African Members of FOCAC

　　Republic of the Congo

　　（Updated February 2018）

　　【Official Name】Republic of the Congo

　　【Area】342,000 k㎡

　　【Population】4.62 million (2016). There are 56 Bantu-speaking ethnic groups. The Kongo in the south are the largest ethnic group and make up 45% of the population, including sub-groups like Laari, Bakongo and Vili. M’Bochi people live in the north and form 16% of the population and Teke in the central area make up 20%. In addition, a small number of Pygmies live in the jungle of the north. French is the official language and indigenous languages in the south include Kongo and Munukutuban (Kituba), and in the north is Lingala. More than half of the population practice indigenous religions, 26% are Catholic, 10% are Christian and 3% are Muslim.

　　【Capital】Brazzaville with a population of 1.56 million (2014) and average annual temperature of 26℃

　　【Head of State】President Denis Sassou-Nguesso was in office from August 1979 to 1992 during which he was re-elected for another two terms in July 1984 and July 1989. He was re-elected for another four terms in October 1997, March 2002, July 2009 and March 2016.

　　【Holiday】Independence Day (15 August)

　　【Geography and Climate】The Republic of the Congo is located in the central-western part of Africa on the equator. To the east and south is the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Angola. It is also bounded by the Central African Republic and Cameroon to the north, Gabon to the west and the Atlantic Ocean to the southwest, with a coastline of 156 km. The south has a tropical savanna climate while the central and northern parts have a hot and humidtropical rainforest climate. Average annual temperature is between 24 and 28℃.