/female

65 years and over:
0.73 male(s)/female

total population:
0.98 male(s)/female (2001 est.)
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female


under 15 years: 1.08 male(s)/female


15-64 years: 1.06 male(s)/female


65 years and over: 1.02 male(s)/female


total population: 1.07 male(s)/female (2005 est.)
Suffrage 18 years of age; universal and compulsory each family has one vote in village-level elections; note - in late 2003 Bhutan's legislature passed a new election law
Telephone system general assessment:
NA

domestic:
barely adequate wire and microwave radio relay service in and between urban areas; domestic satellite system with 14 earth stations

international:
satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)
general assessment: telecommunications facilities are poor


domestic: very low tele-density; domestic service is very poor especially in rural areas; wireless service available since 2003


international: country code - 975; international telephone and telegraph service via landline and microwave relay through India; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) (2005)
Telephones - main lines in use 21,000 (1997) 25,200 (2003)
Telephones - mobile cellular 8,900 (1997) 22,000 (2005)
Television broadcast stations 20 (1999) 1 (2005)
Terrain vast central basin is a low-lying plateau; mountains in east mostly mountainous with some fertile valleys and savanna
Total fertility rate 6.84 children born/woman (2001 est.) 4.81 children born/woman (2005 est.)
Unemployment rate NA% NA
Waterways 15,000 km (including the Congo and its tributaries, and unconnected lakes) -
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