2000 Edition

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 - a civilian government was installed in 1993.

Area

land

622,984 sq km

total

622,984 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

highest point

Mont Ngaoui 1,420 m

lowest point

Oubangui River 335 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

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

total

5,203 km

Land use

arable land

3%

forests and woodland

75%

other

17% (1993 est.)

permanent crops

0%

permanent pastures

5%

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, hydropower

Terrain

vast, flat to rolling, monotonous plateau; scattered hills in northeast and southwest

Age structure

0-14 years: 43% (male 768,550; female 757,710) 15-64 years: 53% (male 909,463; female 946,083) 65 years and over: 4% (male 58,224; female 72,721) (2000 est.)

Birth rate

37.52 births/1,000 population (2000 est.)

Death rate

18.44 deaths/1,000 population (2000 est.)

Ethnic groups

Baya 34%, Banda 27%, Sara 10%, Mandjia 21%, Mboum 4%, M'Baka 4%, Europeans 6,500 (including 1,500 French)

Infant mortality rate

106.69 deaths/1,000 live births (2000 est.)

Languages

French (official), Sangho (lingua franca and national language), Arabic, Hunsa, Swahili

Life expectancy at birth

female

45.84 years (2000 est.)

male

42.26 years

total population

44.02 years

Literacy

definition

age 15 and over can read and write

female

52.4% (1995 est.)

male

68.5%

total population

60%

Nationality

adjective

Central African

noun

Central African(s)

Net migration rate

-1.42 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2000 est.)

Population

3,512,751

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 2000 est.)

Population growth rate

1.77% (2000 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: 0.96 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.8 male(s)/female

total population

0.98 male(s)/female (2000 est.)

Total fertility rate

4.95 children born/woman (2000 est.)

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

abbreviation

CAR

conventional long form

Central African Republic

conventional short form

none

former

Central African Empire

local long form

Republique Centrafricaine

local short form

none

Data code

CT

Diplomatic representation from the US

chief of mission

Ambassador Robert C. PERRY

embassy

Avenue David Dacko, Bangui

mailing address

B. P. 924, Bangui

telephone

61 26 21

Diplomatic representation in the US

chancery

1618 22nd Street NW, Washington, DC 20008

chief of mission

Ambassador Henri KOBA

telephone

(202) 483-7800

Executive branch

cabinet

Council of Ministers

chief of state

President Ange-Felix PATASSE (since 22 October 1993)

election results

Ange-Felix PATASSE reelected president; percent of vote - Ange-Felix PATASSE 51.63%, Andre KOLINGBA 19.38%, David DACKO 11.15%

elections

president elected by popular vote for a six-year term; election last held 19 September 1999 (next to be held NA 2005); prime minister appointed by the president

head of government

Prime Minister Anicet Georges DOLOGUELE (since 4 January 1999)

FAX

(202) 332-9893

61 44 94

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

Judicial branch

Supreme Court or Cour Supreme, judges appointed by the president; Constitutional Court, judges appointed by the president

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)

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; note - results of election are being contested

elections

last held 22-23 November and 13 December 1998 (next to be held NA 2003)

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)

Political parties and leaders

Alliance for Democracy and Progress or ADP ; Central African Democratic Assembly or RDC [Andre KOLINGBA]; Civic Forum or FC ; Democratic Forum or FODEM ; Liberal Democratic Party or PLD ; Movement for Democracy and Development or MDD ; Movement for the Liberation of the Central African People or MLPC ; Patriotic Front for Progress or FPP ; People's Union for the Republic or UPR ; National Unity Party or PUN ; Social Democratic Party or PSD

Suffrage

21 years of age; universal

Agriculture - products

cotton, coffee, tobacco, manioc (tapioca), yams, millet, corn, bananas; timber

Budget

expenditures

$1.9 billion, including capital expenditures of $888 million (1994 est.)

revenues

$638 million

Currency

1 Communaute Financiere Africaine franc (CFAF) = 100 centimes

Debt - external

$790 million (1999 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. The government has set targets of annual 5% growth and 2.5% inflation for 2000-2001.

Electricity - consumption

98 million kWh (1998)

Electricity - exports

0 kWh (1998)

Electricity - imports

0 kWh (1998)

Electricity - production

105 million kWh (1998)

Electricity - production by source

fossil fuel

19.05%

hydro

80.95%

nuclear

0%

other

0% (1998)

Exchange rates

Communaute Financiere Africaine francs (CFAF) per US$1 - 647.25 (January 2000), 615.70 (1999), 589.95 (1998), 583.67 (1997), 511.55 (1996), 499.15 (1995)

note

since 1 January 1999, the CFAF is pegged to the euro at a rate of 655.957 CFA francs per euro

Exports

$195 million (f.o.b., 1999)

Exports - commodities

diamonds, timber, cotton, coffee, tobacco

Exports - partners

Benelux 36%, Cote d'Ivoire 5%, Spain 4%, Egypt 3%, France (1997)

Fiscal year

calendar year

GDP

purchasing power parity - $5.8 billion (1999 est.)

GDP - composition by sector

agriculture

53%

industry

21%

services

26% (1997 est.)

GDP - per capita

purchasing power parity - $1,700 (1999 est.)

GDP - real growth rate

5% (1999 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share

lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA%

Imports

$170 million (f.o.b., 1999)

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 (1997)

Industrial production growth rate

NA%

Industries

diamond mining, sawmills, breweries, textiles, footwear, assembly of bicycles and motorcycles

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

2.6% (1999 est.)

Labor force

NA

Population below poverty line

NA%

Unemployment rate

6% (1993)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs)

NA

Radio broadcast stations

AM 1, FM 3, shortwave 1 (1998)

Radios

283,000 (1997)

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 - main lines in use

8,000 (1995)

Telephones - mobile cellular

79 (1995)

Television broadcast stations

NA

Televisions

18,000 (1997)

Airports

52 (1999 est.)

Airports - with paved runways

total

3 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 (1999 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 (1999 est.)

Highways

paved

429 km

total

23,810 km

unpaved

23,381 km (1998 est.)

Ports and harbors

Bangui, Nola

Railways

0 km

Waterways

800 km; traditional trade carried on by means of shallow-draft dugouts; Oubangui is the most important river

Military branches

Central African Armed Forces (includes Republican Guard and Air Force), Presidential Guard, National Gendarmerie, Police Force

Military expenditures - dollar figure

$29 million (FY96)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP

2.2% (FY96)

Military manpower - availability

males age 15-49: 804,941 (2000 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service

males age 15-49: 420,619 (2000 est.)

Disputes - international

none

CHAD