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| Government Type |
republic |
| Legal System |
based on French civil law system and customary law |
| Currency |
Communaute Financiere Africaine franc (XAF); note - responsible authority is the Bank of the Central African States |
| Economic 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. |
| Natural Resources |
petroleum, timber, potash, lead, zinc, uranium, copper, phosphates, natural gas, hydropower |
| Primary Industries |
petroleum extraction, cement, lumber, brewing, sugar, palm oil, soap, flour, cigarettes |
| Agricultural Products |
cassava (tapioca), sugar, rice, corn, peanuts, vegetables, coffee, cocoa; forest products |
| Import Commodities |
capital equipment, construction materials, foodstuffs |
| Export Commodities |
petroleum, lumber, plywood, sugar, cocoa, coffee, diamonds |
| Export Partners |
US 17.2%, South Korea 12.7%, China 9.9%, Germany 5.6%, France 2.4% (2001) |
| AIRPORTS of Congo, Republic of the |
| Brazzaville - Maya Maya Airport |
International, Position 04°15´06"S, 015°15´11"E, Elevation 319m (1,046ft) |
Detals |
| Pointe - Noire Aerodrome |
Position 04°48´48"S, 011°53´09"E, Elevation 17m (55ft) |
Detals |
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