Compare Congo, Republic of the (2004) - Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas) (2005)

Compare Congo, Republic of the (2004) z Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas) (2005)

	Congo, Republic of the (2004)	Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas) (2005)

Administrative divisions	10 regions (regions, singular - region) and 1 commune; Bouenza, Brazzaville, Cuvette, Cuvette-Ouest, Kouilou, Lekoumou, Likouala, Niari, Plateaux, Pool, Sangha	none (overseas territory of the UK; also claimed by Argentina)
Age structure	0-14 years: 37.9% (male 571,224; female 563,723) 15-64 years: 58.5% (male 865,596; female 888,125) 65 years and over: 3.6% (male 45,093; female 64,279) (2004 est.)	0-14 years: NA 15-64 years: NA 65 years and over: NA (2005 est.)
Agriculture - products	cassava (tapioca), sugar, rice, corn, peanuts, vegetables, coffee, cocoa; forest products	fodder and vegetable crops; sheep, dairy products
Airports	32 (2003 est.)	5 (2004 est.)
Airports - with paved runways	total: 4 over 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 3 (2004 est.)	total: 2 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 under 914 m: 1 (2004 est.)
Airports - with unpaved runways	total: 28 1,524 to 2,437 m: 6 914 to 1,523 m: 11 under 914 m: 11 (2004 est.)	total: 3 under 914 m: 3 (2004 est.)
Area	total: 342,000 sq km land: 341,500 sq km water: 500 sq km	total: 12,173 sq km land: 12,173 sq km water: 0 sq km note: includes the two main islands of East and West Falkland and about 200 small islands
Area - comparative	slightly smaller than Montana	slightly smaller than Connecticut
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. The Republic of Congo is one of Africa's largest petroleum producers with significant potential for offshore development.	Although first sighted by an English navigator in 1592, the first landing (English) did not occur until almost a century later in 1690, and the first settlement (French) was not established until 1764. The colony was turned over to Spain two years later and the islands have since been the subject of a territorial dispute, first between Britain and Spain, then between Britain and Argentina. The UK asserted its claim to the islands by establishing a naval garrison there in 1833. Argentina invaded the islands on 2 April 1982. The British responded with an expeditionary force that landed seven weeks later and after fierce fighting forced Argentine surrender on 14 June 1982.
Birth rate	28.66 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)	NA births/1,000 population (2005 est.)
Budget	revenues: $1.025 billion expenditures: $946.8 million, including capital expenditures of NA (2003 est.)	revenues: $66.2 million expenditures: $67.9 million, including capital expenditures of $23.2 million (FY98/99 est.)
Capital	Brazzaville	Stanley
Climate	tropical; rainy season (March to June); dry season (June to October); constantly high temperatures and humidity; particularly enervating climate astride the Equator	cold marine; strong westerly winds, cloudy, humid; rain occurs on more than half of days in year; average annual rainfall is 24 inches in Stanley; occasional snow all year, except in January and February, but does not accumulate
Coastline	169 km	1,288 km
Constitution	constitution approved by referendum 20 January 2002	3 October 1985; amended 1997 and 1998
Country name	conventional long form: Republic of the Congo conventional short form: Congo (Brazzaville) local long form: Republique du Congo local short form: none former: Middle Congo, Congo/Brazzaville, Congo	conventional long form: none conventional short form: Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)
Currency	Communaute Financiere Africaine franc (XAF); note - responsible authority is the Bank of the Central African States	-
Death rate	14.49 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)	NA deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.)
Debt - external	$5 billion (2000 est.)	$NA
Dependency status	-	overseas territory of the UK; also claimed by Argentina
Diplomatic representation from the US	chief of mission: Ambassador Robin R. SANDERS embassy: NA mailing address: NA telephone: [243] (88) 43608 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)	none (overseas territory of the UK; also claimed by Argentina)
Diplomatic representation in the US	chief of mission: Ambassador Serge MOMBOULI chancery: 4891 Colorado Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20011 telephone: [1] (202) 726-5500 FAX: [1] (202) 726-1860	none (overseas territory of the UK; also claimed by Argentina)
Disputes - international	the location of the boundary in the broad Congo River with the Democratic Republic of the Congo is indefinite except in the Pool Malebo/Stanley Pool area	Argentina, which claims the islands in its constitution and briefly occupied the islands by force in 1982, agreed in 1995 to no longer seek settlement by force; UK continues to reject Argentine requests for sovereignty talks
Economic aid - recipient	$159.1 million (1995)	$0 (1997 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. The government has mortgaged a substantial portion of its oil earnings, contributing to a 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's budget deficit. The current administration presides over an uneasy internal peace and faces difficult economic problems of stimulating recovery and reducing poverty.	The economy was formerly based on agriculture, mainly sheep farming, but today fishing contributes the bulk of economic activity. In 1987 the government began selling fishing licenses to foreign trawlers operating within the Falklands exclusive fishing zone. These license fees total more than $40 million per year, which goes to support the island's health, education, and welfare system. Squid accounts for 75% of the fish taken. Dairy farming supports domestic consumption; crops furnish winter fodder. Exports feature shipments of high-grade wool to the UK and the sale of postage stamps and coins. The islands are now self-financing except for defense. The British Geological Survey announced a 200-mile oil exploration zone around the islands in 1993, and early seismic surveys suggest substantial reserves capable of producing 500,000 barrels per day; to date no exploitable site has been identified. An agreement between Argentina and the UK in 1995 seeks to defuse licensing and sovereignty conflicts that would dampen foreign interest in exploiting potential oil reserves. Tourism, especially eco-tourism, is increasing rapidly, with about 30,000 visitors in 2001. Another large source of income is interest paid on money the government has in the bank. The British military presence also provides a sizeable economic boost.
Electricity - consumption	633 million kWh (2001)	17.72 million kWh (2002)
Electricity - exports	0 kWh (2001)	0 kWh (2002)
Electricity - imports	300 million kWh (2001)	0 kWh (2002)
Electricity - production	358.1 million kWh (2001)	19.06 million kWh (2002)
Elevation extremes	lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m highest point: Mount Berongou 903 m	lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m highest point: Mount Usborne 705 m
Environment - current issues	air pollution from vehicle emissions; water pollution from the dumping of raw sewage; tap water is not potable; deforestation	overfishing by unlicensed vessels is a problem; reindeer were introduced to the islands in 2001 for commercial reasons; this is the only commercial reindeer herd in the world unaffected by the Chornobyl disaster
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	-
Ethnic groups	Kongo 48%, Sangha 20%, M'Bochi 12%, Teke 17%, Europeans and other 3% note: Europeans estimated at 8,500, mostly French, before the 1997 civil war; may be half that in 1998, following the widespread destruction of foreign businesses in 1997	British
Exchange rates	Communaute Financiere Africaine francs (XAF) per US dollar - 581.2 (2003), 696.988 (2002), 733.039 (2001), 711.98 (2000), 615.7 (1999)	Falkland pounds per US dollar - 0.5462 (2004), 0.6125 (2003), 0.6672 (2002), 0.6947 (2001), 0.6609 (2000) note: the Falkland pound is at par with the British pound
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 seven-year term (eligible for a second seven-year term); election last held 10 March 2002 (next to be held NA 2009) election results: Denis SASSOU-NGUESSO reelected president; percent of vote - Denis SASSOU-NGUESSO 89.4%, Joseph Kignoumbi Kia MBOUNGOU 2.7%	chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952) head of government: Governor Howard PEARCE (since 3 December 2002); Chief Executive Chris SIMPKINS (since NA March 2003); Financial Secretary Derek F. HOWATT (since NA) cabinet: Executive Council; three members elected by the Legislative Council, two ex officio members (chief executive and the financial secretary), and the governor elections: none; the monarchy is hereditary; governor appointed by the monarch
Exports	NA (2001)	NA
Exports - commodities	petroleum, lumber, plywood, sugar, cocoa, coffee, diamonds	wool, hides, meat
Exports - partners	China 28.6%, Taiwan 19.3%, US 16%, South Korea 12.9% (2003)	Spain 77.4%, UK 9.4%, US 4.9% (2004)
Fiscal year	calendar year	1 April - 31 March
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	blue with the flag of the UK in the upper hoist-side quadrant and the Falkland Island coat of arms centered on the outer half of the flag; the coat of arms contains a white ram (sheep raising was once the major economic activity) above the sailing ship Desire (whose crew discovered the islands) with a scroll at the bottom bearing the motto DESIRE THE RIGHT
GDP	purchasing power parity - $2.148 billion (2003 est.)	-
GDP - composition by sector	agriculture: 6.9% industry: 53.9% services: 39.2% (2003 est.)	agriculture: NA% industry: NA% services: NA%
GDP - per capita	purchasing power parity - $700 (2003 est.)	purchasing power parity - $25,000 (2002 est.)
GDP - real growth rate	1.3% (2003 est.)	NA%
Geographic coordinates	1 00 S, 15 00 E	51 45 S, 59 00 W
Geography - note	about 70% of the population lives in Brazzaville, Pointe-Noire, or along the railroad between them	deeply indented coast provides good natural harbors; short growing season
Highways	total: 12,800 km paved: 1,242 km unpaved: 11,558 km (1999 est.)	total: 440 km paved: 50 km unpaved: 390 km (2002)
Household income or consumption by percentage share	lowest 10%: NA highest 10%: NA	lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA%
Imports	NA (2001)	NA
Imports - commodities	capital equipment, construction materials, foodstuffs	fuel, food and drink, building materials, clothing
Imports - partners	France 22.2%, US 6.8%, Italy 6.2%, China 5.1%, Belgium 4.6%, India 4.4% (2003)	UK 63.2%, Spain 30.3%, France 3.6% (2004)
Independence	15 August 1960 (from France)	none (overseas territory of the UK; also claimed by Argentina)
Industrial production growth rate	0% (2002 est.)	NA%
Industries	petroleum extraction, cement, lumber, brewing, sugar, palm oil, soap, flour, cigarettes	fish and wool processing; tourism
Infant mortality rate	total: 93.86 deaths/1,000 live births male: 99.95 deaths/1,000 live births female: 87.59 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)	total: NA male: NA female: NA (2005 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices)	2.4% (2003 est.)	3.6% (1998)
International organization participation	ACCT, ACP, AfDB, AU, BDEAC, CEMAC, FAO, FZ, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ITU, MIGA, NAM, OPCW (signatory), UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNOCI, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO	ICFTU, UPU
Irrigated land	10 sq km (1998 est.)	NA sq km
Judicial branch	Supreme Court or Cour Supreme	Supreme Court (chief justice is a nonresident); Magistrates Court (senior magistrate presides over civil and criminal divisions); Court of Summary Jurisdiction
Labor force	NA (2000 est.)	1,100 (est.)
Labor force - by occupation	-	agriculture 95% (mostly sheepherding and fishing)
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: 0.51% permanent crops: 0.13% other: 99.36% (2001)	arable land: 0% permanent crops: 0% other: 100% (99% permanent pastures, 1% other) (2001)
Languages	French (official), Lingala and Monokutuba (lingua franca trade languages), many local languages and dialects (of which Kikongo is the most widespread)	English
Legal system	based on French civil law system and customary law	English common law
Legislative branch	bicameral Parliament consists of the Senate (66 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms) and the National Assembly (137 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms) elections: Senate - last held 11 July 2002 (next to be held NA July 2007); National Assembly - last held 27 May and 26 June 2002 (next to be held by NA May 2007) election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - FDP 56, other 10; National Assembly - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - FDP 83, UDR 6, UPADS 3, other 45	unicameral Legislative Council (10 seats - 2 ex officio, 8 elected by popular vote, members serve four-year terms); presided over by the governor elections: last held 22 November 2001 (next to be held November 2005) election results: percent of vote - NA%; seats - independents 8; note - 71% voter turnout
Life expectancy at birth	total population: 49.51 years male: 48.51 years female: 50.55 years (2004 est.)	total population: NA years male: NA years female: NA years (2005 est.)
Literacy	definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 83.8% male: 89.6% female: 78.4% (2003 est.)	-
Location	Western Africa, bordering the South Atlantic Ocean, between Angola and Gabon	Southern South America, islands in the South Atlantic Ocean, east of southern Argentina
Map references	Africa	South America
Maritime claims	territorial sea: 200 nm	territorial sea: 12 nm continental shelf: 200 nm exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm
Merchant marine	-	none
Military - note	-	defense is the responsibility of the UK
Military branches	Congolese Armed Forces (FAC): Army, Air Force, Navy	no regular military forces
Military expenditures - dollar figure	$68.6 million (2003)	NA
Military expenditures - percent of GDP	2.8% (2003)	NA
Military manpower - availability	males age 15-49: 773,790 (2004 est.)	-
Military manpower - fit for military service	males age 15-49: 390,884 (2004 est.)	-
Military manpower - reaching military age annually	males: 31,964 (2004 est.)	-
National holiday	Independence Day, 15 August (1960)	Liberation Day, 14 June (1982)
Nationality	noun: Congolese (singular and plural) adjective: Congolese or Congo	noun: Falkland Islander(s) adjective: Falkland Island
Natural hazards	seasonal flooding	strong winds persist throughout the year
Natural resources	petroleum, timber, potash, lead, zinc, uranium, copper, phosphates, natural gas, hydropower	fish, squid, wildlife, calcified seaweed, sphagnum moss
Net migration rate	0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.)	NA migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.)
Pipelines	gas 53 km; oil 646 km (2004)	-
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]; Congolese Movement for Democracy and Integral Development or MCDDI [Michel MAMPOUYA]; Pan-African Union for Social Development or UPADS [Martin MBERI]; Rally for Democracy and Social Progress or RDPS [Jean-Pierre Thystere TCHICAYA, president]; Rally for Democracy and the Republic or RDR [Raymond Damasge NGOLLO]; Union for Democracy and Republic or UDR [leader NA]; Union of Democratic Forces or UFD [Sebastian EBAO]	none; all independents
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	none
Population	2,998,040 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 2004 est.)	2,967 (July 2005 est.)
Population below poverty line	NA	NA
Population growth rate	1.42% (2004 est.)	2.44% (2005 est.)
Ports and harbors	Brazzaville, Impfondo, Ouesso, Oyo, Pointe-Noire	Stanley
Radio broadcast stations	AM 1, FM 5, shortwave 3 (2001)	AM 1, FM 7, shortwave 0 (1998)
Railways	total: 894 km narrow gauge: 894 km 1.067-m gauge (2003)	-
Religions	Christian 50%, animist 48%, Muslim 2%	primarily Anglican, Roman Catholic, United Free Church, Evangelist Church, Jehovah's Witnesses, Lutheran, Seventh-Day Adventist
Sex ratio	at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.01 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.98 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.7 male(s)/female total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2004 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: country code - 242; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)	general assessment: NA domestic: government-operated radiotelephone and private VHF/CB radiotelephone networks provide effective service to almost all points on both islands international: country code - 500; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) with links through London to other countries
Telephones - main lines in use	7,000 (2003)	2,400 (2002)
Telephones - mobile cellular	330,000 (2003)	0 (2001)
Television broadcast stations	1 (2002)	2 (operated by the British Forces Broadcasting Service) note: cable television is available in Stanley (2002)
Terrain	coastal plain, southern basin, central plateau, northern basin	rocky, hilly, mountainous with some boggy, undulating plains
Total fertility rate	3.54 children born/woman (2004 est.)	NA children born/woman (2005 est.)
Unemployment rate	NA (2003)	full employment; labor shortage (2001)
Waterways	4,385 km (on Congo and Oubanqui rivers) (2004)	-

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