ty until January 1991
- Popular Movement of the Revolution (MPR); other parties include
Union for Democracy and Social Progress (UDPS), Etienne TSHISEKEDI
wa Mulumba; Democratic Social Christian Party (PDSC); Union of
Federalists and Independent Republicans (UFERI); Unified Lumumbast
Party (PALU), Antoine GIZENGA; Union of Independent Democrats (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, ICC,
ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, 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 US:
chief of mission: Ambassador TATANENE Manata
chancery: 1800 New Hampshire Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20009
telephone: [1] (202) 234-7690, 7691

US diplomatic representation:
chief of mission: Ambassador Daniel H. SIMPSON
embassy: 310 Avenue des Aviateurs, Kinshasa
mailing address: Unit 31550, APO AE 09828
telephone: [243] (12) 21533 through 21535
FAX: [243] (88) 43805, ext. 2308 or 43467

Flag: light green with a yellow disk in the center bearing a black
arm holding a red flaming torch; the flames of the torch are blowing
away from the hoist side; uses the popular pan-African colors of
Ethiopia

Economy
-------

Economic overview: Zaire's economy has continued to disintegrate,
although Prime Minister KENGO has had some success in slowing the
rate of economic decline. While meaningful economic figures are
difficult to come by, Zaire's hyperinflation, chronic large
government deficits, and plunging mineral production have made the
country one of the world's poorest. 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. Most individuals and families hang on grimly through
subsistence farming and petty trade. The government has not been
able to meet its financial obligations to the IMF nor put in place
the financial measures advocated by it. Although short-term
prospects for improvement remain doubtful, improved political
stability would boost Zaire'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: -7.4% (1995 es