Language
The official language is French and the main local languages are Lingala, Swahili, Kikongo and Shiluba.
Source: New Internationalist World Guide

Population

2009	66.0 million	U.N. Department of Economic and Social Affairs (DESA) Population Division (2009)
2007	60.2 million	U.N. Department of Economic and Social Affairs (DESA) Population Division (2006)
2006	59.6 million	U.N. DESA (2006)
2005	58.7 million	U.N. DESA (2006)
2004	56.9 million	U.N. DESA (2006)
2003	55.2 million	U.N. DESA (2006)
2002	53.5 million	U.N. DESA (2006)
2001	52.0 million	U.N. DESA (2006)
2000	50.7 million	U.N. DESA (2006)

Future population estimates
147.5 million (2050)
Source: U.N. DESA (2009)

Ethnic groups
There are more than 200 ethnic groups, including the Luba (18 percent), the Mongo (14 percent) and the Azande (6 percent).
Source: NI World Guide

Religion
Roman Catholic 41 to 50 percent, Protestant 32 percent, Muslim 1 to 10 percent. Traditional African religions and syncretism are widespread.
Source: NI World Guide

Percentage urban population

2007	33.3 percent	U.N. DESA - World Urbanisation Prospects 2005
2006	32.7 percent	U.N. DESA (2005)
2005	32.1 percent	U.N. DESA (2005)
2004	31.6 percent	U.N. DESA (2005)
2003	31.1 percent	U.N. DESA (2005)
2002	30.6 percent	U.N. DESA (2005)
2001	30.2 percent	U.N. DESA (2005)
2000	29.8 percent	U.N. DESA (2005)

Year women granted right to vote
1967
Source: U.N. Development Programme (UNDP) Human Development Report
Where two figures are shown, the first refers to a partial recognition of the right to vote and the second to the year women received the right to vote on a universal and equal basis.

Net percentage of girls enrolled in primary education
No data available

Percentage of population under 15

2005	47.2 percent	UNDP - Human Development Report 2007/2008
2004	47.2 percent	UNDP - Human Development Report 2006
2003	47.1 percent	UNDP - Human Development Report 2005
2002	46.8 percent	UNDP - Human Development Report 2004
2001	46.8 percent	UNDP - Human Development Report 2003
2000	48.8 percent	UNDP - Human Development Report 2002

Time zone
Kinshasa, Mbandaka GMT +1; Kasai, Kivu, Haut-Zaire, Shaba GMT +2

Climate description
The territory varies from tropical rain forests to plateaux, savannahs, dense grasslands and mountains.

Currency
Congolese franc

Telephone dialling code
(+) 243

Driving (left/right)
Right

Average life expectancy

2005	45.8 years	UNDP - Human Development Report 2007/2008
2004	43.5 years	UNDP - Human Development Report 2006
2003	43.1 years	UNDP - Human Development Report 2005
2002	41.8 years	UNDP - Human Development Report 2004
2001	40.6 years	UNDP - Human Development Report 2003
2000	51.3 years	UNDP - Human Development Report 2002

Life expectancy - male

2005	44.4 years	UNDP - Human Development Report 2007/2008
2004	42.5 years	UNDP - Human Development Report 2006
2003	42.1 years	UNDP - Human Development Report 2005
2002	40.4 years	UNDP - Human Development Report 2004
2001	39.6 years	UNDP - Human Development Report 2003
2000	50.1 years	UNDP - Human Development Report 2002

Life expectancy - female

2005	47.1 years	UNDP - Human Development Report 2007/2008
2004	44.5 years	UNDP - Human Development Report 2006
2003	44.1 years	UNDP - Human Development Report 2005
2002	42.4 years	UNDP - Human Development Report 2004
2001	41.7 years	UNDP - Human Development Report 2003
2000	52.6 years	UNDP - Human Development Report 2002

Infant mortality

2007	108 per 1,000 live births	U.N. Children's Fund (UNICEF) - State of the World's Children 2009
2006	129 per 1,000 live births	UNICEF - State of the World's Children 2008
2005	129 per 1,000 live births	U.N. Children's Fund (UNICEF) - State of the World's Children 2007
2004	129 per 1,000 live births	UNICEF - State of the World's Children 2006
2003	129 per 1,000 live births	UNDP - Human Development Report 2005
2002	129 per 1,000 live births	UNDP - Human Development Report 2004
2001	129 per 1,000 live births	UNDP - Human Development Report 2003
2000	128 per 1,000 live births	UNDP - Human Development Report 2002

Child mortality - deaths before the age of five

2007	161 per 1,000 live births	U.N. Children's Fund (UNICEF) - State of the World's Children 2009
2006	205 per 1,000 live births	UNICEF - State of the World's Children 2008
2005	205 per 1,000 live births	UNICEF - State of the World's Children 2007
2004	205 per 1,000 live births	UNICEF - State of the World's Children 2006
2003	205 per 1,000 live births	UNDP - Human Development Report 2005
2002	205 per 1,000 live births	UNDP - Human Development Report 2004
2001	205 per 1,000 live births	UNDP - Human Development Report 2003
2000	207 per 1,000 live births	UNDP - Human Development Report 2002

Births attended by skilled personnel

1997-2005	61 percent	UNDP - Human Development Report 2007/2008
1996-2004	61 percent	UNDP - Human Development Report 2006
1995-2003	61 percent	UNDP - Human Development Report 2005
1995-2002	61 percent	UNDP - Human Development Report 2004
1995-2001	61 percent	UNDP - Human Development Report 2003
1995-2000	70 percent	UNDP - Human Development Report 2002

Maternal mortality

2005	1100 per 100,000 live births	UNDP - Human Development Report 2007/2008
2000	990 per 100,000 live births	UNDP - Human Development Report 2006

Human development index (HDI rank)

2005	168	UNDP - Human Development Report 2007/2008
2004	167	UNDP - Human Development Report 2006
2003	167	UNDP - Human Development Report 2005
2002	168	UNDP - Human Development Report 2004
2001	167	UNDP - Human Development Report 2003
2000	155	UNDP - Human Development Report 2002

Percentage of children under weight for age (under age 5)

2000-2007	31 percent	U.N. Children's Fund (UNICEF) - State of the World's Children 2009
2000-2006	31 percent	UNICEF - State of the World's Children 2008
1996-2005	31 percent	UNICEF - State of the World's Children 2007
1996-2004	31 percent	UNICEF - State of the World's Children 2006
1995-2003	31 percent	UNDP - Human Development Report 2005
1995-2002	31 percent	UNDP - Human Development Report 2004
1995-2001	31 percent	UNDP - Human Development Report 2003
1995-2000	34 percent	UNDP - Human Development Report 2002

Percentage of undernourished population

2003-2005	76 percent	U.N. Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) 2008
2002-2004average	74 percent	U.N. Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) 2006
2001-2003average	72 percent	FAO 2006

Food intake falls below the minimum requirement.

Population with access to improved water

2006	46 percent	UNICEF and WHO 2008
2004	46 percent	UNICEF and World Health Organisation (WHO) 2006
2002	46 percent	UNDP - Human Development Report 2005
2000	45 percent	UNDP - Human Development Report 2004

Population with access to improved sanitation

2006	31 percent	UNICEF and WHO 2008
2004	30 percent	UNICEF and WHO 2006
2002	29 percent	UNDP - Human Development Report 2005
2000	21 percent	UNDP - Human Development Report 2004

Literacy - average

2004	67.2 percent	UNDP - Human Development Report 2006
2003	65.3 percent	UNDP - Human Development Report 2005
2002	62.7 percent	UNDP - Human Development Report 2004
2001	62.7 percent	UNDP - Human Development Report 2003
2000	61.4 percent	UNDP - Human Development Report 2002

Literacy - male

2004	80.9 percent	UNDP - Human Development Report 2006
2003	79.8 percent	UNDP - Human Development Report 2005
2002	74.2 percent	UNDP - Human Development Report 2004
2001	74.2 percent	UNDP - Human Development Report 2003
2000	73.1 percent	UNDP - Human Development Report 2002

Literacy - female

2004	54.1 percent	UNDP - Human Development Report 2006
2003	51.9 percent	UNDP - Human Development Report 2005
2002	51.8 percent	UNDP - Human Development Report 2004
2001	51.8 percent	UNDP - Human Development Report 2003
2000	50.2 percent	UNDP - Human Development Report 2002

Landlines telephones

2007	0.2 per 1,000 people	International Telecommunication Union (ITU) 2008
2006	0.2 per 1,000 people	ITU 2008
2005	0.2 per 1,000 people	ITU 2008
2004	0.2 per 1,000 people	ITU 2008
2003	0.2 per 1,000 people	ITU 2008
2002	0.2 per 1,000 people	ITU 2008
2001	0.2 per 1,000 people	ITU 2008
2000	0.2 per 1,000 people	ITU 2008

Cellular telephone subscribers

2007	105 per 1,000 people	ITU 2008
2006	74 per 1,000 people	ITU 2008
2005	48 per 1,000 people	ITU 2008
2004	36 per 1,000 people	ITU 2008
2003	23 per 1,000 people	ITU 2008
2002	11 per 1,000 people	ITU 2008
2001	3 per 1,000 people	ITU 2008
2000	0.3 per 1,000 people	ITU 2008

Internet users

2007	4 per 1,000 people	ITU 2008
2006	3 per 1,000 people	ITU 2008
2005	2 per 1,000 people	ITU 2008
2004	2 per 1,000 people	ITU 2009
2003	1 per 1,000 people	ITU 2009
2002	0.9 per 1,000 people	ITU 2009
2001	0.1 per 1,000 people	ITU 2009
2000	0.1 per 1,000 people	ITU 2009

Transparency International corruption ranking (Scale: 1 = least corrupt, >175 = most corrupt)

2008	171 (joint)	Transparency International 2008
2007	168 (joint)	Transparency International 2007
2006	156 (joint)	Transparency International
2005	144 (joint)	Transparency International
2004	133 (joint)	Transparency International
2003	Not ranked
2002	Not ranked
2001	Not ranked
2000	Not ranked

Signatory of International Convention on the Prevention and Punishment for the crime of Genocide
Yes (1948)
Source: UNDP - Human Development Report

Signatory of the Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment
Yes (1984)
Source: UNDP - Human Development Report

Signatory of the Convention on the Rights of the Child
Yes (1989)
Source: UNDP - Human Development Report

Percentage of population living on less than US$1 a day
No data available percent

GNI per capita, Atlas method

2007	140 current US$	World Bank Data Profile Tables 2009
2006	130 current US$	World Bank Data Profile Tables 2009
2005	120 current US$	World Bank Data Profile Tables 2009
2004	110 current US$	World Bank Data Profile Tables 2009
2003	100 current US$	World Bank Data Profile Tables 2009
2002	90 current US$	World Bank Data Profile Tables 2009
2001	80 current US$	World Bank Data Profile Tables 2009
2000	80 current US$	World Bank Data Profile Tables 2009

The purpose of the Atlas conversion factor is to reduce the impact of exchange rate fluctuations in a cross-country comparison of national incomes. The Atlas conversion factor for any year is the average of a country's exchange rate (or alternative conversion factor) for that year and its exchange rates for the two preceding years.

GDP

2007	9.0 current US$ billions	World Bank Data Profile Tables 2009
2006	8.5 current US$ billions	World Bank Data Profile Tables 2009
2005	7.1 current US$ billions	World Bank Data Profile Tables 2009
2004	6.6 current US$ billions	World Bank Data Profile Tables 2009
2003	5.7 current US$ billions	World Bank Data Profile Tables 2009
2002	5.5 current US$ billions	World Bank Data Profile Tables 2009
2001	4.7 current US$ billions	World Bank Data Profile Tables 2009
2000	4.3 current US$ billions	World Bank Data Profile Tables 2009

Annual GDP growth

2006	5.1 percent	World Bank Data Profile Tables 2008
2005	6.5 percent	World Bank Data Profile Tables 2008
2004	6.6 percent	World Bank Data Profile Tables 2008
2003	5.8 percent	World Bank Data Profile Tables 2008
2002	3.5 percent	World Bank Data Profile Tables 2008
2001	-2.1 percent	World Bank Data Profile Tables 2008
2000	-6.9 percent	World Bank Data Profile Tables 2008

Annual inflation

2007	17.0 percent	World Bank Data Profile Tables 2009
2006	13.1 percent	World Bank Data Profile Tables 2009
2005	21.6 percent	World Bank Data Profile Tables 2009
2004	6.1 percent	World Bank Data Profile Tables 2009
2003	13.0 percent	World Bank Data Profile Tables 2009
2002	32.0 percent	World Bank Data Profile Tables 2009
2001	383.9 percent	World Bank Data Profile Tables 2009
2000	515.8 percent	World Bank Data Profile Tables 2009

Share of income or consumption (poorest 10 percent)
No data available

Share of income or consumption (richest 10 percent)
No data available

Physicians

2000-2004	11 per 100,000 people	UNDP - Human Development Report 2007/2008
1990-2004	11 per 100,000 people	UNDP - Human Development Report 2006
1990-2003	7 per 100,000 people	UNDP - Human Development Report 2004
1990-2002	7 per 100,000 people	UNDP - Human Development Report 2003

Percentage HIV+ (adults aged 15-49)

2007	No data available percent
2006	No data available percent
2005	No data available percent
2004	No data available percent
2003	No data available percent

Malaria
Risk from P.falciparum throughout the year in the whole country. Resistance to chloroquine and sulfadoxine-pyrimethamine reported.
Source: WHO

TB cases

2007	392 per 100,000 people	WHO 2009
2006	402 per 100,000 people	WHO 2009
2005	413 per 100,000 people	WHO 2009
2004	417 per 100,000 people	WHO 2009
2003	413 per 100,000 people	WHO 2009
2002	396 per 100,000 people	WHO 2009
2001	371 per 100,000 people	WHO 2009
2000	343 per 100,000 people	WHO 2009

Number of refugees originating here

2008	367995	UNHCR
2007	370374	UNHCR
2006	401914	Office of the U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR)
2005	430625	UNHCR
2004	462203	UNHCR
2003	453465	UNHCR
2002	421362	UNHCR
2001	392146	UNHCR
2000	371713	UNHCR

Number of refugees residing here

2008	155162	UNHCR
2007	177390	UNHCR
2006	208371	UNHCR
2005	204341	UNHCR
2004	199323	UNHCR
2003	234033	UNHCR
2002	332978	UNHCR
2001	362012	UNHCR
2000	332509	UNHCR

Number of internally displaced people\Estimate

2009	2000000	Internal Displacement Monitoring Centre (IDMC) 2009
2008	1250000	IDMC 2008
2007	1400000	IDMC 2008
2006	1100000	IDMC 2006
2005	1664000	IDMC 2006

Landmine casualties per year

2007	28	Landmine Monitor Report 2008
2006	31	Landmine Monitor Report 2008
2004	50	Landmine Monitor Report 2005
2003	233	Landmine Monitor Report 2004

Casualty figures may include both civilians and military personnel injured or killed by landmines and unexploded ordnance.
Signatory to landmine convention?
Yes (2002 )
Source: Landmine Monitor Report

Percentage of GDP spent on military

2005	2.4 percent	UNDP - Human Development Report 2007/2008
2004	3 percent	UNDP - Human Development Report 2006
2003	No data available percent

Percentage of GDP spent on education
No data available percent

Percentage of GDP spent on health

2004	1.1 percent	UNDP - Human Development Report 2007/2008
2003-2004	0.7 percent	UNDP - Human Development Report 2006
2002	1.1 percent	UNDP - Human Development Report 2005
2001	1.5 percent	UNDP - Human Development Report 2004
2000	1.1 percent	UNDP - Human Development Report 2003