Central African Republic

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.

• 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:

43% (male 788,417; female 776,721)

15-64 years:

53.2% (male 951,908; female 986,947)

65 years and over:

3.8% (male 60,395; female 78,351) (2002 est.)

at birth:

1.03 male(s)/female

under 15 years:

1.02 male(s)/female

15-64 years:

0.96 male(s)/female

65 years and over:

0.77 male(s)/female

total population:

0.98 male(s)/female (2002 est.)

noun:

Central African(s)

adjective:

Central African

conventional long form:

Central African Republic

conventional short form:

none

local short form:

none

former:

Ubangi-Shari, Central African Empire

local long form:

Republique Centrafricaine

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-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 September 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%

• 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

chief of mission:

Ambassador Emmanuel TOUABOY

FAX:

[1] (202) 332-9893

telephone:

[1] (202) 483-7800

chancery:

1618 22nd Street NW, Washington, DC 20008

chief of mission:

Ambassador Mattie R. SHARPLESS

embassy:

Avenue David Dacko, Bangui

mailing address:

B. P. 924, Bangui

telephone:

[236] 61 02 00

FAX:

[236] 61 44 94

• 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

lowest 10%:

1%

highest 10%:

48% (1993) (1993)

revenues:

$NA

expenditures:

$NA, including capital expenditures of $NA

• Communaute Financiere Africaine francs (XAF) per US dollar - 742.79 (January 2002), 733.04 (2001), 711.98 (2000), 615.70 (1999), 589.95 (1998), 583.67 (1997);
• note - from 1 January 1999, the XAF is pegged to the euro at a rate of 655.957 XAF per euro

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)

total:

23,810 km

paved:

429 km

unpaved:

23,381 km (2000)