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 has since established a transitional government. Though the government has the tacit support of civil society groups and the main parties a wide field of affiliated and independent candidates will contest the municipal legislative and presidential elections scheduled for February 2005. The government still does not fully control the countryside where pockets of lawlessness persist.

Geographic coordinates: 7 00 N 21 00 E

Map reference: Africa

Area
Total: 622,984 km²
Land: 622,984 km²
Water: 0 km²
Comparative: slightly smaller than Texas

Land boundaries
Total: 5,203 km
Border countries: (5) 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

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: Mont Ngaoui 1,420 m

Natural resources: diamonds uranium timber gold oil hydropower

Land use
Arable land: 3.1%
Permanent crops: 0.14%
Other: 96.76% (2001)

Irrigated land: NA km²

Natural hazards: hot dry dusty harmattan winds affect northern areas; floods are common

Geography
Note: landlocked; almost the precise center of Africa

Population
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 and death rates, lower population and growth rates, and changes in the distribution of population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July 2005 est.)
Growth rate: 1.49% (2005 est.)
Below poverty line: NA (1993)

Nationality
Noun: Central African
Adjective: Central African

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

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

Religions
Note: animistic beliefs and practices strongly influence the Christian majority

Age structure
0-14 years: 42.5% (male 813,596/female 802,728)
15-64 years: 54% (male 1,010,696/female 1,041,903)
65 years and over: 3.4% (male 54,345/female 76,629) (2005 est.)

Median age
Total: 18.12 years
Male: 17.75 years
Female: 18.5 years (2005 est.)

Population growth rate: 1.49% (2005 est.)

Birth rate: 35.17 births/1000 population (2005 est.)

Death rate: 20.27 deaths/1000 population (2005 est.)

Net migration rate: 0 migrant(s)/1000 population (2005 est.)

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
International agreements party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Ozone Layer Protection, Tropical Timber 94
International agreements signed but not ratified: Law of the Sea

Sex ratio
At birth: 1.03 male/female
Under 15 years: 1.01 male/female
15-64 years: 0.97 male/female
65 years and over: 0.71 male/female
Total population: 0.98 male/female (2005 est.)

Infant mortality rate
Total: 91 deaths/1000 live births
Male: 97.84 deaths/1000 live births
Female: 83.96 deaths/1000 live births (2005 est.)

Life expectancy at birth
Total population: 43.39 years
Male: 43.27 years
Female: 43.52 years (2005 est.)

Total fertility rate: 4.5 children born/woman (2005 est.)

Hivaids
Adult prevalence rate: 13.5% (2003 est.)
People living with hivaids: 260,000 (2003 est.)
Deaths: 23,000 (2003 est.)

Major infectious diseases
Degree of risk: very high
Food or waterborne diseases: bacterial diarrhea, hepatitis A, and typhoid fever
Vectorborne disease: malaria
Respiratory disease: meningococcal meningitis (2004)

Literacy
Definition: age 15 and over can read and write
Total population: 51%
Male: 63.3%
Female: 39.9% (2003 est.)

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

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 Haute-Kotto Haut-Mbomou Kemo Lobaye Mambere-Kadei Mbomou Nana-Grebizi* Nana-Mambere Ombella-Mpoko Ouaka Ouham Ouham-Pende Sangha-Mbaere* Vakaga

Independence: 13 August 1960 (from France)

National holiday: Republic Day 1 December (1958)

Constitution: passed by referendum 5 December 2004

Legal system: based on French law

Suffrage: 21 years of age; universal

Executive branch
Chief of state: President Francois BOZIZE (since 15 March 2003 coup)
Head of government: Prime Minister Elie DOTE (since 13 June 2005) note - Celestin GAOMBALET resigned 11 June 2005
Cabinet: Council of Ministers
Elections: president elected to five year term with a two-term limit; next presidential elections scheduled for 10 April 2005; prime minister appointed by the political party with a parliamentary majority

Legislative branch
Elections: last held 22-23 November and 13 December 1998 (next to be held 13 March 2005)
Election results: percent of vote by party - MLPC 43%, RDC 18%, MDD 9%, FPP 6%, PSD 5%, ADP 4%, PUN 3%, FODEM 2%, PLD 2%, UPR 1%, FC 1%, independents 6%; seats by party - MLPC 47, RDC 20, MDD 8, FPP 7, PSD 6, ADP 5, PUN 3, FODEM 2, PLD 2, UPR 1, FC 1, independents 7

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

Political parties and leaders: Alliance for Democracy and Progress or ADP [Jacques MBOLIEDAS]; Central African Democratic Assembly 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]; Movement for Democracy and Development or MDD [David DACKO]; Movement for the Liberation of the Central African People or MLPC [the party of deposed president Ange-Felix PATASSE]; 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]

International organization participation: ACCT ACP AfDB AU BDEAC CEMAC FAO FZ G-77 IAEA IBRD ICAO ICCt ICFTU ICRM IDA IFAD IFC IFRCS ILO IMF Interpol IOC ITU MIGA NAM OIC (observer) OPCW (signatory) UN UNCTAD UNESCO UNIDO UPU WCL WCO WHO WIPO WMO WToO WTO

Diplomatic representation
In the us chief of mission: Ambassador Emmanuel TOUABOY
In the us chancery: 1618 22nd Street NW, Washington, DC 20,008
In the us telephone: [1] (202) 483-7,800
In the us fax: [1] (202) 332-9,893
From the us chief of mission: Charge d'Affaires James PANOS
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
From the us fax: [236] 61 44 94
From the us 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; there is a yellow five-pointed star on the hoist side of the blue band

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 16% of export earnings and the diamond industry for 54%. 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 with GDP growth at only 0.5% in 2004. Distribution of income is extraordinarily unequal. Grants from France and the international community can only partially meet humanitarian needs.

Real gdp purchasing power parity: $4.248 billion (2004 est.)

Real gdp growth rate: 0.5% (2004 est.)

Real gdp per capita: purchasing power parity - $1100 (2004 est.)

Gdp composition by sector of origin
Agriculture: 55%
Industry: 20%
Services: 25% (2001 est.)

Agriculture products: cotton coffee tobacco manioc (tapioca) yams millet corn bananas; timber

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

Industrial production growth rate: 3% (2002)

Labor force: NA

Unemployment rate: 8% (23% for Bangui) (2001 est.)

Population below poverty line: NA (1993)

Household income or consumption by percentage share
Lowest 10: 0.7%
Highest 10: 47.7% (1993)

Distribution of family income gini index: 61.3 (1993)

Budget
Revenues: NA
Expenditures: NA, including capital expenditures of NA

Fiscal year: calendar year

Inflation rate consumer prices: 3.6% (2001 est.)

Exports: $172 million f.o.b. (2002 est.)
Commodities: diamonds timber cotton coffee tobacco
Partners: Belgium 39.2% Italy 8.6% Spain 7.9% US 6.2% France 6.1% Indonesia 5.8% China 4.9% (2004)

Imports: $136 million f.o.b. (2002 est.)
Commodities: food textiles petroleum products machinery electrical equipment motor vehicles chemicals pharmaceuticals
Partners: France 17.6% US 16.3% Cameroon 9.3% Belgium 5% (2004)

Debt external: $881.4 million (2000 est.)

Exchange rates: Communaute Financiere Africaine francs (XAF) per US dollar - 528.29 (2004) 581.2 (2003) 696.99 (2002) 733.04 (2001) 711.98 (2000)

Electricity
Production: 106 million kWh (2002)
Consumption: 98.58 million kWh (2002)
Exports: 0 kWh (2002)
Imports: 0 kWh (2002)

Telephones
Main lines in use: 9,000 (2002)
Mobile cellular: 13,000 (2003)

Telephone system
General assessment: fair system
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)

Internet
Country code: .cf
Hosts: 6 (2002)
Users: 5,000 (2002)

Military expenditures
Dollar figure: $15.5 million (2004)
Percent of gdp: 1% (2004)

Military service age and obligation: 18 years of age for voluntary and compulsory military service; conscript service obligation is two years (2005)

Airports: 50 (2004 est.)
With paved runways total: 3
With paved runways 2438 to 3047 m: 1
With paved runways 15-24 to 2437 m: 2 (2004 est.)
With unpaved runways total: 47
With unpaved runways 2438 to 3047 m: 1
With unpaved runways 15-24 to 2437 m: 10
With unpaved runways 914 to 1523 m: 23
With unpaved runways under 914 m: 13 (2004 est.)

Waterways: 2,800 km (primarily on the Oubangui and Sangha rivers) (2004)

Disputes international: about 30,000 refugees fleeing the 2002 civil conflict in the CAR still reside in southern Chad; periodic skirmishes over water and grazing rights among related pastoral populations along the border with southern Sudan persist

Refugees and internally displaced persons
Refugees country of origin: 36,479 (Sudan) 1,864 (Chad) 6,484 (Democratic Republic of the Congo)
Idps: 200,000 (unrest following coup in 2003) (2004)