Central African Republic

• tropical;
• hot, dry winters;
• mild to hot, wet summers

• tap water is not potable;
• poaching has diminished its reputation as one of the last great wildlife refuges;
• desertification;
• deforestation

party to:

Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Tropical Timber 94

signed, but not ratified:

Law of the Sea

0-14 years:

44% (male 745,128; female 737,879)

15-64 years:

52% (male 864,263; female 906,656)

65 years and over:

4% (male 55,051; female 66,794) (July 1998 est.)

at birth:

1.03 male(s)/female

under 15 years:

1 male(s)/female

15-64 years:

0.95 male(s)/female

65 years and over:

0.82 male(s)/female (1998 est.)

noun:

Central African(s)

adjective:

Central African

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

• 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

chief of state:

President Ange PATASSE (since 22 October 1993)

head of government:

Prime Minister Michel GBEZERA-BRIA (since January 1997)

cabinet:

Council of Ministers

elections:

• president elected by popular vote for a 6-year term;
• election last held 19 September 1993 (next to be held NA 1999);
• prime minister appointed by the president

election results:

Ange PATASSE elected president; percent of vote-PATASSE 52.45%, Abel GOUMBA 45.62%

chief of mission:

Ambassador Henri KOBA

chancery:

1618 22nd Street NW, Washington, DC 20008

telephone:

[1] (202) 462 2517

chief of mission:

Ambassador Mosina H. JORDAN

embassy:

Avenue David Dacko, Bangui

mailing address:

B. P. 924, Bangui

telephone:

[236] 61 26 21

• 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

total value:

$171 million (f.o.b., 1995)

commodities:

diamonds, timber, cotton, coffee, tobacco

partners:

France 16%, Belgium-Luxembourg 40.1%, Italy, Japan, US, Spain, Iran, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Republic of the Congo

total value:

$174 million (f.o.b., 1995)

commodities:

food, textiles, petroleum products, machinery, electrical equipment, motor vehicles, chemicals, pharmaceuticals, consumer goods, industrial products

partners:

France 37%, other EU countries, Japan 24%, Algeria, Cameroon, Namibia

total:

23,810 km

paved:

429 km

unpaved:

23,381 km (1995 est.)

• 800 km;
• traditional trade carried on by means of shallow-draft dugouts;
• Oubangui is the most important river

In December 1990, after Chad had endured decades of civil warfare among ethnic groups as well as invasions by Libya, former northern guerrilla leader Idriss DEBY seized control of the government. His transitional government eventually suppressed or came to terms with most political-military groups, settled the territorial dispute with Libya on terms favorable to Chad, drafted a democratic constitution which was ratified by popular referendum in March 1996, held multiparty national presidential elections in June and July 1996 (DEBY won with 67% of the vote), and held multiparty elections for the National Assembly in January and February 1997, in which Idriss DEBY's party, Patriotic Salvation Movement or MPS, won a majority of the seats.