Central African Republic

§1. Central African Republic Introduction

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 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 contested the municipal, legislative, and
  presidential elections held in March and May of 2005 through which General
  BOZIZE was affirmed as president. The government still does not fully
  control the countryside, where pockets of lawlessness persist.

§2. Central African Republic Geography

Location:
  Central Africa, north of Democratic Republic of the Congo

Geographic coordinates:
  7 00 N, 21 00 E

Map references:
  Africa

Area:
  total: 622,984 km²
  land: 622,984 km²
  water: 0 km²

Area - comparative:
  slightly smaller than Texas

Land boundaries:
  total: 5,203 km
  border countries: 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
  highest point: Mont Ngaoui 1,420 m

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

Land use:
  arable land: 3.1%
  permanent crops: 0.15%
  other: 96.75% (2005)

Irrigated land:
  NA km²

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

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

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

Geography - note:
  landlocked; almost the precise center of Africa

§3. Central African Republic People

Population:
  4,303,356
  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 2006 est.)

Age structure:
  0-14 years: 41.9% (male 907,629/female 897,153)
  15-64 years: 53.9% (male 1,146,346/female 1,173,268)
  65 years and over: 4.2% (male 71,312/female 107,648) (2006 est.)

Median age:
  total: 18.4 years
  male: 18 years
  female: 18.8 years (2006 est.)

Population growth rate:
  1.53% (2006 est.)

Birth rate:
  33.91 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Death rate:
  18.65 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Net migration rate:
  0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Sex ratio:
  at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.01 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 0.98 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.66 male(s)/female
  total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2006 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
  total: 85.63 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 92.44 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 78.61 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:
  total population: 43.54 years
  male: 43.46 years
  female: 43.62 years (2006 est.)

Total fertility rate:
  4.41 children born/woman (2006 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
  13.5% (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
  260,000 (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - 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 (2005)

Nationality:
  noun: Central African(s)
  adjective: Central African

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

Religions:
  indigenous beliefs 35%, Protestant 25%, Roman Catholic 25%, Muslim 15%
  note: animistic beliefs and practices strongly influence the Christian
    majority

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

Literacy:
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 51%
  male: 63.3%
  female: 39.9% (2003 est.)

§4. Central African Republic Government

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:
  5 December 2004; ratified by popular referendum

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;
    elections last held 13 March and 8 May 2005 (next to be held in 2010);
    prime minister appointed by the political party with a parliamentary
    majority
  election results: Francois BOZIZE elected president; percent of second
    round balloting - Francois BOZIZE (KNK) 64.6%, Martin ZIGUELE (MLPC)
    35.4%

Legislative branch:
  unicameral National Assembly or Assemblee Nationale (109 seats; members are
  elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms)
  elections: last held 13 March 2005 and 8 May 2005 (next to be held NA 2010)
  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]; National Convergence or KNK [leader NA];
  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]

Political pressure groups and leaders:
  NA

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), OIF, 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
  chancery: 1618 22nd Street NW, Washington, DC 20008
  telephone: [1] (202) 483-7800
  FAX: [1] (202) 332-9893

Diplomatic representation from the US:
  chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires James PANOS
  embassy: Avenue David Dacko, Bangui
  mailing address: B. P. 924, Bangui
  telephone: [236] 61 02 00
  FAX: [236] 61 44 94
  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

§5. Central African Republic Economy

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 40%. 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 and 2.5% in 2005. Distribution of income is extraordinarily unequal.
  Grants from France and the international community can only partially meet
  humanitarian needs.

GDP (purchasing power parity):
  $4.479 billion (2005 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate):
  $1.431 billion (2005 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
  2.5% (2005 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP):
  $1,100 (2005 est.)

GDP - composition by sector:
  agriculture: 55%
  industry: 20%
  services: 25% (2001 est.)

Labor force:
  NA

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

Population below poverty line:
  NA%

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)

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

Budget:
  revenues: $NA
  expenditures: $NA

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)

Electricity - production:
  106 million kWh (2003)

Electricity - consumption:
  98.58 million kWh (2003)

Electricity - exports:
  0 kWh (2003)

Electricity - imports:
  0 kWh (2003)

Oil - production:
  0 bbl/day (2003)

Oil - consumption:
  2,400 bbl/day (2003 est.)

Oil - exports:
  NA bbl/day

Oil - imports:
  NA bbl/day

Natural gas - production:
  0 m³ (2003 est.)

Natural gas - consumption:
  0 m³ (2003 est.)

Exports:
  $131 million f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Exports - commodities:
  diamonds, timber, cotton, coffee, tobacco

Exports - partners:
  Belgium 39.6%, Italy 8.7%, Spain 8%, US 6.2%, France 6.1%, Indonesia 5.9%,
  China 4.9% (2004)

Imports:
  $203 million f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Imports - commodities:
  food, textiles, petroleum products, machinery, electrical equipment, motor
  vehicles, chemicals, pharmaceuticals

Imports - partners:
  France 17.6%, US 16.3%, Cameroon 9.3%, Belgium 5% (2004)

Debt - external:
  $1.06 billion (2002 est.)

Economic aid - recipient:
  ODA, $59.8 million; note - traditional budget subsidies from France (2002
  est.)

Currency (code):
  Communaute Financiere Africaine franc (XAF); note - responsible authority
  is the Bank of the Central African States

Exchange rates:
  Communaute Financiere Africaine francs (XAF) per US dollar - 527.47 (2005),
  528.29 (2004), 581.2 (2003), 696.99 (2002), 733.04 (2001)

Fiscal year:
  calendar year

§6. Central African Republic Communications

Telephones - main lines in use:
  10,000 (2004)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
  60,000 (2004)

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)

Radio broadcast stations:
  AM 1, FM 5, shortwave 1 (2002)

Television broadcast stations:
  1 (2001)

Internet country code:
  .cf

Internet hosts:
  13 (2005)

Internet users:
  9,000 (2005)

§7. Central African Republic Transportation

Airports:
  50 (2005)

Airports - with paved runways:
  total: 3
  2,438 to 3,047 m: 1
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 (2005)

Airports - with unpaved runways:
  total: 47
  2,438 to 3,047 m: 1
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 10
  914 to 1,523 m: 23
  under 914 m: 13 (2005)

Roadways:
  total: 23,810 km (1999)

Waterways:
  2,800 km (primarily on the Oubangui and Sangha rivers) (2005)

Ports and terminals:
  Bangui, Nola, Salo, Nzinga

§8. Central African Republic Military

Military branches:
  Central African Armed Forces (FACA): Ground Forces, Air Force; General
    Directorate of Gendarmerie Inspection (DGIG), Republican Guard (2004)

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

Manpower available for military service:
  males age 18-49: 758,103 (2005 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:
  males age 18-49: 330,255 (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
  $16.37 million (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
  1% (2005 est.)

§9. Central African Republic Transnational Issues

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): 19,470 (Sudan) 1,864 (Chad) 6,484 (Democratic
    Republic of the Congo)
  IDPs: 200,000 (unrest following coup in 2003) (2005)


<Factbook 2006>
