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 Natural resources: cobalt, copper, cadmium, crude oil, industrial and gem diamonds, gold, silver, zinc, manganese, tin, germanium, uranium, radium, bauxite, iron ore, coal, hydropower potential 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 GOVERNMENT Long-form name: Republic of Zaire Type: republic with a strong presidential system Capital: Kinshasa Administrative divisions: 10 regions (regions, singular--region) and 1 town* (ville); Bandundu, Bas-Zaire, Equateur, Haut-Zaire, Kasai-Occidental, Kasai-Oriental, Kinshasa*, Maniema, Nord-Kivu, Shaba, Sud-Kivu 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 Communists: no Communist party Member of: ACCT, ACP, AfDB, APC, CCC, CEEAC, CEPGL, CIPEC, ECA, FAO, G-19, G-24, G-77, GATT, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, IDA, IFAD, IFC, ILO, IMF, IMO, INTELSAT, INTERPOL, IOC, ITU, LORCS, NAM, OAU, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO 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 Agriculture: cash crops--coffee, palm oil, rubber, quinine; food crops--cassava, bananas, root crops, corn 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 Currency: zaire (plural--zaire); 1 zaire (Z) = 100 makuta Exchange rates: zaire (Z) per US$1--2,113.55 (January 1991), 718.58 (1990), 381.445 (1989), 187.070 (1988), 112.403 (1987), 59.625 (1986), 49.873 (1985) Fiscal year: calendar year 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 Telecommunications: barely adequate wire and radio relay service; 31,200 telephones; stations--10 AM, 4 FM, 18 TV; satellite earth stations--1 Atlantic Ocean INTELSAT, 14 domestic DEFENSE FORCES Branches: Army, Navy, Air Force, paramilitary National Gendarmerie, paramilitary Civil Guard Manpower availability: males 15-49, 8,240,412; 4,192,991 fit for military service Defense expenditures: $49 million, 0.8% of GDP (1988)