Environment—current issues: the overuse of pastures and subsequent soil erosion attributable to population pressures; desertification; deforestation of tropical rain forest, in response to both international demand for tropical timber and to domestic use as fuel, resulting in loss of biodiversity; soil erosion contributing to water pollution and siltation of rivers and dams; inadequate supplies of potable water
Environment—international agreements: party to: Biodiversity, Desertification, Law of the Sea signed, but not ratified: Climate Change
Geography—note: Cabinda is separated from rest of country by the
Democratic Republic of the Congo
People
Population: 11,177,537 (July 1999 est.)
Age structure:
0-14 years: 45% (male 2,545,006; female 2,473,732)
15-64 years: 52% (male 2,938,178; female 2,909,844)
65 years and over: 3% (male 143,074; female 167,703) (1999 est.)
Population growth rate: 2.84% (1999 est.)
Birth rate: 43.11 births/1,000 population (1999 est.)
Death rate: 16.35 deaths/1,000 population (1999 est.)
Net migration rate: 1.6 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1999 est.)