Population: 2,894,336

Languages: French (official), Lingala and Monokutuba (lingua franca trade languages), many local languages and dialects (of which Kikongo has the most users)

Background: Upon independence in 1960, the former French region of Middle Congo became the Republic of the Congo. A quarter century of experimentation with Marxism was abandoned in 1990 and a democratically elected government installed in 1992. A brief civil...

Currency: Communaute Financiere Africaine franc (XAF, No information)

Data from CIA World Factbook. Click on CIA link for more. Click on map or flag for larger images.