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This page was last updated on 20 October, 2005
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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 has since 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 will contest the municipal, legislative, and presidential elections scheduled for February 2005. 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: 0.14% other: 96.76% (2001)
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: | 3,799,897 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 2005 est.)
Age structure: | 0-14 years: 42.5% (male 813,596/female 802,728) 15-64 years: 54% (male 1,010,696/female 1,041,903) 65 years and over: 3.4% (male 54,345/female 76,629) (2005 est.)
Median age: | total: 18.12 years male: 17.75 years female: 18.5 years (2005 est.)
Population growth rate: | 1.49% (2005 est.)
Birth rate: | 35.17 births/1,000 population (2005 est.)
Death rate: | 20.27 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.)
Net migration rate: | 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.)
Sex ratio: | at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.01 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.97 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.71 male(s)/female total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2005 est.)
Infant mortality rate: | total: 91 deaths/1,000 live births male: 97.84 deaths/1,000 live births female: 83.96 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)
Life expectancy at birth: | total population: 43.39 years male: 43.27 years female: 43.52 years (2005 est.)
Total fertility rate: | 4.5 children born/woman (2005 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 (2004)
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: | passed by referendum 5 December 2004
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; next presidential elections scheduled for 10 April 2005; prime minister appointed by the political party with a parliamentary majority
Legislative branch: | unicameral National Assembly or Assemblee Nationale (109 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms elections: last held 22-23 November and 13 December 1998 (next to be held 13 March 2005) 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]; 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), 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: 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 54%. 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. Distribution of income is extraordinarily unequal. Grants from France and the international community can only partially meet humanitarian needs.
GDP (purchasing power parity): | $4.248 billion (2004 est.)
GDP - real growth rate: | 0.5% (2004 est.)
GDP - per capita: | purchasing power parity - $1,100 (2004 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 (1993)
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, including capital expenditures of 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 (2002)
Electricity - consumption: | 98.58 million kWh (2002)
Electricity - exports: | 0 kWh (2002)
Electricity - imports: | 0 kWh (2002)
Oil - production: | 0 bbl/day (2001 est.)
Oil - consumption: | 2,400 bbl/day (2001 est.)
Oil - exports: | NA
Oil - imports: | NA
Exports: | $172 million f.o.b. (2002 est.)
Exports - commodities: | diamonds, timber, cotton, coffee, tobacco
Exports - partners: | Belgium 39.2%, Italy 8.6%, Spain 7.9%, US 6.2%, France 6.1%, Indonesia 5.8%, China 4.9% (2004)
Imports: | $136 million f.o.b. (2002 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: | $881.4 million (2000 est.)
Economic aid - recipient: | ODA $73 million; note - traditional budget subsidies from France (2000 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 - 528.29 (2004), 581.2 (2003), 696.99 (2002), 733.04 (2001), 711.98 (2000)
Fiscal year: | calendar year

| Communications | Central African Republic | Top of Page

Telephones - main lines in use: | 9,000 (2002)
Telephones - mobile cellular: | 13,000 (2003)
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: | 6 (2002)
Internet users: | 5,000 (2002)

| Transportation | Central African Republic | Top of Page

Highways: | total: 23,810 km paved: 643 km unpaved: 23,167 km (1999 est.)
Waterways: | 2,800 km (primarily on the Oubangui and Sangha rivers) (2004)
Ports and harbors: | Bangui, Nola, Salo, Nzinga
Airports: | 50 (2004 est.)
Airports - with paved runways: | total: 3 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 (2004 est.)
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 (2004 est.)

| 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: | $15.5 million (2004)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP: | 1% (2004)

| 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): 36,479 (Sudan) 1,864 (Chad) 6,484 (Democratic Republic of the Congo) IDPs: 200,000 (unrest following coup in 2003) (2004)

This page was last updated on 20 October, 2005