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NAVIGATION
Central African Republic
Republique Centrafricaine
former: Central African Empire
former: Ubangi-Shari
INTRODUCTION
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Background:
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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 - a civilian government was installed in 1993. |
GEOGRAPHY
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Location:
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Central Africa, north of Democratic Republic of the Congo |
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Geographic coordinates:
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7 00 N, 21 00 E |
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Map references:
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Africa |
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Area:
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total: 622,984 sq km
water: 0 sq km land: 622,984 sq km |
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Area - comparative:
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slightly smaller than Texas |
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Land boundaries:
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total: 5,203 km
border countries: Cameroon 797 km, Chad 1,197 km, Democratic Republic of the Congo 1,577 km, Republic of the Congo 467 km, Sudan 1,165 km |
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Coastline:
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0 km (landlocked) |
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Maritime claims:
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none (landlocked) |
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Climate:
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tropical; hot, dry winters; mild to hot, wet summers |
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Terrain:
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vast, flat to rolling, monotonous plateau; scattered hills in northeast and southwest |
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Elevation extremes:
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lowest point: Oubangui River 335 m
highest point: Mont Ngaoui 1,420 m |
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Natural resources:
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diamonds, uranium, timber, gold, oil, hydropower |
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Land use:
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arable land: 3.1%
permanent crops: 0.14% other: 96.76% (1998 est.) |
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Irrigated land:
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NA sq km |
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Natural hazards:
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hot, dry, dusty harmattan winds affect northern areas; floods are common |
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Environment - current issues:
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tap water is not potable; poaching has diminished its reputation as one of the last great wildlife refuges; desertification; deforestation |
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Environment - international agreements:
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party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Tropical Timber 94
signed, but not ratified: Law of the Sea |
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Geography - note:
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landlocked; almost the precise center of Africa |
PEOPLE
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Population:
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3,642,739
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 2002 est.) |
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Age structure:
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0-14 years: 43% (male 788,417; female 776,721)
15-64 years: 53.2% (male 951,908; female 986,947) 65 years and over: 3.8% (male 60,395; female 78,351) (2002 est.) |
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Population growth rate:
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1.8% (2002 est.) |
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Birth rate:
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36.6 births/1,000 population (2002 est.) |
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Death rate:
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18.62 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.) |
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Net migration rate:
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0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2002 est.) |
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Sex ratio:
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at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.02 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.96 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.77 male(s)/female total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2002 est.) |
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Infant mortality rate:
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103.81 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.) |
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Life expectancy at birth:
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total population: 43.58 years
female: 45.13 years (2002 est.) male: 42.08 years |
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Total fertility rate:
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4.77 children born/woman (2002 est.) |
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HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
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13.84% (1999 est.) |
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HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
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240,000 (1999 est.) |
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HIV/AIDS - deaths:
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23,000 (1999 est.) |
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Nationality:
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noun: Central African(s)
adjective: Central African |
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Ethnic groups:
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Baya 33%, Banda 27%, Mandjia 13%, Sara 10%, Mboum 7%, M'Baka 4%, Yakoma 4%, other 2% |
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Religions:
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indigenous beliefs 35%, Protestant 25%, Roman Catholic 25%, Muslim 15%
note: animistic beliefs and practices strongly influence the Christian majority |
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Languages:
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French (official), Sangho (lingua franca and national language), tribal languages |
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Literacy:
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definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 60% male: 68.5% female: 52.4% (1995 est.) |