Central African Republic
Central African Republic conventional short form: none local long form: Republique Centrafricaine local short form: none former: Ubangi-Shari, Central African Empire abbreviation: CAR
republicIndependence 13 August 1960 (from France)
Central African Republic as the 2001 edition of the CIA World Factbook published it: 111 fields, one of 36 editions from 1990 to 2025.
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Introduction
1 fieldBackground
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 - a civilian government was installed in 1993.
Geography
Central Africa, north of Democratic Republic of the Congo
18 fieldsLand 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
Land use
arable land: 3% permanent crops: 0% permanent pastures: 5% forests and woodland: 75% other: 17% (1993 est.)
Environment - current issues
- tap water is not potable;
- poaching has diminished its reputation as one of the last great wildlife refuges;
- desertification;
- deforestation
Environment - international agreements
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
People
18 fieldsPer 1,000 population(2001 est.)
Population
- 3,576,884 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 2001 est.)
Age structure
0-14 years: 43.23% (male 778,885; female 767,414) 15-64 years: 53% (male 929,717; female 965,947) 65 years and over: 3.77% (male 59,364; female 75,557) (2001 est.)
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: 0.79 male(s)/female total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2001 est.)
Life expectancy at birth
total population: 43.8 years male: 42.17 years female: 45.48 years (2001 est.)
Ethnic groups
Baya 34%, Banda 27%, Sara 10%, Mandjia 21%, Mboum 4%, M'Baka 4%, Europeans 6,500 (including 1,500 French)
Religions
indigenous beliefs 24%, Protestant 25%, Roman Catholic 25%, Muslim 15%, other 11% note: animistic beliefs and practices strongly influence the Christian majority
Literacy
definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 60% male: 68.5% female: 52.4% (1995 est.)
Government
Republic
20 fieldsPresidential electionpercent of vote
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
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
Executive branch
- chief of state:
- President Ange-Felix PATASSE (since 22 October 1993) head of government: Prime Minister Martin ZIGUELE (since 1 April 2001) cabinet: Council of Ministers elections: president elected by popular vote for a six-year term;
- election last held 19 September 1999 (next to be held NA 2005);
- prime minister appointed by the president election results: Ange-Felix PATASSE reelected president;
- percent of vote - Ange-Felix PATASSE 51.63%, Andre KOLINGBA 19.38%, David DACKO 11.15%
Legislative branch
- unicameral National Assembly or Assemblee Nationale (109 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms; note - there were 85 seats in the National Assembly before the 1998 election) elections: last held 22-23 November and 13 December 1998 (next to be held NA 2003) 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 note: the National Assembly is advised by the Economic and Regional Council or Conseil Economique et Regional;
- when they sit together they are called the Congress or Congres
Judicial branch
- Supreme Court or Cour Supreme;
- Constitutional Court (all judges appointed by the president);
- Court of Appeal;
- Criminal Courts
Political parties and leaders
Alliance for Democracy and Progress or ADP [Francois PEHOUA]; Central African Democratic Assembly or RDC [Andre KOLINGBA]; Civic Forum or FC [Gen. Timothee MALENDOMA]; Democratic Forum 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 the president, Ange-Felix PATASSE]; Patriotic Front for Progress or FPP [Abel GOUMBA]; People's Union for the Republic or UPR [leader NA]; National Unity Party or PUN [Jean-Paul NGOUPANDE]; Social Democratic Party or PSD [Enoch LAKOUE]
International organization participation
ACCT, ACP, AfDB, BDEAC, CCC, CEEAC, CEMAC, ECA, FAO, FZ, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, ITU, NAM, OAU, OIC (observer), OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO
Diplomatic representation in the US
chief of mission: Ambassador Emmanuel TOUABOY chancery: 1618 22nd Street NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 483-7800
Diplomatic representation from the US
chief of mission: Ambassador Robert C. PERRY embassy: Avenue David Dacko, Bangui mailing address: B. P. 924, Bangui telephone: [236] 61 02 00
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
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.
31 fieldsElectricity
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 nearly 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.
The 50% devaluation of the currencies of 14 Francophone African nations on 12 January 1994 had mixed effects on the CAR's economy. Diamond, timber, coffee, and cotton exports increased, leading an estimated rise of GDP of 7% in 1994 and nearly 5% in 1995. Military rebellions and social unrest in 1996 were accompanied by widespread destruction of property and a drop in GDP of 2%. The IMF approved an Extended Structure Adjustment Facility in 1998 and the World Bank extended further credits in 1999 and approved a $10 million loan in early 2001.
The government has set targets of 3.5% GDP growth in 2001 and 2002. As of January 2001, many civil servants were owed as much as 30 months pay, leading them to go on strike and further damaging the economy.
Budget
revenues: $638 million expenditures: $1.9 billion, including capital expenditures of $888 million (1994 est.)
Industries
diamond mining, sawmills, breweries, textiles, footwear, assembly of bicycles and motorcycles
Agriculture - products
cotton, coffee, tobacco, manioc (tapioca), yams, millet, corn, bananas; timber
Imports - commodities
food, textiles, petroleum products, machinery, electrical equipment, motor vehicles, chemicals, pharmaceuticals, consumer goods, industrial products
Currency
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 - 699.21 (January 2001), 711.98 (2000), 615.70 (1999), 589.95 (1998), 583.67 (1997), 511.55 (1996);
- note - from 1 January 1999, the XAF is pegged to the euro at a rate of 655.957 XAF per euro
Communications
10 fieldsTelephone system
general assessment: fair system domestic: network consists principally of microwave radio relay and low-capacity, low-powered radiotelephone communication international: satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)
Transportation
7 fieldsWaterways
- 900 km note: traditional trade carried on by means of shallow-draft dugouts;
- Oubangui is the most important river, navigable all year to craft drawing 0.6 m or less;
- 282 km navigable to craft drawing as much as 1.8 m
Airports - with unpaved runways
total: 49 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 10 914 to 1,523 m: 23 under 914 m: 15 (2000 est.)
Military
Central African Armed Forces (includes Army, Air Force, Presidential Guard, National Gendarmerie, Police Force)
5 fieldsMilitary branches
Central African Armed Forces (includes Army, Air Force, Presidential Guard, National Gendarmerie, Police Force)
Transnational Issues
1 fieldCite this entry
Central Intelligence Agency. “Central African Republic.” The World Factbook 2001. Archived by The Factbook, thefactbook.org/central-african-republic/2001.