Central African Republic

Broadcast media

government-owned network, Radiodiffusion Television Centrafricaine, provides domestic TV broadcasting; licenses for 2 private TV stations are pending; state-owned radio network is supplemented by a small number of privately owned broadcast stations as well as a few community radio stations; transmissions of at least 2 international broadcasters are available (2007)

Internet country code

.cf

Internet users

total: 181,000 | percent of population: 3.4% (2014 est.) | country comparison to the world: 157

Radio broadcast stations

AM 1, FM 5, shortwave 1 (2001)

Telephone system

general assessment: network consists principally of microwave radio relay and low-capacity, low-powered radiotelephone communication | domestic: limited telephone service with less than 1 fixed-line connection per 100 persons; spurred by the presence of multiple mobile-cellular service providers, cellular usage is increasing from a low base; most fixed-line and mobile-cellular telephone services are concentrated in Bangui | international: country code - 236; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) (2011)

Telephones - fixed lines

total subscriptions: 800 | subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: less than 1 (2014 est.) | country comparison to the world: 216

Telephones - mobile cellular

total: 1.5 million | subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 28 (2014 est.) | country comparison to the world: 155

Television broadcast stations

1 (2001)

Agriculture - products

cotton, coffee, tobacco, cassava (manioc, tapioca), yams, millet, corn, bananas; timber

Budget

revenues: $157.7 million | expenditures: $205.4 million (2014 est.)

Budget surplus (+) or deficit (-)

-2.8% of GDP (2014 est.) | country comparison to the world: 107

Central bank discount rate

4.25% (31 December 2009) | 4.75% (31 December 2008) | country comparison to the world: 95

Commercial bank prime lending rate

15% (31 December 2014 est.) | 15% (31 December 2013 est.) | country comparison to the world: 43

Current account balance

-$110 million (2014 est.) | -$142.9 million (2013 est.) | country comparison to the world: 83

Debt - external

$560.6 million (31 December 2014 est.) | $543.3 million (31 December 2013 est.) | country comparison to the world: 175

Distribution of family income - Gini index

61.3 (1993) | country comparison to the world: 5

Economy - overview

Subsistence agriculture, together with forestry and mining, remains the backbone of the economy of the Central African Republic (CAR), with about 60% of the population living in outlying areas. The agricultural sector generates more than half of GDP. Timber and diamonds account for most export earnings, followed by cotton. 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. Factional fighting between the government and its opponents remains a drag on economic revitalization. Since 2009 the IMF has worked closely with the government to institute reforms that have resulted in some improvement in budget transparency, but other problems remain. The government's additional spending in the run-up to the election in 2011 worsened CAR's fiscal situation. Distribution of income is extraordinarily unequal. Grants from France and the international community can only partially meet humanitarian needs. In 2012, the World Bank approved $125 million in funding for transport infrastructure and regional trade, focused on the route between CAR's capital and the port of Douala in Cameroon. After a two-year lag in donor support, the IMF's first review of CAR's extended credit facility for 2012-15 praised improvements in revenue collection but warned of weak management of spending.

Exchange rates

Cooperation Financiere en Afrique Centrale francs (XAF) per US dollar - | 491.2 (2014 est.) | 494.04 (2013 est.) | 510.53 (2012 est.) | 471.87 (2011 est.) | 495.28 (2010)

Exports

$102.4 million (2014 est.) | $102.9 million (2013 est.) | country comparison to the world: 191

Exports - commodities

diamonds, timber, cotton, coffee

Exports - partners

China 29.2%, Indonesia 15.1%, Democratic Republic of the Congo 15%, Norway 7%, Morocco 5.9%, Saudi Arabia 4.4%, France 4% (2014)

Fiscal year

calendar year

GDP (official exchange rate)

$1.786 billion (2014 est.)

GDP (purchasing power parity)

$2.855 billion (2014 est.) | $2.826 billion (2013 est.) | $4.42 billion (2012 est.) | note: data are in 2014 US dollars | country comparison to the world: 186

GDP - composition, by end use

household consumption: 95.4% | government consumption: 5.6% | investment in fixed capital: 8% | investment in inventories: 0% | exports of goods and services: 10.2% | imports of goods and services: -19.1% | (2014 est.)

GDP - composition, by sector of origin

agriculture: 55.1% | industry: 12.5% | services: 32.3% (2014 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP)

$600 (2014 est.) | $600 (2013 est.) | $900 (2012 est.) | note: data are in 2014 US dollars | country comparison to the world: 230

GDP - real growth rate

1% (2014 est.) | -36% (2013 est.) | 4.1% (2012 est.) | country comparison to the world: 186

Gross national saving

7.5% of GDP (2014 est.) | 5.7% of GDP (2013 est.) | 10.4% of GDP (2012 est.) | country comparison to the world: 175

Household income or consumption by percentage share

lowest 10%: 2.1% | highest 10%: 33% (2003)

Imports

$216.7 million (2014 est.) | $212.4 million (2013 est.) | country comparison to the world: 203

Imports - commodities

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

Imports - partners

Norway 14%, France 7.7%, US 7.6% (2014)

Industrial production growth rate

-3% (2014 est.) | country comparison to the world: 189

Industries

gold and diamond mining, logging, brewing, sugar refining

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

15% (2014 est.) | 1.5% (2013 est.) | country comparison to the world: 217

Labor force

2.217 million (2014 est.) | country comparison to the world: 120

Market value of publicly traded shares

$NA

Population below poverty line

NA%

Stock of broad money

$292.5 million (31 December 2014 est.) | $358.5 million (31 December 2013 est.) | country comparison to the world: 185

Stock of domestic credit

$349 million (31 December 2014 est.) | $425.3 million (31 December 2013 est.) | country comparison to the world: 174

Stock of narrow money

$196.6 million (31 December 2014 est.) | $250.8 million (31 December 2013 est.) | country comparison to the world: 179

Taxes and other revenues

9.1% of GDP (2014 est.) | country comparison to the world: 209

Unemployment rate

8% (2001 est.) | note: 23% unemployment in the capital, Bangui | country comparison to the world: 92

Carbon dioxide emissions from consumption of energy

435,000 Mt (2012 est.) | country comparison to the world: 185

Crude oil - exports

0 bbl/day (2010 est.) | country comparison to the world: 98

Crude oil - imports

0 bbl/day (2010 est.) | country comparison to the world: 174

Crude oil - production

0 bbl/day (2013 est.) | country comparison to the world: 164

Crude oil - proved reserves

0 bbl (1 January 2014 est.) | country comparison to the world: 120

Electricity - consumption

162.8 million kWh (2011 est.) | country comparison to the world: 192

Electricity - exports

0 kWh (2013 est.) | country comparison to the world: 126

Electricity - from fossil fuels

43.2% of total installed capacity (2011 est.) | country comparison to the world: 165

Electricity - from hydroelectric plants

56.8% of total installed capacity (2011 est.) | country comparison to the world: 38

Electricity - from nuclear fuels

0% of total installed capacity (2011 est.) | country comparison to the world: 71

Electricity - from other renewable sources

0% of total installed capacity (2011 est.) | country comparison to the world: 172

Electricity - imports

0 kWh (2013 est.) | country comparison to the world: 133

Electricity - installed generating capacity

44,000 kW (2011 est.) | country comparison to the world: 192

Electricity - production

175 million kWh (2011 est.) | country comparison to the world: 187

Natural gas - consumption

0 cu m (2012 est.) | country comparison to the world: 133

Natural gas - exports

0 cu m (2012 est.) | country comparison to the world: 81

Natural gas - imports

0 cu m (2012 est.) | country comparison to the world: 180

Natural gas - production

0 cu m (2012 est.) | country comparison to the world: 119

Natural gas - proved reserves

0 cu m (1 January 2014 est.) | country comparison to the world: 126

Refined petroleum products - consumption

2,910 bbl/day (2013 est.) | country comparison to the world: 183

Refined petroleum products - exports

0 bbl/day (2010 est.) | country comparison to the world: 167

Refined petroleum products - imports

2,318 bbl/day (2010 est.) | country comparison to the world: 178

Refined petroleum products - production

0 bbl/day (2010 est.) | country comparison to the world: 133

Area

total: 622,984 sq km | land: 622,984 sq km | water: 0 sq km | country comparison to the world: 45

Area - comparative

slightly smaller than Texas

Climate

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

Coastline

0 km (landlocked)

Elevation extremes

lowest point: Oubangui River 335 m | highest point: Mont Ngaoui 1,420 m

Environment - current issues

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

Environment - international agreements

party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Ozone Layer Protection, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands | signed, but not ratified: Law of the Sea

Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural)

total: 0.07 cu km/yr (83%/17%/1%) | per capita: 17.42 cu m/yr (2005)

Geographic coordinates

7 00 N, 21 00 E

Geography - note

landlocked; almost the precise center of Africa

Irrigated land

1.35 sq km (2003)

Land boundaries

total: 5,920 km | border countries (6): Cameroon 901 km, Chad 1,556 km, Democratic Republic of the Congo 1,747 km, Republic of the Congo 487 km, South Sudan 1,055 km, Sudan 174 km

Land use

agricultural land: 8.1% | arable land 2.9%; permanent crops 0.1%; permanent pasture 5.1% | forest: 36.2% | other: 55.7% (2011 est.)

Location

Central Africa, north of Democratic Republic of the Congo

Map references

Africa

Maritime claims

none (landlocked)

Natural hazards

hot, dry, dusty harmattan winds affect northern areas; floods are common

Natural resources

diamonds, uranium, timber, gold, oil, hydropower

Terrain

vast, flat to rolling plateau; scattered hills in northeast and southwest

Total renewable water resources

144.4 cu km (2011)

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

Capital

name: Bangui | geographic coordinates: 4 22 N, 18 35 E | time difference: UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)

Constitution

several previous; latest ratified by referendum 5 December 2004, effective 27 December 2004; amended 2010; note - the transitional parliament has begun work on a new constitution which should be ready for citizens feedback in early 2015 (2010)

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

Diplomatic representation from the US

chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires David BROWN (since 14 September 2014) | embassy: Avenue David Dacko, Bangui | mailing address: B. P. 924, Bangui | telephone: [236] 21 61 02 00 | FAX: [236] 21 61 44 94 | note: the embassy suspended operations in December, 2012

Diplomatic representation in the US

chief of mission: Ambassador Stanislas MOUSSA-KEMBE (since 24 August 2009) | chancery: 2704 Ontario Road NW, Washington, DC 20009 | telephone: [1] (202) 483-7800 | FAX: [1] (202) 332-9893 | consulate(s) general: Los Angeles | consulate(s): New York

Executive branch

chief of state: Interim President Catherine SAMBA-PANZA (since 23 January 2014) | head of government: Prime Minister Mahamat KAMOUN (since 10 August 2014); note - Prime Minister Andre NZAPAYEKE replaced Prime Minister Nicolas TIANGAYE on 25 January 2014 and was fired on 5 August 2014; Nicolas TIANGAYE resigned 10 January 2014 | cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president | elections/appointments: interim president elected by the National Transitional Council on 20 January 2014 and sworn in three days later (next general election scheduled for October 2015 | election results: Catherine SAMBA-PANZA elected in second round; SAMBA-PANZA 75 votes from the National Transitional Council, Desire KOLINGBA 53 votes (128 MPs out of 135 voted) | note: rebel forces seized the capital in March 2013, forcing former President BOZIZE to flee the country; Interim President Michel DJOTODIA assumed the presidency, reinstated the prime minister, and established a National Transitional Council (CNT) in April 2013; the NTC elected Catherine SAMBA-PANZA interim president in January 2014 to serve until February 2015 when new elections were to be held; her term has been extended because instability has delayed new elections

Flag description

four equal horizontal bands of blue (top), white, green, and yellow with a vertical red band in center; a yellow five-pointed star to the hoist side of the blue band; banner combines the Pan-African and French flag colors; red symbolizes the blood spilled in the struggle for independence, blue represents the sky and freedom, white peace and dignity, green hope and faith, and yellow tolerance; the star represents aspiration towards a vibrant future

Government type

republic

Independence

13 August 1960 (from France)

International law organization participation

has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; accepts ICCt jurisdiction

International organization participation

ACP, AfDB, AU, BDEAC, CEMAC, EITI (compliant country) (suspended), FAO, FZ, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), MIGA, NAM, OIC (observer), OIF, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Judicial branch

highest court(s): Supreme Court (consists of NA judges); Constitutional Court (consists of 9 judges, at least 3 of which are women) | judge selection and term of office: Supreme Court judges appointed by the president; Constitutional Court judge appointments - 2 by the president, 1 by the speaker of the National Assembly, 2 elected by their peers, 2 are advocates elected by their peers, and 2 are law professors elected by their peers; judges serve 7-year non-renewable terms | subordinate courts: high courts; magistrates' courts

Legal system

civil law system based on the French model

Legislative branch

description: unicameral National Assembly or Assemblee Nationale (105 seats; members directly elected in single-seat constituencies by absolute majority vote with a second round if needed; members serve 5-year terms) | elections: last held on 23 January 2011 and 27 March 2011 (next to be held in February 2015) | election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - KNK 61, MLPC 1, RDC 1, independent 16, other 11

National anthem

name: "Le Renaissance" (The Renaissance) | lyrics/music: Barthelemy BOGANDA/Herbert PEPPER | note: adopted 1960; Barthelemy BOGANDA wrote the anthem's lyrics and was the first prime minister of the autonomous French territory

National holiday

Republic Day, 1 December (1958)

National symbol(s)

elephant; national colors: blue, white, green, yellow, red

Political parties and leaders

Alliance for Democracy and Progress or ADP [Clement BELIBANGA] | Central African Democratic Rally or RDC [Louis-Pierre GAMBA] | Civic Forum or FC | Democratic Forum for Modernity or FODEM [Saturnin NDOMBY] | Liberal Democratic Party or PLD | Londo Association or LONDO | Movement for Democracy and Development or MDD | Movement for the Liberation of the Central African People or MLPC [Martin ZIGUELE] | National Convergence or KNK [Francois BOZIZE] | National Unity Party or PUN | New Alliance for Progress or NAP [Jean-Jacques DEMAFOUTH] | Patriotic Front for Progress or FPP [Alexandre Philippe GOUMBA] | People's Union for the Republic or UPR [Pierre Sammy MAKFOY] | Social Democratic Party or PSD [Enoch LAKOUE]

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

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 but lasted only a decade. In March, 2003 President Ange-Felix PATASSE was deposed in a military coup led by General Francois BOZIZE, who established a transitional government. Elections held in 2005 affirmed General BOZIZE as president; he was reelected in 2011 in voting widely viewed as flawed. The government still lacks full control of the countryside, where pockets of lawlessness persist. The militant group, Lord's Resistance Army, continues to destabilize southeastern Central African Republic, and several rebel groups joined together in early December 2012 to launch a series of attacks that left them in control of numerous towns in the northern and central parts of the country. The rebels - unhappy with BOZIZE's government - participated in peace talks in early January 2013 which resulted in a coalition government including the rebellion's leadership. In March 2013, the coalition government dissolved, rebels seized the capital, and President BOZIZE fled the country. Rebel leader Michel DJOTODIA assumed the presidency and the following month established a National Transitional Council (CNT). In January 2014, the CNT elected Catherine SAMBA-PANZA as interim president; new general elections are scheduled for October 2015.

Manpower available for military service

males age 16-49: 1,149,856 | females age 16-49: 1,145,897 (2010 est.)

Manpower fit for military service

males age 16-49: 655,875 | females age 16-49: 661,308 (2010 est.)

Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually

male: 54,843 | female: 53,999 (2010 est.)

Military branches

Central African Armed Forces (Forces Armees Centrafricaines, FACA): Ground Forces (includes Military Air Service), General Directorate of Gendarmerie Inspection (DGIG), National Police (2011)

Military service age and obligation

18 years of age for selective military service; 2-year conscript service obligation (2012)

Age structure

0-14 years: 40.43% (male 1,095,968/female 1,083,705) | 15-24 years: 20.06% (male 543,491/female 537,804) | 25-54 years: 32.02% (male 863,314/female 862,916) | 55-64 years: 3.98% (male 96,377/female 118,278) | 65 years and over: 3.52% (male 74,192/female 115,494) (2015 est.)

Birth rate

35.08 births/1,000 population (2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 22

Child labor - children ages 5-14

total number: 532,518 | percentage: 47% (2006 est.)

Children under the age of 5 years underweight

23.5% (2011) | country comparison to the world: 26

Contraceptive prevalence rate

15.2% (2010/11)

Death rate

13.8 deaths/1,000 population (2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 10

Dependency ratios

total dependency ratio: 75.2% | youth dependency ratio: 68.4% | elderly dependency ratio: 6.8% | potential support ratio: 14.8% (2015 est.)

Drinking water source

urban: 89.6% of population | rural: 54.4% of population | total: 68.5% of population | urban: 10.4% of population | rural: 45.6% of population | total: 31.5% of population (2015 est.)

Education expenditures

1.2% of GDP (2011) | country comparison to the world: 171

Ethnic groups

Baya 33%, Banda 27%, Mandjia 13%, Sara 10%, Mboum 7%, M'Baka 4%, Yakoma 4%, other 2%

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate

4.25% (2014 est.) | country comparison to the world: 15

HIV/AIDS - deaths

9,900 (2014 est.) | country comparison to the world: 24

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS

135,400 (2014 est.) | country comparison to the world: 34

Health expenditures

3.9% of GDP (2013) | country comparison to the world: 168

Hospital bed density

1 beds/1,000 population (2011)

Infant mortality rate

total: 90.63 deaths/1,000 live births | male: 98.24 deaths/1,000 live births | female: 82.79 deaths/1,000 live births (2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 4

Languages

French (official), Sangho (lingua franca and national language), tribal languages

Life expectancy at birth

total population: 51.81 years | male: 50.5 years | female: 53.16 years (2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 219

Literacy

definition: age 15 and over can read and write | total population: 36.8% | male: 50.7% | female: 24.4% (2015 est.)

Major infectious diseases

degree of risk: very high | food or waterborne diseases: bacterial and protozoal diarrhea, hepatitis A and E, and typhoid fever | vectorborne diseases: malaria and dengue fever | respiratory disease: meningococcal meningitis | water contact disease: schistosomiasis | animal contact disease: rabies (2013)

Major urban areas - population

BANGUI (capital) 794,000 (2015)

Median age

total: 19.5 years | male: 19.2 years | female: 19.9 years (2015 est.)

Nationality

noun: Central African(s) | adjective: Central African

Net migration rate

0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 102

Obesity - adult prevalence rate

4.4% (2014) | country comparison to the world: 175

Physicians density

0.05 physicians/1,000 population (2009)

Population

5,391,539 | 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, higher death rates, lower population growth rates, and changes in the distribution of population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July 2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 118

Population growth rate

2.13% (2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 45

Religions

indigenous beliefs 35%, Protestant 25%, Roman Catholic 25%, Muslim 15% | note: animistic beliefs and practices strongly influence the Christian majority

Sanitation facility access

urban: 43.6% of population | rural: 7.2% of population | total: 21.8% of population | urban: 56.4% of population | rural: 92.8% of population | total: 78.2% of population (2015 est.)

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education)

total: 7 years | male: 9 years | female: 6 years (2012)

Sex ratio

at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female | 0-14 years: 1.01 male(s)/female | 15-24 years: 1.01 male(s)/female | 25-54 years: 1 male(s)/female | 55-64 years: 0.82 male(s)/female | 65 years and over: 0.64 male(s)/female | total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2015 est.)

Total fertility rate

4.41 children born/woman (2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 31

Urbanization

urban population: 40% of total population (2015) | rate of urbanization: 2.59% annual rate of change (2010-15 est.)

Disputes - international

periodic skirmishes persist over water and grazing rights among related pastoral populations along the border with southern Sudan

Refugees and internally displaced persons

refugees (country of origin): 5,342 (Democratic Republic of the Congo) (2015) | IDPs: 369,490 (clashes between army and rebel groups since 2005; tensions between ethnic groups) (2015)

Trafficking in persons

current situation: Central African Republic (CAR) is a source, transit, and destination country for children subjected to forced labor and sex trafficking, women subjected to forced prostitution, and adults subjected to forced labor; increased violence and displacement rendered Central Africans more vulnerable to exploitation; the recruitment of child soldiers, at times through force, increased dramatically during the year; most victims appear to be CAR citizens exploited within the country, with a smaller number transported back forth between the CAR and nearby countries; armed groups operating in the CAR, including the Lord’s Resistance Army, continue to recruit and re-recruit children for military activities and labor; children are also forced into domestic servitude, commercial sexual exploitation, agricultural labor, mining, and street vending | tier rating: Tier 3 - Central African Republic does not fully comply with the minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking and is not making significant efforts to do so; the government did not investigate or prosecute any suspected cases of human trafficking in 2013, including the use of child soldiers; the government also failed to identify, provide protection to, or refer to service providers any trafficking victims (2014)

Airports

39 (2013) | country comparison to the world: 106

Airports - with paved runways

total: 2 | 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 | 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2013)

Airports - with unpaved runways

total: 37 | 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 | 1,524 to 2,437 m: 11 | 914 to 1,523 m: 19 | 6 (2013)

Ports and terminals

river port(s): Bangui (Oubangui); Nola (Sangha)

Roadways

total: 20,278 km (2010) | country comparison to the world: 107

Waterways

2,800 km (the primary navigable river is the Ubangi, which joins the River Congo; it was the traditional route for the export of products because it connected with the Congo-Ocean railway at Brazzaville; because of the warfare on both sides of the River Congo from 1997, importers and exporters preferred routes through Cameroon) (2011) | country comparison to the world: 34