Statistical information Central African Republic 1993

Central African Republic in the World

Central African Republic - Introduction 1993

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

Central African Republic - Geography 1993

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Location: Central Africa, between Chad and Zaire

Geographic coordinates

Map reference: Africa, Standard Time Zones of the World

Area
Total: 622,980 km²
Land: 622,980 km²

Land boundaries: total 5,203 km, Cameroon 797 km, Chad 1,197 km, Congo 467 km, Sudan 1,165 km, Zaire 1,577 km

Coastline: 0 km (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

Land use
Arable land: 3%
Permanent crops: 0%
Meadows and pastures: 5%
Forest and woodland: 64%
Other: 28%

Irrigated land: NA km²

Major rivers

Major watersheds area km²

Total water withdrawal

Total renewable water resources

Natural hazards

Geography

Central African Republic - People 1993

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Population: 3,073,979 (July 1993 est.)
Growth rate: 2.23% (1993 est.)

Nationality
Noun: Central African(s)
Adjective: Central African

Ethnic groups:

Baya 34%, Banda 27%, Sara 10%, Mandjia 21%, Mboum 4%,
M'Baka 4%, Europeans 6,500 (including 3,600 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%

Demographic profile

Age structure

Age structure

Dependency ratios

Median age

Population growth rate: 2.23% (1993 est.)

Birth rate: 42.77 births/1000 population (1993 est.)

Death rate: 20.49 deaths/1000 population (1993 est.)

Net migration rate: 0 migrant(s)/1000 population (1993 est.)

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
Current issues note: landlocked; almost the precise center of Africa

Air pollutants

Sex ratio

Mothers mean age at first birth

Maternal mortality ratio

Infant mortality rate: 138.7 deaths/1000 live births (1993 est.)

Life expectancy at birth
Total population: 42.94 years
Male: 41.46 years
Female: 44.45 years (1993 est.)

Total fertility rate

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: age 15 and over can read and write (1990)
Total population: 27%
Male: 33%
Female: 15%

School life expectancy primary to tertiary education

Youth unemployment

Central African Republic - Government 1993

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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

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

Capital: Bangui

Administrative divisions:

14 prefectures (prefectures, singular - prefecture), 2 economic prefectures* (prefectures economiques, singular - prefecture economique), and 1 commune**; Bamingui-Bangoran, Bangui**
Ouham-Pende, Sangha*, Vakaga

Dependent areas

Independence: 13 August 1960 (from France)

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

Constitution: 21 November 1986

Legal system: based on French law

International law organization participation

Citizenship

Suffrage: 21 years of age; universal

Executive branch: president, prime minister, Council of Ministers (cabinet)

Legislative branch: unicameral National Assembly (Assemblee Nationale) advised by the Economic and Regional Council (Conseil Economique et Regional; when they sit together this is known as the Congress (Congres)

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, IFC, ILO, IMF, INTELSAT, INTERPOL, IOC, ITU,
LORCS, NAM, OAU, UDEAC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WHO, WIPO, WMO

Diplomatic representation
In the us chief of mission: Ambassador Jean-Pierre SOHAHONG-KOMBET
In the us chancery: 1618 22nd Street NW, Washington, DC 20,008
From the us chief of mission: Ambassador Robert E. GRIBBIN
From the us embassy: Avenue David Dacko, Bangui
From the us mailing address: B. P. 924, Bangui
From the us telephone: 236 61-02-00, 61-25-78, 61-43-33, 61-02-10
From the us fax: 236 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

National symbols

National anthem

National heritage

Central African Republic - Economy 1993

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Economy overview: Subsistence agriculture, including forestry, is the backbone of the CAR economy, with more than 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 system, and a weak human resource base. Multilateral and bilateral development assistance, particularly from France, plays a major role in providing capital for new investment.

Real gdp purchasing power parity

Real gdp growth rate: -3% (1990 est.)

Real gdp per capita: $440 (1990 est.)

Gross national saving

Gdp composition by sector of origin