Map of Central African Republic | Geography | People | Government | Economy | Energy | Communication
Military | Transportation | Transnational Issues | Year: Guide198919901991199219931994199519961997199819992000200120022003200420052006200720082009201020112012201320142015201620172018201920202021202220232024 | More stats

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Background: The Central African Republic has been governed by one-party rule since 1986.


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Location

Geographic coordinates

Map reference

Area

Land boundaries: 5,203 km total; Cameroon 797 km, Chad 1,197 km, Congo 467 km, Sudan 1,165 km, Democratic Republic of the Congo 1,577 km

Coastline: none - 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

Natural resources: diamonds, uranium, timber, gold, oil

Land use: 3% arable land; NEGL% permanent crops; 5% meadows and pastures; 64% forest and woodland; 28% other

Irrigated land

Major rivers

Major watersheds area km²

Total water withdrawal

Total renewable water resources

Natural hazards

Geography
Note: landlocked; almost the precise center of Africa


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Population: 2,806,467 (July 1989), growth rate 2.5% (1989)

Nationality: noun - Central African(s; adjective - Central African

Ethnic groups: about 80 ethnic groups, the majority of which have related ethnic and linguistic characteristics; 34% Baya, 27% Banda, 10% Sara, 21% Mandjia, 4% Mboum, 4% M'Baka; 6,500 Europeans, of whom 3,600 are French

Languages: French (official; Sangho (lingua franca and national language; Arabic, Hunsa, Swahili

Religions: 24% indigenous beliefs, 25% Protestant, 25% Roman Catholic, 15% Muslim, 11% other; animistic beliefs and practices strongly influence the Christian majority

Demographic profile

Age structure

Dependency ratios

Median age

Population growth rate

Birth rate: 44 births/1000 population (1989)

Death rate: 19 deaths/1000 population (1989)

Net migration rate: 0 migrants/1000 population (1989)

Population distribution

Urbanization

Major urban areas

Environment
Current issues: hot, dry, dusty harmattan winds affect northern areas; poaching has diminished reputation as one of last great wildlife refuges; desertification

Air pollutants

Sex ratio

Mothers mean age at first birth

Maternal mortality ratio

Infant mortality rate: 143 deaths/1000 live births (1989)

Life expectancy at birth: 45 years male, 48 years female (1989)

Total fertility rate: 5.6 children born/woman (1989)

Contraceptive prevalence rate

Drinking water source

Current health expenditure

Physicians density

Hospital bed density

Sanitation facility access

Hiv/Aids

Major infectious diseases

Obesity adult prevalence rate

Alcohol consumption

Tobacco use

Children under the age of 5 years underweight

Education expenditures

Literacy: 20%

School life expectancy primary to tertiary education

Youth unemployment


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Country name: conventional long form: Central African Republic (no short-form name; abbreviated CAR

Government type: republic, one-party presidential regime since 1986

Capital: Bangui

Administrative divisions: 14 prefectures (prefectures, singular - prefecture) and 2 economic prefectures* (prefectures economiques, singular - prefecture economique; Bamingui-Bangoran, Basse-Kotto, Gribingui*, Haute-Kotto, Haute-Sangha, Haut-Mbomou, Kemo-Gribingui, Lobaye, Mbomou, Nana-Mambere, Ombella-Mpoko, Ouaka, Ouham, Ouham-Pende, Sangha*, Vakaga; note - there may be a new autonomous commune of Bangui

Dependent areas

Independence: 13 August 1960 (from France; formerly Central African Empire)

National holiday: National Day (proclamation of the republic), 1 December (1958)

Constitution: 21 November 1986

Legal system: based on French law; Supreme Court, court of appeals, criminal court

International law organization participation

Citizenship

Suffrage: universal over age 21

Executive branch: Chief of State and Head of Government - President Andre-Dieudonne KOLINGBA (since 1 September 1981)

Legislative branch: Army, Air Force

Judicial branch

Political parties and leaders

International organization participation: AfDB, CCC, CFA (Franc Zone), Conference of East and Central African States, EAMA, ECA, FAO, G-77, GATT, IBRD, ICAO, ICO, IDA, IFAD, ILO, IMF, INTELSAT, INTERPOL, ITU, NAM, OAU, OCAM, UDEAC, UEAC, UN, UNESCO, UPU, WHO, WIPO, WMO

Diplomatic representation
In the us: Ambassador Christian LINGAMA-TOLEQUE; Chancery at 1618 22nd Street NW, Washington DC 20,008; telephone (202) 483-7,800 or 7,801; US - Ambassador David C. FIELDS; Embassy at Avenue du President David Dacko, Bangui (mailing address is B. P. 924, Bangui; telephone 61-02-00 or 61-25-78, 61-43-33

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

National symbols

National anthem

National heritage


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Economy overview: The Central African Republic (CAR) is one of the poorest countries in Africa, with a per capita income of roughly $400 in 1987. Subsistence agriculture, including forestry, is the backbone of the economy, with over 70% of the population living in the countryside. In 1986 the agricultural sector generated about 40% of GDP, mining and manufacturing 14%, utilities and construction 4%, and services 41%. Agricultural products accounted for about 50% of export earnings and the diamond industry for 30%. Important constraints to economic development include the CAR's landlocked position, a poor transportation infrastructure, and a weak human resource base. Multilateral and bilateral development assistance plays a major role in providing capital for new investment.

Real gdp purchasing power parity

Real gdp growth rate

Real gdp per capita

Gross national saving

Gdp composition by end use

Gdp composition by sector of origin

Agriculture products: commercial - cotton, coffee, peanuts, sesame, tobacco, timber; food crops - manioc, corn, millet, sorghum, peanuts, rice, potatoes; livestock

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

Industrial production growth rate: 1.7% (1980-86 average)

Labor force:

Unemployment rate: 30%, Bangui (1988 est.)

Youth unemployment

Population below poverty line

Gini index

Household income or consumption by percentage share

Distribution of family income gini index

Budget: revenues $133.4 million; current expenditures $147.4 million, including capital expenditures of $13.6 million (1986)

Taxes and other revenues

Public debt

Revenue

Fiscal year: calendar year

Inflation rate consumer prices

Central bank discount rate

Commercial bank prime lending rate

Stock of narrow money

Stock of broad money

Stock of domestic credit

Market value of publicly traded shares

Current account balance

Exports: $131 million (f.o.b., 1987)
Commodities: diamonds, cotton, coffee, timber, tobacco
Partners: France, Belgium, Italy, Japan, US

Imports: $269 million (c.i.f., 1987)
Commodities: food, textiles, petroleum products, machinery, electrical equipment, motor vehicles, chemicals, pharmaceuticals, consumer goods, industrial products
Partners: France, other EC, Japan, Algeria, Yugoslavia

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold

Debt external: $645 million (December 1988)

Stock of direct foreign investment at home

Stock of direct foreign investment abroad

Exchange rates: Communaute Financiere Africaine francs (CFAF) per US$1 - 312.52 (January 1989), 297.85 (1988), 300.54 (1987), 346.30 (1986), 449.26 (1985)


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Electricity
Capacity: 35,000 kW capacity; 84 million kWh produced, 30 kWh per capita (1988)

Coal

Petroleum

Crude oil

Refined petroleum

Natural gas

Carbon dioxide emissions

Energy consumption per capita


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Telephones

Telephone system

Broadcast media

Internet

Broadband fixed subscriptions


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Military expenditures
Dollar figure: NA

Military and security forces

Military service age and obligation

Space program

Terrorist groups


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National air transport system

Civil aircraft registration country code prefix

Airports: 68 total, 56 usable; 4 with permanent-surface runways; 2 with runways 2,440-3,659 m; 22 with runways 1,220-2,439 m

Heliports

Pipelines

Railways

Roadways

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

Merchant marine

Ports and terminals


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Disputes international

Refugees and internally displaced persons

Illicit drugs