The political structure of the country includes the executive branch led by President Denis Sassou-Nguesso, who has held office since 1997 after overthrowing the previous president, Pascal Lissouba.
Current Environment Issues: air pollution from vehicle emissions; water pollution from the dumping of raw sewage; tap water is not potable; deforestation
Where Most Congloese reside: about 70% of the population lives in Brazzaville, Pointe-Noire, or along the railroad between them
Location: Central Africa, bordering the South Atlantic Ocean, between Angola and Gabon
Area: total: 342,000 sq km
Climate: tropical; rainy season (March to June); dry season (June to October); persistent high temperatures and humidity; particularly enervating climate astride the Equator
Military
Ninjas: Formal rebel forces that took over The Republic were once used as the main military force in Congo.
Sassou's Army: It is believed that President Denis Sassou has his own private army to eforce rule, although not legally recorded the army has been known to Rape, torture, and kill civlians who do not obey their will
Military Branches: Congolese Armed Forces (Forces Armees Congolaises, FAC): Army (Armee de Terre), Navy, Congolese Air Force (Armee de l'Air Congolaise); Gendarmerie; Special Presidential Security Guard (GSSP) (2011)
Economic
Imports: $3.727 billion (2011 est.)
Main Import commodities: capital equipment, construction materials, foodstuffs
Main Import Partners: France 19.6%, China 11.7%, US 8.5%, Italy 8%, India 7.9% (2010)
External Debt: $5 Billion
Exports: $13.25 billion (2011 est.)
Main Exports: petroleum, lumber, plywood, sugar, cocoa, coffee, diamonds
Main Export Partners: US 31.1%, China 29%, France 6.8%, India 6.1%, Spain 4.4% (2010)
GDP (purchasing power parity):$18.36 billion (2011 est.)
GDP (Official exchange rate): $15.1 billion (2011 est.)
Labor Force: 1.514 million
Budget: revenues: $3.85 billion
expenditures: $3.154 billion (2011 est.)
Taxes: 25.5% of GDP (2011 est.)
Budget Surplus: 4.6% of GDP (2011 est.)
Technology
Republic of Congo is also know for their preservation of sacred trees using high-tech GPS systems. The GPS points out which trees have great value and long standing history, so that loggers will not cut them down. They beam this information up to a satellite so they know not to go near the tree. These trees are marked specifically with paint on the trunk.
Airports:25 (2010)
Waterways: 1,120 km
Roadways: total: 17,289 km
Paved: 864 km
Railways: total: 886 km
Main-line Telephones in use: 42,000 (2010)
Cellular Phones in use: 3.799 million (2010)
Telephone system: general assessment: primary network consists of microwave radio relay and coaxial cable with services barely adequate for government use
Domestic: fixed-line infrastructure inadequate providing only 1 connection per 100 persons; in the absence of an adequate fixed line infrastructure, mobile-cellular subscribership has surged and now exceeds 90 per 100 persons
Major Cities:BRAZZAVILLE (capital) 1.292 million
HIV/AIDS Prevelance rate: 3.4%
Major infectious diseases: degree of risk: very high
food or waterborne diseases: bacterial and protozoal diarrhea, hepatitis A, and typhoid fever
vectorborne disease: malaria and African trypanosomiasis (sleeping sickness)
animal contact disease: rabies
water contact disease: schistosomiasis (2009)
Social
Age Structure: 0-14 years: 45.6% (male 973,332/female 960,100)
15-64 years: 51.7% (male 1,091,531/female 1,101,057)
65 years and over: 2.8% (male 48,383/female 69,526) (2011 est.)
Death Rate: 11.25 deaths/1,000 population (July 2012 est.)
Population: 4,366,266 (July 2012 est.)
Life Expectancy: 52.65 years
Religions: 50% Christian, 48% Animist, 2% Muslim
Official Language: French
Education rate: 83.3%
Subtopic
Politcal
National Symbols: Lion, Elephant
National Flag colors: Yellow, Green, Red
National Anthem: "La Congolaise"
Political Parties: Action Movement for Renewal or MAR; Congolese Labour Party or PCT; Congolese Movement for Democracy and Integral Development or MCDDI [Michel MAMPOUYA]; Movement for Solidarity and Development or MSD; Pan-African Union for Social Development or UPADS [Martin MBERI]; Rally for Democracy and the Republic or RDR [Raymond Damasge NGOLLO]; Rally for Democracy and Social Progress or RDPS [Jean-Pierre Thystere TCHICAYA, president]; Rally of the Presidential Majority or RMP; Union for Democracy and Republic or UDR; United Democratic Forces or FDU [Sebastian EBAO]; many smaller parties
Judicial Branch: Supreme Court or Court Supreme
Legislative Branch: bicameral Parliament consists of the Senate (72 seats; members elected by indirect vote to serve five-year terms) and the National Assembly (137 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms)
Executive Branch:Chief of state, and Head of State, President: President Denis Sassou-Nguesso has been President since 25 October 1997, following the civil war in which he toppled elected president Pascal Lissouba;the president is both the chief of state and head of government
