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Compare Korea, South (2007) - Congo, Democratic Republic of the (2002)

Compare Korea, South (2007) z Congo, Democratic Republic of the (2002)

 Korea, South (2007)Congo, Democratic Republic of the (2002)
 Korea, SouthCongo, Democratic Republic of the
Administrative divisions 9 provinces (do, singular and plural) and 7 metropolitan cities (gwangyoksi, singular and plural)


provinces: Cheju-do, Cholla-bukto (North Cholla), Cholla-namdo (South Cholla), Ch'ungch'ong-bukto (North Ch'ungch'ong), Ch'ungch'ong-namdo (South Ch'ungch'ong), Kangwon-do, Kyonggi-do, Kyongsang-bukto (North Kyongsang), Kyongsang-namdo (South Kyongsang)


metropolitan cities: Inch'on-gwangyoksi (Inch'on), Kwangju-gwangyoksi (Kwangju), Pusan-gwangyoksi (Pusan), Soul-t'ukpyolsi (Seoul), Taegu-gwangyoksi (Taegu), Taejon-gwangyoksi (Taejon), Ulsan-gwangyoksi (Ulsan)
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
Age structure 0-14 years: 18.3% (male 4,714,103/female 4,262,873)


15-64 years: 72.1% (male 18,004,719/female 17,346,594)


65 years and over: 9.6% (male 1,921,803/female 2,794,698) (2007 est.)
0-14 years: 48.2% (male 13,369,493; female 13,256,174)


15-64 years: 49.3% (male 13,343,303; female 13,860,996)


65 years and over: 2.5% (male 581,568; female 813,944) (2002 est.)
Agriculture - products rice, root crops, barley, vegetables, fruit; cattle, pigs, chickens, milk, eggs; fish coffee, sugar, palm oil, rubber, tea, quinine, cassava (tapioca), palm oil, bananas, root crops, corn, fruits; wood products
Airports 105 (2007) 232 (2001)
Airports - with paved runways total: 68


over 3,047 m: 3


2,438 to 3,047 m: 21


1,524 to 2,437 m: 14


914 to 1,523 m: 11


under 914 m: 19 (2007)
total: 24


over 3,047 m: 4


2,438 to 3,047 m: 2


1,524 to 2,437 m: 16


914 to 1,523 m: 2 (2002)
Airports - with unpaved runways total: 37


914 to 1,523 m: 3


under 914 m: 34 (2007)
total: 205


1,524 to 2,437 m: 19


914 to 1,523 m: 95


under 914 m: 91 (2002)
Area total: 98,480 sq km


land: 98,190 sq km


water: 290 sq km
total: 2,345,410 sq km


land: 2,267,600 sq km


water: 77,810 sq km
Area - comparative slightly larger than Indiana slightly less than one-fourth the size of the US
Background An independent Korean state or collection of states has existed almost continuously for several millennia. Between its initial unification in the 7th century - from three predecessor Korean states - until the 20th century, Korea existed as a single independent country. In 1905, following the Russo-Japanese War, Korea became a protectorate of imperial Japan, and in 1910 it was annexed as a colony. Korea regained its independence following Japan's surrender to the United States in 1945. After World War II, a Republic of Korea (ROK) was set up in the southern half of the Korean Peninsula while a Communist-style government was installed in the north (the DPRK). During the Korean War (1950-53), US troops and UN forces fought alongside soldiers from the ROK to defend South Korea from DPRK attacks supported by China and the Soviet Union. An armistice was signed in 1953, splitting the peninsula along a demilitarized zone at about the 38th parallel. Thereafter, South Korea achieved rapid economic growth with per capita income rising to roughly 14 times the level of North Korea. In 1993, KIM Young-sam became South Korea's first civilian president following 32 years of military rule. South Korea today is a fully functioning modern democracy. In June 2000, a historic first North-South summit took place between the South's President KIM Dae-jung and the North's leader KIM Jong Il. Since 1997 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 in 1994 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 by the DROC, Zimbabwe, Angola, Uganda, Namibia, Rwanda, and Congolese armed rebel groups, but sporadic fighting continued. KABILA was assassinated on 16 January 2001 and his son Joseph KABILA was named head of state ten days later. In October 2002, the new president was successful in getting occupying Rwandan forces to withdraw from eastern Congo; two months later, an agreement was signed by all remaining warring parties to end the fighting and set up a government of national unity.
Birth rate 9.93 births/1,000 population (2007 est.) 45.55 births/1,000 population (2002 est.)
Budget revenues: $219.5 billion


expenditures: $215.7 billion (2006 est.)
revenues: $269 million


expenditures: $244 million, including capital expenditures of $24 million
Capital name: Seoul


geographic coordinates: 37 33 N, 126 59 E


time difference: UTC+9 (14 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)
Kinshasa
Climate temperate, with rainfall heavier in summer than winter 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
Coastline 2,413 km 37 km
Constitution 17 July 1948; note - amended or rewritten nine times; current constitution approved on 29 October 1987 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 was not ratified by a national referendum; one outcome of the ongoing inter-Congolese dialogue is to be a new constitution
Country name conventional long form: Republic of Korea


conventional short form: South Korea


local long form: Taehan-min'guk


local short form: Han'guk


abbreviation: ROK
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
Currency - Congolese franc (CDF)
Death rate 5.99 deaths/1,000 population (2007 est.) 14.93 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.)
Debt - external $187.2 billion (2006 est.) $12.9 billion (2000 est.)
Diplomatic representation from the US chief of mission: Ambassador Alexander VERSHBOW


embassy: 32 Sejong-no, Jongno-gu, Seoul 110-710


mailing address: US Embassy Seoul, APO AP 96205-5550


telephone: [82] (2) 397-4114


FAX: [82] (2) 738-8845
chief of mission: Ambassador Aubrey HOOKS


embassy: 310 Avenue des Aviateurs, Kinshasa


mailing address: Unit 31550, APO AE 09828


telephone: [243] (88) 43608


FAX: [243] (88) 43467
Diplomatic representation in the US chief of mission: Ambassador LEE Tae-sik


chancery: 2450 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008


telephone: [1] (202) 939-5600


FAX: [1] (202) 387-0205


consulate(s) general: Agana (Guam), Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Honolulu, Houston, Los Angeles, New York, San Francisco, Seattle
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
Disputes - international Military Demarcation Line within the 4-km wide Demilitarized Zone has separated North from South Korea since 1953; periodic incidents with North Korea in the Yellow Sea over the Northern Limiting Line, which South Korea claims as a maritime boundary; South Korea and Japan claim Liancourt Rocks (Tok-do/Take-shima), occupied by South Korea since 1954 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; Tutsi, Hutu, and other conflicting ethnic groups, political rebels, and various government forces continue fighting in Great Lakes region, transcending the boundaries of Burundi, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Rwanda, and Uganda; 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)
Economic aid - donor ODA, $744 million (2005) -
Economic aid - recipient - $195.3 million (1995) (1995)
Economy - overview Since the 1960s, South Korea has achieved an incredible record of growth and integration into the high-tech modern world economy. Four decades ago, GDP per capita was comparable with levels in the poorer countries of Africa and Asia. In 2004, South Korea joined the trillion dollar club of world economies. Today its GDP per capita is equal to the lesser economies of the EU. This success was achieved by a system of close government/business ties, including directed credit, import restrictions, sponsorship of specific industries, and a strong labor effort. The government promoted the import of raw materials and technology at the expense of consumer goods and encouraged savings and investment over consumption. The Asian financial crisis of 1997-99 exposed longstanding weaknesses in South Korea's development model, including high debt/equity ratios, massive foreign borrowing, and an undisciplined financial sector. GDP plunged by 6.9% in 1998, then recovered by 9.5% in 1999 and 8.5% in 2000. Growth fell back to 3.3% in 2001 because of the slowing global economy, falling exports, and the perception that much-needed corporate and financial reforms had stalled. Led by consumer spending and exports, growth in 2002 was an impressive 7%, despite anemic global growth. Between 2003 and 2006, growth moderated to about 4-5%. A downturn in consumer spending was offset by rapid export growth. Moderate inflation, low unemployment, an export surplus, and fairly equal distribution of income characterize this solid economy. The economy of the Democratic Republic of the Congo - a nation endowed with vast potential wealth - has declined drastically since the mid-1980s. The war, which began in August 1998, 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, lack of infrastructure, and the difficult operating environment. 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, and President KABILA has begun implementing reforms.
Electricity - consumption 352.5 billion kWh (2005) 4.55 billion kWh (1999)
Electricity - exports 0 kWh (2005) 404 million kWh (1999)
Electricity - imports 0 kWh (2005) 55 million kWh (1999)
Electricity - production 366.2 billion kWh (2005) 5.268 billion kWh (1999)
Electricity - production by source - fossil fuel: 2%


hydro: 98%


nuclear: 0%


other: 0% (1999)
Elevation extremes lowest point: Sea of Japan 0 m


highest point: Halla-san 1,950 m
lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m


highest point: Pic Marguerite on Mont Ngaliema (Mount Stanley) 5,110 m
Environment - current issues air pollution in large cities; acid rain; water pollution from the discharge of sewage and industrial effluents; drift net fishing poaching threatens wildlife populations; water pollution; deforestation; refugees responsible for significant deforestation, soil erosion, and wildlife poaching; mining of minerals (coltan - a mineral used in creating capacitors, diamonds, and gold) causing environmental damage
Environment - international agreements party to: Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic-Marine Living Resources, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands, Whaling


signed, but not ratified: none of the selected 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
Ethnic groups homogeneous (except for about 20,000 Chinese) 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
Exchange rates South Korean won per US dollar - 955.3 (2006), 1,024.1 (2005), 1,145.3 (2004), 1,191.6 (2003), 1,251.1 (2002) Congolese francs per US dollar - 305 (January 2002), 21.82 (2000), 4.02 (1999), 1.61 (1998), 1.31 (1997)


note: on 30 June 1998 the Congolese franc was introduced, replacing the new zaire
Executive branch chief of state: President ROH Moo-hyun (since 25 February 2003)


head of government: Prime Minister HAN Duck-soo (since 2 April 2007); Deputy Prime Ministers KIM Woo-sik (since 10 February 2006); KWON O-kyu (since 18 July 2006); KIM Shin-il (since 20 September 2006)


cabinet: State Council appointed by the president on the prime minister's recommendation


elections: president elected by popular vote for a single five-year term; election last held 19 December 2002 (next to be held on 19 December 2007); prime minister appointed by president with consent of National Assembly; deputy prime ministers appointed by president on prime minister's recommendation


election results: ROH Moo-hyun elected president; percent of vote - ROH Moo-hyun (MDP) 48.9%; LEE Hoi-chang (GNP) 46.6%; other 4.5%
chief of state: President Joseph KABILA (since 26 January 2001); note - following the assassination of his father, Laurent Desire KABILA, on 16 January 2001, Joseph KABILA succeeded to the presidency; the president is both the chief of state and head of government


head of government: President Joseph KABILA (since 26 January 2001); note - following the assassination of his father, Laurent Desire KABILA, on 16 January 2001, Joseph KABILA succeeded to the presidency; the president is both the chief of state and head of government


cabinet: National Executive Council, appointed by the president


elections: before Laurent Desire KABILA seized power on 16 May 1997, 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, there was also a prime minister who 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; KABILA immediately assumed governing authority and 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
Exports 644,100 bbl/day (2004) $750 million f.o.b. (2001 est.)
Exports - commodities semiconductors, wireless telecommunications equipment, motor vehicles, computers, steel, ships, petrochemicals diamonds, copper, coffee, cobalt, crude oil
Exports - partners China 21.3%, US 13.3%, Japan 8.1%, Hong Kong 5.9% (2006) Benelux 62%, US 18%, South Africa, Finland, Italy (1999)
Fiscal year calendar year calendar year
Flag description white with a red (top) and blue yin-yang symbol in the center; there is a different black trigram from the ancient I Ching (Book of Changes) in each corner of the white field 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
GDP - purchasing power parity - $32 billion (2001 est.)
GDP - composition by sector agriculture: 3.2%


industry: 39.6%


services: 57.2% (2006 est.)
agriculture: 54%


industry: 9%


services: 37% (1999 est.)
GDP - per capita - purchasing power parity - $590 (2001 est.)
GDP - real growth rate 5% (2006 est.) -4% (2001 est.)
Geographic coordinates 37 00 N, 127 30 E 0 00 N, 25 00 E
Geography - note strategic location on Korea Strait straddles Equator; has 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
Heliports 536 (2007) 1 (2002)
Highways - total: 157,000 km (including 30 km of expressways)(1996)


paved: NA km


unpaved: NA km
Household income or consumption by percentage share lowest 10%: 2.9%


highest 10%: 25% (2005 est.)
lowest 10%: NA%


highest 10%: NA%
Illicit drugs - illicit producer of cannabis, mostly for domestic consumption; while rampant corruption and inadequate supervision leaves the banking system vulnerable to money laundering, the lack of a well-developed financial system limits the country's utility as a money-laundering center
Imports 2.83 million bbl/day (2004) $1.024 billion f.o.b. (2001 est.)
Imports - commodities machinery, electronics and electronic equipment, oil, steel, transport equipment, organic chemicals, plastics foodstuffs, mining and other machinery, transport equipment, fuels
Imports - partners Japan 16.8%, China 15.7%, US 11%, Saudi Arabia 6.7%, UAE 4.2% (2006) South Africa 28%, Benelux 14%, Nigeria 9%, Kenya 7%, China (1999)
Independence 15 August 1945 (from Japan) 30 June 1960 (from Belgium)
Industrial production growth rate 8% (2006 est.) NA%
Industries electronics, telecommunications, automobile production, chemicals, shipbuilding, steel mining (diamonds, copper, zinc), mineral processing, consumer products (including textiles, footwear, cigarettes, processed foods and beverages), cement
Infant mortality rate total: 6.05 deaths/1,000 live births


male: 6.43 deaths/1,000 live births


female: 5.64 deaths/1,000 live births (2007 est.)
98.05 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2.2% (2006 est.) 358% (2001 est.)
International organization participation AfDB, APEC, APT, ARF, AsDB, ASEAN (dialogue partner), Australia Group, BIS, CP, EAS, EBRD, FAO, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC, LAIA, MIGA, NEA, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, ONUB, OPCW, OSCE (partner), PCA, PIF (partner), SAARC (observer), UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNMIL, UNMIS, UNMOGIP, UNOMIG, UNWTO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC 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, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO (correspondent), ITU, NAM, OAU, OPCW (signatory), PCA, SADC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO
Internet Service Providers (ISPs) - 1 (2001)
Irrigated land 8,780 sq km (2003) 110 sq km (1998 est.)
Judicial branch Supreme Court (justices appointed by president with consent of National Assembly); Constitutional Court (justices appointed by president based partly on nominations by National Assembly and Chief Justice of the court) Supreme Court or Cour Supreme
Labor force 23.98 million (2006 est.) 14.51 million (1993 est.)
Labor force - by occupation agriculture: 6.4%


industry: 26.4%


services: 67.2% (2006 est.)
agriculture 65%, industry 16%, services 19% (1991 est.)
Land boundaries total: 238 km


border countries: North Korea 238 km
total: 10,730 km


border countries: Angola 2,511 km (of which 225 km is the boundary of Angola's discontiguous Cabinda Province), Burundi 233 km, Central African Republic 1,577 km, Republic of the Congo 2,410 km, Rwanda 217 km, Sudan 628 km, Tanzania 459 km, Uganda 765 km, Zambia 1,930 km
Land use arable land: 16.58%


permanent crops: 2.01%


other: 81.41% (2005)
arable land: 2.96%


permanent crops: 0.52%


other: 96.52% (1998 est.)
Languages Korean, English widely taught in junior high and high school French (official), Lingala (a lingua franca trade language), Kingwana (a dialect of Kiswahili or Swahili), Kikongo, Tshiluba
Legal system combines elements of continental European civil law systems, Anglo-American law, and Chinese classical thought; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction based on Belgian civil law system and tribal law; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
Legislative branch unicameral National Assembly or Kukhoe (299 seats; 243 members elected in single-seat constituencies, 56 elected by proportional representation; to serve four-year terms)


elections: last held 15 April 2004 (next to be held in April 2008)


election results: percent of vote by party - Uri 51%, GNP 41%, DLP 3%, DP 3%, others 2%; seats by party - Uri 141, GNP 127, DP 12, DLP 9, PFP 5, independents 5


note: percent of vote is for 2004 general election; seats by party reflect results of 2005 and 2006 by-elections; MDP became DP in May 2005; United Liberal Democrats (ULD) merged with GNP in February 2006
a 300-member Transitional Constituent Assembly established in August 2000


elections: NA; members of the Transitional Constituent Assembly were appointed by former President Laurent Desire KABILA
Life expectancy at birth total population: 77.23 years


male: 73.81 years


female: 80.93 years (2007 est.)
total population: 49.13 years


male: 47.19 years


female: 51.13 years (2002 est.)
Literacy definition: age 15 and over can read and write


total population: 97.9%


male: 99.2%


female: 96.6% (2002)
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.)
Location Eastern Asia, southern half of the Korean Peninsula bordering the Sea of Japan and the Yellow Sea Central Africa, northeast of Angola
Map references Asia Africa
Maritime claims territorial sea: 12 nm; between 3 nm and 12 nm in the Korea Strait


contiguous zone: 24 nm


exclusive economic zone: 200 nm


continental shelf: not specified
exclusive economic zone: boundaries with neighbors


territorial sea: 12 NM
Merchant marine total: 738 ships (1000 GRT or over) 10,636,466 GRT/17,371,943 DWT


by type: bulk carrier 187, cargo 202, carrier 1, chemical tanker 119, container 81, liquefied gas 26, passenger 5, passenger/cargo 21, petroleum tanker 57, refrigerated cargo 19, roll on/roll off 8, specialized tanker 4, vehicle carrier 8


foreign-owned: 22 (China 2, France 8, Japan 1, Sweden 2, UK 1, US 7, Vietnam 1)


registered in other countries: 386 (Belize 4, Cambodia 29, China 1, Cyprus 2, Greece 2, Honduras 6, Hong Kong 6, Indonesia 1, Liberia 4, Malta 3, Marshall Islands 3, Netherlands 1, Panama 316, Russia 1, Singapore 7, unknown 4) (2007)
none (2002 est.)
Military branches Army, Navy, Republic of Korea Air Force (Han-guk Kong Goon), Marine Corps, National Maritime Police (coast guard) (2006) Army, Navy, Air Force, Special Security Battalion
Military expenditures - dollar figure - $250 million (FY97)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP 2.7% (2006) 4.6% (FY97)
Military manpower - availability - males age 15-49: 11,996,175 (2002 est.)
Military manpower - fit for military service - males age 15-49: 6,110,595 (2002 est.)
National holiday Liberation Day, 15 August (1945) Independence Day, 30 June (1960)
Nationality noun: Korean(s)


adjective: Korean
noun: Congolese (singular and plural)


adjective: Congolese or Congo
Natural hazards occasional typhoons bring high winds and floods; low-level seismic activity common in southwest periodic droughts in south; Congo River floods (seasonal); in the east, in the Great Rift Valley, there are active volcanoes
Natural resources coal, tungsten, graphite, molybdenum, lead, hydropower potential cobalt, copper, cadmium, petroleum, industrial and gem diamonds, gold, silver, zinc, manganese, tin, germanium, uranium, radium, bauxite, iron ore, coal, hydropower, timber
Net migration rate 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2007 est.) -2.75 migrant(s)/1,000 population


note: one million refugees fled into Zaire (now called the Democratic Republic of the Congo or DROC) in 1994 as a result of the ethnic fighting in Rwanda; 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 and additional refugees have returned in subsequent years; 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 (2002 est.)
Pipelines gas 1,482 km; refined products 827 km (2006) petroleum products 390 km
Political parties and leaders Democratic Labor Party or DLP [MOON Seong-hyun]; Democratic Party or DP [PARK Sang-chun]; Grand National Party or GNP [KANG Jae-sup]; People-First Party or PFP [SHIN Kook-hwan and SIM Dae-pyung]; Uri Party [Chung Sye-kyun] Democratic Social Christian Party or PDSC [Andre BO-BOLIKO]; Forces for Renovation for Union and Solidarity or FONUS [Joseph OLENGHANKOY]; National Congolese Lumumbist Movement or MNC [Francois LUMUMBA]; Popular Movement of the Revolution or MPR [three factions: MPR-Fait Prive (Catherine NZUZI wa Mbombo); MPR/Vunduawe (Felix VUNDUAWE); MPR/Mananga (MANANGA Dintoka Mpholo)]; 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 [two factions: UFERI (Lokambo OMOKOKO); UFERI/OR (Adolph Kishwe MAYA)]
Political pressure groups and leaders Federation of Korean Industries; Federation of Korean Trade Unions; Korean Confederation of Trade Unions; Korean National Council of Churches; Korean Traders Association; Korean Veterans' Association; National Council of Labor Unions; National Democratic Alliance of Korea; National Federation of Farmers' Associations; National Federation of Student Associations NA
Population 49,044,790 (July 2007 est.) 55,225,478


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 2002 est.)
Population below poverty line 15% (2003 est.) NA%
Population growth rate 0.394% (2007 est.) 2.79% (2002 est.)
Ports and harbors - Banana, Boma, Bukavu, Bumba, Goma, Kalemie, Kindu, Kinshasa, Kisangani, Matadi, Mbandaka
Radio broadcast stations AM 61, FM 150, shortwave 2 (2005) AM 3, FM 11, shortwave 2 (2001)
Radios - 18.03 million (1997)
Railways total: 3,472 km


standard gauge: 3,472 km 1.435-m gauge (1,342 km electrified) (2006)
total: 5,138 km


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


note: severely reduced route-distance in use because of damage to facilities by civil strife (2000 est.)
Religions Christian 26.3% (Protestant 19.7%, Roman Catholic 6.6%), Buddhist 23.2%, other or unknown 1.3%, none 49.3% (1995 census) Roman Catholic 50%, Protestant 20%, Kimbanguist 10%, Muslim 10%, other syncretic sects and indigenous beliefs 10%
Sex ratio at birth: 1.08 male(s)/female


under 15 years: 1.106 male(s)/female


15-64 years: 1.038 male(s)/female


65 years and over: 0.688 male(s)/female


total population: 1.01 male(s)/female (2007 est.)
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: 0.71 male(s)/female


total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2002 est.)
Suffrage 19 years of age; universal 18 years of age; universal and compulsory
Telephone system general assessment: excellent domestic and international services


domestic: NA


international: country code - 82; numerous submarine cables provide links throughout Asia, Australia, the Middle East, Europe, and US; satellite earth stations - 3 Intelsat (1 Pacific Ocean and 2 Indian Ocean) and 3 Inmarsat (1 Pacific Ocean and 2 Indian Ocean)
general assessment: poor


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)
Telephones - main lines in use 26.866 million (2006) 20,000 (2000)
Telephones - mobile cellular 40.197 million (2006) 15,000 (2000)
Television broadcast stations 43 (plus 59 cable operators and 190 relay cable operators) (2005) 4 (2001)
Terrain mostly hills and mountains; wide coastal plains in west and south vast central basin is a low-lying plateau; mountains in east
Total fertility rate 1.28 children born/woman (2007 est.) 6.77 children born/woman (2002 est.)
Unemployment rate 3.3% (2006 est.) NA%
Waterways 1,608 km (most navigable only by small craft) (2007) 15,000 km (including the Congo and its tributaries, and unconnected lakes)
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