The Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), a former Belgian colony, has immense economic resources, including significant mineral wealth, but has a history of civil war and corruption that has left its population facing a humanitarian crisis. Recent conflict, which pitted government forces, supported by Angola, Namibia and Zimbabwe, against rebels backed by Uganda and Rwanda, ended in a peace deal and formation of a transitional government in 2003. Provincial assemblies were constituted in early 2007 and governors and national senators have since been elected. The most widely spoken languages in the DRC are French, Lingala, Kiswahili, Kikongo, and Tshiluba.

Leader: President Joseph Kabila
Capital city: Kinshasa

Economic profile

Monetary unit: Congolese franc
GDP per capita: $143,98 (2009) (NationMaster)
GDP composition by sector:
Agriculture: 45,7% (2006) (World Bank)
Industry: 27,7% (2006) (World Bank)
Services: 26,6% (2006) (World Bank)
GDP growth rate: 8% (2008) (CIA)
Budget:
Government revenue, excluding grants: 14,5% of GDP (2007) (IMF)
Government expenditure: 18,6% of GDP (2007) (IMF)
Consumer price inflation: 16,7% (2007) (IMF)
Industries: Mining (diamonds, gold, copper, cobalt, coltan zinc), mineral processing, consumer products (including textiles, footwear, cigarettes, processed foods and beverages), cement, and commercial ship repair.
Exports of goods and services: 45,1% of GDP (2007) (IMF)
Imports of goods and services: 50,7% of GDP (2007) (IMF)
Export commodities: Diamonds, copper, crude oil, coffee, and cobalt
Import commodities: Foodstuffs, mining and other machinery, transport equipment, and fuels
Trade balance: 0,1% of GDP (2007) (IMF)
Reserves: 0,6 months of imports (2007) (IMF)
Total investment: 18,2% of GDP (2007) (IMF)
Market capitalisation of listed companies: Figures not available

Social profile

Population: 68,9-million (2009) (CIA)
Population growth: 3,2% (2009) (CIA)
Life expectancy at birth: 54 years (2009) (CIA)
Adult literacy: 67,2% (2001) (CIA)
School enrolment secondary: 18% (2000) (World Bank)
Number of people living with HIV/Aids: between 400 000 and 500 000 (2007) (UNAids)