FACT FILE

President Joseph Kabila
Head of State - President Joseph Kabila
Land Area - 2,345,095 sq. km
Population - 61.532 million (2006 estimate)
Urbanisation - 60%
Capital City - Kinshasa: 7,786,000 (2005 estimate)
Main Towns - Lubumbashi: 1,374,000 (2005); Mbuji-Mayi: 875,000 (2005); Kisangani: 539,000 (2005)
National Day - 30 June (1960)
Climate - Tropical (humid and dry); Kinshasa: Summer: 22-33oC, Winter: 18-27oC
Languages - French and various local languages
Measures - Metric System
Electric Current - 220 volts AC50Hz
Time - GMT + 1 to + 2 Hours
Business Hours - Monday to Friday: 8.00am - 4.00pm
Saturday: 8.00am - 12.00pm
Public Holidays 2008
1 January (New Year’s Day)
4 January (
Independence Martyrs Day)
17 January (Assassination of Patrice Ememy Lumumba [Lumumba Death])
18 January (Assassination of Laurent Désiré Kabila)
1 May (Workers' Day)
17 May (National Liberation Day)
30 June (Independence Day)
1 August (Parent’s Day)
25 December (Christmas Day)

 

Economic Indicators
Currency Congo Franc (CF)
Exchange Rate CF468.3 = US$1 (2006)
GDP (at current prices) US$8.543 billion (2006)
GDP per Capita US$139 (2006)
Real GDP Growth Rate 6.4% (2006)
Exports fob US$2.350 billion (2006)
Imports fob US$2.780 billion (2006)
Principal Exports Diamonds, Coffee, Copper, Cobalt, Crude Oil
Principal Imports Consumer and Capital Goods, Raw Materials
Main Export Destinations Belgium, USA, China, France, Finland
Main Import Origins RSA, Belgium, France, Zambia, Kenya
Literacy 75% (2001)
Natural Resources Gold, Diamonds, Base Metals, Coal, Oil and Gas, Wildlife, Water, Uranium, Coffee, Sugar, Rubber, Cotton, Fish, Wood, Banana, Cocoa, Tobacco, Electric Energy, Copper
Source: SADC Secretariat.

 


SADC Review 11th Anniversary: 1997-2008
www.sadcreview.com © 1997-2008 Southern African Marketing Co. (Pty) Ltd & SADC Secretariat.
Site last updated on 17 August 2007.