*Central African Republic, Geography

Location:
  Central Africa, between Chad and Zaire
Map references:
  Africa, Standard Time Zones of the World
Area:
 total area:
  622,980 km2
 land area:
  622,980 km2
 comparative area:
  slightly smaller than Texas
Land boundaries:
  total 5,203 km, Cameroon 797 km, Chad 1,197 km, Congo 467 km, Sudan 1,165
  km, Zaire 1,577 km
Coastline:
  0 km (landlocked)
Maritime claims:
  none; landlocked
International disputes:
  none
Climate:
  tropical; hot, dry winters; mild to hot, wet summers
Terrain:
  vast, flat to rolling, monotonous plateau; scattered hills in northeast and
  southwest
Natural resources:
  diamonds, uranium, timber, gold, oil
Land use:
 arable land:
  3%
 permanent crops:
  0%
 meadows and pastures:
  5%
 forest and woodland:
  64%
 other:
  28%
Irrigated land:
  NA km2
Environment:
  hot, dry, dusty harmattan winds affect northern areas; poaching has
  diminished reputation as one of last great wildlife refuges; desertification
Note:
  landlocked; almost the precise center of Africa

*Central African Republic, People

Population:
  3,073,979 (July 1993 est.)
Population growth rate:
  2.23% (1993 est.)
Birth rate:
  42.77 births/1,000 population (1993 est.)
Death rate:
  20.49 deaths/1,000 population (1993 est.)
Net migration rate:
  0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1993 est.)
Infant mortality rate:
  138.7 deaths/1,000 live births (1993 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
 total population:
  42.94 years
 male:
  41.46 years
 female:
  44.45 years (1993 est.)
Total fertility rate:
  5.47 children born/woman (1993 est.)
Nationality:
 noun:
  Central African(s)
 adjective:
  Central African
Ethnic divisions:
  Baya 34%, Banda 27%, Sara 10%, Mandjia 21%, Mboum 4%, M'Baka 4%, Europeans
  6,500 (including 3,600 French)
Religions:
  indigenous beliefs 24%, Protestant 25%, Roman Catholic 25%, Muslim 15%,
  other 11%
 note:
  animistic beliefs and practices strongly influence the Christian majority
Languages:
  French (official), Sangho (lingua franca and national language), Arabic,
  Hunsa, Swahili
Literacy:
  age 15 and over can read and write (1990)
 total population:
  27%
 male:
  33%
 female:
  15%
Labor force:
  775,413 (1986 est.)
 by occupation:
  agriculture 85%, commerce and services 9%, industry 3%, government 3%
 note:
  about 64,000 salaried workers; 55% of population of working age (1985)

*Central African Republic, Government

Names:
 conventional long form:
  Central African Republic
 conventional short form:
  none
 local long form:
  Republique Centrafricaine
 local short form:
  none
 former:
  Central African Empire
Abbreviation:
  CAR
Digraph:
  CT
Type:
  republic; one-party presidential regime since 1986
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)
Constitution:
  21 November 1986
Legal system:
  based on French law
National holiday:
  National Day, 1 December (1958) (proclamation of the republic)
Political parties and leaders:
  Central African Democratic Party (RDC), the government party, Laurent
  GOMINA-PAMPALI; Council of Moderates Coalition includes; Union of the People
  for Economic and Social Development (UPDS), Katossy SIMANI; Liberal
  Republican Party (PARELI), Augustin M'BOE; Central African Socialist
  Movement (MSCA), Michel BENGUE; Concerted Democratic Forces (CFD), a
  coalition of 13 parties, including; Alliance for Democracy and Progress
  (ADP), Francois PEHOUA; Central African Republican party (PRC), Ruth
  ROLLAND; Social Democratic Party (PSD), Enoch DERANT-LAKOUE; Civic Forum
  (FC), Gen. Timothee MALENDOMA; Liberal Democratic Party (PLD), Nestor
  KOMBOT-NAGUEMON
Suffrage:
  21 years of age; universal
Elections:
 President:
  last held 25 October 1992; widespread irregularities at some polls led to
  dismissal of results by Supreme Court; elections are rescheduled for 17
  October 1993
 National Assembly:   last held 25 October 1992; widespread irregularities at some polls led to
  dismissal of results by Supreme Court; elections are rescheduled for 17
  October 1993
Executive branch:
  president, prime minister, Council of Ministers (cabinet)

*Central African Republic, Government

Legislative branch:
  unicameral National Assembly (Assemblee Nationale) advised by the Economic
  and Regional Council (Conseil Economique et Regional); when they sit
  together this is known as the Congress (Congres)
Judicial branch:
  Supreme Court (Cour Supreme)
Leaders:
 Chief of State:
  President Andre-Dieudonne KOLINGBA (since 1 September 1981)
 Head of Government:
  Prime Minister Enoch DERANT-LAKOUE (since 2 March 1993)
Member of:
  ACCT, ACP, AfDB, BDEAC, CCC, CEEAC, ECA, FAO, FZ, G-77, GATT, IBRD, ICAO,
  ICFTU, IDA, IFAD, IFC, ILO, IMF, INTELSAT, INTERPOL, IOC, ITU, LORCS, NAM,
  OAU, UDEAC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WHO, WIPO, WMO
Diplomatic representation in US:
 chief of mission:
  Ambassador Jean-Pierre SOHAHONG-KOMBET
 chancery:
  1618 22nd Street NW, Washington, DC 20008
 telephone:
  (202) 483-7800 or 7801
US diplomatic representation:
 chief of mission:
  Ambassador Robert E. GRIBBIN
 embassy:
  Avenue David Dacko, Bangui
 mailing address:
  B. P. 924, Bangui
 telephone:
  [236] 61-02-00, 61-25-78, 61-43-33, 61-02-10
 FAX:
  [236] 61-44-94
Flag:
  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

*Central African Republic, Economy

Overview:
  Subsistence agriculture, including forestry, is the backbone of the CAR
  economy, with more than 70% of the population living in the countryside. In
  1988 the agricultural sector generated about 40% of GDP. Agricultural
  products accounted for about 60% of export earnings and the diamond industry
  for 30%. Important constraints to economic development include the CAR's
  landlocked position, a poor transportation system, and a weak human resource
  base. Multilateral and bilateral development assistance, particularly from
  France, plays a major role in providing capital for new investment.
National product:
  GDP - exchange rate conversion - $1.3 billion (1990 est.)
National product real growth rate:
  -3% (1990 est.)
National product per capita:
  $440 (1990 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
  -3% (1990 est.)
Unemployment rate:
  30% (1988 est.) in Bangui
Budget:
  revenues $175 million; expenditures $312 million, including capital
  expenditures of $122 million (1991 est.)
Exports:
  $138 million (1991 est.)
 commodities:
  diamonds, cotton, coffee, timber, tobacco
 partners:
  France, Belgium, Italy, Japan, US
Imports:
  $205 million (1991 est.)
 commodities:
  food, textiles, petroleum products, machinery, electrical equipment, motor
  vehicles, chemicals, pharmaceuticals, consumer goods, industrial products
 partners:
  France, other EC countries, Japan, Algeria
External debt:
  $859 million (1991)
Industrial production:
  growth rate 4% (1990 est.); accounts for 14% of GDP
Electricity:
  40,000 kW capacity; 95 million kWh produced, 30 kWh per capita (1991)
Industries:
  diamond mining, sawmills, breweries, textiles, footwear, assembly of
  bicycles and motorcycles
Agriculture:
  accounts for 40% of GDP; self-sufficient in food production except for
  grain; commercial crops - cotton, coffee, tobacco, timber; food crops -
  manioc, yams, millet, corn, bananas
Economic aid:
  US commitments, including Ex-Im (FY70-90), $52 million; Western (non-US)
  countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments (1970-90), $1.6 billion; OPEC
  bilateral aid (1979-89), $6 million; Communist countries (1970-89), $38
  million
Currency:
  1 CFA franc (CFAF) = 100 centimes
Exchange rates:
  Communaute Financiere Africaine francs (CFAF) per US$1 - 274.06 (January
  1993), 264.69 (1992), 282.11 (1991), 272.26 (1990), 319.01 (1989), 297.85
  (1988)

*Central African Republic, Economy

Fiscal year:
  calendar year

*Central African Republic, Communications

Highways:
  22,000 km total; 458 km bituminous, 10,542 km improved earth, 11,000
  unimproved earth
Inland waterways:
  800 km; traditional trade carried on by means of shallow-draft dugouts;
  Oubangui is the most important river
Airports:
 total:
  66
 usable:
  51
 with permanent-surface runways:
  3
 with runways over 3,659 m:
  0
 with runways 2,440-3,659 m:
  2
 with runways 1,220-2,439 m:
  20
Telecommunications:
  fair system; network relies primarily on radio relay links, with
  low-capacity, low-powered radiocommunication also used; broadcast stations -
  1 AM, 1 FM, 1 TV; 1 Atlantic Ocean INTELSAT earth station

*Central African Republic, Defense Forces

Branches:
  Central African Army (including Republican Guard), Air Force, National
  Gendarmerie, Police Force
Manpower availability:
  males age 15-49 685,575; fit for military service 358,836 (1993 est.)
Defense expenditures:
  exchange rate conversion - $23 million, 1.8% of GDP (1989 est.)