65 years and over: 3% (male 35,573; female 52,725) (July 1997 est.)

Population growth rate: 2.15% (1997 est.)

Birth rate: 38.79 births/1,000 population (1997 est.)

Death rate: 17.3 deaths/1,000 population (1997 est.)

Net migration rate: 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1997 est.)

Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.01 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.96 male(s)/female
65 years and over : 0.68 male(s)/female
total population: 0.97 male(s)/female (1997 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 106.1 deaths/1,000 live births (1997 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:
total population : 45.73 years
male: 44.24 years
female: 47.27 years (1997 est.)

Total fertility rate: 5.06 children born/woman (1997 est.)

Nationality:
noun: Congolese (singular and plural)
adjective: Congolese or Congo

Ethnic groups: Kongo 48%, Sangha 20%, M'Bochi 12%, Teke 17%, Europeans
8,500 (mostly French)

Religions: Christian 50%, animist 48%, Muslim 2%

Languages: French (official), African languages (Lingala and Kikongo
are the most widely used)

Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 74.9%
male: 83.1%
female : 67.2% (1995 est.)

@Congo, Republic of the:Government

Country name:
conventional long form: Republic of the Congo
conventional short form: none
local long form : Republique du Congo
local short form: none
former: Congo/Brazzaville, Congo

Data code: CF

Government type: republic

National capital: Brazzaville

Administrative divisions: 9 regions (regions, singular - region) and 1
commune*; Bouenza, Brazzaville*, Cuvette, Kouilou, Lekoumou, Likouala,
Niari, Plateaux, Pool, Sangha

Independence: 15 August 1960 (from France)

National holiday: Congolese National Day, 15 August (1960)

Constitution: new constitution approved by referendum March 1992

Legal system: based on French civil law system and customary law

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
chief of state: President Pascal LISSOUBA (since August 1992)
head of government: Prime Minister David Charles GANAO (since 2
September 1996)
cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president
elections : president elected by popular vote for a five-year term;
election last held 16 August 1992 (next was to be held 27 July 1997
but armed clashes between political parties in early July seemed
likely to delay it); prime minister appointed by the president
election results: Pascal LISSOUB