The Democratic Republic of Congo (formerly Zaire) is situated in Central Africa and it crosses the equator in the north-central region. the third largest country in Africa, it is bordered with Central African Republic to the north, Sudan to the northeast, Uganda, Rwanda, Burundi and Tanzania to the east, Zambia to the south and southeast, Angola to the southwest, and Angola and the Congo Republic to the west.

The 2,733 mile long Congo River lies mostly within the territory of the country. The enormous semicircular bend in the river delineates a central depression known as the cuvette, with an average altitude of 1,300 ft. Around this densely forested section, which covers nearly half the area of the country, a succession of plateaus rise gradually to height of over 5,000 ft in the northeast and southeast. The highest altitudes are found along the eastern fringe of the country, on the edge of the Great African Rift Valley, where dislocation of the strata has produced important volcanic and mountain masses, the most notable of which is Mt. Ruwenzori, with its peak rising to a level of 16,795 ft.

Savannah and park forest vegetation predominate north and south of the equatorial forest belt; the southern savannah belt is far more extensive than the northern one. All major rivers are tributaries of the Zaire; these include the Lomani, the Aruwimi or Ituri, the Itimburi, the Mongala, the Ugangi, the Uélé, the Kasaim the Sankuru, the Lulua, the Kwango and the Kwilu. The largest lakes include Tanganyika, Albert, Edward, Kivu, Mweru, Leopols II and Tumba.

As of April 30, 2002 a report by the International Monetary Fund (IMF):

I. Membership Status: Joined: September 28, 1963; Article XIV

II. General Resources Account: SDR Million %Quota
Quota 291.00 100.00
Fund holdings of currency 448.11 153.99
Holdings Exchange Rate

III. SDR Department: SDR Million %Allocation
Net cumulative allocation 86.31 100.00

IV. Outstanding Purchases and Loans: SDR Million %Quota
Stand-by arrangements 126.83 43.58
Extended arrangements 7.63 2.62
Contingency and Compensatory 22.65 7.78
SAF arrangements 142.91 49.11

V. Latest Financial Arrangements:

Approval Expiration Amount Approved Amount Drawn
Type Date Date (SDR Million) (SDR Million)
Stand-by Jun 09, 1989 Jun 08, 1990 116.40 75.00
SAF May 15, 1987 May 14, 1990 203.70 145.50
Stand-by May 15, 1987 May 14, 1988 100.00 24.50

VI. Projected Payments to Fund
(SDR Million; based on existing use of resources and present holdings of SDRs):

Overdue 2 Forthcoming

Apr 30, 2002 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006
Principal 300.00
Charges/Interest 102.20 6.00 7.90 7.90 7.90 7.90
Total 402.20 6.00 7.90 7.90 7.90 7.90

2The projection of charges and interest assumes that overdue principal at the report date (if any) will remain outstanding, but forthcoming obligations will be settled on time

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