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NAVIGATION
Central African Republic
Republique Centrafricaine
former: Central African Empire
former: Ubangi-Shari
GOVERNMENT
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Country name:
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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 |
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Government type:
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republic |
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Capital:
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Bangui |
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Administrative divisions:
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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 |
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Independence:
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13 August 1960 (from France) |
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National holiday:
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Republic Day, 1 December (1958) |
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Constitution:
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passed by referendum 29 December 1994; adopted 7 January 1995 |
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Legal system:
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based on French law |
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Suffrage:
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21 years of age; universal |
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Executive branch:
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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% |
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Legislative branch:
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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 |
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Judicial branch:
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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 |
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Political parties and leaders:
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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] |
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Political pressure groups and leaders:
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NA |
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International organization participation:
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ACCT, ACP, AfDB, BDEAC, CCC, CEEAC, 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 |
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Diplomatic representation in the US:
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chief of mission: Ambassador Emmanuel TOUABOY
FAX: [1] (202) 332-9893 telephone: [1] (202) 483-7800 chancery: 1618 22nd Street NW, Washington, DC 20008 |
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Diplomatic representation from the US:
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chief of mission: Ambassador Mattie R. SHARPLESS
embassy: Avenue David Dacko, Bangui mailing address: B. P. 924, Bangui telephone: [236] 61 02 00 FAX: [236] 61 44 94 |
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Flag description:
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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
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Economy - overview:
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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. |
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GDP:
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purchasing power parity - $4.6 billion (2001 est.) |
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GDP - real growth rate:
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1.8% (2001 est.) |
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GDP - per capita:
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purchasing power parity - $1,300 (2001 est.) |
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GDP - composition by sector:
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agriculture: 55%
industry: 20% services: 25% (2001 est.) |
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Population below poverty line:
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NA% |
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Household income or consumption by percentage share:
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lowest 10%: 1%
highest 10%: 48% (1993) (1993) |
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Distribution of family income - Gini index:
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61 (1993) |
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Inflation rate (consumer prices):
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3.6% (2001 est.) |
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Labor force:
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NA |
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Unemployment rate:
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8% (23% for Bangui) (2001 est.) |
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Budget:
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revenues: $NA
expenditures: $NA, including capital expenditures of $NA |
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Industries:
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diamond mining, sawmills, breweries, textiles, footwear, assembly of bicycles and motorcycles |
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Industrial production growth rate:
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3.9% (2001) |
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Electricity - production:
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104 million kWh (2000) |
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Electricity - production by source:
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fossil fuel: 20%
hydro: 80% other: 0% (2000) nuclear: 0% |
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Electricity - consumption:
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96.72 million kWh (2000) |
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Electricity - exports:
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0 kWh (2000) |
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Electricity - imports:
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0 kWh (2000) |
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Agriculture - products:
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cotton, coffee, tobacco, manioc (tapioca), yams, millet, corn, bananas; timber |
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Exports:
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$166 million f.o.b. (2000) |
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Exports - commodities:
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diamonds, timber, cotton, coffee, tobacco |
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Exports - partners:
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Benelux 64%, Cote d'Ivoire, Spain, China, Egypt, France (1999) |
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Imports:
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$154 million f.o.b. (2000) |
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Imports - commodities:
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food, textiles, petroleum products, machinery, electrical equipment, motor vehicles, chemicals, pharmaceuticals, consumer goods, industrial products |
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Imports - partners:
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France 35%, Cameroon 13%, Benelux, Cote d'Ivoire, Germany, Japan (1999) |
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Debt - external:
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$881.4 million (2000 est.) |
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Economic aid - recipient:
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$172.2 million (1995); note - traditional budget subsidies from France (1995) |
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Currency:
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Communaute Financiere Africaine franc (XAF); note - responsible authority is the Bank of the Central African States |
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Currency code:
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XAF |
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Exchange rates:
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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 |
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Fiscal year:
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calendar year |