Part 200

Executive branch: chief of state: Gen. Laurent-DESIRE KABILA (since 17 May 1997); note - the president is both chief of state and head of government head of government: Gen. Laurent-DESIRE KABILA (since 17 May 1997); note - the president is both chief of state and head of government cabinet : National Executive Council normally appointed by mutual agreement of the president and the prime minister; note - Gen. KABILA's cabinet was appointed by him and has no prime minister elections: president elected by popular vote for a seven-year term; election last held 29 July 1984 (next was to be held in May 1997); prime minister elected by the High Council of the Republic; note - the term of the former government expired in 1991, elections were not held, and MOBUTU continued in office until his government was militarily defeated by Gen. Laurent-DESIRE KABILA on 17 May 1997 election results: MOBUTU Sese Seko Kuku Ngbendu wa Za Banga reelected president in 1984 without opposition note: Marshal MOBUTU Sese Seko Kuku Ngbendu wa Za Banga was president from 24 November 1965 until forced into exile on 17 May 1997 when his government was overturned in a coup by Gen. Laurent-DESIRE KABILA, who immediately assumed sole governing authority

Legislative branch: unicameral parliament consisting of the combined High Council of the Republic and the Parliament of the Transition (739 seats) elections: the country's first multi-party presidential and legislative elections had been scheduled for May 1997 but were not held; instead the MOBUTO government was overthrown and control of the governing apparatus was seized by Gen. Laurent-DESIRE KABILA

Judicial branch: Supreme Court (Cour Supreme)

Political parties and leaders: sole legal party until January 1991 - Popular Movement of the Revolution or MPR; other parties include Union for Democracy and Social Progress or UDPS [Etienne TSHISEKEDI wa Mulumba]; Democratic Social Christian Party or PDSC; Union of Federalists and Independent Republicans or UFER; Unified Lumumbast Party or PALU [Antoine GIZENGA]; Union of Independent Democrats or UDI [Leon KENGO wa Dondo]

International organization participation: ACCT, ACP, AfDB, CCC, CEEAC, CEPGL, ECA, FAO, G-19, G-24, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, ITU, NAM, OAU, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO

Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission : Charge d'Affaires ad interim Etienne B. J. K. MUKENDI chancery: 1800 New Hampshire Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20009 telephone: (202) 234-7690, 7691 FAX: (202) 686-3631

Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission : Ambassador Daniel H. SIMPSON embassy: 310 Avenue des Aviateurs, Kinshasa mailing address: Unit 31550, APO AE 09828 telephone: (12) 21533 through 21535 FAX: (88) 43805, ext. 2308 or 43467

Flag description: light blue with a large yellow five-pointed star in the center and a columnar arrangement of six small yellow five-pointed stars along the hoist side

Economy

Economy - overview: The economy of Democratic Republic of the Congo has continued to disintegrate, although former Prime Minister KENGO had had some success in slowing the rate of economic decline. While meaningful economic figures are difficult to come by, the high rate of inflation, chronic large government deficits, and plunging mineral production have made it one of the world's poorest countries. Most formal transactions are conducted in hard currency as indigenous bank notes have lost almost all value, and a barter economy now flourishes in all but the largest cities. During the bitter civil strive of 1996-97 most individuals and families have hung on grimly through subsistence farming and petty trade. The new KABILA government will be hard pressed to meet its financial obligations to the IMF or to put in place the financial measures advocated by it. Improved political stability would boost the country's long-term potential to effectively exploit its vast mineral and agricultural resources.

GDP: purchasing power parity - $16.5 billion (1995 est.)

GDP - real growth rate: -0.7% (1995 est.)

GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $400 (1995 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 59% industry: 15% services: 26% (1995 est.)

Inflation rate - consumer price index: 542% (1995)

Labor force: total: 14.51 million (1993 est.) by occupation : agriculture 65%, industry 16%, services 19% (1991 est.)

Unemployment rate: NA%

Budget: revenues: $479 million expenditures : $479 million, including capital expenditures of $99 million (1996 est.)

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

Industrial production growth rate: NA

Electricity - capacity: 2.83 million kW (1994)

Electricity - production: 5.48 billion kWh (1994)

Electricity - consumption per capita: 87 kWh (1995 est.)

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

Exports: total value : $1.47 billion (f.o.b., 1995 est.) commodities: diamonds, copper, coffee, cobalt, crude oil partners: Belgium, US, France, Germany, Italy, UK, Japan, South Africa

Imports: total value: $1.25 billion (c.i.f., 1995 est.) commodities : consumer goods, foodstuffs, mining and other machinery, transport equipment, fuels partners: Belgium, South Africa, US, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, UK

Debt - external: $13.8 billion (1995 est.)

Economic aid: recipient: ODA, $NA