Population:
41,345,738 (July 1993 est.)
Population growth rate:
3.2% (1993 est.)
Birth rate:
48.43 births/1,000 population (1993 est.)
Death rate:
16.91 deaths/1,000 population (1993 est.)
Net migration rate:
0.52 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1993 est.)
Infant mortality rate:
113.2 deaths/1,000 live births (1993 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population:
47.26 years
male:
45.45 years
female:
49.12 years (1993 est.)
Total fertility rate:
6.7 children born/woman (1993 est.)
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, Lingala, Swahili, Kingwana, Kikongo, Tshiluba
Literacy:
age 15 and over can read and write (1990)
total population:
72%
male:
84%
female:
61%
Labor force:
15 million (13% of the labor force is wage earners; 51% of the population is
of working age)
by occupation:
agriculture 75%, industry 13%, services 12% (1985)
*Zaire, Government
Names:
conventional long form:
Republic of Zaire
conventional short form:
Zaire
local long form:
Republique du Zaire
local short form:
Zaire
former:
Belgian Congo Congo/Leopoldville Congo/Kinshasa
Digraph:
CG
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)
Constitution:
24 June 1967, amended August 1974, revised 15 February 1978; amended April
1990; new constitution to be put to referendum in 1993
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)
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; Unified Lumumbast Party (PALU), leader NA
Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal and compulsory
Elections:
President:
last held 29 July 1984 (next to be scheduled by High Council, the
opposition-controlled transition legislature); results - President MOBUTU
was reelected without opposition
Legislative Council:
last held 6 September 1987 (next to be scheduled by High Council); 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
Executive branch: president, prime minister, Executive Council (cabinet)
Legislative branch:
unicameral National Parliament; anti-Mobutu opposition claims National
Parliament replaced by High Council
Judicial branch:
Supreme Court (Cour Supreme)
Leaders:
Chief of State:
President Marshal MOBUTU Sese Seko Kuku Ngbendu wa Za Banga (since 24
November 1965)
*Zaire, Government
Head of Government:
Interim Prime Minister Faustin BIRINDWA (since 18 March 1993)
Member of:
ACCT, ACP, AfDB, CCC, CEEAC, CEPGL, 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, WFTU,
WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
Diplomatic representation in US:
chief of mission:
Ambassador TATANENE Manata
chancery:
1800 New Hampshire Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20009
telephone:
(202) 234-7690 or 7691
US diplomatic representation:
chief of mission:
Deputy Chief of Mission John YATES
embassy:
310 Avenue des Aviateurs, Kinshasa
mailing address:
APO AE 09828
telephone:
[243] (12) 21532, 21628
FAX:
[243] (12) 21232
consulate general:
Lubumbashi (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 1992, Zaire's formal economy continued to disintegrate. While meaningful
economic figures are difficult to come by, Zaire's hyperinflation, the
largest government deficit ever, and plunging mineral production have made
the country one of the world's poorest. Most formal transactions are
conducted in hard currency as indigenous banknotes have lost almost all
value, and a barter economy now flourishes in all but the largest cities.
Most individuals and families hang on grimly through subsistence farming and
petty trade. The government has not been able to meet its financial
obligations to the International Momentary Fund or put in place the
financial measures advocated by the IMF. Although short-term prospects for
improvement are dim, improved political stability would boost Zaire's
long-term potential to effectively exploit its vast wealth of mineral and
agricultural resources.
National product:
GDP - exchange rate conversion - $9.2 billion (1992, at 1990 exchange rate)
National product real growth rate:
-6% (1992 est.)
National product per capita:
$235 (1992, at 1990 exchange rate)
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
35-40% per month (1992 est.)
Unemployment rate:
NA%
Budget:
revenues $NA, expenditures $NA, including capital expenditures of $NA
Exports:
$1.5 billion (f.o.b., 1992 est.)
commodities:
copper, coffee, diamonds, cobalt, crude oil
partners:
US, Belgium, France, Germany, Italy, UK, Japan, South Africa
Imports:
$1.2 billion (f.o.b., 1992 est.)
commodities:
consumer goods, foodstuffs, mining and other machinery, transport equipment,
fuels
partners:
South Africa, US, Belgium, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, UK
External debt:
$9.2 billion (May 1992 est.)
Industrial production:
growth grate NA%
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; except for humanitarian aid to private organizations, no US
assistance was given to Zaire in 1992
*Zaire, Economy
Currency:
1 zaire (Z) = 100 makuta
Exchange rates:
zaire (Z) per US$1 - 2,000,000 (January1993), 15,587 (1991), 719 (1990), 381
(1989), 187 (1988), 112 (1987)
Fiscal year:
calendar year
*Zaire, Communications