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Compare Congo, Republic of the (2001) - Comoros (2003)

Compare Congo, Republic of the (2001) z Comoros (2003)

 Congo, Republic of the (2001)Comoros (2003)
 Congo, Republic of theComoros
Administrative divisions 9 regions (regions, singular - region) and 1 commune*; Bouenza, Brazzaville*, Cuvette, Kouilou, Lekoumou, Likouala, Niari, Plateaux, Pool, Sangha 3 islands; Grande Comore (Njazidja), Anjouan (Nzwani), and Moheli (Mwali); note - there are also four municipalities named Domoni, Fomboni, Moroni, and Moutsamoudou
Age structure 0-14 years:
42.43% (male 618,411; female 609,633)

15-64 years:
54.23% (male 765,501; female 804,125)

65 years and over:
3.34% (male 38,772; female 57,894) (2001 est.)
0-14 years: 42.9% (male 136,060; female 135,277)


15-64 years: 54.2% (male 169,121; female 173,822)


65 years and over: 2.9% (male 8,863; female 9,805) (2003 est.)
Agriculture - products cassava (tapioca), sugar, rice, corn, peanuts, vegetables, coffee, cocoa; forest products vanilla, cloves, perfume essences, copra, coconuts, bananas, cassava (tapioca)
Airports 33 (2000 est.) 4 (2002)
Airports - with paved runways total:
4

over 3,047 m:
1

1,524 to 2,437 m:
3 (2000 est.)
total: 4


2,438 to 3,047 m: 1


914 to 1,523 m: 3 (2002)
Airports - with unpaved runways total:
29

1,524 to 2,437 m:
7

914 to 1,523 m:
12

under 914 m:
10 (2000 est.)
-
Area total:
342,000 sq km

land:
341,500 sq km

water:
500 sq km
total: 2,170 sq km


land: 2,170 sq km


water: 0 sq km
Area - comparative slightly smaller than Montana slightly more than 12 times the size of Washington, DC
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. Unstable Comoros has endured 19 coups or attempted coups since gaining independence from France in 1975. In 1997, the islands of Anjouan and Moheli declared their independence from Comoros. In 1999, military chief Col. AZALI seized power. He pledged to resolve the secessionist crisis through a confederal arrangement named the 2000 Fomboni Accord. In December 2001, voters approved a new constitution and presidential elections took place in the spring of 2002. Each island in the archipelago elected its own president and a new union president was sworn in on May 26, 2002.
Birth rate 38.24 births/1,000 population (2001 est.) 38.5 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)
Budget revenues:
$870 million

expenditures:
$970 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (1997 est.)
revenues: $27.6 million


expenditures: $NA, including capital expenditures of $NA (2001 est.)
Capital Brazzaville Moroni
Climate tropical; rainy season (March to June); dry season (June to October); constantly high temperatures and humidity; particularly enervating climate astride the Equator tropical marine; rainy season (November to May)
Coastline 169 km 340 km
Constitution Draft constitution approved by transitional parliament in September 2000 23 December 2001


note: a Transitional National Unity Government (GUNT) was formed on 20 January 2002 following the passing of the new constitution; the GUNT governed until the presidential elections on 14 April 2002
Country name conventional long form:
Republic of the Congo

conventional short form:
none

local long form:
Republique du Congo

local short form:
none

former:
Middle Congo, Congo/Brazzaville, Congo
conventional long form: Union of the Comoros


conventional short form: Comoros


local long form: Union des Comores


local short form: Comores
Currency Communaute Financiere Africaine franc (XAF); note - responsible authority is the Bank of the Central African States Comoran franc (KMF)
Death rate 16.22 deaths/1,000 population (2001 est.) 8.86 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)
Debt - external $5 billion (1999 est.) $232 million (2000 est.)
Diplomatic representation from the US chief of mission:
Ambassador David H. KAEUPER

embassy:
NA

mailing address:
NA

telephone:
[243] (88) 43608

FAX:
[243] (88) 41036

note:
the embassy is temporarily collocated with the US Embassy in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (US Embassy Kinshasa, 310 Avenue des Aviateurs, Kinshasa)
the US does not have an embassy in Comoros; the ambassador to Mauritius is accredited to Comoros
Diplomatic representation in the US chief of mission:
(vacant); Charge d'Affaires ad interim Serge MOMBOULI

chancery:
4891 Colorado Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20011

telephone:
[1] (202) 726-5500

FAX:
[1] (202) 726-1860
chief of mission: Ambassador Mahmoud M. ABOUD (ambassador to the US and Canada and permanent representative to the UN)


chancery: (temporary) care of the Permanent Mission of the Union of the Comoros to the United Nations, 420 East 50th Street, New York, NY 10022


telephone: [1] (212) 972-8010 and 223-2711


FAX: [1] (212) 983-4712 and 715-0699
Disputes - international most of the Congo river boundary with the Democratic Republic of the Congo is indefinite (no agreement has been reached on the division of the river or its islands, except in the Stanley Pool/Pool Malebo area) claims French-administered Mayotte
Economic aid - recipient $159.1 million (1995) $10 million (2001 est.)
Economy - overview The economy is a mixture of village agriculture and handicrafts, an industrial sector based largely on oil, support services, and a government characterized by budget problems and overstaffing. Oil has supplanted forestry as the mainstay of the economy, providing a major share of government revenues and exports. In the early 1980s, rapidly rising oil revenues enabled the government to finance large-scale development projects with GDP growth averaging 5% annually, one of the highest rates in Africa. Moreover, the government has mortgaged a substantial portion of its oil earnings, contributing to the government's shortage of revenues. The 12 January 1994 devaluation of Franc Zone currencies by 50% resulted in inflation of 61% in 1994, but inflation has subsided since. Economic reform efforts continued with the support of international organizations, notably the World Bank and the IMF. The reform program came to a halt in June 1997 when civil war erupted. Denis SASSOU-NGUESSO, who returned to power when the war ended in October 1997, publicly expressed interest in moving forward on economic reforms and privatization and in renewing cooperation with international financial institutions. However, economic progress was badly hurt by slumping oil prices and the resumption of armed conflict in December 1998, which worsened the Republic of the Congo's budget deficit. Even with the IMF's renewed confidence and high world oil prices, Congo is unlikely to realize growth of more than 5% in 2001-02. With the return to fragile peace, the IMF approved a $14 million credit in November 2000 to aid post-conflict reconstruction. One of the world's poorest countries, Comoros is made up of three islands that have inadequate transportation links, a young and rapidly increasing population, and few natural resources. The low educational level of the labor force contributes to a subsistence level of economic activity, high unemployment, and a heavy dependence on foreign grants and technical assistance. Agriculture, including fishing, hunting, and forestry, contributes 40% to GDP, employs 80% of the labor force, and provides most of the exports. The country is not self-sufficient in food production; rice, the main staple, accounts for the bulk of imports. The government - which is hampered by internal political disputes - is struggling to upgrade education and technical training, to privatize commercial and industrial enterprises, to improve health services, to diversify exports, to promote tourism, and to reduce the high population growth rate. Increased foreign support is essential if the goal of 4% annual GDP growth is to be met. Remittances from 150,000 Comorans abroad help supplement GDP.
Electricity - consumption 406.9 million kWh (1999) 19.78 million kWh (2001)
Electricity - exports 0 kWh (1999) 0 kWh (2001)
Electricity - imports 126 million kWh (1999) 0 kWh (2001)
Electricity - production 302 million kWh (1999) 21.27 million kWh (2001)
Electricity - production by source fossil fuel:
0.66%

hydro:
99.34%

nuclear:
0%

other:
0% (1999)
fossil fuel: 90.6%


hydro: 9.4%


nuclear: 0%


other: 0% (2001)
Elevation extremes lowest point:
Atlantic Ocean 0 m

highest point:
Mount Berongou 903 m
lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m


highest point: Le Kartala 2,360 m
Environment - current issues air pollution from vehicle emissions; water pollution from the dumping of raw sewage; tap water is not potable; deforestation soil degradation and erosion results from crop cultivation on slopes without proper terracing; deforestation
Environment - international agreements party to:
Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Ozone Layer Protection, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands

signed, but not ratified:
Law of the Sea
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands


signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
Ethnic groups Kongo 48%, Sangha 20%, M'Bochi 12%, Teke 17%, Europeans NA%; note - Europeans estimated at 8,500, mostly French, before the 1997 civil war; may be half that of 1998, following the widespread destruction of foreign businesses in 1997 Antalote, Cafre, Makoa, Oimatsaha, Sakalava
Exchange rates Communaute Financiere Africaine francs (XAF) per US dollar - 699.21 (January 2001), 711.98 (2000), 615.70 (1999), 589.95 (1998), 583.67 (1997), 511.55 (1996); note - from 1 January 1999, the XAF is pegged to the euro at a rate of 655.957 XAF per euro Comoran francs (KMF) per US dollar - 522.74 (2002), 549.78 (2001), 533.98 (2000), 461.78 (1999), 442.46 (1998)


note: prior to January 1999, the official rate was pegged to the French franc at 75 Comoran francs per French franc; since 1 January 1999, the Comoran franc is pegged to the euro at a rate of 491.9677 Comoran francs per euro
Executive branch chief of state:
President Denis SASSOU-NGUESSO (since 25 October 1997, following the civil war in which he toppled elected president Pascal LISSOUBA); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government

head of government:
President Denis SASSOU-NGUESSO (since 25 October 1997, following the civil war in which he toppled elected president Pascal LISSOUBA); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government

cabinet:
Council of Ministers appointed by the president

elections:
president elected by popular vote for a five-year term; election last held 16 August 1992 (next was to be held 27 July 1997 but will be delayed for several years pending the drafting of a new constitution)

election results:
Pascal LISSOUBA elected president in 1992; percent of vote - Pascal LISSOUBA 61.3%, Bernard KOLELAS 38.7%; note - LISSOUBA was deposed in 1997, replaced by Denis SASSOU-NGUESSO
chief of state: President AZALI Assoumani (since 26 May 2002); note - following a 1999 coup AZALI was appointed president; in January 2002 he resigned his position to run in the 14 April 2002 presidential elections; Prime Minister Hamada Madi BOLERO was appointed interim president until replaced again by AZALI in May 2002 when BOLERO was appointed Minister of External Defense and Territorial Security; the president is both the chief of state and the head of government


head of government: President AZALI Assoumani (since 26 May 2002); note - following a 1999 coup AZALI was appointed president; in January 2002 he resigned his position to run in the 14 April 2002 presidential elections; Prime Minister Hamada Madi BOLERO was appointed interim president until replaced again by AZALI in May 2002 when BOLERO was appointed Minister of External Defense and Territorial Security; the president is both the chief of state and the head of government


cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president


elections: as defined by the 2001 constitution, the presidency rotates every four years among the elected presidents from the three main islands in the Union; election last held 14 April 2002 (next to be held NA April 2007); prime minister appointed by the president; note - AZALI has not appointed a Prime Minister since he was sworn into office in May 2002


election results: President AZALI Assoumani elected president with 75% of the vote
Exports $2.6 billion (f.o.b., 2000) NA (2001)
Exports - commodities petroleum 50%, lumber, plywood, sugar, cocoa, coffee, diamonds vanilla, ylang-ylang, cloves, perfume oil, copra
Exports - partners US 23%, Benelux 14%, Germany, Italy, Taiwan, China (1998) France 32.4%, Germany 19.4%, US 17.6%, Singapore 11.5%, Netherlands 6.5% (2002)
Fiscal year calendar year calendar year
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; uses the popular pan-African colors of Ethiopia four equal horizontal bands of yellow (top), white, red, and blue with a green isosceles triangle based on the hoist; centered within the triangle is a white crescent with the convex side facing the hoist and four white, five-pointed stars placed vertically in a line between the points of the crescent; the horizontal bands and the four stars represent the four main islands of the archipelago - Mwali, Njazidja, Nzwani, and Mayotte (a territorial collectivity of France, but claimed by Comoros); the crescent, stars, and color green are traditional symbols of Islam
GDP purchasing power parity - $3.1 billion (2000 est.) purchasing power parity - $441 million (2002 est.)
GDP - composition by sector agriculture:
10%

industry:
48%

services:
42% (1999 est.)
agriculture: 40%


industry: 4%


services: 56% (2001 est.)
GDP - per capita purchasing power parity - $1,100 (2000 est.) purchasing power parity - $700 (2002 est.)
GDP - real growth rate 3.8% (2000 est.) 2% (2002 est.)
Geographic coordinates 1 00 S, 15 00 E 12 10 S, 44 15 E
Geography - note about 70% of the population lives in Brazzaville, Pointe-Noire, or along the railroad between them important location at northern end of Mozambique Channel
Highways total:
12,800 km

paved:
1,242 km

unpaved:
11,558 km (1996)
total: 880 km


paved: 673 km


unpaved: 207 km (1999 est)
Household income or consumption by percentage share lowest 10%:
NA%

highest 10%:
NA%
lowest 10%: NA%


highest 10%: NA%
Imports $870 million (f.o.b., 2000) NA (2001)
Imports - commodities petroleum products, capital equipment, construction materials, foodstuffs rice and other foodstuffs, consumer goods; petroleum products, cement, transport equipment
Imports - partners France 23%, US 9%, Belgium 8%, UK 7%, Italy (1997 est.) France 34.3%, South Africa 12%, Japan 6.1%, Kenya 5.9%, UAE 5.8%, Mauritius 4.9%, Thailand 4.6% (2002)
Independence 15 August 1960 (from France) 6 July 1975 (from France)
Industrial production growth rate NA% -2% (1999 est.)
Industries petroleum extraction, cement kilning, lumbering, brewing, sugar milling, palm oil, soap, flour, cigarette making tourism, perfume distillation
Infant mortality rate 99.73 deaths/1,000 live births (2001 est.) total: 79.51 deaths/1,000 live births


male: 88.32 deaths/1,000 live births


female: 70.44 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices) 3.5% (2000 est.) 3.5% (2001 est.)
International organization participation ACCT, ACP, AfDB, BDEAC, CCC, CEEAC, CEMAC, ECA, FAO, FZ, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, IOM (observer), ITU, NAM, OAU, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO ACCT, ACP, AfDB, AFESD, AL, AMF, ECA, FAO, FZ, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt (signatory), ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS (associate), ILO, IMF, IMO, InOC, Interpol, IOC, ITU, NAM, OAU, OIC, OPCW (signatory), UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCO, WHO, WMO, WTrO (applicant)
Internet Service Providers (ISPs) 1 (2000) 1 (2000)
Irrigated land 10 sq km (1993 est.) NA sq km
Judicial branch Supreme Court or Cour Supreme Supreme Court or Cour Supremes (two members appointed by the president, two members elected by the Federal Assembly, one elected by the Council of each island, and others are former presidents of the republic)
Labor force NA 144,500 (1996 est.)
Labor force - by occupation - agriculture 80%
Land boundaries total:
5,504 km

border countries:
Angola 201 km, Cameroon 523 km, Central African Republic 467 km, Democratic Republic of the Congo 2,410 km, Gabon 1,903 km
0 km
Land use arable land:
0%

permanent crops:
0%

permanent pastures:
29%

forests and woodland:
62%

other:
9% (1993 est.)
arable land: 34.98%


permanent crops: 17.94%


other: 47.08% (1998 est.)
Languages French (official), Lingala and Monokutuba (lingua franca trade languages), many local languages and dialects (of which Kikongo has the most users) Arabic (official), French (official), Shikomoro (a blend of Swahili and Arabic)
Legal system based on French civil law system and customary law French and Sharia (Islamic) law in a new consolidated code
Legislative branch unicameral National Transitional Council (75 seats, members elected by reconciliation forum of 1,420 delegates on NA January 1998); note - the National Transitional Council replaced the bicameral Parliament

elections:
National Transitional Council - last held NA January 1998 (next to be held NA 2001); note - at that election the National Transitional Council is to be replaced by a bicameral assembly

election results:
National Transitional Council - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - NA
unicameral Assembly of the Union (30 seats; half the deputies are selected by the individual islands' local assemblies and the other half by universal suffrage; deputies serve for five years) note - elections for the former legislature, the Federal Assembly, dissolved in 1999, where held on 1 and 8 December 1996; the next elections for the Assembly of the Union were scheduled to be held in April 2003 but have yet to occur
Life expectancy at birth total population:
47.57 years

male:
44.38 years

female:
50.85 years (2001 est.)
total population: 61.18 years


male: 58.92 years


female: 63.5 years (2003 est.)
Literacy definition:
age 15 and over can read and write

total population:
74.9%

male:
83.1%

female:
67.2% (1995 est.)
definition: age 15 and over can read and write


total population: 56.5%


male: 63.6%


female: 49.3% (2003 est.)
Location Western Africa, bordering the South Atlantic Ocean, between Angola and Gabon Southern Africa, group of islands at the northern mouth of the Mozambique Channel, about two-thirds of the way between northern Madagascar and northern Mozambique
Map references Africa Africa
Maritime claims territorial sea:
200 NM
exclusive economic zone: 200 NM


territorial sea: 12 NM
Merchant marine - total: 28 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 432,132 GRT/796,734 DWT


ships by type: bulk 4, cargo 15, chemical tanker 1, petroleum tanker 5, refrigerated cargo 1, specialized tanker 2


note: includes some foreign-owned ships registered here as a flag of convenience: Malta 1, Pakistan 1, Turkey 1 (2002 est.)
Military branches Army, Air Force, Navy, Gendarmerie Comoran Security Force
Military expenditures - dollar figure $110 million (FY93) $6 million (FY02)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP 3.8% (FY93) 3% (FY02)
Military manpower - availability males age 15-49:
684,922 (2001 est.)
males age 15-49: 150,079 (2003 est.)
Military manpower - fit for military service males age 15-49:
347,946 (2001 est.)
males age 15-49: 89,090 (2003 est.)
Military manpower - military age 20 years of age -
Military manpower - reaching military age annually males:
32,350 (2001 est.)
-
National holiday Independence Day, 15 August (1960) Independence Day, 6 July (1975)
Nationality noun:
Congolese (singular and plural)

adjective:
Congolese or Congo
noun: Comoran(s)


adjective: Comoran
Natural hazards seasonal flooding cyclones possible during rainy season (December to April); Le Kartala on Grand Comore is an active volcano
Natural resources petroleum, timber, potash, lead, zinc, uranium, copper, phosphates, natural gas, hydropower NEGL
Net migration rate 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2001 est.) 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)
Pipelines crude oil 25 km -
Political parties and leaders the most important of the many parties are the Democratic and Patriotic Forces or FDP (an alliance of Convention for Alternative Democracy, Congolese Labor Party or PCT, Liberal Republican Party, National Union for Democracy and Progress, Patriotic Union for the National Reconstruction, and Union for the National Renewal) [Denis SASSOU-NGUESSO, president]; Association for Democracy and Social Progress or RDPS [Jean-Pierre Thystere TCHICAYA, president]; Congolese Movement for Democracy and Integral Development or MCDDI [Michel MAMPOUYA]; Pan-African Union for Social Development or UPADS [Martin MBERI]; Union of Democratic Forces or UFD [Sebastian EBAO] Forces pour l'Action Republicaine or FAR [Col. Abdourazak ABDULHAMID]; Forum pour la Redressement National or FRN (alliance of 12 parties); Front Democratique or FD [Moustoifa Said CHEIKH]; Front National pour la Justice or FNJ (Islamic party in opposition) [Ahmed RACHID]; Movement des Citoyens pour la Republique or MCR [Mahamoud MRADABI]; Mouvement Populaire Anjouanais or MPA (Anjouan separatist movement) [leader NA]; Mouvement pour la Democratie et le Progress or MDP-NGDC [Abbas DJOUSSOUF]; Movement pour le Socialisme et la Democratie or MSD (splinter group of FD) [Abdou SOEFOU]; Parti Comorien pour la Democratie et le Progress or PCDP [Ali MROUDJAE]; Rassemblement National pour le Development or RND (party of the government) [Omar TAMOU, Abdoulhamid AFFRAITANE]
Political pressure groups and leaders Congolese Trade Union Congress or CSC; General Union of Congolese Pupils and Students or UGEEC; Revolutionary Union of Congolese Women or URFC; Union of Congolese Socialist Youth or UJSC NA
Population 2,894,336

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.)
632,948 (July 2003 est.)
Population below poverty line NA% 60% (2002 est.)
Population growth rate 2.2% (2001 est.) 2.96% (2003 est.)
Ports and harbors Brazzaville, Impfondo, Ouesso, Oyo, Pointe-Noire Fomboni, Moroni, Moutsamoudou
Radio broadcast stations AM 1, FM 5, shortwave 1 (1999) AM 1, FM 4, shortwave 1 (2001)
Radios 341,000 (1997) -
Railways total:
894 km

narrow gauge:
894 km 1.067-m gauge (2000)
0 km
Religions Christian 50%, animist 48%, Muslim 2% Sunni Muslim 98%, Roman Catholic 2%
Sex ratio at birth:
1.03 male(s)/female

under 15 years:
1.01 male(s)/female

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

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

total population:
0.97 male(s)/female (2001 est.)
at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female


under 15 years: 1.01 male(s)/female


15-64 years: 0.97 male(s)/female


65 years and over: 0.9 male(s)/female


total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2003 est.)
Suffrage 18 years of age; universal 18 years of age; universal
Telephone system general assessment:
services barely adequate for government use; key exchanges are in Brazzaville, Pointe-Noire, and Loubomo; intercity lines frequently out-of-order

domestic:
primary network consists of microwave radio relay and coaxial cable

international:
satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)
general assessment: sparse system of microwave radio relay and HF radiotelephone communication stations


domestic: HF radiotelephone communications and microwave radio relay


international: HF radiotelephone communications to Madagascar and Reunion
Telephones - main lines in use 22,000 (1997) 7,000 (2000)
Telephones - mobile cellular 1,000 (1996) NA
Television broadcast stations 1 (1999) NA
Terrain coastal plain, southern basin, central plateau, northern basin volcanic islands, interiors vary from steep mountains to low hills
Total fertility rate 5 children born/woman (2001 est.) 5.21 children born/woman (2003 est.)
Unemployment rate NA% 20% (1996 est.)
Waterways 1,120 km

note:
the Congo and Ubangi (Oubangui) rivers provide 1,120 km of commercially navigable water transport; other rivers are used for local traffic only
none
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