| World Regions |
|
Africa Middle East Europe Asia North America Central America The Caribbean South America Oceania World Map Cities Maps Flags Embassies Consulates |
| |
| 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 - civilian rule was established in 1993 and lasted for one decade. In March 2003 a military coup led by General Francois BOZIZE deposed the civilian government of President Ange-Felix PATASSE and has since established a transitional government. Though the government has the tacit support of civil society groups and the main parties, this is likely to weaken in the run-up to municipal, legislative, and presidential elections scheduled for December 2004 or January 2005. The government still does not fully control the countryside, where pockets of lawlessness persist. |
| People | Central African Republic |
| Population: | 3,742,482 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 2004 est.) |
| Age structure: | 0-14 years: 42.8% (male 806,506; female 795,639) 15-64 years: 53.8% (male 990,522; female 1,021,491) 65 years and over: 3.4% (male 53,860; female 74,464) (2004 est.) |
| Median age: | total: 18 years male: 17.7 years female: 18.4 years (2004 est.) |
| Population growth rate: | 1.56% (2004 est.) |
| Birth rate: | 35.55 births/1,000 population (2004 est.) |
| Death rate: | 19.99 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.) |
| Net migration rate: | 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.) |
| Sex ratio: | at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.01 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.97 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.72 male(s)/female total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2004 est.) |
| Infant mortality rate: | total: 92.15 deaths/1,000 live births female: 84.99 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.) male: 99.09 deaths/1,000 live births |
| Life expectancy at birth: | total population: 41.36 years male: 39.7 years female: 43.08 years (2004 est.) |
| Total fertility rate: | 4.59 children born/woman (2004 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: | typhoid fever, malaria overall degree of risk: very high (2004) |
| 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.) |
| Government | Central African Republic |
| Country name: | conventional long form: Central African Republic conventional short form: none local long form: Republique Centrafricaine former: Ubangi-Shari, Central African Empire abbreviation: CAR local short form: none |
| 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: | 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 Francois BOZIZE (since 15 March 2003 coup) and Vice President Abel GOUMA (since 12 December 2003) elections: NA; municipal, legislative and presidential elections scheduled for December 2004 or January 2005; prime minister appointed by the president head of government: Prime Minister Celestin GAOMBALET (since 12 December 2003) cabinet: Council of Ministers |
| 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 2004) 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]; 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, NAM, OIC (observer), OPCW (signatory), UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO |
| Diplomatic representation in the US: | chief of mission: Ambassador Emmanuel TOUABOY chancery: 1618 22nd Street NW, Washington, DC 20008 FAX: [1] (202) 332-9893 telephone: [1] (202) 483-7800 |
| Diplomatic representation from the US: | chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant) 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 |
| Communications | Central African Republic |
| Telephones - main lines in use: | 9,000 (2002) |
| Telephones - mobile cellular: | 13,000 (2003) |
| 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) |
| Radios: | 283,000 (1997) |
| Television broadcast stations: | 1 (2001) |
| Televisions: | 18,000 (1997) |
| Internet country code: | .cf |
| Internet hosts: | 6 (2002) |
| Internet Service Providers (ISPs): | 1 (2002) |
| Internet users: | 5,000 (2002) |
| Transportation | Central African Republic |
| Highways: | total: 23,810 km paved: 643 km unpaved: 23,167 km (1999 est.) |
| Waterways: | 2,800 km (primarily on the Oubangui and Sangha rivers) (2004) |
| Ports and harbors: | Bangui, Nola, Salo, Nzinga |
| Airports: | 50 (2003 est.) |
| Airports - with paved runways: | total: 3 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 (2004 est.) |
| 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 (2004 est.) |
| Military | Central African Republic |
| Military branches: | Central African Armed Forces (FACA): Republican Guard, Ground Forces, Naval Forces, Air Force |
| Military manpower - availability: | males age 15-49: 878,980 (2004 est.) |
| Military manpower - fit for military service: | males age 15-49: 460,469 (2004 est.) |
| Military expenditures - dollar figure: | $14.5 million (2003) |
| Military expenditures - percent of GDP: | 1.1% (2003) |
| Transnational Issues | Central African Republic |
| Disputes - international: | internal political instabilities with fighting and violence overlap into Chad and CAR, leaving refugees and rebel groups in both countries; Sudan has pledged to work with CAR to stem violent skirmishes over water and grazing rights among related pastoral populations along the border |
| Refugees and internally displaced persons: | refugees (country of origin): 36,479 (Sudan), 1,864 (Chad), 6,484 (Democratic Republic of the Congo) IDPs: 200,000 (unrest following coup in 2003) (2004) |
| This page was last updated on 16 December, 2004 |
| Categories | |
|