2008 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 - 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 candidates contested the municipal, legislative, and presidential elections held in March and May of 2005 in which General BOZIZE was affirmed as president. The government still does not fully control the countryside, where pockets of lawlessness persist. Unrest in neighboring nations, Chad, Sudan, and the DRC, continues to affect stability in the Central African Republic as well.

Area

total: 622,984 sq km land: 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

lowest point: Oubangui River 335 m highest point: Mont Ngaoui 1,420 m

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, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Ozone Layer Protection, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: Law of the Sea

Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural)

total: 0.03 cu km/yr (80%/16%/4%) per capita: 7 cu m/yr (2000)

Geographic coordinates

7 00 N, 21 00 E

Geography - note

landlocked; almost the precise center of Africa

Irrigated land

20 sq km (2003)

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: 3.1% permanent crops: 0.15% other: 96.75% (2005)

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

Total renewable water resources

144.4 cu km (2003)

Age structure

0-14 years: 41.3% (male 922,053/female 911,601) 15-64 years: 54.6% (male 1,206,121/female 1,221,158) 65 years and over: 4.1% (male 71,597/female 111,800) (2008 est.)

Birth rate

33.13 births/1,000 population (2008 est.)

Death rate

18.04 deaths/1,000 population (2008 est.)

Education expenditures

1.4% of GDP (2006)

Ethnic groups

Baya 33%, Banda 27%, Mandjia 13%, Sara 10%, Mboum 7%, M'Baka 4%, Yakoma 4%, other 2%

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate

13.5% (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths

23,000 (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS

260,000 (2003 est.)

Infant mortality rate

total: 82.13 deaths/1,000 live births male: 88.84 deaths/1,000 live births female: 75.23 deaths/1,000 live births (2008 est.)

Languages

French (official), Sangho (lingua franca and national language), tribal languages

Life expectancy at birth

total population: 44.22 years male: 44.14 years female: 44.29 years (2008 est.)

Literacy

definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 48.6% male: 64.8% female: 33.5% (2000 est.)

Major infectious diseases

degree of risk: very high food or waterborne diseases: bacterial and protozoal diarrhea, hepatitis A, and typhoid fever vectorborne disease: malaria respiratory disease: meningococcal meningitis (2008)

Median age

total: 18.7 years male: 18.4 years female: 19 years (2008 est.)

Nationality

noun: Central African(s) adjective: Central African

Net migration rate

NA (2008 est.)

Population

4,444,330 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, higher death rates, lower population growth rates, and changes in the distribution of population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July 2008 est.)

Population growth rate

1.509% (2008 est.)

Religions

indigenous beliefs 35%, Protestant 25%, Roman Catholic 25%, Muslim 15% 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: 0.99 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.64 male(s)/female total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2008 est.)

Total fertility rate

4.23 children born/woman (2008 est.)

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

Capital

name: Bangui geographic coordinates: 4 22 N, 18 35 E time difference: UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)

Constitution

ratified by popular referendum 5 December 2004; effective 27 December 2004

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

Diplomatic representation from the US

chief of mission: Ambassador Frederick B. COOK embassy: Avenue David Dacko, Bangui mailing address: B. P. 924, Bangui telephone: [236] 61 02 00

Diplomatic representation in the US

chief of mission: Ambassador Emmanuel TOUABOY chancery: 1618 22nd Street NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 483-7800

Executive branch

chief of state: President Francois BOZIZE (since 15 March 2003 coup) head of government: Prime Minister Faustin-Archange TOUADERA (since 22 January 2008) cabinet: Council of Ministers elections: under the new constitution, the president elected to a five-year term (eligible for a second term); 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%

FAX

[1] (202) 332-9893

[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; a yellow five-pointed star to the hoist side of the blue band

Government type

republic

Independence

13 August 1960 (from France)

International organization participation

ACCT, ACP, AfDB, AU, BDEAC, CEMAC, FAO, FZ, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, Interpol, IOC, ITSO, ITU, ITUC, MIGA, NAM, OIC (observer), OIF, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNWTO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

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

Legal system

based on French law; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Legislative branch

unicameral National Assembly or Assemblee Nationale (105 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 in 2010) election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - KNK 42, MLPC 11, RDC 8, PSD 4, FPP 2, ADP 2, LONDO 1, independents 34, other 1

National holiday

Republic Day, 1 December (1958)

Political parties and leaders

Alliance for Democracy and Progress or ADP [Jacques MBOLIEDAS]; Central African Democratic Rally 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]; Londo Association or LONDO; Movement for Democracy and Development or MDD [David DACKO]; Movement for the Liberation of the Central African People or MLPC [Ange-Felix PATASSE] (the party of deposed president); National Convergence or KNK; 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

Monam (combating gender-base violence)

Suffrage

21 years of age; universal

Agriculture - products

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

Budget

revenues: $250 million expenditures: $273 million (2007 est.)

Central bank discount rate

5.25% (31 December 2007)

Commercial bank prime lending rate

15% (31 December 2007)

Currency (code)

Communaute Financiere Africaine franc (XAF); note - responsible authority is the Bank of the Central African States

Currency code

XAF

Current account balance

-$77 million (2007 est.)

Debt - external

$1.153 billion (2007 est.)

Distribution of family income - Gini index

61.3 (1993)

Economic aid - recipient

ODA, $95.29 million; note - traditional budget subsidies from France (2005 est.)

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 more than 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. Distribution of income is extraordinarily unequal. Grants from France and the international community can only partially meet humanitarian needs.

Electricity - consumption

102.3 million kWh (2006 est.)

Electricity - exports

0 kWh (2007 est.)

Electricity - imports

0 kWh (2007 est.)

Electricity - production

110 million kWh (2006 est.)

Electricity - production by source

fossil fuel: 19.8% hydro: 80.2% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001)

Exchange rates

Communaute Financiere Africaine francs (XAF) per US dollar - 481.8 (2007), 522.59 (2006), 527.47 (2005), 528.29 (2004), 581.2 (2003)

Exports

$146.7 million f.o.b. (2007 est.)

Exports - commodities

diamonds, timber, cotton, coffee, tobacco

Exports - partners

Belgium 22.7%, Indonesia 19.3%, Italy 7.7%, France 7.1%, Spain 6.9%, Democratic Republic of the Congo 6.8%, China 4.9%, Turkey 4.7% (2007)

Fiscal year

calendar year

GDP - composition by sector

agriculture: 55% industry: 20% services: 25% (2001 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP)

$700 (2007 est.)

GDP - real growth rate

4% (2007 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate)

$1.714 billion (2007 est.)

GDP (purchasing power parity)

$3.007 billion (2007 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share

lowest 10%: 0.7% highest 10%: 47.7% (1993)

Imports

$237.3 million f.o.b. (2007 est.)

Imports - commodities

food, textiles, petroleum products, machinery, electrical equipment, motor vehicles, chemicals, pharmaceuticals

Imports - partners

France 16.6%, Netherlands 13%, Cameroon 9.7%, US 6.3% (2007)

Industrial production growth rate

3% (2002)

Industries

gold and diamond mining, logging, brewing, textiles, footwear, assembly of bicycles and motorcycles

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

0.9% (2007 est.)

Labor force

1.857 million (2006)

Market value of publicly traded shares

$NA

Natural gas - consumption

0 cu m (2007 est.)

Natural gas - exports

0 cu m (2007 est.)

Natural gas - imports

0 cu m (2007 est.)

Natural gas - production

0 cu m (2007 est.)

Natural gas - proved reserves

0 cu m (1 January 2006)

Oil - consumption

2,322 bbl/day (2006 est.)

Oil - exports

0 bbl/day (2005)

Oil - imports

2,057 bbl/day (2005)

Oil - production

0 bbl/day (2007 est.)

Oil - proved reserves

0 bbl (1 January 2006 est.)

Population below poverty line

NA%

Stock of domestic credit

$320.2 million (31 December 2007)

Stock of money

$218.3 million (31 December 2007)

Stock of quasi money

$47.58 million (31 December 2007)

Unemployment rate

8% (23% for Bangui) (2001 est.)

Internet country code

.cf

Internet hosts

21 (2008)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs)

1 (2002)

Internet users

13,000 (2006)

Radio broadcast stations

AM 1, FM 5, shortwave 1 (2001)

Radios

283,000 (1997)

Telephone system

general assessment: limited telephone service; fixed-line connections for well less than 1 per 100 persons coupled with mobile-cellular usage of only about 3 per 100 persons; most fixed-line and cellular telephone services are concentrated in Bangui 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) (2007)

Telephones - main lines in use

12,000 (2006)

Telephones - mobile cellular

130,000 (2007)

Television broadcast stations

1 (2001)

Televisions

18,000 (1997)

Airports

51 (2007)

Airports - with paved runways

total: 3 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 (2007)

Airports - with unpaved runways

total: 48 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 10 914 to 1,523 m: 24 under 914 m: 13 (2007)

Ports and terminals

Bangui, Nola, Salo, Nzinga

Roadways

total: 24,307 km (2000)

Waterways

2,800 km (primarily on the Oubangui and Sangha rivers) (2006)

Manpower available for military service

males age 16-49: 1,032,828 females age 16-49: 999,330 (2008 est.)

Manpower fit for military service

males age 16-49: 534,141 females age 16-49: 495,303 (2008 est.)

Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually

male: 54,655 female: 54,420 (2008 est.)

Military branches

Central African Armed Forces (Forces Armees Centrafricaines, FACA): Ground Forces, General Directorate of Gendarmerie Inspection (DGIG), Military Air Service, National Police (2008)

Military expenditures

1.1% of GDP (2006 est.)

Military service age and obligation

18 years of age for compulsory and voluntary military service; 2-year conscript service obligation (2006)

Disputes - international

periodic skirmishes over water and grazing rights among related pastoral populations along the border with southern Sudan persist

IDPs

197,000 (ongoing unrest following coup in 2003) (2007)

Refugees and internally displaced persons

refugees (country of origin): 7,900 (Sudan); 3,700 (Democratic Republic of the Congo); note - UNHCR resumed repatriation of Southern Sudanese refugees in 2006

Trafficking in persons

current situation: Central African Republic is a source, transit, and destination country for men, women, and children trafficked for the purposes of forced labor and sexual exploitation; the majority of victims are children trafficked within the country for sexual exploitation, domestic servitude, street vending, and forced agricultural, mine, market and restaurant labor; to a lesser extent, children are trafficked from the Central African Republic to Cameroon, Nigeria, and the Democratic Republic of Congo; rebels conscript children into armed forces within the country tier rating: Tier 2 Watch List - Central African Republic is on the Tier 2 Watch List for the third consecutive year for its failure to show evidence of increasing efforts to combat trafficking in 2007; efforts to address trafficking through vigorous law enforcement measures and victim protection efforts were minimal, though awareness about trafficking appeared to be increasing in the country; the government does not actively investigate cases, work to identify trafficking victims among vulnerable populations, or rescue and provide care to victims; the government has not taken measures to reduce demand for commercial sex acts (2008) This page was last updated on 18 December, 2008