01
Physical geography
Coastal plain, southern basin, central plateau, northern basin.
Local timeBrazzaville ·
Africa / Middle Africa · Card 041
Republic of the Congo
Republic of the Congo is a country in Middle Africa. Its capital is Brazzaville.
Find Republic of the Congo
● Capital · Gold highlights this card’s area.
Map: Natural Earth. Boundaries show geographic context, not a position on sovereignty. Small islands may use enlarged markers.
Map: Natural Earth. Boundaries show geographic context, not a position on sovereignty. Small islands may use enlarged markers.
At a glance
- Capital
- Brazzaville
- Languages
- French & Kikongo & Lingala
- Currency
- Central African CFA franc (XAF)
- Population
- 6.5 million2025 · World Bank
- Area
- 342,000 km²132,047 square miles
- Independence
- 1960from France
Republic of the Congo in context
Africa and its surrounding islands. The dot marks Brazzaville; the mapped territory is highlighted in gold.
Natural Earth · locator mapGeography & languages
02
Languages
Languages used in public life include French, Kikongo, Lingala.
03
Location
Central Africa, bordering the South Atlantic Ocean, between Angola and Gabon.
Flag
Divided diagonally from the lower-left side by a wide yellow band; the upper triangle (left side) is green, and the lower triangle is red
History & independence
The former French territory of Middle Congo became independent as the Republic of the Congo on 15 August 1960. It adopted a Marxist one-party system in 1969, followed by a return to multiparty politics in the early 1990s.
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Independence from France
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The People’s Republic is established
-
Multiparty elections are held
Economy
Main activities
Petroleum dominates exports. Forestry, agriculture and services also contribute to the economy. Dependence on resource revenues exposes public finances to changes in global prices.
Industry and production
petroleum extraction, cement, lumber, brewing, sugar, palm oil, soap, flour, cigarettes
Population & economic trends
Dated World Bank observations. Population uses selected years; real GDP uses all available annual observations.
Population, 1970–2025
Millions of people6.52025 · millions of people
Population estimates may be revised. Selected years are shown.
Sources: World Bank · Population
View data table
| Year | People | Millions of people |
|---|---|---|
| 1970 | 1,397,638 | 1.398 |
| 1980 | 1,828,985 | 1.829 |
| 1990 | 2,380,560 | 2.381 |
| 2000 | 3,151,345 | 3.151 |
| 2010 | 4,462,290 | 4.462 |
| 2020 | 5,752,791 | 5.753 |
| 2025 | 6,484,437 | 6.484 |
Real GDP, 1990–2025
Billions of constant 2015 US dollars10.92025 · billions of constant 2015 US dollars
Constant prices adjust for inflation. This is total economic output, not current-dollar GDP or income per person. Missing years are left as gaps.
Sources: World Bank · Real GDP
View data table
| Year | Constant 2015 US$ | Billions of constant 2015 US dollars |
|---|---|---|
| 1990 | 5,627,089,213 | 5.627 |
| 1991 | 5,761,878,676 | 5.762 |
| 1992 | 5,912,375,954 | 5.912 |
| 1993 | 5,854,453,400 | 5.854 |
| 1994 | 5,532,863,840 | 5.533 |
| 1995 | 5,753,366,412 | 5.753 |
| 1996 | 6,000,213,536 | 6.000 |
| 1997 | 5,962,723,473 | 5.963 |
| 1998 | 6,185,583,409 | 6.186 |
| 1999 | 6,025,859,314 | 6.026 |
| 2000 | 6,482,377,235 | 6.482 |
| 2001 | 6,728,876,234 | 6.729 |
| 2002 | 7,037,184,600 | 7.037 |
| 2003 | 7,094,415,494 | 7.094 |
| 2004 | 7,341,062,187 | 7.341 |
| 2005 | 7,910,417,276 | 7.910 |
| 2006 | 8,542,162,056 | 8.542 |
| 2007 | 7,977,183,901 | 7.977 |
| 2008 | 8,480,255,109 | 8.480 |
| 2009 | 9,467,126,892 | 9.467 |
| 2010 | 10,407,332,392 | 10.407 |
| 2011 | 10,636,909,753 | 10.637 |
| 2012 | 11,694,979,455 | 11.695 |
| 2013 | 11,611,660,392 | 11.612 |
| 2014 | 12,383,378,937 | 12.383 |
| 2015 | 12,434,793,867 | 12.435 |
| 2016 | 11,354,801,749 | 11.355 |
| 2017 | 10,719,526,285 | 10.720 |
| 2018 | 10,472,514,332 | 10.473 |
| 2019 | 10,590,275,025 | 10.590 |
| 2020 | 9,926,500,702 | 9.927 |
| 2021 | 10,027,261,670 | 10.027 |
| 2022 | 10,175,199,490 | 10.175 |
| 2023 | 10,369,226,733 | 10.369 |
| 2024 | 10,586,979,372 | 10.587 |
| 2025 | 10,913,368,247 | 10.913 |
Human development
The Human Development Index combines health, education and income. Scores range from 0 to 1.
HDI · 20230.649Medium human developmentRank 138 of 193 · 2025 report
Human Development Index over time
19900.573
20000.545
20100.609
20200.643
20230.649
65.8 yearsLife expectancy at birth
8.3 yearsMean schooling, adults aged 25+
The latest values refer to 2023. All historical scores use the same report edition. HDI does not describe every aspect of inequality or quality of life.
Sources: UNDP · Human Development Report 2025
Government
Presidential republic. Parliament (Parlement) has two chambers (a bicameral legislature). The president holds executive responsibilities; the legislature makes national laws.
Knowledge check
Three questions about Republic of the Congo.
QUESTION 1 OF 3
In which year did this event occur in Republic of the Congo: Independence from France?
Sources & notes
Sources: CIA World Factbook · archived country profile
Prepared 24 September 2026. World Bank series: SP.POP.TOTL (persons) and NY.GDP.MKTP.KD (constant 2015 US dollars); downloaded 24 September 2026, provider update 13 July 2026. UNDP values use the 2025 report and 2023 observation year. These are dated statistical snapshots, not live population or economic counters.
Maps use Natural Earth geographic data. Background geography, flag descriptions and selected historical facts use archived public-domain CIA World Factbook profiles, supplemented by the sources linked above. The Factbook is no longer updated; dated statistics here come from the separately named providers.