y, transport equipment,
fuels
partners:
South Africa, US, Belgium, France, FRG, Italy, Japan, UK
External debt:
$7.9 billion (December 1990 est.)
Industrial production:
growth rate -7.3%; accounts for almost 30% of GDP (1989)
Electricity:
2,580,000 kW capacity; 6,000 million kWh produced, 160 kWh per capita (1991)
Industries:
mining, mineral processing, consumer products (including textiles, footwear,
and cigarettes), processed foods and beverages, cement, diamonds
Agriculture:
cash crops - coffee, palm oil, rubber, quinine; food crops - cassava,
bananas, root crops, corn
Illicit drugs:
illicit producer of cannabis, mostly for domestic consumption
Economic aid:
US commitments, including Ex-Im (FY70-89), $1.1 billion; Western (non-US)
countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments (1970-89), $6.9 billion; OPEC
bilateral aid (1979-89), $35 million; Communist countries (1970-89), $263
million
Currency:
zaire (singular and plural); 1 zaire (Z) = 100 makuta
Exchange rates:
zaire (Z) per US$1 - 111,196 (March 1992), 15,587 (1991), 719 (1990), 381
(1989), 187 (1988), 112 (1987)

:Zaire Economy

Fiscal year:
calendar year

:Zaire Communications

Railroads:
5,254 km total; 3,968 km 1.067-meter gauge (851 km electrified); 125 km
1.000-meter gauge; 136 km 0.615-meter gauge; 1,025 km 0.600-meter gauge;
limited trackage in use because of civil strife
Highways:
146,500 km total; 2,800 km paved, 46,200 km gravel and improved earth;
97,500 unimproved earth
Inland waterways:
15,000 km including the Congo, its tributaries, and unconnected lakes
Pipelines:
petroleum products 390 km
Ports:
Matadi, Boma, Banana
Merchant marine:
2 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 22,921 GRT/30,332 DWT; includes 1
passenger cargo, 1 cargo
Civil air:
45 major transport aircraft
Airports:
284 total, 239 usable; 24 with permanent-surface runways; 1 with runways
over 3,659 m; 6 with runways 2,440-3,659 m; 73 with runways 1,220-2,439 m
Telecommunications:
barely adequate wire and microwave service; broadcast stations - 10 AM, 4
FM, 18 TV; satellite earth stations - 1 Atlantic Ocean INTELSAT, 14 domestic

:Zaire Defense Forces

Branches:
Army, Navy, Air Force, paramilitary National Gendarmerie, Civil Guard,
Special Presidential Division
Manpower availability:
males 15-49, 8,521,292; 4,333,492