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The '''Republic of the Congo''' ('''ROC''', French ''République du Congo'', also known as '''Congo-Brazzaville''' or simply '''Congo''') is a sub-saharan [[Africa|African]] country, situated on the [[Gulf of Guinea]].

The '''Republic of the Congo''' ('''ROC''', French ''République du Congo'', also known as '''Congo-Brazzaville''' or simply '''Congo''') is a sub-saharan [[Africa]]n country, situated on the [[Gulf of Guinea]].

==People==

==People==

===Principal Government Officials===  

===Principal Government Officials===  

*President--Denis Sassou-Nguesso

*President—Denis Sassou-Nguesso

*State Minister, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Relations with Francophone Countries--Basile Ikouébé

*State Minister, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Relations with Francophone Countries—Basile Ikouébé

*Minister of Economy, Finance and Budget--Pacifique Issoibeka

*Minister of Economy, Finance and Budget—Pacifique Issoibeka

*Ambassador to the United States--Serge Mombouli

*Ambassador to the United States—Serge Mombouli

*Ambassador to the United Nations--Basile Ikouebe

*Ambassador to the United Nations—Basile Ikouebe

===Foreign Relations===

===Foreign Relations===

The country's abundant northern rain forests are the source of timber. Forestry, which led Congolese exports before the discovery of oil, now generates less than 7% of export earnings. Wood production came to a standstill during the war years but has recommenced, and new concessions were leased in 2001.  

The country's abundant northern rain forests are the source of timber. Forestry, which led Congolese exports before the discovery of oil, now generates less than 7% of export earnings. Wood production came to a standstill during the war years but has recommenced, and new concessions were leased in 2001.  

Earlier in the decade, Congo's major employer was the state bureaucracy, which had 80,000 employees on its payroll--enormous for a country of Congo's size. The World Bank and other international financial institutions pressured Congo to institute sweeping civil service reforms in order to reduce the size of the state bureaucracy and pare back a civil service payroll that amounted to more than 20% of GDP in 1993. The effort to cut back began in 1994 with a 50% devaluation that cut the payroll in half in dollar terms. By the middle of 1994, there was a reduction of nearly 8,000 in civil service employees.  

Earlier in the decade, Congo's major employer was the state bureaucracy, which had 80,000 employees on its payroll—enormous for a country of Congo's size. The World Bank and other international financial institutions pressured Congo to institute sweeping civil service reforms in order to reduce the size of the state bureaucracy and pare back a civil service payroll that amounted to more than 20% of GDP in 1993. The effort to cut back began in 1994 with a 50% devaluation that cut the payroll in half in dollar terms. By the middle of 1994, there was a reduction of nearly 8,000 in civil service employees.  

Between 1994-96, the Congolese economy underwent a difficult transition. The prospects for building the foundation of a healthy economy, however, were better than at any time in the previous 15 years. Congo took a number of measures to liberalize its economy, including reforming the tax, investment, labor, timber, and hydrocarbon codes. In 2002-03 Congo privatized key parastatals, primarily banks, telecommunications, and transportation monopolies, to help improve a dilapidated and unreliable infrastructure.  

Between 1994-96, the Congolese economy underwent a difficult transition. The prospects for building the foundation of a healthy economy, however, were better than at any time in the previous 15 years. Congo took a number of measures to liberalize its economy, including reforming the tax, investment, labor, timber, and hydrocarbon codes. In 2002-03 Congo privatized key parastatals, primarily banks, telecommunications, and transportation monopolies, to help improve a dilapidated and unreliable infrastructure.  

*Per capita income (2003): $700.

*Per capita income (2003): $700.

*Natural resources: Petroleum, wood, potash, lead, zinc, uranium, phosphates, natural gas, hydropower.  

*Natural resources: Petroleum, wood, potash, lead, zinc, uranium, phosphates, natural gas, hydropower.  

*Structure of production (2001): Government and services--40.3%; petroleum sector--38.9%; agriculture and forestry--10.5%; utilities and industry--6.0%; other--4.3%.  

*Structure of production (2001): Government and services—40.3%; petroleum sector—38.9%; agriculture and forestry—10.5%; utilities and industry—6.0%; other—4.3%.  

*Agriculture: Products--manioc, sugar, rice, corn, peanuts, vegetables, coffee, cocoa, forest products. Land--less than 2% cultivated.  

*Agriculture: Products—manioc, sugar, rice, corn, peanuts, vegetables, coffee, cocoa, forest products. Land—less than 2% cultivated.  

*Trade (2006 est.): Exports--$5.996 billion (f.o.b.): petroleum (89% of export earnings), lumber, plywood, sugar, cocoa, coffee, diamonds. Imports--$1.964 billion (f.o.b.): capital equipment, construction materials, foodstuffs.  

*Trade (2006 est.): Exports--$5.996 billion (f.o.b.): petroleum (89% of export earnings), lumber, plywood, sugar, cocoa, coffee, diamonds. Imports--$1.964 billion (f.o.b.): capital equipment, construction materials, foodstuffs.  

==History==

==History==

First inhabited by Pygmies, Congo was later settled by Bantu groups that also occupied parts of present-day Angola, Gabon, and Democratic Republic of the Congo (formerly Zaire), forming the basis for ethnic affinities and rivalries among those states. Several Bantu kingdoms--notably those of the Kongo, the Loango, and the Teke--built trade links leading into the Congo River basin. The first European contacts came in the late 15th century, and commercial relationships were quickly established with the kingdoms--trading for slaves captured in the interior. The coastal area was a major source for the transatlantic slave trade, and when that commerce ended in the early 19th century, the power of the Bantu kingdoms eroded.  

First inhabited by Pygmies, Congo was later settled by Bantu groups that also occupied parts of present-day Angola, Gabon, and Democratic Republic of the Congo (formerly Zaire), forming the basis for ethnic affinities and rivalries among those states. Several Bantu kingdoms—notably those of the Kongo, the Loango, and the Teke—built trade links leading into the Congo River basin. The first European contacts came in the late 15th century, and commercial relationships were quickly established with the kingdoms—trading for slaves captured in the interior. The coastal area was a major source for the transatlantic slave trade, and when that commerce ended in the early 19th century, the power of the Bantu kingdoms eroded.  

The area came under French sovereignty in the 1880s. Pierre Savorgnon de Brazza, a French empire builder, competed with agents of Belgian King Leopold's International Congo Association (later Zaire) for control of the Congo River basin. Between 1882 and 1891, treaties were secured with all the main local rulers on the river's right bank, placing their lands under French protection. In 1908, France organized French Equatorial Africa (AEF), comprising its colonies of Middle Congo (modern Congo), Gabon, Chad, and Oubangui-Chari (modern Central African Republic). Brazzaville was selected as the federal capital.  

The area came under French sovereignty in the 1880s. Pierre Savorgnon de Brazza, a French empire builder, competed with agents of Belgian King Leopold's International Congo Association (later Zaire) for control of the Congo River basin. Between 1882 and 1891, treaties were secured with all the main local rulers on the river's right bank, placing their lands under French protection. In 1908, France organized French Equatorial Africa (AEF), comprising its colonies of Middle Congo (modern Congo), Gabon, Chad, and Oubangui-Chari (modern Central African Republic). Brazzaville was selected as the federal capital.