French civil law system and customary law
National holiday:
Congolese National Day, 15 August (1960)
Executive branch:
president, prime minister, Council of Ministers (cabinet)
Legislative branch:
a transitional National Assembly
Judicial branch:
Supreme Court (Cour Supreme)
Leaders:
Chief of State:
President Denis SASSOU-NGUESSO (since 8 February 1979); stripped of most
powers by National Conference in May 1991
Head of Government:
Prime Minister Andre MILONGO (since May 1991)
Political parties and leaders:
Congolese Labor Party (PCT), President Denis SASSOU-NGUESSO, leader; note -
multiparty system legalized, with over 50 parties established
Suffrage:
universal at age 18
Elections:
National Assembly:
transitional body selected by National Conference in May 1991; election for
new legislative body to be held spring 1992
President:
last held 26-31 July 1989 (next to be held June 1992); results - President
SASSOU-NGUESSO unanimously reelected leader of the PCT by the Party
Congress, which automatically made him president
Communists:
small number of Communists and sympathizers
Other political or pressure groups:
Union of Congolese Socialist Youth (UJSC), Congolese Trade Union Congress
(CSC), Revolutionary Union of Congolese Women (URFC), General Union of
Congolese Pupils and Students (UGEEC)
Member of:
ACCT, ACP, AfDB, BDEAC, CCC, CEEAC, ECA, FAO, FZ, G-77, GATT, IBRD, ICAO,
IDA, IFAD, IFC, ILO, IMF, IMO, INTELSAT, INTERPOL, IOC, ITU, LORCS, NAM,
OAU, UDEAC, UN, UNAVEM, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO,
WTO
Diplomatic representation:
Ambassador Roger ISSOMBO; Chancery at 4891 Colorado Avenue NW, Washington,
DC 20011; telephone (202) 726-5500

:Congo Government

US:
Ambassador James Daniel PHILLIPS; Embassy at Avenue Amilcar Cabral,
Brazzaville (mailing address is B. P. 1015, Brazzaville, or Box C, APO AE
09828); telephone (242) 83-20-70; FAX [242] 83-63-38
Flag:
red, divided diagonally from the lower hoist side by a yellow band; the
upper triangle (hoist side) is green and the lower triangle is red; uses the
popular pan-African colors of Ethiopia

:Congo Economy

Overview:
Congo's economy is a mixture of village agriculture and handicrafts, a
beginning industrial sector based largely on oil, supporting services, and a
government characterized