
Republic of the Congo Guide
Congo – country information
Country name | Congo |
Official name | Republic of the Congo |
Capital | Brazzaville |
Continent | Africa |
Area | 342,000 km2 |
Population | 4,448,000 (2013) |
Foundation of a state | 8/15/1960 |
The highest mountains | Léketi 1040 m |
Longest rivers | Congo/Zaire 750 km, Ubangi 550 km |
State system | a pluralist republic with a bicameral parliament |
The biggest cities | Brazzaville (capital) 1,025,000, Pointe-Noire 630,000, Loubomo 95,000 |
Official language | French |
Ethnicity/National Composition | Congolese 53%, Teke groups 17.5%, Mboshi 11.5%, Mbete 4.7%, Punu 3%, Sango 2.6%, Maka 1.6%, Pygmies 1.5%, others 4.5% |
Religious affiliation | Roman Catholic 55%, Protestant 24%, African Christian 14.5%, traditional faith 5%, other 1.5% |
Currency | 1 CFA franc (CFAF) = 100 centimes |
gross domestic product (GDP) | US$4,616 (2012) |
Average life expectancy of the population | 52.80 years (2006) |
Congo – neighboring states
State | Capital | Area | Population |
Angola | Luanda | 1,246,700 km2 | 20,609,294 |
Democratic Republic of the Congo | Kinshasa | 2,344,860 km2 | 67,514,000 |
Gabon | Libreville | 267,668 km2 | 1,672,000 |
Cameroon | Yaoundé | 475,442 km2 | 20,386,799 |
Central African Republic | Bangui | 622,984 km2 | 4,616,000 |
Country overview
According to Abbreviationfinder, Congo stretches from the coast of the Atlantic Ocean to the heart of Africa and is bordered by Zaire, the Central African Republic, Cameroon and Gabon.
Country data
Location: CET (during summer time CET – 1)
Time zone: unknown
Total area: 342,000 km km²
Land area: 341,500 km²
Water area: 500 km²
Length of the state border: 5,008 km
Bordering countries:
Angola: 231 km
Gabon: 2,567 km
Cameroon: 494 km
Congo, Democratic Rep.: 1,229 km
Central African Republic: 487 km
Coastline: 169 km
Capital: Brazzaville
Governorates: 12
Bouenza, Brazzaville, Cuvette, Cuvette-Ouest, Kouilou, Lekoumou, Likouala, Niari, Plateaux, Pointe-Noire, Pool, Sangha
Telephone code: 00 242 (Source: Allcitycodes)
Highest point: Mount Berongou 903 m
Population
Population: approx. 4.7 million residents (Countryaah, 2021)
Population growth: 2% per year
Population density (residents per km²): 14
Life expectancy: 57 (male), 60 (female)
Official language: French
Religions:
- 33% Roman Catholic
- 20% Protestants
- 2% Muslim
- 45% other
Climate
Congo is located in a tropical climate zone.
The summer time lasts from June to September and the rainy season from October to May.
Currency / finance
Currency unit: CFA Franc (XAF)
Classification: 1 Franc = 100 Centimes
ATMs: not available
International credit cards: only accepted in some Brazzaville and Pointe-Noire hotels.
Regulations: There is no limit to the amount of foreign currencies that can be imported. There is an obligation to declare. The export is permitted in the amount of the declared import.
The import and export of the local currency is not permitted.
Since it is almost impossible to exchange the local currency back, you should only exchange amounts that are actually required.
As a foreign currency, it is recommended to take small denominations of US dollars with you. These are the easiest to exchange and are often accepted for direct payment.
Customs regulations
The following may be carried duty-free:
- 200 cigarettes
- 1 liter of alcoholic beverages
- small amounts of perfume
(Information applies to people aged 18 and over)
Tourists and people in transit can bring items of personal use with them duty-free.
Travel advice
The northern and eastern regions of the Congo in particular pose a high security risk.
Some districts of Brazzaville (Bakongo, Makélékélé, Ouenze, Poto Poto, Talangaï) should not be visited after nightfall due to the high crime rate.
Economy
The main export goods of the country are oil and petroleum products.
Since over half of the country’s area is forested, a large part of the population works in this branch of industry.
A very high unemployment rate, corruption in many areas of public life and three civil wars in the 1990s have caused great damage to the economy from which the country has still not been able to recover.
Industries: Oil extraction and processing, wood processing
Natural resources: natural gas, petroleum, copper, uranium, hydropower, zinc
Land use:
- Usable land: 0%
- Grain cultivation: 0%
- Pasture area: 29%
- Forests: 62%
- other: 9%