View source for Economy of the Republic of the Congo

{{Short description|None}}
{{distinguish|Economy of the Democratic Republic of the Congo}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=August 2020}}
{{More citations needed|date=January 2008}}
{{Infobox economy
| country             = [[Republic of the Congo]]
| image               = Brazzaville bird eye view.jpg
| caption             = [[Brazzaville]] is the economic center of the [[Republic of Congo]]; 
| currency            = [[Central African CFA Franc]] (XOF)
| fixed exchange      = 1 USD = 511.4 XOF ({{As of|2012|alt=2012}})
| year                = calendar year
| organs              = [[African Union|AU]], [[World Trade Organization|WTO]], [[African Continental Free Trade Agreement|AfCFTA]], [[Economic Community of Central African States|ECCAS]]
| group               = {{plainlist|
*[[Developing country|Developing/Emerging]]<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.imf.org/external/pubs/ft/weo/2019/01/weodata/weoselco.aspx?g=2200&sg=All+countries+%2f+Emerging+market+and+developing+economies |title=World Economic Outlook Database, April 2019 |publisher=[[International Monetary Fund]] |website=IMF.org |access-date=September 29, 2019}}</ref>
*Lower-middle income economy<ref>{{cite web |url=https://datahelpdesk.worldbank.org/knowledgebase/articles/906519-world-bank-country-and-lending-groups |title=World Bank Country and Lending Groups |publisher=[[World Bank]] |website=datahelpdesk.worldbank.org |access-date=September 29, 2019}}</ref>}}
| population          = {{increase}} 5,244,363 (2018)<ref>{{cite web |title=Population, total – Congo, Rep. |url=https://data.worldbank.org/indicator/SP.POP.TOTL?locations=CG |website=data.worldbank.org |publisher=World Bank |access-date=March 3, 2020}}</ref>
| gdp                 = {{plainlist|
*{{increase}} $15.044&nbsp;billion (nominal, 2024 est.)<ref name="IMFWEOCG">{{cite web |url=https://www.imf.org/external/pubs/ft/weo/2019/02/weodata/weorept.aspx?pr.x=66&pr.y=11&sy=2017&ey=2021&scsm=1&ssd=1&sort=country&ds=.&br=1&c=634&s=NGDPD%2CPPPGDP%2CNGDPDPC%2CPPPPC%2CPCPIPCH&grp=0&a= |title=World Economic Outlook Database, October 2024 |publisher=[[International Monetary Fund]] |website=IMF.org |access-date=January 25, 2024}}</ref>
*{{increase}} $40.403&nbsp;billion ([[Purchasing power parity|PPP]], 2024 est.)<ref name="IMFWEOCG"/>}}
| gdp rank            = {{plainlist|
*[[List of countries by GDP (nominal)|138th (nominal, 2024)]]
*[[List of countries by GDP (PPP)|139th (PPP, 2024)]]}}
| growth              = {{plainlist|
*1.8%&nbsp;(2022) 2.0%&nbsp;(2023)
*2.8%&nbsp;(2024e) 3.7%&nbsp;(2025f)<ref name="IMFWEOCG"/>}}
| per capita          = {{plainlist|
*{{increase}} $2,384 (nominal, 2024 est.)<ref name="IMFWEOCG"/>
*{{increase}} $6,404 (PPP, 2024 est.)<ref name="IMFWEOCG"/>}}
| per capita rank     = {{plainlist|
*[[List of countries by GDP (nominal) per capita|145th (nominal, 2019)]]
*[[List of countries by GDP (PPP) per capita|145th (PPP, 2024)]]}}
| components          = 
| sectors             = {{plainlist|
*agriculture: 4.9%
*industry: 69.8%
*[[Service (economics)|services]]: 25.3%
*({{As of|2016|alt=2016}})}}
| inflation           = 1.8% (2020 est.)<ref name="IMFWEOCG"/>
| poverty             = {{plainlist|
*40.9% (2011)<ref>{{cite web |title=Poverty headcount ratio at national poverty lines (% of population) – Congo, Rep. |url=https://data.worldbank.org/indicator/SI.POV.NAHC?locations=CG |website=data.worldbank.org |publisher=World Bank |access-date=March 3, 2020}}</ref>
*61.3% on less than $3.20/day (2011)<ref>{{cite web |title=Poverty headcount ratio at $3.20 a day (2011 PPP) (% of population) – Congo, Rep. |url=https://data.worldbank.org/indicator/SI.POV.LMIC?locations=CG |website=data.worldbank.org |publisher=World Bank |access-date=March 3, 2020}}</ref>}}
| gini                = 48.9 {{color|red|high}} (2011)<ref>{{cite web |title=GINI index (World Bank estimate) – Congo, Rep. |url=https://data.worldbank.org/indicator/SI.POV.GINI?locations=CG |website=data.worldbank.org |publisher=World Bank |access-date=March 3, 2020}}</ref>
| hdi                 = {{plainlist|
*{{decrease}} 0.571 {{color|darkorange|medium}} (2021)<ref>{{cite web |url=http://hdr.undp.org/en/indicators/137506 |title=Human Development Index (HDI) |publisher=[[Human Development Report|HDRO (Human Development Report Office)]] [[United Nations Development Programme]] |website=hdr.undp.org |access-date=November 23, 2022}}</ref> ([[List of countries by Human Development Index|153rd]])
*{{decrease}} 0.432 {{color|red|low}} [[List of countries by inequality-adjusted HDI|IHDI]] (2021)<ref>{{cite web |url=http://hdr.undp.org/en/content/table-3-inequality-adjusted-human-development-index-ihdi |title=Inequality-adjusted Human Development Index (IHDI) |publisher=[[Human Development Report|HDRO (Human Development Report Office)]] [[United Nations Development Programme]] |website=hdr.undp.org |access-date=November 23, 2022}}</ref>}}
| labor               = {{plainlist|
*{{increase}} 2,173,950 (2019)<ref>{{cite web |title=Labor force, total – Congo, Rep. |url=https://data.worldbank.org/indicator/SL.TLF.TOTL.IN?locations=CG |website=data.worldbank.org |publisher=World Bank & [[ILO]] |access-date=March 3, 2020}}</ref>
*48.4% employment rate (2009)<ref>{{cite web |title=Employment to population ratio, 15+, total (%) (national estimate) – Congo, Rep. |url=https://data.worldbank.org/indicator/SL.EMP.TOTL.SP.NE.ZS?locations=CG |website=data.worldbank.org |publisher=World Bank & ILO |access-date=March 3, 2020}}</ref>}}
| occupations         = N/A
| unemployment        = 53% ({{As of|2012|alt=2012}})
| industries          = petroleum extraction, cement, lumber, brewing, sugar, palm oil, soap, flour, cigarettes
| exports             = $12.35&nbsp;billion ({{As of|2012|alt=2012}})
| export-goods        = petroleum, lumber, plywood, sugar, [[Cocoa bean|cocoa]], coffee, diamonds
| export-partners     = {{plainlist|
*{{flag|United Arab Emirates}} 26%
*{{flag|China}} 16.6% 
*{{flag|Greece}} 7.87%  
*{{flag|Vietnam}} 7.73% (2021)<ref name="OECExport">{{cite web |title=Export Partners of the Republic of the Congo |url=https://oec.world/en/visualize/tree_map/hs92/export/cog/show/all/2021/ |publisher=The Observatory of Economic Complexity |access-date=21 April 2023}}</ref>}}
| imports             = $4.751&nbsp;billion ({{As of|2012|alt=2012}})
| import-goods        = capital equipment, construction materials, foodstuffs
| import-partners     = {{plainlist|
*{{flag|China}} 20.4% 
*{{flag|France}} 9.28%
*{{flag|Belgium}} 4.88%
*{{flag|India}} 4.65% (2021)<ref name="OECImport">{{cite web |title=Import Partners of the Republic of the Congo |url=https://oec.world/en/visualize/tree_map/hs92/import/cog/show/all/2021/ |publisher=The Observatory of Economic Complexity |access-date=21 April 2023}}</ref>}}
| gross external debt = 4.225&nbsp;billion ({{As of|2012|alt=2012}})
| FDI                 = 
| debt                = 
| revenue             = $8.05&nbsp;billion ({{As of|2012|alt=2012}})
| expenses            = $5.93&nbsp;billion ({{As of|2012|alt=2012}})
| credit              = 
| reserves            = 
| spelling            = 
}}
[[File:Manihot esculenta - Köhler–s Medizinal-Pflanzen-090.jpg|thumb|170px|[[Cassava]] is an important food crop in the Republic of Congo.]]
The '''economy of the Republic of the Congo''' is a mixture of subsistence [[hunting]] and agriculture, an industrial sector based largely on petroleum extraction and support services. Government spending<ref name=CIAWFTB>{{Cite web|url=https://www.cia.gov/the-world-factbook/countries/congo-republic-of-the/|title=The World Factbook|author=CIA|access-date=July 9, 2013}}</ref> is characterized by budget problems and overstaffing. Petroleum has supplanted [[forestry]] as the mainstay of the economy, providing a major share of government revenues and exports.<ref name=CIAWFTB/> Nowadays the [[Republic of the Congo]] is increasingly converting natural gas to electricity rather than burning it, greatly improving energy prospects.<ref name=CIAWFTB/>

== Historical overview ==
Earlier in the 1990s, Congo's major employer was the state [[bureaucracy]], which had a payroll of 80,000, which is enormous for a country of Congo's size. The [[World Bank]] and other international financial institutions pressured Congo to institute sweeping civil service reforms to reduce the size of the state bureaucracy and pare back a civil service payroll that amounted to more than 20% of GDP in 1993. The effort to cut back began in 1994 with a 50% devaluation that cut the payroll in half in dollar terms and by a mid-year reduction of nearly 8,000 in civil service employment and resulted in inflation of 61%.  Inflation has since subsided.

Between 1994 and 1996, the Congolese economy underwent a difficult transition. The prospects for building the foundation of a healthy economy, however, were better than at any time in the previous 15 years. Congo took a number of measures to liberalize its economy, including reforming the tax, investment, labor, and hydrocarbon codes. Planned privatizations of key parastatals, primarily telecommunications and transportation monopolies, were launched to help improve a dilapidated and unreliable infrastructure. To build on the momentum achieved during the two-year period, the [[International Monetary Fund]] (IMF) approved a three-year [[ESAF]] economic program in June 1996.

By the end of 1996, Congo had made substantial progress in various areas targeted for reform. It made significant strides toward macroeconomic stabilization through improving public finances and restructuring external debt. This change was accompanied by improvements in the structure of expenditures, with a reduction in personnel expenditures. Further, Congo benefited from debt restructuring from a [[Paris Club]] agreement in July 1996.

This reform program came to a halt, however, in early June 1997 when war broke out. [[Denis Sassou-Nguesso]], who returned to power when the war ended in October 1997, publicly expressed interest in moving forward on economic reforms and [[privatization]] and in renewing cooperation with international financial institutions.<ref name=CIAWFTB/> However, economic progress was badly hurt by slumping oil prices in 1998, which worsened the Republic of the Congo's budget deficit.<ref name=CIAWFTB/> A second blow was the resumption of armed conflict in December 1998.

Congo's economic prospects remain largely dependent on the country's ability to establish political stability and democratic rule. The World Bank is considering Congo for post-conflict assistance. Priorities will be in reconstruction, basic services, infrastructure, and utilities.

Congo and the United States ratified a bilateral investment treaty designed to facilitate and protect foreign investment. The country also adopted a new investment code intended to attract foreign capital. Despite this, Congo's investment climate is not considered favorable, offering few meaningful incentives. High costs for labor, energy, raw materials, and transportation; a restrictive labor code; low productivity and high production costs; militant [[trade union|labor union]]s; and an inadequate transportation infrastructure are among the factors discouraging investment. The recent political instability, war damage, and looting also undermined investor confidence. As a result, Congo has little American investment outside of the oil sector.<ref>{{cite web| url = https://2009-2017.state.gov/r/pa/ei/bgn/2825.htm| title = United States Department of State}}</ref>

In recent years, the Republic's economic growth has slowed because of the 2014–2016 fall in oil prices.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.worldbank.org/en/country/congo/overview|title = Overview}}</ref>

== Petroleum ==
{{main|Petroleum industry in the Republic of the Congo}}
The Congo's growing petroleum sector is by far the country's major revenue earner. 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. However, the government has mortgaged a substantial portion of its oil earnings, contributing to the government's shortage of revenues. The Congolese oil sector is dominated by the French parastatal oil company [[TotalEnergies|Total]], which accounts for 70% of the country's annual oil production. In second position is the Italian oil firm [[Εni]]. [[Chevron Corporation|Chevron]], independent [[CMS Nomeco]], and [[ExxonMobil]] are among the American companies active in petroleum exploration or production. Following recent discoveries and oil fields currently under development, Congo's oil production is expected to continue to rise significantly in the next few years.{{Citation needed|date=March 2009}}

Congo plans to use the auction to grow its small oil industry, which only produces about 25,000 barrels a day from a project in the west of the country run by France’s Perenco SA. The process has drawn criticism from environmental groups for offering blocks that overlap with Congo’s peatlands, which are among the world’s most important carbon sinks. [https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2022-07-19/oil-blocks-in-gorilla-sanctuary-added-to-expanded-congo-auction]

{{See also|Mining in the Republic of Congo}}

== Statistics ==
The following table shows the main economic indicators in 1980–2024.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Report for Selected Countries and Subjects |url=https://www.imf.org/en/Publications/WEO/weo-database/2024/October/weo-report?c=634,&s=NGDP_RPCH,NGDPD,PPPGDP,NGDPDPC,PPPPC,PCPIPCH,GGXWDG_NGDP,&sy=1980&ey=2029&ssm=0&scsm=1&scc=0&ssd=1&ssc=0&sic=0&sort=country&ds=.&br=1 |access-date=2025-01-25 |website=IMF |language=en}}</ref>
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center; vertical-align:middle;"
|- style="font-weight:bold;"
! Year
! GDP<br />(in bil. US$ PPP)
! GDP per capita<br />(in US$ PPP)
!GDP<br />(in bil. US$ nominal)
! GDP growth<br />(real)
! Inflation<br />(in Percent)
! Government debt<br />(Percentage of GDP)
|-
|1980
|2.8
|1,623
|2.2
|12.7%
|7.3%
|n/a
|-
|1985
|4.0
|2,029
|1.3
|2.4%
|3.5%
|n/a
|-
|1990
|7.4
|3,084
|2.9
|1.0%
|0.3%
|0%
|-
|1995
|9.3
|3,388
|2.5
|4.0%
|6.3%
|0%
|-
|2000
|12.1
|3,870
|3.6
|11.8%
|0.5%
|145%
|-
|2005
|14.3
|3,897
|6.7
|9.2%
|2.5%
|100%
|-
|2006
|15.9
|4,178
|8.1
|8.0%
|4.7%
|95%
|-
|2007
|15.3
|3,863
|8.8
| −6.6%
|2.6%
|94%
|-
|2008
|16.6
|4,049
|11.6
|6.3%
|6.0%
|70%
|-
|2009
|18.6
|4,369
|9.7
|11.6%
|4.3%
|84%
|-
|2010
|20.7
|4,664
|13.2
|9.9%
|0.4%
|43%
|-
|2011
|21.6
|4,710
|15.7
|2.2%
|1.8%
|34%
|-
|2012
|24.2
|5,130
|17.7
|9.9%
|5.0%
|30%
|-
|2013
|24.4
|5,057
|18.0
| −0.7%
|4.6%
|34%
|-
|2014
|26.5
|5,361
|17.9
|6.7%
|0.9%
|42%
|-
|2015
|25.8
|5,095
|11.9
| −3.6%
|3.2%
|74%
|-
|2016
|24.8
|4,772
|10.9
| −5.0%
|3.2%
|85%
|-
|2017
|23.8
|4,477
|11.8
| −5.6%
|0.4%
|88%
|-
|2018
|30.7
|5,636
|14.8
| −2.3%
|1.2%
|71%
|-
|2019
|32.1
|5,767
|14.0
|1.1%
|0.4%
|78%
|-
|2020
|27.4
|4,813
|11.5
| −6.3%
|1.4%
|103%
|-
|2021
|33.3
|5,707
|13.4
|1.1%
|2.0%
|98%
|-
|2022
|36.3
|6,084
|14.0
|1.8%
|3.0%
|92%
|-
|2023
|38.4
|6,252
|14.2
|2.0%
|4.3%
|99%
|-
|2024
|40.4
|6,404
|15.0
|2.8%
|4.0%
|93%
|}

[[File:GDP per capita development of the Republic of the Congo.svg|thumb|GDP per capita development in the Republic of Congo, 1950 to 2018]]
'''GDP:'''
purchasing power parity – $18.48 billion (2011 est.)

'''GDP – real growth rate:'''
4.5% (2011 est.)

'''GDP – per capita:'''
purchasing power parity – $4,600 (2011 est.)

'''GDP – composition by sector:'''
<br>''agriculture:''
4.2% (2011 est.)
<br>''industry:''
70.7% (2011 est.)
<br>''services:''
25.1% (2011 est.)

'''Household income or consumption by percentage share:'''
<br>''lowest 10%:''
2.1% (2005)
<br>''highest 10%:''
37.1% (2005)

'''Inflation rate (consumer prices):'''
6% (2011 est.)

'''Labor force:'''
1.514 million (2007)

'''Ease of Doing Business Rank:'''
181st<ref name=" World Bank and International Financial Corporation ">{{cite web|url= http://www.doingbusiness.org/data/exploreeconomies/congo,-rep~/|title= Doing Business in Congo, Rep. 2012|publisher=[[World Bank]]|access-date=November 18, 2011}}</ref>

'''Budget:'''
<br>''revenues:''
$6.938 billion (2011 est.)
<br>''expenditures:''
$3.535 billion (2011 est.)

'''Industries:'''
petroleum extraction, cement, lumber, brewing, sugar, palm oil, soap, flour, cigarettes

'''Industrial production growth rate:'''
12% (2010 est.)

'''Electricity – production:'''
452 million kWh (2008 est.)

'''Electricity – consumption:'''
534 million kWh (2008 est.)

'''Electricity – exports:'''
0 kWh (2009 est.)

'''Electricity – imports:'''
436 million kWh (2008 est.)

'''Agriculture – products:'''
[[cassava]] ([[tapioca]]), sugar, rice, maize, peanuts, vegetables, coffee, [[Cocoa bean|cocoa]], forest products

'''Exports:'''
$12.38 billion (2011 est.)
'''Exports – commodities:'''
petroleum, lumber, plywood, sugar, Cocoa bean, coffee, diamonds

'''Exports – partners:'''
China 37.9%, United States 20%, Australia 6.2%, France 6.0%, Spain 4.8%, Italy 4.3%, [[Netherlands]] 4.3% (2011)

'''Imports:'''
$4.917 billion (2011 est.)

'''Imports – commodities:'''
capital equipment, construction materials, foodstuffs

'''Imports – partners:'''
France 17.3%, China 12.6%, [[India]] 9.5%, Italy 7.5%, Brazil 7.3%, United States 5.8% (2011)

'''Debt – external:'''
$4.955 billion (2011 est.)

'''Currency:'''
1 Communaute Financiere Africaine franc (CFAF) = 100 centimes

'''Fiscal year:'''
calendar year

'''Public debt as percentage of GDP:'''
61.2% (2017)

==See also==
* [[Republic of the Congo]]
* [[Mining in the Republic of Congo]]
* [[Transport in the Republic of the Congo]]
* [[List of companies based in the Republic of the Congo]]
* [[United Nations Economic Commission for Africa]]

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
* [http://www.trademap.org/open_access/Index.aspx?proceed=true&reporter=178 Congo latest trade data on ITC Trade Map]

{{portalbar|Republic of the Congo|Business and economics|Africa}}
{{World Trade Organization}}
{{OPEC}}
{{Africa in topic|Economy of}}

[[Category:Economy of the Republic of the Congo| ]]
[[Category:World Trade Organization member economies|Congo, Republic of the]]
[[Category:African Union member economies|Congo, Republic of]]