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Compare Western Sahara (2008) - Congo, Republic of the (2001)

Compare Western Sahara (2008) z Congo, Republic of the (2001)

 Western Sahara (2008)Congo, Republic of the (2001)
 Western SaharaCongo, Republic of the
Administrative divisions none (under de facto control of Morocco) 9 regions (regions, singular - region) and 1 commune*; Bouenza, Brazzaville*, Cuvette, Kouilou, Lekoumou, Likouala, Niari, Plateaux, Pool, Sangha
Age structure 0-14 years: 45.4% (male 88,176/female 85,421)


15-64 years: 52.3% (male 98,345/female 101,895)


65 years and over: 2.3% (male 3,705/female 5,075) (2007 est.)
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.)
Agriculture - products fruits and vegetables (grown in the few oases); camels, sheep, goats (kept by nomads); fish cassava (tapioca), sugar, rice, corn, peanuts, vegetables, coffee, cocoa; forest products
Airports 9 (2007) 33 (2000 est.)
Airports - with paved runways total: 3


2,438 to 3,047 m: 3 (2007)
total:
4

over 3,047 m:
1

1,524 to 2,437 m:
3 (2000 est.)
Airports - with unpaved runways total: 6


1,524 to 2,437 m: 1


914 to 1,523 m: 3


under 914 m: 2 (2007)
total:
29

1,524 to 2,437 m:
7

914 to 1,523 m:
12

under 914 m:
10 (2000 est.)
Area total: 266,000 sq km


land: 266,000 sq km


water: 0 sq km
total:
342,000 sq km

land:
341,500 sq km

water:
500 sq km
Area - comparative about the size of Colorado slightly smaller than Montana
Background Morocco virtually annexed the northern two-thirds of Western Sahara (formerly Spanish Sahara) in 1976, and the rest of the territory in 1979, following Mauritania's withdrawal. A guerrilla war with the Polisario Front contesting Rabat's sovereignty ended in a 1991 UN-brokered cease-fire; a UN-organized referendum on final status has been repeatedly postponed. In April 2007, Morocco presented an autonomy plan for the territory to the UN, which the U.S. considers serious and credible. The Polisario also presented a plan to the UN in 2007. Since August 2007, representatives from the Government of Morocco and the Polisario Front have met three times to negotiate the status of Western Sahara, with a fourth round of negotiations planned for March 2008. 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.
Birth rate NA 39.95 births/1,000 population (2007 est.) 38.24 births/1,000 population (2001 est.)
Budget revenues: $NA


expenditures: $NA
revenues:
$870 million

expenditures:
$970 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (1997 est.)
Capital none


time difference: UTC 0 (5 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)
Brazzaville
Climate hot, dry desert; rain is rare; cold offshore air currents produce fog and heavy dew tropical; rainy season (March to June); dry season (June to October); constantly high temperatures and humidity; particularly enervating climate astride the Equator
Coastline 1,110 km 169 km
Constitution - Draft constitution approved by transitional parliament in September 2000
Country name conventional long form: none


conventional short form: Western Sahara


former: Spanish Sahara
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
Currency - Communaute Financiere Africaine franc (XAF); note - responsible authority is the Bank of the Central African States
Death rate NA 16.22 deaths/1,000 population (2001 est.)
Debt - external $NA $5 billion (1999 est.)
Diplomatic representation from the US none 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)
Diplomatic representation in the US none 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
Disputes - international Morocco claims and administers Western Sahara, whose sovereignty remains unresolved; UN-administered cease-fire has remained in effect since September 1991, administered by the UN Mission for the Referendum in Western Sahara (MINURSO), but attempts to hold a referendum have failed and parties thus far have rejected all brokered proposals; several states have extended diplomatic relations to the "Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic" represented by the Polisario Front in exile in Algeria, while others recognize Moroccan sovereignty over Western Sahara; most of the approximately 102,000 Sahrawi refugees are sheltered in camps in Tindouf, Algeria 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)
Economic aid - recipient $NA $159.1 million (1995)
Economy - overview Western Sahara depends on pastoral nomadism, fishing, and phosphate mining as the principal sources of income for the population. The territory lacks sufficient rainfall for sustainable agricultural production, and most of the food for the urban population must be imported. Incomes in Western Sahara are substantially below the Moroccan level. The Moroccan Government controls all trade and other economic activities in Western Sahara. Morocco and the EU signed a four-year agreement in July 2006 allowing European vessels to fish off the coast of Morocco, including the disputed waters off the coast of Western Sahara. Moroccan energy interests in 2001 signed contracts to explore for oil off the coast of Western Sahara, which has angered the Polisario. However, in 2006 the Polisario awarded similar exploration licenses in the disputed territory, which would come into force if Morocco and the Polisario resolve their dispute over Western Sahara. 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.
Electricity - consumption 79.05 million kWh (2005) 406.9 million kWh (1999)
Electricity - exports 0 kWh (2005) 0 kWh (1999)
Electricity - imports 0 kWh (2005) 126 million kWh (1999)
Electricity - production 85 million kWh (2005) 302 million kWh (1999)
Electricity - production by source - fossil fuel:
0.66%

hydro:
99.34%

nuclear:
0%

other:
0% (1999)
Elevation extremes lowest point: Sebjet Tah -55 m


highest point: unnamed location 463 m
lowest point:
Atlantic Ocean 0 m

highest point:
Mount Berongou 903 m
Environment - current issues sparse water and lack of arable land air pollution from vehicle emissions; water pollution from the dumping of raw sewage; tap water is not potable; deforestation
Environment - international agreements party to: none of the selected agreements


signed, but not ratified: none of the selected 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 Arab, Berber 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
Exchange rates Moroccan dirhams per US dollar - 8.2827 (2007), 8.7722 (2006), 8.865 (2005), 8.868 (2004), 9.5744 (2003) 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
Executive branch none 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
Exports 0 bbl/day (2004) $2.6 billion (f.o.b., 2000)
Exports - commodities phosphates 62% petroleum 50%, lumber, plywood, sugar, cocoa, coffee, diamonds
Exports - partners Morocco claims and administers Western Sahara, so trade partners are included in overall Moroccan accounts (2006) US 23%, Benelux 14%, Germany, Italy, Taiwan, China (1998)
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
GDP - purchasing power parity - $3.1 billion (2000 est.)
GDP - composition by sector agriculture: NA%


industry: NA%


services: 40%
agriculture:
10%

industry:
48%

services:
42% (1999 est.)
GDP - per capita - purchasing power parity - $1,100 (2000 est.)
GDP - real growth rate NA% 3.8% (2000 est.)
Geographic coordinates 24 30 N, 13 00 W 1 00 S, 15 00 E
Geography - note the waters off the coast are particularly rich fishing areas about 70% of the population lives in Brazzaville, Pointe-Noire, or along the railroad between them
Highways - total:
12,800 km

paved:
1,242 km

unpaved:
11,558 km (1996)
Household income or consumption by percentage share lowest 10%: NA%


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

highest 10%:
NA%
Imports 1,698 bbl/day (2004) $870 million (f.o.b., 2000)
Imports - commodities fuel for fishing fleet, foodstuffs petroleum products, capital equipment, construction materials, foodstuffs
Imports - partners Morocco claims and administers Western Sahara, so trade partners are included in overall Moroccan accounts (2006) France 23%, US 9%, Belgium 8%, UK 7%, Italy (1997 est.)
Independence - 15 August 1960 (from France)
Industrial production growth rate NA% NA%
Industries phosphate mining, handicrafts petroleum extraction, cement kilning, lumbering, brewing, sugar milling, palm oil, soap, flour, cigarette making
Infant mortality rate total: NA


male: NA


female: NA
99.73 deaths/1,000 live births (2001 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices) NA% 3.5% (2000 est.)
International organization participation none 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
Internet Service Providers (ISPs) - 1 (2000)
Irrigated land NA 10 sq km (1993 est.)
Judicial branch - Supreme Court or Cour Supreme
Labor force 12,000 NA
Labor force - by occupation agriculture: 50%


industry and services: 50%
-
Land boundaries total: 2,046 km


border countries: Algeria 42 km, Mauritania 1,561 km, Morocco 443 km
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
Land use arable land: 0.02%


permanent crops: 0%


other: 99.98% (2005)
arable land:
0%

permanent crops:
0%

permanent pastures:
29%

forests and woodland:
62%

other:
9% (1993 est.)
Languages Hassaniya Arabic, Moroccan Arabic French (official), Lingala and Monokutuba (lingua franca trade languages), many local languages and dialects (of which Kikongo has the most users)
Legal system - based on French civil law system and customary law
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
Life expectancy at birth total population: NA


male: NA


female: NA
total population:
47.57 years

male:
44.38 years

female:
50.85 years (2001 est.)
Literacy NA definition:
age 15 and over can read and write

total population:
74.9%

male:
83.1%

female:
67.2% (1995 est.)
Location Northern Africa, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean, between Mauritania and Morocco Western Africa, bordering the South Atlantic Ocean, between Angola and Gabon
Map references Africa Africa
Maritime claims contingent upon resolution of sovereignty issue territorial sea:
200 NM
Military branches - Army, Air Force, Navy, Gendarmerie
Military expenditures - dollar figure - $110 million (FY93)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP - 3.8% (FY93)
Military manpower - availability - males age 15-49:
684,922 (2001 est.)
Military manpower - fit for military service - males age 15-49:
347,946 (2001 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)
Nationality noun: Sahrawi(s), Sahraoui(s)


adjective: Sahrawi, Sahrawian, Sahraouian
noun:
Congolese (singular and plural)

adjective:
Congolese or Congo
Natural hazards hot, dry, dust/sand-laden sirocco wind can occur during winter and spring; widespread harmattan haze exists 60% of time, often severely restricting visibility seasonal flooding
Natural resources phosphates, iron ore petroleum, timber, potash, lead, zinc, uranium, copper, phosphates, natural gas, hydropower
Net migration rate - 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2001 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]
Political pressure groups and leaders none 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
Population 382,617


note: estimate is based on projections by age, sex, fertility, mortality, and migration; fertility and mortality are based on data from neighboring countries (July 2007 est.)
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.)
Population below poverty line NA% NA%
Population growth rate NA 2.2% (2001 est.)
Ports and harbors - Brazzaville, Impfondo, Ouesso, Oyo, Pointe-Noire
Radio broadcast stations AM 2, FM 0, shortwave 0 (1998) AM 1, FM 5, shortwave 1 (1999)
Radios - 341,000 (1997)
Railways - total:
894 km

narrow gauge:
894 km 1.067-m gauge (2000)
Religions Muslim Christian 50%, animist 48%, Muslim 2%
Sex ratio NA 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.)
Suffrage none; a UN-sponsored voter identification campaign not yet completed 18 years of age; universal
Telephone system general assessment: sparse and limited system


domestic: NA


international: country code - 212; tied into Morocco's system by microwave radio relay, tropospheric scatter, and satellite; satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) linked to Rabat, Morocco
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)
Telephones - main lines in use about 2,000 (1999 est.) 22,000 (1997)
Telephones - mobile cellular 0 (1999) 1,000 (1996)
Television broadcast stations NA 1 (1999)
Terrain mostly low, flat desert with large areas of rocky or sandy surfaces rising to small mountains in south and northeast coastal plain, southern basin, central plateau, northern basin
Total fertility rate NA 5 children born/woman (2001 est.)
Unemployment rate NA% NA%
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
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