The Republic of the Congo is a former French colony. Located in Central Africa it consists of 86 districts. It borders Angola, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Gabon, Cameroon, and the Central African Republic. The most important districts are Brazzaville, Pointe Noire and Cuvette. The Republic of the Congo is the 27th largest country in Africa with a surface area of 342,000 square kilometers. Its climate is generally tropical with high temperatures and humidity. Its terrain is characterized by plateaus, plains, and basins.
The overall population is over 5.2 million people. The capital of the country is Brazzaville, which is also the largest city with more than 2.3 million inhabitants. Other important cities of the nation are Pointe Noire, Dolisie, and Nkayi. The largest airport is Maya Maya International Airport (BZV). It has an approximate yearly passenger traffic of 900,000 people. It connects the country to destinations across Africa and to France.
The Republic of the Congo gained independence from France in 1960. Its culture is dominated by a mix of tribal and French heritage. The main religion of the country is Christianity (88%). The official language of the nation is French. The legal system is based on the French civil and customary law. The government form is a presidential republic. President Denis Sassou-Nguesso is the elected chief of state and the head of government is Prime Minister Clement Mouamba. Elections take place every 5 years.
The official currency of the country is Central African CFA franc (XAF) with the current exchange rate being XAF 600 to the USD. The Congo has an open economy, generating a GDP of approximately $14.4 billion. This makes it the 30th largest economy in Africa. It has a per capita income of $2,945. The GDP-contributing sectors are services, industry, and agriculture. Its output is a mix between agriculture and a large industrial sector based on oil extraction and refinery. The main export products are oil, cement, lumber, cassava, and sugar.
The Republic of the Congo is a developing tourism destination offering limited attractions. It is known for its wildlife and national parks. There is one natural UNESCO World Heritage site. The main tourist activities are primate tracking such as gorillas and animal watching. Some destinations are the Parc National d’Odzala, the Capital Brazzaville, Pointe Noire and the Lac Télé Reserve. The Republic of the Congo welcomes 351,000 tourist visitors a year.
