Debt - external: $13.8 billion (1995 est.)

Economic aid: recipient: ODA, $NA

Currency: 1 zaire (Z) = 100 makuta

Exchange rates: new zaires (Z) per US$1 - 83,764 (October 1996), 7,024 (1995), 1,194 (1994), 3 (1993); zaire (Z) per US$1 - 645,549 (1992) note: on 22 October 1993 the new zaire, equal to 3,000,000 old zaires, was introduced

Fiscal year: calendar year

@Congo, Democratic Republic of the:Communications

Telephones: 34,000 (1991 est.)

Telephone system: domestic : barely adequate wire and microwave radio relay service in and between urban areas; domestic satellite system with 14 earth stations international: satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)

Radio broadcast stations: AM 10, FM 4, shortwave 0

Radios: 3.87 million (1992 est.)