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Republic of the Congo

Includes Republic of the Congo real Gross Domestic Product growth rate, with latest forecasts and historical data, GDP per capita, GDP composition and breakdown by sector.

Browse additional economic indicators and data sets, selected by Global Finance editors, to learn more about Republic of the Congo economic outlook, debt to GDP ratio, international trade performance and population trends. Rankings of the country’s best banks and safest banks are also available.

Basic Information

Government Type: Presidential republic

Capital City: Brazzaville

GDP & Economic Information

Macroeconomy & Sovereign Data

Central Bank Bank of Central African States

Currency Cooperation Financiere en Afrique Centrale francs (XAF)

International Reserves USD 0.42 billion (2018)
Gross Domestic Product – GDP
USD 11.2 billion (2018, estimate)
GDP (Purchasing Power Parity) Intl$ 30.3 billion (2018, estimate)

GDP Data

Real GDP growth 2014: 6.8%
2015: 2.6%
2016: -2.8%
2017*: -3.1%
2018*: 0.8%

(*Estimate)
GDP per capita – current prices USD 2,510.6 (2018, estimate)

GDP per capita – PPP Intl$ 6,798.9 (2018, estimate)

GDP (PPP) – share of world total 0.02% (2019, estimate)
GDP – composition by sector agriculture: 7.1%
industry: 52.9%
services: 40.0%
(2016 estimate)
Gross domestic expenditure on R&D; (% of GDP) N/A
Inflation 2014: 3.2%
2015: 3.2%
2016: 0.4%
2017*: 1.2%
2018*: 1.5%

(*Estimate)

Inflation & Debt

Inflation 2014: 3.2%
2015: 3.2%
2016: 0.4%
2017*: 1.2%
2018*: 1.5%

(*Estimate)
Government Bond Ratings Standard & Poor’s: B–

Moody’s: Caa2

Standard & Poor’s / Moody’s (Updated as of January 24th 2017)
Unemployment rate 2017 13.7%
2018 12.3%
2019 11.5%
2020* 11.7%
2021* 12%

*Estimate
Household saving rates N/A
Public debt (General government gross debt as a % of GDP) 2014: 102.9%
2015: 118.6%
2016: 117.5%
2017*: 87.8%
2018*: 78.5%

(*Estimate)
Public deficit (General government net lending/borrowing as a % of GDP) 2014: -24.8%
2015: -20.4%
2016: -7.4%
2017*: 6.6%
2018*: 6.8%

(*Estimate)
Market value of publicly traded shares 2016: USD 951.3 billion
2017: USD 1,231.0 billion
2018: USD 865.3 billion
Largest Companies N/A

Import/Export

Exports as percent of GDP (Exports of goods and services) 69.3% (2015)

Shares in world total merchandising export 0.04% (2015)

Shares in world total commercial services export 0.003% (2014)

Total exports USD 4.8 billion (2016 estimate)

Export commodities Petroleum, lumber, plywood, sugar, cocoa, coffee, diamonds

Total imports USD 3.4 billion (2016 estimate)

Import commodities Capital equipment, construction materials, foodstuffs

Exports – major partners
China 42.1%, Italy 16.9%, US 4.9%, India 4.7%, Portugal 4.2% (2015)
Imports – major partners
China 20.3%, France 14.2%, South Korea 9.8%, US 4.9%, UK 4.4%, Italy 4.1%, India 4.1% (2015)

Competitiveness & Trade

Current account balance USD -0.2 billion (2017 estimate)

Current account balance by percentage of GDP -2.1% (2017 estimate)

FDI inflows 2013: USD 2,914 million
2014: USD 5,502 million
2015: USD 1,486 million
FDI Outflows 2013: USD -2 million
2014: USD 6 million
2015: USD -9 million
Value of cross-border M&A, by country of purchaser N/A


United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) – World Investment Report
Cross-border M&A deals worth over $3 billion completed in 2014 N/A
Cross-border M&A deals worth over $3 billion completed in 2015 N/A
Best countries for doing business Economies are ranked on their ease of doing business. A high ease of doing business ranking means the regulatory environment is more conducive to the starting and operation of a local firm.

Overall ranking: 177 out of 190 countries (2016)

Subcategories:

Starting a business: 178 out of 190 countries

Enforcing Contracts: 155 out of 190 countries

Registering Property: 171 out of 190 countries

Getting credit: 118 out of 190 countries

Protecting investors: 145 out of 190 countries

Trading across border: 182 out of 190 countries

Paying Taxes: 183 out of 190 countries

Dealing with Construction Permits: 124 out of 190 countries

Getting Electricity: 178 out of 190 countries

Resolving Insolvency: 117 out of 190 countries

Global competitiveness ranking N/A

Index of Economic Freedom Ranking: 172 / Score: 42.8 (Repressed) (2017)

(100=totally free 0=totally repressed)

Population & Geographic Data

Time Zone UTC+1

Total Area 342,000 sq km

Total Population 1990: 2.232 million
2000: 2.904 million
2010*: 3.865 million
2016*: 4.46 million
2021*: 4.953 million

(*Estimate)
Urban population as % of total population 1960: 32%
1980: 48%
2000: 59%
2015: 65%
Population median age 19.7 years (2016 estimate)

Population growth rate 2.06% (2016 estimate)
Life expectancy
59.3 years (2016 estimate)
% of population living on less than $3.10 a day 28.1% (2011)

Inequality of wealth distribution (Gini index)
48.9 (2011)

(0=perfect equality, 100=absolute inequality)
Freedom House rating
Political Rights: 7
Civil Liberties: 5 (2017)

(1 represents the most free, 7 the least free rating)
Total telephone subscribers as % of population
Fixed 0.36% Mobile 111.66% (2015)
(fixed-telephone subscribers and mobile-cellular subscribers)
Internet users as % of total population 7.62% (2015)

Language & Religon

Languages French (official), Lingala and Monokutuba (lingua franca trade languages), many local languages and dialects (of which Kikongo is the most widespread)

Literacy
Total population: 79.3%
Male: 86.4%
Female: 72.9% (2015 est.)

(age 15 and over can read and write)
Religions Roman Catholic 33.1%, Awakening Churches/Christian Revival 22.3%, Protestant 19.9%, Salutiste 2.2%, Muslim 1.6%, Kimbanguiste 1.5%, other 8.1%, none 11.3% (2010 est.)

World Rankings

Population 4.953 M
Mercer Cost of living index Brazzaville: 23rd (2016)

C02 Emissions per capita 0.6 (2013)

Global Finance Rankings & Awards: Republic of the Congo

Global Finance Magazine holds several conferences and awards ceremonies throughout the year to recognize the winning financial institutions and companies in a host of categories including World’s Best Trade Finance Banks, World's Biggest Banks, World's Safest Banks, World's Best Developed & Emerging Markets Banks, World's Best Internet Banks, and World’s Best Investment Banks.

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Data Sources:

IMF World Economic Outlook

UN World Population Prospects

World Inequality Report

S&P Global Ratings

Moody’s

Fitch Ratings

IMF Direction of Trade Statistics (DOTS)

UN Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD)

CIA The World Factbook

World Bank’s World Integrated Trade Solution

Forbes Global 2000

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