1.
[syn: Central African Republic, Central Africa]
WordNet (r) 3.0 (2006):
Central African Republic
n 1: a landlocked country in central Africa; formerly under
French control; became independent in 1960 [syn: Central
African Republic, Central Africa]
CIA World Factbook 2002:
Central African Republic
Introduction Central African Republic
-------------------------------------
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 - a civilian government
was installed in 1993.
Geography Central African Republic
----------------------------------
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 sq km
water: 0 sq km
land: 622,984 sq km
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: 0.14%
other: 96.76% (1998 est.)
Irrigated land: NA sq km
Natural hazards: hot, dry, dusty harmattan winds
affect northern areas; floods are
common
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 party to: Biodiversity, Climate
agreements: Change, Desertification, Endangered
Species, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone
Layer Protection, Tropical Timber 94
signed, but not ratified: Law of the
Sea
Geography - note: landlocked; almost the precise
center of Africa
People Central African Republic
-------------------------------
Population: 3,642,739
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 2002 est.)
Age structure: 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.)
Population growth rate: 1.8% (2002 est.)
Birth rate: 36.6 births/1,000 population (2002
est.)
Death rate: 18.62 deaths/1,000 population (2002
est.)
Net migration rate: 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2002
est.)
Sex ratio: 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.)
Infant mortality rate: 103.81 deaths/1,000 live births
(2002 est.)
Life expectancy at birth: total population: 43.58 years
female: 45.13 years (2002 est.)
male: 42.08 years
Total fertility rate: 4.77 children born/woman (2002 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: 13.84% (1999 est.)
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/ 240,000 (1999 est.)
AIDS:
HIV/AIDS - deaths: 23,000 (1999 est.)
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: 60%
male: 68.5%
female: 52.4% (1995 est.)
Government Central African Republic
-----------------------------------
Country name: 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
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, Gribingui*, Haute-Kotto,
Haute-Sangha, Haut-Mbomou, Kemo-
Gribingui, Lobaye, Mbomou, Nana-
Mambere, Ombella-Mpoko, Ouaka,
Ouham, Ouham-Pende, Sangha*, Vakaga
Independence: 13 August 1960 (from France)
National holiday: Republic Day, 1 December (1958)
Constitution: passed by referendum 29 December
1994; adopted 7 January 1995
Legal system: based on French law
Suffrage: 21 years of age; universal
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 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%
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
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 the
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]
Political pressure groups and NA
leaders:
International organization ACCT, ACP, AfDB, BDEAC, CCC, CEEAC,
participation: CEMAC, ECA, FAO, FZ, G-77, IAEA,
IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD,
IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, Interpol, IOC,
ITU, NAM, OAU, OIC (observer), OPCW
(signatory), UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO,
UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WHO, WIPO, WMO,
WToO, WTrO
Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador
Emmanuel TOUABOY
FAX: [1] (202) 332-9893
telephone: [1] (202) 483-7800
chancery: 1618 22nd Street NW,
Washington, DC 20008
Diplomatic representation from the chief of mission: Ambassador Mattie
US: R. SHARPLESS
embassy: Avenue David Dacko, Bangui
mailing address: B. P. 924, Bangui
telephone: [236] 61 02 00
FAX: [236] 61 44 94
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 Central African Republic
--------------------------------
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. 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. As of January 2002, many civil
servants were owed as much as 16
months pay during the PATASSE
administration, as well as 14 months
pay from the KOLINGBA
administration.
GDP: purchasing power parity - $4.6
billion (2001 est.)
GDP - real growth rate: 1.8% (2001 est.)
GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $1,300
(2001 est.)
GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 55%
industry: 20%
services: 25% (2001 est.)
Population below poverty line: NA%
Household income or consumption by lowest 10%: 0.7%
percentage share: highest 10%: 47.7% (1993)
Distribution of family income - Gini 61.3 (1993)
index:
Inflation rate (consumer prices): 3.6% (2001 est.)
Labor force: NA
Unemployment rate: 8% (23% for Bangui) (2001 est.)
Budget: revenues: $NA
expenditures: $NA, including capital
expenditures of $NA
Industries: diamond mining, sawmills, breweries,
textiles, footwear, assembly of
bicycles and motorcycles
Industrial production growth rate: 3.9% (2001)
Electricity - production: 104 million kWh (2000)
Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 20.19%
hydro: 79.81%
other: 0% (2000)
nuclear: 0%
Electricity - consumption: 96.72 million kWh (2000)
Electricity - exports: 0 kWh (2000)
Electricity - imports: 0 kWh (2000)
Agriculture - products: cotton, coffee, tobacco, manioc
(tapioca), yams, millet, corn,
bananas; timber
Exports: $166 million (f.o.b., 2000)
Exports - commodities: diamonds, timber, cotton, coffee,
tobacco
Exports - partners: Benelux 64%, Cote d'Ivoire, Spain,
China, Egypt, France (1999)
Imports: $154 million (f.o.b., 2000)
Imports - commodities: food, textiles, petroleum products,
machinery, electrical equipment,
motor vehicles, chemicals,
pharmaceuticals, consumer goods,
industrial products
Imports - partners: France 35%, Cameroon 13%, Benelux,
Cote d'Ivoire, Germany, Japan (1999)
Debt - external: $881.4 million (2000 est.)
Economic aid - recipient: $172.2 million (1995); note -
traditional budget subsidies from
France
Currency: Communaute Financiere Africaine
franc (XAF); note - responsible
authority is the Bank of the Central
African States
Currency code: XAF
Exchange rates: 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
Fiscal year: calendar year
Communications Central African Republic
---------------------------------------
Telephones - main lines in use: 10,000 (1997)
Telephones - mobile cellular: 570 (1997)
Telephone 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)
Radio broadcast stations: AM 0, FM 4, shortwave 1 (2001)
Radios: 283,000 (1997)
Television broadcast stations: 1 (2001)
Televisions: 18,000 (1997)
Internet country code: .cf
Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 1 (2000)
Internet users: 1,500 (2001)
Transportation Central African Republic
---------------------------------------
Railways: 0 km
Highways: total: 23,810 km
paved: 429 km
unpaved: 23,381 km (2000)
Waterways: 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
Ports and harbors: Bangui, Nola, Salo, Nzinga
Airports: 51 (2001)
Airports - with paved runways: total: 3
2,438 to 3,047 m: 1
1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 (2001)
Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 48
2,438 to 3,047 m: 1
1,524 to 2,437 m: 9
914 to 1,523 m: 23
under 914 m: 15 (2001)
Military Central African Republic
---------------------------------
Military branches: Central African Armed Forces (FACA)
(including Republican Guard, Ground
Forces, Naval Forces, and Air
Force), Presidential Security Guard,
Gendarmerie, National Police
Military manpower - availability: males age 15-49: 845,182 (2002 est.)
Military manpower - fit for military males age 15-49: 442,220 (2002 est.)
service:
Military expenditures - dollar $29 million (FY96)
figure:
Military expenditures - percent of 2.2% (FY96)
GDP:
Transnational Issues Central African Republic
---------------------------------------------
Disputes - international: none