Age structure:
0-14 years:
42% (male 605,546; female 596,971)
15-64 years:
54% (male 748,217; female 785,278)
65 years and over:
4% (male 38,170; female 56,779) (2000 est.)
Population growth rate: 2.23% (2000 est.)
Birth rate: 38.61 births/1,000 population (2000 est.)
Death rate: 16.35 deaths/1,000 population (2000 est.)
Net migration rate: 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2000 est.)
Sex ratio:
at birth:
1.03 male(s)/female
under 15 years:
1.01 male(s)/female
15-64 years:
0.95 male(s)/female
65 years and over:
0.67 male(s)/female
total population:
0.97 male(s)/female (2000 est.)
Infant mortality rate: 101.55 deaths/1,000 live births (2000 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population:
47.43 years
male:
44.49 years
female:
50.47 years (2000 est.)
Total fertility rate: 5.06 children born/woman (2000 est.)
Nationality:
noun:
Congolese (singular and plural)
adjective:
Congolese or Congo
Ethnic groups: Kongo 48%, Sangha 20%, M'Bochi 12%, Teke 17%, Europeans NA%; note - Europeans estimated at 8,500, mostly French, before the 1997 civil war; may be half of that in 1998, following the widespread destruction of foreign businesses in 1997
Religions: Christian 50%, animist 48%, Muslim 2%
Languages: French (official), Lingala and Monokutuba (lingua franca trade languages), many local languages and dialects (of which Kikongo has the most users)
Literacy:
definition:
age 15 and over can read and write
total population:
74.9%
male:
83.1%
female:
67.2% (1995 est.)