Map of Central African Republic | Geography | People | Government | Economy | Energy | Communication
Military | Transportation | Transnational Issues | Year: Guide19891990199119921993199419951996199719981999200020012002200320042005200620072008200920102011201220132014201520162017201820192020202120222023 | 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: arable land: 3%; permanent crops: NEGL%; meadows and pastures 5%; forest and woodland 64%; other 28%

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: 2,952,382 (July 1991), growth rate 2.6% (1991)

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

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

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

Religions: indigenous beliefs 24%, Protestant 25%, Roman Catholic 25%, Muslim 15%, other 11%; 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 (1991)

Death rate: 18 deaths/1000 population (1991)

Net migration rate: 0 migrants/1000 population (1991)

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: 138 deaths/1000 live births (1991)

Life expectancy at birth: 45 years male, 49 years female (1991)

Total fertility rate: 5.6 children born/woman (1991)

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: 27% (male 33%, female 15%) age 15 and over can read and write (1990 est.)

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

International law organization participation

Citizenship

Suffrage: universal at age 21

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

Legislative branch: Central African Armed Forces, Air Force, National Gendarmerie, Police Force

Judicial branch: Supreme Court (Cour Supreme)

Political parties and leaders

International organization participation: ACCT, ACP, AfDB, BDEAC, CCC, CEEAC, ECA, FAO, FZ, G-77, GATT, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, IDA, IFAD, ILO, IMF, INTELSAT, INTERPOL, IOC, ITU, LORCS, NAM, OAU, UDEAC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WHO, WIPO, WMO

Diplomatic representation
In the us: Ambassador Jean-Pierre SOHAHONG-KOMBET; Chancery at 1618 22nd Street NW, Washington DC 20,008; telephone (202) 483-7,800 or 7,801; US--Ambassador Daniel H. SIMPSON; 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 Central African Republic Central African RepublicCentral African Republic

National symbols

National anthem

National heritage


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Economy overview: The Central African Republic (CAR) had a per capita income of roughly $440 in 1990. Subsistence agriculture, including forestry, is the backbone of the economy, with over 70% of the population living in the countryside. In 1988 the agricultural sector generated about 40% of GDP. Agricultural products accounted for about 60% 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 ppp

Gross national saving

Gdp composition by end use

Gdp composition by sector of origin

Agriculture products: accounts for 40% of GDP; self-sufficient in food production except for grain; commercial crops--cotton, coffee, tobacco, timber; food crops--manioc, yams, millet, corn, bananas

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

Industrial production growth rate

Labor force: 775,413 (1986 est.), agriculture 85%, commerce and services 9%, industry 3%, government 3%; about 64,000 salaried workers; 55% of population of working age (1985)

Unemployment rate: 30% in 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 $132 million; current expenditures $305 million, including capital expenditures of $NA million (1989 est.)

Public debt

Taxes and other revenues

Revenue

Fiscal year: calendar year

Current account balance

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: $148 million (f.o.b., 1989 est.)
Commodities: diamonds, cotton, coffee, timber, tobacco
Partners: France, Belgium, Italy, Japan, US

Imports: $239 million (c.i.f., 1989 est.)
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: $671 million (December 1989)

Stock of direct foreign investment at home

Stock of direct foreign investment abroad

Exchange rates: Communaute Financiere Africaine francs (CFAF) per US$1--256.54 (January 1991), 272.26 (1990), 319.01 (1989), 297.85 (1988), 300.54 (1987), 346.30 (1986), 449.26 (1985)


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Electricity access

Electricity production

Electricity consumption

Electricity exports

Electricity imports

Electricity installed generating capacity

Electricity transmission distribution losses

Electricity generation sources

Petroleum

Refined petroleum

Natural gas

Carbon dioxide emissions

Energy consumption per capita


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Telephones fixed lines

Telephones mobile cellular

Telephone system

Broadcast media

Internet country code

Internet users

Broadband fixed subscriptions


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Military expenditures
Percent of gdp: $23 million, 1.8% of GDP (1989 est.)

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: 66 total, 49 usable; 4 with permanent-surface runways; none with runways over 3,659 m; 2 with runways 2,440-3,659 m; 22 with runways 1,220-2,439 m

Airports with paved runways

Airports with unpaved runways

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