Democratic Republic of the Congo

Location : Central Africa, northeast of Angola

Capital : Kinshasa

Languages : French (official), Lingala (a lingua franca trade language), Kingwana (a dialect of Kiswahili or Swahili), Kikongo, Tshiluba

Area : 2,345,410 sq km

Land Use : arable land: 2.96%; permanent crops: 0.52%; other: 96.52% (2001)

Natural Resources : cobalt, copper, niobium, tantalum, petroleum, industrial and gem diamonds, gold, silver, zinc, manganese, tin, uranium, coal, hydropower, timber

Population : 60,085,804 (July 2005 est.).

Labour force : 14.51 million (1993 est.)

Labour force participation rate : 24.15% of population (1993 est.)

International Organisation participation : ACCT, ACP, AFDB, AU, CEPGL, FAO, G-24, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO (correspondent), ITU, MIGA, NAM, OPCW (signatory), PCA, SADC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, UNWTO, WTO

GDP per capita : U$700 (2004 est.)

GDP Real Growth Rate : 7.5% (2004 est.)

GDP sectoral composition : agriculture: 55%; industry: 11%; services: 34% (2000 est.)

Investment (gross fixed): 10.7%% of GDP (2004 est.)

Industries: mining (diamonds, copper, zinc), mineral processing, consumer products (including textiles, footwear, cigarettes, processed foods and beverages), cement, commercial ship repair

Agriculture - products : coffee, sugar, palm oil, rubber, tea, quinine, cassava (tapioca), palm oil, bananas, root crops, corn, fruits; wood products

Exports : U$1.417 billion f.o.b. (2002 est.)

Exports - commodities : diamonds, copper, crude oil, coffee, cobalt

Exports - partners : Belgium 42.5%, Finland 17.8%, Zimbabwe 12.2%, US 9.2%, China 6.5% (2004)

Imports : U$933 million f.o.b. (2002 est.)

Imports - commodities : foodstuffs, mining and other machinery, transport equipment, fuels

Imports - partners : South Africa 18.5%, Belgium 15.6%, France 10.9%, US 6.2%, Germany 5.9%, Kenya 4.9% (2004)

QUALITATIVE TRADE PROFILE

The DRC bound all of its tariff lines during the Uruguay Round at a tariff of 96.2%. Applied tariffs are however significantly lower. The average applied ad valorem tariff for all goods is 12%; the average for agricultural goods being 13% and non-agricultural goods being 11.9%. Non ad valorem duties are virtually non-existent.

INSTITUTIONAL FRAMEWORK 

The institutional framework of DRC is yet to be determined.

TRADE AGREEMENTS

Bilateral

The DRC's bilateral arrangements have not yet been determined.

Regional

The DRC is a member of the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA), the Southern African Development Community (SADC) and the Organization of African Unity (OAU). The DRC is currently negotiating an Economic Partnership Agreement with the EU through the ESA configuration.

Multilateral

The DRC is a Member of the WTO and grants at least MFN treatment to all its trading partners. It has GATS commitments in 12 sectors.

NEED PRIORITIES 

The DRC is in need of wide-ranging assistance with trade policy research and analysis, trade promotion policy design and implementation and training throughout various ministries. Specific training is required in agriculture, customs valuation, SPS and TBT, NAMA and rules.

Source: World Fact Book, WTO Secretariat.