Central African Republic

This Page was last updated on the 2nd March, 2007.

 

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Currently the Central African Republic suffers from the repercussions of the instability in Darfur and Chad. Sudanese rebels and Janjaweed militias use the CAR as a base for attacks in Darfur. Towns are regularly destroyed by rebels who rape at will. The army acts without restraint. So unstable has the north become that 60,000 refugees have fled from the Central African Republic to Chad and 30,000 to Cameroon. A further 150,000 are internally displaced (the technical term which means that they are refugees in their own country). The UN reports that in the North-east, 40,000 out of the population of 200,000 have fled. Rebels opposed to the president recently captured several towns: Birao (a provincial capital captured on 30th October 2006),Ouadda-Djalle (in the same prefecture of Vakaga), Ndele and Sam-Ouandja. All were recaptured by government forces: Sam-Oudja on 1st December, Ndele on 3rd December 2006 and Ouadda-Djalle on 9th December. The rebels are known as Union des forces democratique pour le rassemblement. They claim that President Francois Bozize rules along ethnic lines. IRIN quotes military sources in Bangui saying that 300 French troops were involved and 380 soldiers of the CEMAC, the Economic and monetary Community of Central Africa. Aid agecies involved in bringing relief include the International Rescue Committee.

Official Name

République Centrafricaine

Former Name Oubangui-Chari (French control - borders agreed 1894; established in 1889; colony named in 1903; part of the Federation of French Equatorial Africa [A.E.F.] with Chad, Congo [Brazzaville], and Gabon in 1910; French disolved the A.E.F. in September 1958; and the Central African Republic name delcared at independence).

Capital

Bangui

Main Towns

Bangui (pop. 690,000), Berberati (pop. 56,867), Bouar (pop. 39,676), Bambari (pop. 32,603), Bangassou (pop. 24,450), Bossangoa (pop. 31,723), Mbaiki (pop. 16,901), and Carnot (pop. 31,324)

Subdivisions

14 prefectures: Basse-Kotto, Haute-Kotto, Haut-Mbomou, Kemo, Lobaye, Mambere-Kadei, Mbomou, Nana-Mambere, Ombella-Mpoko, Ouaka, Ouham, Ouham-Pende, Vakaga
 2 economic prefectures: Nana-Grebizi, Sangha-Mbaere
 1 commune: Bamingui-Bangoran, Bangui

Independence

13 August 1960 (from France, declared a republic in 1958)
Constitution passed by referendum 5 December 2004
National Holiday Republic Day, 1 December (1958)

UN Membership

20 September 1960

OAU Membership

25 May 1963 – now African Union (AU)

Commonwealth

n/a

Other Organisations

In alphabetical order according to abbreviation/acronym: Agency for the French-Speaking Community (ACCT), Africa-Caribbean-Pacific-European Union (ACP-EU), African Development Bank (AfDB or AFDB), Central African States Development Bank (BDEAC), Central Bank of Central African States (BEAC), Central African States Economic Community (CEAC), Central African Economic and Monetary Community (or Economic and Monetary Community of Central African States, CEMAC), Community of Saharan and Sahelian States (CENSAD/COMESSA or Community of Sahel Saharan States, CEN-SAD), Economic Commission for Africa (ECA), Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO), Franc Zone (FZ), Group of 77 at the United Nations (G-77), International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (IBRD), International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO), International Criminal Court (ICCt), International Confederation of Free Trade Unions (ICFTU), International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement (ICRM), International Development Association (IDA), International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), International Finance Corporation (IFC), International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRCS), International Labour Organisation (ILO), International Monetary Fund (IMF), International Criminal Police Organization (Interpol), International Olympic Committee (IOC), International Telecommunications Union (ITU), Non Aligned Movement (NAM), Organisation of the Islamic Conference (OIC - observer), Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW - signatory), United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD), United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO), United Nations Industrial Development Organisation (UNIDO), Universal Postal Union (UPU), World Confederation of Labour (WCL), World Customs Organization (WCO, former Customs Cooperation Council [CCC]), World Health Organisation (WHO), World Intellectual Property Organisation (WIPO), World Meteorological Organisation (WMO), World Tourism Organisation (WToO), World Trade Organisation (WTrO).

Population

World Bank Figures: 3,670,270 (1999), 3,715,000 (2000), 3,764,875 (2001), 3,820,085 (2002), 3,880,847 (2003)
Other Sources: 3,209,759 (July 1995), 3,576,884 (July 2001 est.) 3,683,538 (July 2003 est.) 3,799,897 (July 2005 est.)

Area

240,535 sq. mls. (622,984 sq. kms.)

Density

5 per sq.km. (1995)

Highest Point

Mont Ngaoui 4,626 ft. (1,410 m.)

Lowest Point

Ubangi River 1,100 ft. (335 m.)

Neighbours

Cameroon (W), Chad (N), Congo (S), Sudan (E), Zaire (S)

Life Expectancy

48 years (1995), total population:  43.8 years, male:  42.17 years, female:  45.48 years (2001 est.)
total population: 41.71 years male: 40.18 years female: 43.29 years (2003 est.)
total population: 41.01 years male: 39.21 years female: 42.86 years (2005 est.)

Infant Mortality Rate total: 93.3 deaths/1,000 live births female: 86.04 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.) male: 100.35 deaths/1,000 live births
total: 91 deaths/1,000 live births male: 97.84 deaths/1,000 live births female: 83.96 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)
HIV/AIDS

adult prevalence rate: 12.9% (2001 est.) 13.5% (2003 est.)
people living with HIV/AIDS: 250,000 (2001 est.) 260,000 (2003 est.)
deaths: 22,000 (2001 est.) 23,000 (2003 est.)

IRIN Plus News - HIV/AIDS Treatment Map: Central Africa Republic - Updated: Sept 2004
Population: 3.8 million
HIV Prevalence Rate (%) 2003 End: 13.5
No. Of People living with HIV/AIDS: 260,000
No. Of People in need of ART: 39,000
No. Of People Currently On ART (Sep 04): 1,000
No. Of People on ART Public Sector: Not Defined
No. Of People on ART in Non Govt Programmes: Not Defined
No. Of People Exptd to be on ART (2005 End): 19,670
Front Line Drug Regimen: --
HIV/AIDS Treatment Sites: --
Global Fund 2 Year Approved Funding (Round 2: Approved 15-Aug-03): US$8,198,921.00
Total Funds Disbursed By The Global Fund: US$5,359,831.00
Total Funds Disbursed By The World Bank Multi-Country HIV/AIDS Programme (MAP): US$17 million
Total Funds Disbursed By PEPFAR: Nil
Source: WHO, UNAIDS, USAID

Adult Literacy Rate

total population:  60%, male:  68.5%, female:  52.4% (1995 est.)
total population: 51% male: 63.3% female: 39.9% (2003 est.)

Ethnic Groups

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

Languages

French, Sango (lingua franca and national language), Arabic, Hunsa, Swahili

Religions

Muslim 15%, Protestant 25%, Roman Catholic 25%, Traditional Religion (Animist) 35%

Type of Government

Republic

President

Francois Bozize (since 15 March 2003 coup, elected 2005 for a mandate lasting five years)

Prime Minister

Elie Dote (since 13 June 2005, Celestin Le Roi Gaoumbale resigned 11 June 2005)

Political Parties

Movement for the Liberation of the Central African People (MLPC); Movement for Democracy and Development (MDD); Marginal Movement for Democracy, Renaissance and Evolution (MDREC); Central African Democratic Assembly (RDC); Patriotic Front for Progress (FFP); Civic Forum (FC)

Alliance for Democracy and Progress (ADP); Central African Democratic Assembly (RDC); Civic Forum (FC); Democratic Forum for Modernity (FODEM); Liberal Democratic Party (PLD); Movement for Democracy and Development (MDD); Movement for the Liberation of the Central African People (MLPC); Patriotic Front for Progress (FPP); People's Union for the Republic (UPR); National Unity Party (PUN); Social Democratic Party (PSD)

Ruling Party

MLPC won 43% of vote in parliamentary election of 13th March and 8 May 2005

Currency

Communaute Financiere Africaine (CFA, XAF) Franc (100 centimes)
Communaute Financiere Africaine francs (XAF) per US dollar - 528.29 (2004), 581.2 (2003), 696.99 (2002), 733.04 (2001), 711.98 (2000)

GDP

US$407 (1992) US$1,128m (1995) US$1.462 billion (2005 estimate)
GDP: US$977.6m (2001) US$1.045 billion (2002)
purchasing power parity - US$4.248 billion (2004 est.) US$4.677 billion (2005 estimate)
per capita purchasing power parity - US$1,300 (2002 est.) US$1,100 (2004 + 2005 estimate)

GNP

US$430 (1992) US$304 (1994) US$340 (1995)
Per Capita Income GDP per head: US$250 (2001) Per capita income: $260 (2002)
Population Below Poverty Line NA%
Land Use arable land: 3.1% permanent crops: 0.14% other: 96.76% (2001) Irrigated land: NA sq km
Natural Resources diamonds, uranium, timber, gold, oil, hydropower
Oil and Natural Gas Oil production: 0 bbl/day (2001 est.) consumption: 2,400 bbl/day (2001 est.) exports: NA (2001) imports: NA (2001)
Military Branches: Central African Armed Forces (FACA) (including Republican Guard, Ground Forces, Naval Forces, and Air Force), Presidential Security Guard, Gendarmerie, National Police
Manpower - fit for military service: males age 15-49: 449,466 (2003 est.)
males age 18-49: 758,103 (2005 est.)
Expenditures US$13.43 million, 1.1% of GDP (FY02) US$15.5 million, 1% of GDP (2004)
Economic Aid Received ODA US$73 million (2000 est.)
Aid per Capita (World Bank): US$32 (1999), US$20 (2000), US$18 (2001), US$16 (2002), US$13 (2003)

Debt

Severely indebted (HIPC)
World Bank Figures: US$543,200,000 (2000), US$536,000,000 (2001), US$765,500,032 (2002), US$1,651,200,000 (2003)
Other Sources: US$802m (1993) US$944m (1995) US$790m (1999 est.) US$881.4 million (2000 est.)

Major Imports

Consumer goods, food product,s raw materials, chemical products, energy products, transport equipment , capital goods, oil

Imports from

France 26%, Cameroon 13%, Spain 5%, Benelux, Cote d'Ivoire, Germany, Japan (2001)
US$136 million f.o.b. (2002 est.)
France 19.4%, US 16.3%, Cameroon 8.3%, Belgium 5.6% (2004)

Major Exports

Diamonds, coffee, timber, cotton, tobacco, leather, rubber, gold

Exports to

Belgium 53%, Kazakhstan 9%, Spain 9% (2001)
US$172 million f.o.b. (2002 est.)
Belgium 41%, Italy 8.9%, Spain 8.5%, Indonesia 7.6%, France 6.3%, US 5.3% (2004)

We try to have each fact sheet up to date and as accurate as possible.
If you notice any mistakes, or have suggestions on items which could be added, please let us know by emailing to: suttonlink@dial.pipex.com

The White Fathers, Sutton Coldfield, 2 March, 2007

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