nces from 150,000 Comorans abroad help
supplement GDP.

Congo, Democratic Republic of the
The economy of the Democratic
Republic of the Congo - a nation endowed with vast potential wealth
- has declined drastically since the mid-1980s. The war, which began
in August 1998, dramatically reduced national output and government
revenue, increased external debt, and resulted in the deaths of
perhaps 3.5 million people from violence, famine, and disease.
Foreign businesses curtailed operations due to uncertainty about the
outcome of the conflict, lack of infrastructure, and the difficult
operating environment. Conditions improved in late 2002 with the
withdrawal of a large portion of the invading foreign troops. The
transitional government has reopened relations with international
financial institutions and international donors, and President
KABILA has begun implementing reforms. Much economic activity lies
outside the GDP data. Economic stability improved in 2003-06,
although an uncertain legal framework, corruption, and a lack of
openness in government policy continues to hamper growth. In
2005-06, renewed activity in the mining sector, the source of most
exports, boosted Kinshasa's fiscal position and GDP growth. Business
and economic prospects are expected to improve once a new government
is installed after elections.

Congo, Republic of the
The economy is a mixture of village
agriculture and handicrafts, an industrial sector based largely on
oil, support services, and a government characterized by budget
problems and overstaffing. Oil has supplanted forestry as the
mainstay of the economy, providing a major share of government
revenues and exports. In the early 1980s, rapidly rising oil
revenues enabled the government to finance large-scale development
projects with GDP growth averaging 5% annually, one of the highest
rates in Africa. The government has mortgaged a substantial portion
of its oil earnings through oil-backed loans that have contributed
to a growing debt burden and chronic revenue shortfalls. Economic
reform efforts have been undertaken with the support of
international organizations, notably the World Bank and the IMF.
However, the reform program came to a halt in June 1997 when civil
war erupted. Denis SASSOU-NGUESSO, who returned to power when the
war ended in October 1997, publicly expressed interest in moving
forward on ec