The president, Denis Sassou-Nguesso, will continue to dominate the political system despite questions over his regime's democratic credibility. Concerns are rising that he may attempt to defy the constitution to run again in 2016.
Driven by infrastructure, manufacturing and mining investment, and higher oil output in 2015, real GDP growth will accelerate from 4.8% in 2014 to 7.4% next year, before easing to 7.2% in 2016.
The trade surplus will widen from 2015 because of rising oil production, but the current-account surplus will continue to shrink in 2015, to 0.8% of GDP, before widening to 14% of GDP in 2016.

Basic data 8

Political structure 9

Economic structure 10

Annual indicators 10

Quarterly indicators 11

Comparative economic indicators 12

Outlook for 2015-16 13

Political outlook 13

Economic policy outlook 14

Economic forecast 16

Recent analysis 19

Politics 19

Economy 23

International assumptions summary 16

Forecast summary 18

Exchange rate 11

Foreign reserves 11

Gross domestic product 18

Consumer price inflation 18

Summary 7

中国科学技术信息研究所