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Central Africa. Almost one-quarter the size of the United States, with a coastline of only 37 kilometers. Tropical. Capital: Kinshasa
Formerly called Zaire and under the dictatorship of Joseph Mobutu. In 1997 Mobutu was overthrown by a rebellion led by Laurent Kabila, who was assassinated in 2001 and replaced as head of state by his son, Joseph Kabila.
Figures unless otherwise stated are from the CIA Factbook.
Estimated per capita GDP:
2007 $300 (Ranks 230th)
GDP annual growth rate estimated for 2007: 7.0 percent. (Ranks 41st)
Exports: diamonds, copper, crude oil, coffee, cobalt.
Military expenditures as a percentage of GDP: 2.5 (estimated for 2006).
Factbook: "Economic stability, aided by international donors, improved in 2003-04. New mining contracts have been approved, which - combined with high mineral and metal prices - could further bolster Kinshasa's fiscal position and GDP growth."
Deaths: 11.88 up from 10.34 in 2007. Births: 43.0 down from 44.38 in 2005.
Estimate for July 2008: 66.51, up from 60.09 million in 2005. Growth rate estimated for 2008: 3.236 percent per year.
More arriving than leaving, for a net gain of 1.24 persons per 1,000 population.
Average life expectancy estimated for 2008: 53.98, up from 49.35 in 2005
Living with HIV/AIDS, ages 15 to 49: 4.2 percent (2003)
Males 76.2 percent
Females 55.1 percent
Roman Catholic 50 percent, Protestant 20 percent, Muslim 10 percent, other 20 percent.
SOURCES:
http://www.cia.gov/cia/publications/factbook/
Copyright © 2008 by Frank E. Smitha. All rights reserved.