III.

Population

The population of the Congo comprises four major ethnic groups divided into about 75 smaller groups. The Kongo, the major ethnic group, accounting for about one-half of the total population, occupy the section southwest of Brazzaville. The M’Bochi live in the area where the savanna and forest meet in the northern region; the Sangha also inhabit the northern forest zone; and the Teke live in the central region. About 12,000 pygmies also live in the country.

A.

Population Characteristics

The population of the Congo (2007 estimate) is 3,800,610, giving the country an overall population density of 11 persons per sq km (29 per sq mi). About 79 percent of the population are Christians, primarily members of the Roman Catholic Church. Although French is the official language of the Congo, most people speak an African language.

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.