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Republic of the Congo

Republic of the Congo
République du Congo  (French)
Flag of the Republic of the Congo
Coat of arms of the Republic of the Congo
Flag Coat of arms
Motto: "Unité, Travail, Progrès" (French)
"Unity, Work, Progress"
Anthem: La Congolaise  (French)
The Congolese
Location of  Republic of the Congo  (dark blue)– in Africa  (light blue & dark grey)– in the African Union  (light blue)
Location of  Republic of the Congo  (dark blue)

– in Africa  (light blue & dark grey)
– in the African Union  (light blue)

Capital
and largest city
Brazzaville
4°16′S 15°17′E / 4.267°S 15.283°E / -4.267; 15.283
Official languages French
Recognised regional languages
Ethnic groups
Demonym Congolese
Government Presidential republic
• President
Denis Sassou Nguesso
Clément Mouamba
Legislature Parliament
Senate
National Assembly
Independence
• from France
15 August 1960
Area
• Total
342,000 km2 (132,000 sq mi) (64th)
• Water (%)
3.3
Population
• 2014 estimate
4,662,446 (124th)
• Density
12.8/km2 (33.2/sq mi) (204th)
GDP (PPP) 2016 estimate
• Total
$31.157 billion
• Per capita
$6,985
GDP (nominal) 2016 estimate
• Total
$9.769 billion
• Per capita
$2,190
Gini (2011) 40.2
medium
HDI (2014) Increase 0.591
medium · 136th
Currency Central African CFA franc (XAF)
Time zone WAT (UTC+1)
Drives on the right
Calling code +242
ISO 3166 code CG
Internet TLD .cg

Coordinates: 1°26′24″S 15°33′22″E / 1.44°S 15.556°E / -1.44; 15.556

– in Africa  (light blue & dark grey)
– in the African Union  (light blue)

The Republic of the Congo (French: République du Congo), also known as the Congo Republic,West Congo, Congo-Brazzaville or simply Congo, is a country located in Central Africa. It is bordered by five countries: Gabon and the Atlantic Ocean to the west; Cameroon to the northwest; the Central African Republic to the northeast; the Democratic Republic of the Congo to the east and south; and the Angolan exclave of Cabinda to the southwest.

The region was dominated by Bantu-speaking tribes, who built trade links leading into the Congo River basin. Congo-Brazzaville was formerly part of the French colony of Equatorial Africa. Upon independence in 1960, the former colony of French Congo became the Republic of the Congo. The People's Republic of the Congo was a Marxist–Leninist one-party state from 1970 to 1991. Multi-party elections have been held since 1992, although a democratically elected government was ousted in the 1997 Republic of the Congo Civil War and President Denis Sassou Nguesso has ruled for 26 of the past 36 years.


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