Republic of the Congo

B

Principal Cities

The Congo’s most important cities are Brazzaville, the capital and major industrial center; and Pointe-Noire, the chief seaport.

C

Education

Schooling is free and compulsory in the Congo for children of ages 6 to 15. In the 2000 school year primary school enrollment was 500,921 pupils, and 197,184 students attended secondary schools, including technical and teacher-training schools. The country’s only university, Université Marien-Ngouabi (1961), is in Brazzaville. It has a yearly enrollment of about 12,000 students. The estimated literacy rate in 2005 was 86 percent, one of the highest in Africa.

IV

Economy

The Congolese economy is based primarily on subsistence agriculture and the exploitation of natural resources. Commercial activities are also important, primarily because the country provides key port and transport facilities for the Central African Republic, Chad, and Gabon. In 2003 the estimated national budget included $1,103 million in revenues and $708 million in expenditures.

A

Agriculture

Cassava, pineapples, plantains, bananas, peanuts, maize, and avocados are the principal subsistence crops raised in the Congo. The main cash crops are sugarcane, palm kernels, cacao, and coffee. The most successful commercial agricultural operations are in the fertile Niari Valley.

---

---

B

Forestry and Mining

Forest products account for a substantial share of the Congo’s exports. Petroleum is produced from offshore oil fields, and crude oil typically accounts for about three-quarters of the country’s yearly exports. The output of crude petroleum in 2002 was 88 million barrels and is expected to increase as a new offshore field is developed. In addition, natural gas, lead, copper, and gold are mined.

	More from Encarta
	•  Presidential Myths Quiz •  Coffee break: Recharge your brain