Congo

THE REPUBLIC OF the Congo, a former French colony, has a land area of 132,047 sq. mi. (342,000 sq. km.), with a population of 3,999,000 (2006 est.), and a population density of 31 people per sq. mi. (12 people per sq. km.). Forests cover 62 percent of the country, with less than one percent of arable land, and 29 percent used for meadows and pasture, mainly for low-intensity grazing. The substantial cattle industry contributes to the country's methane emissions.

The carbon dioxide emissions from the Congo, on a per capita level, are relatively low: 0.5 metric tons in 1990, rising to 0.8 metric tons in 1997, and falling to 0.37 metric tons in 2003. This low rate is because of the dense forests that cover a ...