ZAIRE
GEOGRAPHY
Total area: 2,345,410 km2; land area: 2,267,600 km2
Comparative area: slightly more than one-quarter the size of US
Land boundaries: 10,271 km total; Angola 2,511 km, Burundi 233 km,
Central African Republic 1,577 km, Congo 2,410 km, Rwanda 217 km, Sudan
628 km, Uganda 765 km, Zambia 1,930 km
Coastline: 37 km
Maritime claims:
Territorial sea: 12 nm
Disputes: Tanzania-Zaire-Zambia tripoint in Lake Tanganyika may no
longer be indefinite since it is reported that the indefinite section of
the Zaire-Zambia boundary has been settled; long section with Congo along
the Congo River is indefinite (no division of the river or its islands
has been made)
Climate: tropical; hot and humid in equatorial river basin; cooler
and drier in southern highlands; cooler and wetter in eastern highlands;
north of Equator--wet season April to October, dry season December to
February; south of Equator--wet season November to March, dry season
April to October
Terrain: vast central basin is a low-lying plateau; mountains in
east
Land use: arable land 3%; permanent crops NEGL%; meadows and
pastures 4%; forest and woodland 78%; other 15%; includes irrigated
NEGL%
Environment: dense tropical rainforest in central river basin and
eastern highlands; periodic droughts in south
Note: straddles Equator; very narrow strip of land is only outlet
to South Atlantic Ocean
PEOPLE
Population: 37,832,407 (July 1991), growth rate 3.3% (1991)
Birth rate: 46 births/1,000 population (1991)
Death rate: 13 deaths/1,000 population (1991)
Net migration rate: 0 migrants/1,000 population (1991)
Infant mortality rate: 99 deaths/1,000 live births (1991)
Life expectancy at birth: 52 years male, 56 years female (1991)
Total fertility rate: 6.2 children born/woman (1991)
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
Religion: Roman Catholic 50%, Protestant 20%, Kimbanguist 10%,
Muslim 10%, other syncretic sects and traditional beliefs 10%
Language: French (official), Lingala, Swahili, Kingwana, Kikongo,
Tshiluba
Literacy: 72% (male 84%, female 61%) age 15 and over can
read and write (1990 est.)
Labor force: 15,000,000; agriculture 75%, industry 13%, services
12%; wage earners 13% (1981); population of working age 51% (1985)
Organized labor: National Union of Zairian Workers (UNTZA) was
the only officially recognized trade union until April 1990; other unions
are now in process of seeking official recognition
Independence: 30 June 1960 (from Belgium; formerly Belgian Congo,
then Congo/Leopoldville, then Congo/Kinshasa)
Constitution: 24 June 1967, amended August 1974, revised 15
February 1978; amended 1990; new constitution to be promulgated in
1991
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)
Executive branch: president, prime minister, Executive Council
(cabinet)
Legislative branch: unicameral Legislative Council (Conseil
Legislatif)
Judicial branch: Supreme Court (Cour Supreme)
Leaders:
Chief of State--President Marshal MOBUTU Sese Seko Kuku Ngbendu wa
Za Banga (since 24 November 1965);
Head of Government--Prime Minister Bernadin MUNGUL DIAKA
(since 23 October 1991)
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),
Union of Federalists and Independent Republicans (UFERI);
and Congolese National Movement-Lumumba (MNC-L)
Suffrage: universal and compulsory at age 18
Elections:
President--last held 29 July 1984 (next to be held before
December 1991);
results--President MOBUTU was reelected without opposition;
Legislative Council--last held 6 September 1987
(next to be held in 1991, probably on a multiparty basis);
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
Diplomatic representation: Ambassador TATANENE Manata;
Chancery at 1800 New Hampshire Avenue NW, Washington DC 20009;
telephone (202) 234-7690 or 7691;
US--Ambassador Melissa F. WELLS; Embassy at 310 Avenue des
Aviateurs, Kinshasa (mailing address is APO New York 09662); telephone
243 (12) 21532; there is a US Consulate General in Lubumbashi
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
ECONOMY
Overview: In 1990, in spite of large mineral resources and one
of the most developed and diversified economies in Sub-Saharan Africa,
Zaire had a GDP per capita of only about $200, one of the lowest on the
continent. The country's chronic economic problems worsened in 1990,
with copper production down 20% to a 20-year low, inflation near
250% compared with 100% in 1987-89, and IMF and most World Bank support
suspended until the institution of agreed-on changes. Agriculture, a key
sector of the economy, employs 75% of the population but generates
under 25% of GDP. The main potential for economic development has been
the extractive industries. Mining and mineral processing account for
about one-third of GDP and two-thirds of total export earnings.
Zaire is the world's largest producer of diamonds.
GDP: $6.6 billion, per capita $180; real growth rate - 2% (1990
est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices): 242% (1990)
Unemployment rate: NA%
Budget: revenues $685 million; expenditures $1.1 billion, does
not include capital expenditures mostly financed by donors (1990)
Exports: $2.2 billion (f.o.b., 1989 est.);
commodities--copper 37%, coffee 24%, diamonds 12%, cobalt, crude
oil;
partners--US, Belgium, France, FRG, Italy, UK, Japan, South Africa
Imports: $2.1 billion (f.o.b., 1989 est.);
commodities--consumer goods, foodstuffs, mining and other
machinery, transport equipment, fuels;
partners--South Africa, US, Belgium, France, FRG, Italy, Japan, UK
External debt: $7.9 billion (December 1990 est.)
Industrial production: growth rate - 3.1%; accounts for 30%
of GDP (1988)
Electricity: 2,575,000 kW capacity; 5,550 million kWh produced,
150 kWh per capita (1990)
Industries: mining, mineral processing, consumer products
(including textiles, footwear, and cigarettes), processed foods and
beverages, cement, diamonds
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
(1970-88), $6.4 billion; OPEC bilateral aid (1979-89), $35 million;
Communist countries (1970-89), $263 million
COMMUNICATIONS
Railroads: 5,254 km total; 3,968 km 1.067-meter gauge (851 km
electrified); 125 km 1.000-meter gauge; 136 km 0.615-meter gauge;
1,025 km 0.600-meter gauge
Highways: 146,500 km total; 2,550 km bituminous, 46,450 km gravel
and improved earth; remainder unimproved earth
Inland waterways: 15,000 km including the Congo, its tributaries,
and unconnected lakes
Pipelines: refined products 390 km
Ports: Matadi, Boma, Banana
Merchant marine: 4 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 41,802
GRT/60,496 DWT; includes 1 passenger cargo, 3 cargo
Civil air: 38 major transport aircraft
Airports: 308 total, 255 usable; 24 with permanent-surface runways;
1 with runways over 3,659 m; 6 with runways 2,440-3,659 m;
71 with runways 1,220-2,439 m
