Statistical information Central African Republic 1996

Central African Republic in the World

Central African Republic - Introduction 1996

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Background: in 1996 the Central African Republic experienced three mutinies by dissident elements of the armed forces which demanded back pay as well as political and military reforms.

Central African Republic - Geography 1996

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Location: Central Africa, north of Democratic Republic Congo

Geographic coordinates

Map reference

Area
Total: 622,980 km²
Land: 622,980 km²
Comparative: slightly smaller than Texas

Land boundaries: Total 5,203 km, Cameroon 797 km, Chad 1,197 km, Congo 467 km, Sudan 1,165 km, Democratic Republic Congo 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
Extremes lowest point: Oubangui River 335 m
Extremes highest point: Mount Gaou 1,420 m

Natural resources:

Diamonds
Uranium
Timber
Gold
Oil

Land use

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

Irrigated land: NA

Major rivers

Major watersheds area km²

Total water withdrawal

Total renewable water resources

Natural hazards

Geography

Central African Republic - People 1996

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Population:

3,274,426 (July 1996 est.)
3,209,759 (July 1995 est.)

Growth rate:

2.08% (1996 est.)
2.1% (1995 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%

Note: Animistic beliefs and practices strongly influence the Christian majority

Demographic profile

Age structure

Age structure
0-14 years:

44% (male 724,914; female 718,423) (July 1996 est.)
43% (male 694,153; female 690,290) (July 1995 est.)

15-64 years:

52% (male 839,118; female 877,069) (July 1996 est.)
53% (male 825,268; female 886,421) (July 1995 est.)

65 years and over:

4% (male 53,418; female 61,484) (July 1996 est.)
4% (male 48,781; female 64,846) (July 1995 est.)

Dependency ratios

Median age

Population growth rate:

2.08% (1996 est.)
2.1% (1995 est.)

Birth rate:

39.97 births/1000 population (1996 est.)
41.84 births/1000 population (1995 est.)

Death rate:

17.64 deaths/1000 population (1996 est.)
20.89 deaths/1000 population (1995 est.)

Net migration rate:

-1.53 migrant(s)/1000 population (1996 est.)
0 migrant(s)/1000 population (1995 est.)

Population distribution

Urbanization

Major urban areas

Environment
Current issues: tap water is not potable; poaching has diminished reputation as one of last great wildlife refuges; desertification
Current issues Natural hazards: hot, dry, dusty harmattan winds affect northern areas; floods are common
International agreements: party to_Endangered Species, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection; signed, but not ratified_Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Law of the Sea
International agreements note: Landlocked; almost the precise center of Africa

Air pollutants

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: 0.87 male(s)/female
All ages:

0.98 male(s)/female (1996 est.) Infant Mortality Rate:111.7 deaths/1000 live births (1996 est.)
135.6 deaths/1000 live births (1995 est.)

Mothers mean age at first birth

Maternal mortality ratio

Infant mortality rate

Life expectancy at birth
Total population: 45.86 years (1996 est.), 42.15 years (1995 est.)
Male: 45.03 years 91,996 est.), 40.68 years (1995 est.)
Female: 46.71 years (1996 est.), 43.67 years (1995 est.)

Total fertility rate:

5.41 children born/woman (1996 est.)
5.37 children born/woman (1995 est.)

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
Definition: age 15 and over that can read and write (1995 est.)
Total population: 60%
Male: 68.5%
Female: 52.4%

School life expectancy primary to tertiary education

Youth unemployment

Central African Republic - Government 1996

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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;

Capital: Bangui

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

Dependent areas

Independence: 13 August 1960 (from France)

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

Constitution: Passed by referendum 29 December 1994; adopted 7 January 1995

Legal system: Based on French law

International law organization participation

Citizenship

Suffrage: 21 years of age; universal

Executive branch
Chief of state: President Ange PATASSE (since 22 October 1993); elections last held 19 September 1993 (next scheduled for 1998); PATASSE received 52.45% of the votes and Abel GOUMBA received 45.62%
Head of government: Prime Minister Jean-Paul NGOUPANDE (since 6 June 1996); appointed by the president
Cabinet: Council of Ministers; appointed by the president

Legislative branch: Unicameral National Assembly (Assemblee Nationale):Elections last held 19 September 1993; results_percentage vote by party NA; seats_(85 total) MLPC 33, RDC 14, PLD 7, ADP 6, PSD 3, others 22
Note: The National Assembly is advised by the Economic and Regional Council (Conseil Economique et Regional); when they sit together they are called 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, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, ITU, NAM, OAU, UDEAC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTrO

Diplomatic representation

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 1996

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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 13% of export earnings and the diamond industry for nearly 80%. 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. A major plus is the large forest reserves, which the government is moving to protect from overexploitation. The 50% devaluation of the currencies of 14 Francophone African nations on 12 January 1994 had mixed effects on the CAR's economy. While diamond, timber, coffee, and cotton exports increased_leading GDP to increase by 5.5%_inflation rose to 45%, fueled by the rising prices of imports on which the economy depends; inflation dropped back rapidly in 1995. The CAR's poor resource base and primitive infrastructure will keep it dependent on multilateral donors and France for the foreseeable future.

Real gdp purchasing power parity

Real gdp growth rate:

4.1% (1995 est.)
5.5% (1994 est.)

Real gdp per capita ppp

Gross national saving

Gdp composition by sector of origin

Gdp composition by end use

Gdp composition by sector of origin

Agriculture products: 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: Growth rate 4% (1990 est.), accounts for 14% of GDP

Labor force: 775,413 (1986 est.)
By occupation Agriculture: 85%
By occupation Commerce and services: 9%
By occupation Industry: 3%
By occupation Government: 3%
By occupation note: About 64,000 salaried workers (1985)

Labor force