Names: conventional long form: Democratic Republic of the Congo conventional short form: none local long form: Republique Democratique du Congo local short form: none former: Congo Free State, Belgian Congo, Congo/Leopoldville, Congo/Kinshasa, Zaire abbreviation: DRC

Capital City: Kinshasa

Population: 62,660,551 note: estimates for this country explicitly take into account the effects of excess mortality due to AIDS; this can result in lower life expectancy, higher infant mortality and death rates, lower population and growth rates, and changes in the distribution of population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July 2006 est.)

GDP Per Capita: $700 (2006 est.)

Currency: Congolese franc (CDF)

Languages: French (official), Lingala (a lingua franca trade language), Kingwana (a dialect of Kiswahili or Swahili), Kikongo, Tshiluba

Total Area: total: 2,345,410 sq km land: 2,267,600 sq km water: 77,810 sq km slightly less than one-fourth the size of the US

Region: Africa

Industries: mining (diamonds, copper, zinc), mineral processing, consumer products (including textiles, footwear, cigarettes, processed foods and beverages), cement, commercial ship repair

Agriculture: coffee, sugar, palm oil, rubber, tea, quinine, cassava (tapioca), palm oil, bananas, root crops, corn, fruits; wood products

Resources: cobalt, copper, niobium, tantalum, petroleum, industrial and gem diamonds, gold, silver, zinc, manganese, tin, uranium, coal, hydropower, timber

Labor Force: 14.51 million (1993 est.)
agriculture: NA% industry: NA% services: NA%

Exports: $1.108 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)
diamonds, copper, crude oil, coffee, cobalt

Imports: $1.319 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)
foodstuffs, mining and other machinery, transport equipment, fuels

Overview: The economy of the Democratic Republic of the Congo - a nation endowed with vast potential wealth - has declined drastically since the mid-1980s. The war, which began in August 1998, dramatically reduced national output and government revenue, increased external debt, and resulted in the deaths of perhaps 3.5 million people from violence, famine, and disease. Foreign businesses curtailed operations due to uncertainty about the outcome of the conflict, lack of infrastructure, and the difficult operating environment. Conditions improved in late 2002 with the withdrawal of a large portion of the invading foreign troops. The transitional government has reopened relations with international financial institutions and international donors, and President KABILA has begun implementing reforms. Much economic activity lies outside the GDP data. Economic stability improved in 2003-06, although an uncertain legal framework, corruption, and a lack of openness in government policy continues to hamper growth. In 2005-06, renewed activity in the mining sector, the source of most exports, boosted Kinshasa's fiscal position and GDP growth. Business and economic prospects are expected to improve once a new government is installed after elections.

_{CIA World Book}

In 2007 Missouri exported $169,293 in goods to Congo, Democratic Republic Of The. This ranks Congo, Democratic Republic Of The 129^th among the 223 international buyers of Missouri goods. Missouri exports to Congo, Democratic Republic Of The decreased from the previous year by $1,206,765 a change of -87.70%. State exports to Congo, Democratic Republic Of The have increased over the last 5 years by $122,700 a change of 263.34%. Missouri exports account for .00%. of all 2007 US exports to Congo, Democratic Republic Of The.