style="font-size:15px;"> French (official), Lingala and Monokutuba (lingua franca tradelanguages), many local languages and dialects (of which Kikongo is
the most widespread)
Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 83.8%
male: 89.6%
female: 78.4% (2003 est.)
Government Congo, Republic of the
Country name:
conventional long form: Republic of the Congo
conventional short form: Congo (Brazzaville)
local long form: Republique du Congo
local short form: none
former: Middle Congo, Congo/Brazzaville, Congo
Government type:
republic
Capital:
Brazzaville
Administrative divisions:
10 regions (regions, singular - region) and 1 commune*; Bouenza,
Brazzaville*, Cuvette, Cuvette-Ouest, Kouilou, Lekoumou, Likouala,
Niari, Plateaux, Pool, Sangha
Independence:
15 August 1960 (from France)
National holiday:
Independence Day, 15 August (1960)
Constitution:
approved by referendum 20 January 2002
Legal system:
based on French civil law system and customary law
Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal
Executive branch:
chief of state: President Denis SASSOU-NGUESSO (since 25 October
1997, following the civil war in which he toppled elected president
Pascal LISSOUBA); note - the president is both the chief of state
and head of government
head of government: President Denis SASSOU-NGUESSO (since 25 October
1997, following the civil war in which he toppled elected president
Pascal LISSOUBA); note - the president is both the chief of state
and head of government
cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president
elections: president elected by popular vote for a seven-year term
(eligible for a second seven-year term); election last held 10 March
2002 (next to be held NA 2009)
election results: Denis SASSOU-NGUESSO reelected president; percent
of vote - Denis SASSOU-NGUESSO 89.4%, Joseph Kignoumbi Kia MBOUNGOU
2.7%
Legislative branch:
bicameral Parliament consists of the Senate (66 seats; members are
elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms) and the National
Assembly (137 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve
five-year terms)
elections: Senate - last held 11 July 2002 (next to be held July
2007); National Assembly - last held 27 May and 26 June 2002 (next
to be held by NA May 2007)
election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by
party - FDP 56, other 10; National Assembly - percent of vote by
party - NA%; seats by party - FDP 83, UDR 6, UPADS 3, other 45
Judicial branch:
Supreme Court or Cour Supreme
Political parties and leaders:
the most important of the many parties are the Democratic and
Patriotic Forces or FDP (an alliance of Convention for Alternative
Democracy, Congolese Labor Party or PCT, Liberal Republican Party,
National Union for Democracy and Progress, Patriotic Union for the
National Reconstruction, and Union for the National Renewal) [Denis
SASSOU-NGUESSO, president]; Congolese Movement for Democracy and
Integral Development or MCDDI [Michel MAMPOUYA]; Pan-African Union
for Social Development or UPADS [Martin MBERI]; Rally for Democracy
and Social Progress or RDPS [Jean-Pierre Thystere TCHICAYA,
president]; Rally for Democracy and the Republic or RDR [Raymond
Damasge NGOLLO]; Union for Democracy and Republic or UDR [leader
NA]; Union of Democratic Forces or UFD [Sebastian EBAO]
Political pressure groups and leaders:
Congolese Trade Union Congress or CSC; General Union of Congolese
Pupils and Students or UGEEC; Revolutionary Union of Congolese Women
or URFC; Union of Congolese Socialist Youth or UJSC
International organization participation:
ACCT, ACP, AfDB, AU, BDEAC, CEMAC, FAO, FZ, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt,
ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC,
IOM, ITU, MIGA, NAM, OPCW (signatory), UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO,
UNOCI, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO
Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Serge MOMBOULI
chancery: 4891 Colorado Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20011
telephone: [1] (202) 726–5500
