Africa > Congo, Republic of the > Government

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Administrative divisions 10 regions (regions, singular - region) and 1 commune*; Bouenza, Brazzaville*, Cuvette, Cuvette-Ouest, Kouilou, Lekoumou, Likouala, Niari, Plateaux, Pool, Sangha
Ambassadors from Finland > Current Finnish Ambassadors > Ambassador	Anna-Liisa Korhonen
Capital city	Brazzaville
Capital city > Geographic coordinates	4 15 S, 15 17 E
Capital city > Name	Brazzaville
Capital city > Time difference UTC+1 (six hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)
Constitution approved by referendum 20 January 2002
Corruption	2.3		[131st of 160]
CPIA equity of public resource use rating	3		[49th of 75]
CPIA quality of public administration rating	2.5		[59th of 75]
Diplomatic representation from the US > Chief of mission	Ambassador Allan EASTHAM
Diplomatic representation from the US > Embassy Boulevard de la Revolution, BDEAC Building, 4th Floor, Brazzaville; note - a new embassy is expected to open in 2009
Diplomatic representation from the US > Mailing address	B.P. 1015, Brazzaville
Diplomatic representation from the US > Telephone [242] 281-1481, [242] 281-3368; note - until the new embassy in Brazzaville becomes operational, some duties will still be handled in the US embassy in Kinshasha, Democratic Republic of the Congo
Diplomatic representation in the US > Chancery 4891 Colorado Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20011
Diplomatic representation in the US > Chief of mission	Ambassador Serge MOMBOULI
Diplomatic representation in the US > FAX	[1] (202) 726-1860
Diplomatic representation in the US > Telephone	[1] (202) 726-5500
Executive branch > Cabinet Council of Ministers appointed by the president
Executive branch > Chief of state President Denis SASSOU-NGUESSO (since 25 October 1997, following the civil war in which he toppled elected president Pascal LISSOUBA)
Executive branch > Election results Denis SASSOU-NGUESSO reelected president; percent of vote - Denis SASSOU-NGUESSO 89.4%, Joseph Kignoumbi Kia MBOUNGOU 2.7%
Executive branch > Elections president elected by popular vote for a seven-year term (eligible for a second term); election last held 10 March 2002 (next to be held in 2009)
Executive branch > Head of government Prime Minister Isidore MVOUBA (since 7 January 2005)
Flag description divided diagonally from the lower hoist side by a yellow band; the upper triangle (hoist side) is green and the lower triangle is red; note: uses the popular pan-African colors of Ethiopia
Foreign relations of Western Sahara > States recognizing the SADR > Date of recognition	June 3, 1978
General government final consumption expenditure > annual % growth	3.8 %		[51st of 147]
General government final consumption expenditure > constant 2000 US$	581,881,900 constant 2000 US$		[87th of 145]
General government final consumption expenditure > constant 2000 US$ (per capita)	145.51 constant 2000 US$ per c		[74th of 146]
General government final consumption expenditure > constant LCU	144005700000
General government final consumption expenditure > current LCU	386000000000
General government final consumption expenditure > current US$	731,798,000 $		[106th of 169]
General government final consumption expenditure > current US$ (per $ GDP)	0.144 $ per $1 of GDP		[73rd of 184]
General government final consumption expenditure > current US$ (per capita)	183 $ per capita		[87th of 184]
Government type	republic
Independence 15 August 1960 (from France)
International organization participation ACCT, ACP, AfDB, AU, BDEAC, CEMAC, FAO, FZ, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ITSO, ITU, ITUC, MIGA, NAM, OIF, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNITAR, UNWTO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
Judicial branch Supreme Court or Cour Supreme
Legal system based on French civil law system and customary law; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
Legislative branch bicameral Parliament consists of the Senate (66 seats; members are elected by indirect vote to serve five-year terms) and the National Assembly (137 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms)
Legislative branch > Election results Senate - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - FDU 56, other 10; National Assembly - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - PCT 46, MCDDI 11, UPADS 11, MAR 5, MSD 5, independents 37, other 22
Legislative branch > Elections Senate - last held 11 July 2002 (next to be held in July 2008); National Assembly - last held 24 June and 5 August 2007 (next to be held in 2012)
National holiday Independence Day, 15 August
political parties > Dominant party	•
Political parties and leaders Action Movement for Renewal or MAR; Congolese Movement for Democracy and Integral Development or MCDDI [Michel MAMPOUYA]; Congolese Labour Party or PCT; Movement for Solidarity and Development or MSD; Pan-African Union for Social Development or UPADS [Martin MBERI]; Rally for Democracy and Social Progress or RDPS [Jean-Pierre Thystere TCHICAYA, president]; Rally for Democracy and the Republic or RDR [Raymond Damasge NGOLLO]; Union for Democracy and Republic or UDR; United Democratic Forces or FDU [Sebastian EBAO]; many less important parties
Political pressure groups and leaders Congolese Trade Union Congress or CSC; General Union of Congolese Pupils and Students or UGEEC; Revolutionary Union of Congolese Women or URFC; Union of Congolese Socialist Youth or UJSC
Prime minister	Isidore Mvouba
Procedures to build a warehouse > number	15		[106th of 168]
Procedures to build a warehouse > number (per capita)	3.751 per 1 million people		[66th of 170]
Procedures to enforce a contract > number	47		[27th of 170]
Procedures to enforce a contract > number (per capita)	11.753 per 1 million people		[46th of 171]
Procedures to register property > number	7		[50th of 167]
Procedures to register property > number (per capita)	1,750.48 per 1 billion people		[49th of 167]
Proportion of seats held by women in national parliament > %	8.5 %		[133rd of 174]
Start-up procedures to register a business > number	8		[108th of 171]
Start-up procedures to register a business > number (per capita)	2.001 per 1 million people		[64th of 171]
Suffrage 18 years of age; universal
Time required to build a warehouse > days	175 days		[92nd of 168]
Time required to enforce a contract > days	560 days		[67th of 171]
Time required to register property > days	137 days		[29th of 167]
Time required to start a business > days	71 days		[28th of 171]
Time to prepare and pay taxes > hours	576 hours		[21st of 169]
Time to resolve insolvency > years	3 years		[71st of 151]
Transnational Issues > Disputes > International the location of the boundary in the broad Congo River with the Democratic Republic of the Congo is indefinite except in the Pool Malebo/Stanley Pool area
Washington, D.C. embassies > Neighborhood Crestwood

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