Country Guide • Congo ( Republic of the)

Flag of Congo

The Congo is situated in west-central Africa along side the equator. It borders Gabon, Cameroon, the Central African Republic, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and the Angola exclave of Cabinda, with a short stretch of coast on the South Atlantic. Most of the inland is tropical rain forest.

Official NameRepublic of Congo
Area342,000km² (132,046mile²)
Population2,954,000
ContinentAfrica
Population per mile²22
Capital CityBrazzaville
Religions54% Roman Catholic, 25% Protestant, 14% African Christian, 5% follow local native tribal beliefs and the remainder are Muslims
LanguageFrench - official language, used for trade and official purposes. Each ethnic group has its own tribal language of which Kikongo has the most users
GovernmentRepublic
CurrencyCfa Franc (Communaute Financiere Africaine-Cfaf)
GDP$2.5 billion
GDP per Head$900
Natural ResourcesCopper, natural gas, petroleum, lead, timber, potash, zinc, uranium and phosphates
Land UseArable Land 1%
AgricultureCassava (tapioca), sugar, rice, corn, peanuts, vegetables, coffee, cocoa and timber
IndustryPetroleum extraction, lumber and other wood products, brewing, sugar, palm oil and soap
TourismThe British Foreign and Commonwealth office state the following:- 'We advise against all holiday and other non-essential travel to the Republic of the Congo outside the main cities of Brazzaville and Pointe-Noire. For essential travel in the Republic of Congo, all visitors should take sensible precautions and maintain a high level of vigilance in public places'
Natural Hazards 
Health RisksEbola, water-borne diseases, malaria, HIV/AIDS
ClimateThe Congo has a tropical climate characterised by high temperatures with humidity around 80% and little variation throughout the year. The wet season is between April and late October while the dry season is from November to March. Violent winds are common in the wet season. Average annual rainfall varies from 49 to 69 inches while it is heaviest in the north and decreases towards the Atlantic Coast in the south. Average temperature ranges in Brazzavile are from 17 to 28°C in July to 23 to 33°C in April
TimeGMT/UTC+1 hour
National DaysAugust 15
VisasVisas are required to visit the Republic of Congo. Advice on visas, can be obtained from the Honorary Consulate of the Republic of Congo.You will be asked to produce a yellow fever vaccination certificate on arrival in the country
British EmbassyEmbassy Details

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