:Zaire People
Population:
39,084,400 (July 1992), growth rate 3.3% (1992)
Birth rate:
45 births/1,000 population (1992)
Death rate:
13 deaths/1,000 population (1992)
Net migration rate:
0 migrants/1,000 population (1992)
Infant mortality rate:
97 deaths/1,000 live births (1992)
Life expectancy at birth:
52 years male, 56 years female (1992)
Total fertility rate:
6.1 children born/woman (1992)
Nationality:
noun - Zairian(s); adjective - Zairian
Ethnic divisions:
over 200 African ethnic groups, the majority are Bantu; four largest tribes
- Mongo, Luba, Kongo (all Bantu), and the Mangbetu-Azande (Hamitic) make up
about 45% of the population
Religions:
Roman Catholic 50%, Protestant 20%, Kimbanguist 10%, Muslim 10%, other
syncretic sects and traditional beliefs 10%
Languages:
French (official), Lingala, Swahili, Kingwana, Kikongo, Tshiluba
Literacy:
72% (male 84%, female 61%) age 15 and over can read and write (1990 est.)
Labor force:
15,000,000; agriculture 75%, industry 13%, services 12%; wage earners 13%
(1981); population of working age 51% (1985)
Organized labor:
National Union of Zairian Workers (UNTZA) was the only officially recognized
trade union until April 1990; other unions are now in process of seeking
official recognition
:Zaire Government
Long-form name:
Republic of Zaire
Type:
republic with a strong presidential system
Capital:
Kinshasa
Administrative divisions:
10 regions (regions, singular - region) and 1 town* (ville); Bandundu,
Bas-Zaire, Equateur, Haut-Zaire, Kasai-Occidental, Kasai-Oriental,
Kinshasa*, Maniema, Nord-Kivu, Shaba, Sud-Kivu
Independence:
30 June 1960 (from Belgium; formerly Belgian Congo, then Congo/Leopoldville,
then Congo/Kinshasa)
Constitution:
24 June 1967, amended August 1974, revised 15 February 1978; amended April
1990; new constitution to be promulgated in 1992
Legal system:
based on Belgian civil law system and tribal law; has not accepted
compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
National holiday:
Anniversary of the Regime (Second Republic), 24 November (1965)
Executive branch:
president, prime minister, Executive Council (cabinet)
Legislative branch:
unicameral Legislative Council (Conseil Legislatif)
Judicial branch:
Supreme Court (Cour Supreme)
Leaders:
Chief of State:
President Marshal MOBUTU Sese Seko Kuku Ngbendu wa Za Banga (since 24
November 1965)
Head of Government:
Prime Minister Jean NGUZ a Karl-i-Bond (since 26 November 1991)
Political parties and leaders:
sole legal party until January 1991 - Popular Movement of the Revolution
(MPR); other parties include Union for Democracy and Social Progress (UDPS),
Etienne TSHISEKEDI wa Mulumba; Democratic Social Christian Party (PDSC),
Joseph ILEO; Union of Federalists and Independent Republicans (UFERI), NGUZ
a Karl-I-Bond; and Congolese National Movement-Lumumba (MNC-L)
Suffrage:
universal and compulsory at age 18
Elections:
President:
last held 29 July 1984 (next to be scheduled by ongoing National
Conference); results - President MOBUTU was reelected without opposition
Legislative Council:
last held 6 September 1987 (next to be scheduled by ongoing National
Conference); results - MPR was the only party; seats - (210 total) MPR 210;
note - MPR still holds majority of seats but some deputies have joined other
parties
Member of:
ACCT, ACP, AfDB, APC, CCC, CEEAC, CEPGL, CIPEC, ECA, FAO, G-19, G-24, G-77,
GATT, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, IDA, IFAD, IFC, ILO, IMF, IMO, INTELSAT,
INTERPOL, IOC, ITU, LORCS, NAM, OAU, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO,
UPU, WCL, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
Diplomatic representation:
Ambassador TATANENE Manata; Chancery at 1800 New Hampshire Avenue NW,
Washington, DC 20009; telephone (202) 234-7690 or 7691
:Zaire Government
US:
Ambassador Melissa F. WELLS; Embassy at 310 Avenue des Aviateurs, Kinshasa
(mailing address is APO AE 09828); telephone [243] (12) 21532, 21628; FAX
[243] (12) 21232; the US Consulate General in Lubumbashi was closed and
evacuated in October 1991 because of the poor security situation
Flag:
light green with a yellow disk in the center bearing a black arm holding a
red flaming torch; the flames of the torch are blowing away from the hoist
side; uses the popular pan-African colors of Ethiopia
:Zaire Economy
Overview:
In 1990, in spite of large mineral resources Zaire had a GDP per capita of
only about $260, putting it among the desperately poor African nations. The
country's chronic economic problems worsened in 1991, with copper and cobalt
production down 20-30%, inflation near 8,000% in 1991 as compared with 100%
in 1987-89, and IMF and most World Bank support suspended until the
institution of agreed-on changes. Agriculture, a key sector of the economy,
employs 75% of the population but generates under 25% of GDP. The main
potential for economic development has been the extractive industries.
Mining and mineral processing account for about one-third of GDP and
three-quarters of total export earnings. Zaire is the world's largest
producer of diamonds and cobalt.
GDP:
exchange rate conversion - $9.8 billion, per capita $260; real growth rate
-3% (1990 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
8,000% (1991)
Unemployment rate:
NA%
Budget:
revenues $685 million; expenditures $1.1 billion, does not include capital
expenditures mostly financed by donors (1990)
Exports:
$2.2 billion (f.o.b., 1989 est.)
commodities:
copper 37%, coffee 24%, diamonds 12%, cobalt, crude oil
partners:
US, Belgium, France, FRG, Italy, UK, Japan, South Africa
Imports:
$2.1 billion (f.o.b., 1989 est.)
commodities:
consumer goods, foodstuffs, mining and other machinery, transport equipment,
fuels
partners:
South Africa, US, Belgium, France, FRG, Italy, Japan, UK
External debt:
$7.9 billion (December 1990 est.)
Industrial production:
growth rate -7.3%; accounts for almost 30% of GDP (1989)
Electricity:
2,580,000 kW capacity; 6,000 million kWh produced, 160 kWh per capita (1991)
Industries:
mining, mineral processing, consumer products (including textiles, footwear,
and cigarettes), processed foods and beverages, cement, diamonds
Agriculture:
cash crops - coffee, palm oil, rubber, quinine; food crops - cassava,
bananas, root crops, corn
Illicit drugs:
illicit producer of cannabis, mostly for domestic consumption
Economic aid:
US commitments, including Ex-Im (FY70-89), $1.1 billion; Western (non-US)
countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments (1970-89), $6.9 billion; OPEC
bilateral aid (1979-89), $35 million; Communist countries (1970-89), $263
million
Currency:
zaire (singular and plural); 1 zaire (Z) = 100 makuta
Exchange rates:
zaire (Z) per US$1 - 111,196 (March 1992), 15,587 (1991), 719 (1990), 381
(1989), 187 (1988), 112 (1987)
:Zaire Economy
Fiscal year: calendar year