1999 Edition
CIA World Factbook 1999 (Internet Archive)
Introduction
Background
In 1996, the country experienced three mutinies by dissident elements of the armed forces, which demanded back pay as well as political and military reforms. Subsequent violence between the government and rebel military groups over pay issues, living conditions, and lack of opposition party representation in the government, destroyed many businesses in the capital, reduced tax revenues, and exacerbated the government's problems in meeting expenses. African peacekeepers restored order in 1997; in April 1998 the United Nations Mission in the Central African Republic (MINURCA) assumed responsibility for peacekeeping operations.
Geography
Area
total: 622,980 sq km land: 622,980 sq km water: 0 sq km
Area--comparative
slightly smaller than Texas
Climate
tropical; hot, dry winters; mild to hot, wet summers
Coastline
0 km (landlocked)
Elevation extremes
lowest point: Oubangui River 335 m highest point: Mont Ngaoui 1,420 m
Environment--current issues
tap water is not potable; poaching has diminished its reputation as one of the last great wildlife refuges; desertification; deforestation
Environment--international agreements
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Tropical Timber 94 signed, but not ratified: Law of the Sea
Geographic coordinates
7 00 N, 21 00 E
Geography--note
landlocked; almost the precise center of Africa
Irrigated land
NA sq km
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
Land use
arable land: 3% permanent crops: 0% permanent pastures: 5% forests and woodland: 75% other: 17% (1993 est.)
Location
Central Africa, north of Democratic Republic of the Congo
Map references
Africa
Maritime claims
none (landlocked)
Natural hazards
hot, dry, dusty harmattan winds affect northern areas; floods are common
Natural resources
diamonds, uranium, timber, gold, oil
Terrain
vast, flat to rolling, monotonous plateau; scattered hills in northeast and southwest
People and Society
Age structure
0-14 years: 44% (male 757,422; female 749,289) 15-64 years: 53% (male 885,087; female 927,282) 65 years and over: 3% (male 56,309; female 69,562) (1999 est.)
Birth rate
38.28 births/1,000 population (1999 est.)
Death rate
16.46 deaths/1,000 population (1999 est.)
Ethnic groups
Baya 34%, Banda 27%, Sara 10%, Mandjia 21%, Mboum 4%, M'Baka 4%, Europeans 6,500 (including 3,600 French)
Infant mortality rate
103.42 deaths/1,000 live births (1999 est.)
Languages
French (official), Sangho (lingua franca and national language), Arabic, Hunsa, Swahili
Life expectancy at birth
total population: 47.19 years male: 45.35 years female: 49.09 years (1999 est.)
Literacy
definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 60% male: 68.5% female: 52.4% (1995 est.)
Nationality
noun: Central African(s) adjective: Central African
Net migration rate
-1.45 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1999 est.)
Population
3,444,951 (July 1999 est.)
Population growth rate
2.04% (1999 est.)
Religions
indigenous beliefs 24%, Protestant 25%, Roman Catholic 25%, Muslim 15%, other 11% note: animistic beliefs and practices strongly influence the Christian majority
Sex ratio
at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.01 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.95 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.81 male(s)/female total population: 0.97 male(s)/female (1999 est.)
Total fertility rate
5.03 children born/woman (1999 est.)
Government
Administrative divisions
14 prefectures (prefectures, singular--prefecture), 2 economic prefectures* (prefectures economiques, singular--prefecture economique), and 1 commune**; Bamingui-Bangoran, Bangui**, Basse-Kotto, Gribingui*, Haute-Kotto, Haute-Sangha, Haut-Mbomou, Kemo-Gribingui, Lobaye, Mbomou, Nana-Mambere, Ombella-Mpoko, Ouaka, Ouham, Ouham-Pende, Sangha*, Vakaga
Capital
Bangui
Constitution
passed by referendum 29 December 1994; adopted 7 January 1995
Country name
conventional long form: Central African Republic conventional short form: none local long form: Republique Centrafricaine local short form: none former: Central African Empire abbreviation: CAR
Data code
CT
Executive branch
chief of state: President Ange-Felix PATASSE (since 22 October 1993) head of government: Prime Minister Anicet Georges DOLOGUELE (since January 1999) cabinet: Council of Ministers elections: president elected by popular vote for a six-year term; election last held 19 September 1993 (next to be held NA 1999); prime minister appointed by the president election results: Ange-Felix PATASSE elected president; percent of vote--PATASSE 52.45%, Abel GOUMBA 45.62%
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
Government type
republic
Independence
13 August 1960 (from France)
International organization participation
ACCT, ACP, AfDB, BDEAC, CCC, CEEAC, ECA, FAO, FZ, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, ITU, NAM, OAU, OIC (observer), OPCW, UDEAC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Henri KOBA chancery: 1618 22nd Street NW, Washington, DC 20008 Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Robert C. PERRY embassy: Avenue David Dacko, Bangui mailing address: B. P. 924, Bangui
Judicial branch
Supreme Court or Cour Supreme, judges appointed by the president; Constitutional Court, judges appointed by the president Political parties and leaders: Alliance for Democracy and of the president, Ange-Felix PATASSE]; Movement for Democracy and
Legal system
based on French law
Legislative branch
unicameral National Assembly or Assemblee Nationale (109 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms; note--there were 85 seats in the National Assembly before the 1998 election) elections: last held 22-23 November and NA December 1998 (next to be held NA 2003) 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 10, FPP 7, PSD 5, ADP 4, PUN 3, FODEM 2, PLD 2, UPR 1, FC 1, independents 7; note--results of election are being contested note: the National Assembly is advised by the Economic and Regional Council or Conseil Economique et Regional; when they sit together they are called the Congress or Congres
National holiday
National Day, 1 December (1958) (proclamation of the republic)
Suffrage
21 years of age; universal
Economy
Agriculture--products
cotton, coffee, tobacco, manioc (tapioca), yams, millet, corn, bananas; timber
Budget
revenues: $638 million expenditures: $1.9 billion, including capital expenditures of $888 million (1994 est.)
Currency
1 Communaute Financiere Africaine franc (CFAF) = 100 centimes
Debt--external
$930 million (1997 est.)
Economic aid--recipient
$172.2 million (1995); note?traditional budget subsidies from France
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 nearly 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. The 50% devaluation of the currencies of 14 Francophone African nations on 12 January 1994 had mixed effects on the CAR's economy. Diamond, timber, coffee, and cotton exports increased, leading an estimated rise of GDP of 7% in 1994 and nearly 5% in 1995. Military rebellions and social unrest in 1996 were accompanied by widespread destruction of property and a drop in GDP of 2%. Ongoing violence between the government and rebel military groups over pay issues, living conditions, and political representation has destroyed many businesses in the capital and reduced tax revenues for the government. The IMF approved an Extended Structure Adjustment Facility in 1998.
Electricity--consumption
100 million kWh (1996)
Electricity--exports
0 kWh (1996)
Electricity--imports
0 kWh (1996)
Electricity--production
100 million kWh (1996)
Electricity--production by source
fossil fuel: 20% hydro: 80% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (1996)
Exchange rates
Communaute Financiere Africaine francs (CFAF) per US$1--560.01 (December 1998), 589.95 (1998), 583.67 (1997), 511.55 (1996), 499.15 (1995), 555.20 (1994)
Exports
$182 million (f.o.b., 1998)
Exports--commodities
diamonds, timber, cotton, coffee, tobacco
Exports--partners
Belgium-Luxembourg 36%, Cote d'Ivoire 5%, Spain 4%, Egypt 3%, France
Fiscal year
calendar year
GDP
purchasing power parity--$5.5 billion (1998 est.)
GDP--composition by sector
agriculture: 53% industry: 21% services: 26% (1997 est.)
GDP--per capita
purchasing power parity?$1,640 (1998 est.)
GDP--real growth rate
5.5% (1998 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share
lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA%
Imports
$155 million (f.o.b., 1998)
Imports--commodities
food, textiles, petroleum products, machinery, electrical equipment, motor vehicles, chemicals, pharmaceuticals, consumer goods, industrial products
Imports--partners
France 30%, Cote d'Ivoire 18%, Cameroon 11%, Germany 4%, Japan
Industrial production growth rate
NA%
Industries
diamond mining, sawmills, breweries, textiles, footwear, assembly of bicycles and motorcycles
Inflation rate (consumer prices)
2.6% (1998 est.)
Labor force
NA
Population below poverty line
NA%
Unemployment rate
6% (1993)
Communications
Radio broadcast stations
AM 1, FM 3 (including Africa No. 1 and R. France Internationale stations located in Bangui), shortwave 1 (1998)
Radios
NA
Telephone system
fair system domestic: network consists principally of microwave radio relay and low-capacity, low-powered radiotelephone communication international: satellite earth station--1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)
Telephones
16,867 (1992 est.)
Television broadcast stations
NA
Televisions
7,500 (1993 est.)
Transportation
Airports
52 (1998 est.) Airports--with paved runways: total: 3 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 (1998 est.) Airports--with unpaved runways: total: 49 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 10 914 to 1,523 m: 23 under 914 m: 15 (1998 est.)
Highways
total: 23,810 km paved: 429 km unpaved: 23,381 km (1995 est.)
Railways
0 km
Waterways
800 km; traditional trade carried on by means of shallow-draft dugouts; Oubangui is the most important river Ports and harbors: Bangui, Nola
Military and Security
Military branches
Central African Armed Forces (includes Republican Guard and Air Force), Presidential Guard, National Gendarmerie, Police Force
Military expenditures--dollar figure
$29 million (1996)
Military expenditures--percent of GDP
2.2% (1996)
Military manpower--availability
males age 15-49: 782,678 (1999 est.) Military manpower--fit for military service: males age 15-49: 409,044 (1999 est.)
Transnational Issues
Disputes--international
none