Natural resources: petroleum, diamonds, iron ore, phosphates,
copper, feldspar, gold, bauxite, uranium
Land use:
arable land: 2%
permanent crops: 0%
meadows and pastures: 23%
forest and woodland: 43%
other: 32%
Irrigated land: NA sq km
Environment:
current issues: population pressures contributing to overuse of
pastures and subsequent soil erosion; desertification; deforestation
of tropical rain forest attributable to the international demand for
tropical timber and domestic use as a fuel; deforestation
contributing to loss of biodiversity; soil erosion contributing to
water pollution and siltation of rivers and dams; inadequate
supplies of potable water
natural hazards: locally heavy rainfall causes periodic flooding on
the plateau
international agreements: party to - Law of the Sea; signed, but not
ratified - Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification
Geographic note: Cabinda is separated from rest of country by Zaire
People ———
Population: 10,342,899 (July 1996 est.)
Age structure:
0-14 years: 45% (male 2,340,804; female 2,275,689)
15-64 years: 53% (male 2,748,417; female 2,706,295)
65 years and over: 2% (male 128,067; female 143,627) (July 1996 est.)
Population growth rate: 2.68% (1996 est.)
Birth rate: 44.58 births/1,000 population (1996 est.)