Brazzaville

Abstract

Brazzaville is the capital and the largest city (estimated 1.2 million in 1995) of the Congo. Its rapid growth, both in population and in urban area, is mainly due to the oil booms of 1972–1974 and 1979–1984 which raised the GNP considerabily and turned exports from agriculture and timber to the energy sector. But only a small part of the greatly increased public expenditures was employed in Brazzaville's infrastructure and the extension of public services. Over the last decade, the oil boom finished, the capital has suffered from the Congo's deep financial crisis, worsened by the difficult transition from a one party to a multiparty government and by the devaluation of CFA france. Urban management and planning has not improved and Brazzaville is now experiencing increasing environmental problems with a serious impact on human health.