Population: 42,684,091 (July 1994 est.)

Population growth rate: 3.17% (1994 est.)

Birth rate: 48.39 births/1,000 population (1994 est.)

Death rate: 16.74 deaths/1,000 population (1994 est.)

Net migration rate: 0.03 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1994 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 110.9 deaths/1,000 live births (1994 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 47.4 years
male: 45.57 years
female: 49.29 years (1994 est.)

Total fertility rate: 6.7 children born/woman (1994 est.)

Nationality:
noun: Zairian(s)
adjective: Zairian

Ethnic divisions: over 200 African ethnic groups, the majority are Bantu; four largest tribes - Mongo, Luba, Kongo (all Bantu), and the Mangbetu-Azande (Hamitic) make up about 45% of the population

Religions: Roman Catholic 50%, Protestant 20%, Kimbanguist 10%, Muslim 10%, other syncretic sects and traditional beliefs 10%

Languages: French, Lingala, Swahili, Kingwana, Kikongo, Tshiluba

Literacy: age 15 and over can read and write (1990 est.)
total population: 72%
male: 84%
female: 61%
Labor force: 15 million (13% of the labor force is wage earners; 51% of the population is of working age)
by occupation: agriculture 75%, industry 13%, services 12% (1985)

NOTE: The information regarding Zaire on this page is re-published from the 1995 World Fact Book of the United States Central Intelligence Agency. No claims are made regarding the accuracy of Zaire People 1995 information contained here. All suggestions for corrections of any errors about Zaire People 1995 should be addressed to the CIA.