| Central African Republic |  | Click to enlarge

Introduction
Geography
People
Government
Economy
Communications
Transportation
Military
Transnational Issues

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This page was last updated on 29 March, 2006

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| Introduction | Central African Republic | Top of Page

Background:

The former French colony of Ubangi-Shari became the Central African Republic upon independence in 1960. After three tumultuous decades of misrule - mostly by military governments - civilian rule was established in 1993 and lasted for one decade. President Ange-Felix PATASSE's civilian government was plagued by unrest, and in March 2003 he was deposed in a military coup led by General Francois BOZIZE, who established a transitional government. Though the government has the tacit support of civil society groups and the main parties, a wide field of affiliated and independent candidates contested the municipal, legislative, and presidential elections held in March and May of 2005 through which General BOZIZE was affirmed as president. The government still does not fully control the countryside, where pockets of lawlessness persist.

| Geography | Central African Republic | Top of Page

Location: | Central Africa, north of Democratic Republic of the Congo
Geographic coordinates: | 7 00 N, 21 00 E
Map references: | Africa
Area: | total: 622,984 sq km land: 622,984 sq km water: 0 sq km
Area - comparative: | slightly smaller than Texas
Land boundaries: | total: 5,203 km border countries: Cameroon 797 km, Chad 1,197 km, Democratic Republic of the Congo 1,577 km, Republic of the Congo 467 km, Sudan 1,165 km
Coastline: | 0 km (landlocked)
Maritime claims: | none (landlocked)
Climate: | tropical; hot, dry winters; mild to hot, wet summers
Terrain: | vast, flat to rolling, monotonous plateau; scattered hills in northeast and southwest
Elevation extremes: | lowest point: Oubangui River 335 m highest point: Mont Ngaoui 1,420 m
Natural resources: | diamonds, uranium, timber, gold, oil, hydropower
Land use: | arable land: 3.1% permanent crops: 0.15% other: 96.75% (2005)
Irrigated land: | NA sq km
Natural hazards: | hot, dry, dusty harmattan winds affect northern areas; floods are common
Environment - current issues: | tap water is not potable; poaching has diminished the country's reputation as one of the last great wildlife refuges; desertification; deforestation
Environment - international agreements: | party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Ozone Layer Protection, Tropical Timber 94 signed, but not ratified: Law of the Sea
Geography - note: | landlocked; almost the precise center of Africa

| People | Central African Republic | Top of Page

Population: | 4,303,356 note: estimates for this country explicitly take into account the effects of excess mortality due to AIDS; this can result in lower life expectancy, higher infant mortality and death rates, lower population and growth rates, and changes in the distribution of population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July 2006 est.)
Age structure: | 0-14 years: 41.9% (male 907,629/female 897,153) 15-64 years: 53.9% (male 1,146,346/female 1,173,268) 65 years and over: 4.2% (male 71,312/female 107,648) (2006 est.)
Median age: | total: 18.4 years male: 18 years female: 18.8 years (2006 est.)
Population growth rate: | 1.53% (2006 est.)
Birth rate: | 33.91 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)
Death rate: | 18.65 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)
Net migration rate: | 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)
Sex ratio: | at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.01 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.98 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.66 male(s)/female total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2006 est.)
Infant mortality rate: | total: 85.63 deaths/1,000 live births male: 92.44 deaths/1,000 live births female: 78.61 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)
Life expectancy at birth: | total population: 43.54 years male: 43.46 years female: 43.62 years (2006 est.)
Total fertility rate: | 4.41 children born/woman (2006 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: | 13.5% (2003 est.)
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: | 260,000 (2003 est.)
HIV/AIDS - deaths: | 23,000 (2003 est.)
Major infectious diseases: | degree of risk: very high food or waterborne diseases: bacterial diarrhea, hepatitis A, and typhoid fever vectorborne disease: malaria respiratory disease: meningococcal meningitis (2005)
Nationality: | noun: Central African(s) adjective: Central African
Ethnic groups: | Baya 33%, Banda 27%, Mandjia 13%, Sara 10%, Mboum 7%, M'Baka 4%, Yakoma 4%, other 2%
Religions: | indigenous beliefs 35%, Protestant 25%, Roman Catholic 25%, Muslim 15% note: animistic beliefs and practices strongly influence the Christian majority
Languages: | French (official), Sangho (lingua franca and national language), tribal languages
Literacy: | definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 51% male: 63.3% female: 39.9% (2003 est.)

| Government | Central African Republic | Top of Page

Country name: | conventional long form: Central African Republic conventional short form: none local long form: Republique Centrafricaine local short form: none former: Ubangi-Shari, Central African Empire abbreviation: CAR
Government type: | republic
Capital: | Bangui
Administrative divisions: | 14 prefectures (prefectures, singular - prefecture), 2 economic prefectures* (prefectures economiques, singular - prefecture economique), and 1 commune**; Bamingui-Bangoran, Bangui**, Basse-Kotto, Haute-Kotto, Haut-Mbomou, Kemo, Lobaye, Mambere-Kadei, Mbomou, Nana-Grebizi*, Nana-Mambere, Ombella-Mpoko, Ouaka, Ouham, Ouham-Pende, Sangha-Mbaere*, Vakaga
Independence: | 13 August 1960 (from France)
National holiday: | Republic Day, 1 December (1958)
Constitution: | 5 December 2004; ratified by popular referendum
Legal system: | based on French law
Suffrage: | 21 years of age; universal

Executive branch:

chief of state: President Francois BOZIZE (since 15 March 2003 coup)
head of government: Prime Minister Elie DOTE (since 13 June 2005) note - Celestin GAOMBALET resigned 11 June 2005
cabinet: Council of Ministers
elections: president elected to five year term with a two-term limit; elections last held 13 March and 8 May 2005 (next to be held in 2010); prime minister appointed by the political party with a parliamentary majority
election results: Francois BOZIZE elected president; percent of second round balloting - Francois BOZIZE (KNK) 64.6%, Martin ZIGUELE (MLPC) 35.4%

Legislative branch:

unicameral National Assembly or Assemblee Nationale (109 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms)
elections: last held 13 March 2005 and 8 May 2005 (next to be held NA 2010)
election results: percent of vote by party - MLPC 43%, RDC 18%, MDD 9%, FPP 6%, PSD 5%, ADP 4%, PUN 3%, FODEM 2%, PLD 2%, UPR 1%, FC 1%, independents 6%; seats by party - MLPC 47, RDC 20, MDD 8, FPP 7, PSD 6, ADP 5, PUN 3, FODEM 2, PLD 2, UPR 1, FC 1, independents 7

Judicial branch: | Supreme Court or Cour Supreme; Constitutional Court (3 judges appointed by the president, 3 by the president of the National Assembly, and 3 by fellow judges); Court of Appeal; Criminal Courts; Inferior Courts

Political parties and leaders:

Alliance for Democracy and Progress or ADP [Jacques MBOLIEDAS]; Central African Democratic Assembly or RDC [Andre KOLINGBA]; Civic Forum or FC [Gen. Timothee MALENDOMA]; Democratic Forum for Modernity or FODEM [Charles MASSI]; Liberal Democratic Party or PLD [Nestor KOMBO-NAGUEMON]; Movement for Democracy and Development or MDD [David DACKO]; Movement for the Liberation of the Central African People or MLPC [the party of deposed president, Ange-Felix PATASSE]; National Convergence or KNK [leader NA]; Patriotic Front for Progress or FPP [Abel GOUMBA]; People's Union for the Republic or UPR [Pierre Sammy MAKFOY]; National Unity Party or PUN [Jean-Paul NGOUPANDE]; Social Democratic Party or PSD [Enoch LAKOUE]

Political pressure groups and leaders: | NA
International organization participation: | ACCT, ACP, AfDB, AU, BDEAC, CEMAC, FAO, FZ, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, Interpol, IOC, ITU, MIGA, NAM, OIC (observer), OIF, OPCW (signatory), UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO
Diplomatic representation in the US: | chief of mission: Ambassador Emmanuel TOUABOY chancery: 1618 22nd Street NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 483-7800 FAX: [1] (202) 332-9893
Diplomatic representation from the US: | chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires James PANOS embassy: Avenue David Dacko, Bangui mailing address: B. P. 924, Bangui telephone: [236] 61 02 00 FAX: [236] 61 44 94 note: the embassy is currently operating with a minimal staff
Flag description: | four equal horizontal bands of blue (top), white, green, and yellow with a vertical red band in center; there is a yellow five-pointed star on the hoist side of the blue band

| Economy | Central African Republic | Top of Page

Economy - overview:

Subsistence agriculture, together with forestry, remains the backbone of the economy of the Central African Republic (CAR), with more than 70% of the population living in outlying areas. The agricultural sector generates half of GDP. Timber has accounted for about 16% of export earnings and the diamond industry, for 40%. Important constraints to economic development include the CAR's landlocked position, a poor transportation system, a largely unskilled work force, and a legacy of misdirected macroeconomic policies. Factional fighting between the government and its opponents remains a drag on economic revitalization, with GDP growth at only 0.5% in 2004 and 2.5% in 2005. Distribution of income is extraordinarily unequal. Grants from France and the international community can only partially meet humanitarian needs.

GDP (purchasing power parity): | $4.479 billion (2005 est.)
GDP (official exchange rate): | $1.431 billion (2005 est.)
GDP - real growth rate: | 2.5% (2005 est.)
GDP - per capita (PPP): | $1,100 (2005 est.)
GDP - composition by sector: | agriculture: 55% industry: 20% services: 25% (2001 est.)
Labor force: | NA
Unemployment rate: | 8% (23% for Bangui) (2001 est.)
Population below poverty line: | NA%
Household income or consumption by percentage share: | lowest 10%: 0.7% highest 10%: 47.7% (1993)
Distribution of family income - Gini index: | 61.3 (1993)
Inflation rate (consumer prices): | 3.6% (2001 est.)
Budget: | revenues: $NA expenditures: $NA
Agriculture - products: | cotton, coffee, tobacco, manioc (tapioca), yams, millet, corn, bananas; timber
Industries: | gold and diamond mining, logging, brewing, textiles, footwear, assembly of bicycles and motorcycles
Industrial production growth rate: | 3% (2002)
Electricity - production: | 106 million kWh (2003)
Electricity - consumption: | 98.58 million kWh (2003)
Electricity - exports: | 0 kWh (2003)
Electricity - imports: | 0 kWh (2003)
Oil - production: | 0 bbl/day (2003)
Oil - consumption: | 2,400 bbl/day (2003 est.)
Oil - exports: | NA bbl/day
Oil - imports: | NA bbl/day
Natural gas - production: | 0 cu m (2003 est.)
Natural gas - consumption: | 0 cu m (2003 est.)
Exports: | $131 million f.o.b. (2004 est.)
Exports - commodities: | diamonds, timber, cotton, coffee, tobacco
Exports - partners: | Belgium 39.6%, Italy 8.7%, Spain 8%, US 6.2%, France 6.1%, Indonesia 5.9%, China 4.9% (2004)
Imports: | $203 million f.o.b. (2004 est.)
Imports - commodities: | food, textiles, petroleum products, machinery, electrical equipment, motor vehicles, chemicals, pharmaceuticals
Imports - partners: | France 17.6%, US 16.3%, Cameroon 9.3%, Belgium 5% (2004)
Debt - external: | $1.06 billion (2002 est.)
Economic aid - recipient: | ODA, $59.8 million; note - traditional budget subsidies from France (2002 est.)
Currency (code): | Communaute Financiere Africaine franc (XAF); note - responsible authority is the Bank of the Central African States
Exchange rates: | Communaute Financiere Africaine francs (XAF) per US dollar - 527.47 (2005), 528.29 (2004), 581.2 (2003), 696.99 (2002), 733.04 (2001)
Fiscal year: | calendar year

| Communications | Central African Republic | Top of Page

Telephones - main lines in use: | 10,000 (2004)
Telephones - mobile cellular: | 60,000 (2004)
Telephone system: | general assessment: fair system domestic: network consists principally of microwave radio relay and low-capacity, low-powered radiotelephone communication international: country code - 236; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)
Radio broadcast stations: | AM 1, FM 5, shortwave 1 (2002)
Television broadcast stations: | 1 (2001)
Internet country code: | .cf
Internet hosts: | 13 (2005)
Internet users: | 9,000 (2005)

| Transportation | Central African Republic | Top of Page

Airports: | 50 (2005)
Airports - with paved runways: | total: 3 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 (2005)
Airports - with unpaved runways: | total: 47 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 10 914 to 1,523 m: 23 under 914 m: 13 (2005)
Roadways: | total: 23,810 km (1999)
Waterways: | 2,800 km (primarily on the Oubangui and Sangha rivers) (2005)
Ports and terminals: | Bangui, Nola, Salo, Nzinga

| Military | Central African Republic | Top of Page

Military branches: | Central African Armed Forces (FACA): Ground Forces, Air Force; General Directorate of Gendarmerie Inspection (DGIG), Republican Guard (2004)
Military service age and obligation: | 18 years of age for voluntary and compulsory military service; conscript service obligation is two years (2005)
Manpower available for military service: | males age 18-49: 758,103 (2005 est.)
Manpower fit for military service: | males age 18-49: 330,255 (2005 est.)
Military expenditures - dollar figure: | $16.37 million (2005 est.)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP: | 1% (2005 est.)

| Transnational Issues | Central African Republic | Top of Page

Disputes - international: | about 30,000 refugees fleeing the 2002 civil conflict in the CAR still reside in southern Chad; periodic skirmishes over water and grazing rights among related pastoral populations along the border with southern Sudan persist
Refugees and internally displaced persons: | refugees (country of origin): 19,470 (Sudan) 1,864 (Chad) 6,484 (Democratic Republic of the Congo) IDPs: 200,000 (unrest following coup in 2003) (2005)

This page was last updated on 29 March, 2006