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) |
Republic of the Congo
Inflation & Debt
Inflation |
2014: 3.2% 2015: 3.2% 2016: 0.4% 2017*: 1.2% 2018*: 1.5% (*Estimate) |
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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) |
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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.
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