Axion 3D Atlas/ATLAS.iso/stats/46.txt

Text File | 1998-01-23 | 12KB | 314 lines

{bitmap= 26,50,"flags\CenAfri.bmp"}
{bigtext=150,120,"Central African Republic"}



{1}Geography{4}
{4}To see a map of Central African Republic, click {z,"12.372511,0.652872,27.745490,12.142907",here}{4}!

{2}Location:{4} Central Africa, north of Zaire

{2}Area:{4}
{3}total area:{4} 622,980 sq km
{3}land area:{4} 622,980 sq km
{3}comparative area:{4} slightly smaller than Texas

{2}Land boundaries:{4}
{3}total:{4} 5,203 km
{3}border countries:{4} Cameroon 797 km, Chad 1,197 km, Congo 467 km, Sudan 1,165 km, Zaire
1,577 km

{2}Coastline:{4} 0 km (landlocked)

{2}Maritime claims:{4} none (landlocked)

{2}International disputes:{4} none

{2}Climate:{4} tropical; hot, dry winters; mild to hot, wet summers

{2}Terrain:{4} vast, flat to rolling, monotonous plateau; scattered hills in northeast and southwest
{3}lowest point:{4} Oubangui River 335 m
{3}highest point:{4} Mount Gaou 1,420 m

{2}Natural resources:{4} diamonds, uranium, timber, gold, oil

{2}Land use:{4}
{3}arable land:{4} 3%
{3}permanent crops:{4} 0%
{3}meadows and pastures:{4} 5%
{3}forest and woodland:{4} 64%
{3}other:{4} 28%

{2}Irrigated land:{4} NA sq km

{2}Environment:{4}
{3}current issues:{4} tap water is not potable; poaching has diminished reputation as one of last great
wildlife refuges; desertification

{2}natural hazards:{4} hot, dry, dusty harmattan winds affect northern areas; floods are common

{2}international agreements:{4} party to - Biodiversity, Climate Change, Endangered Species, Nuclear
Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection; signed, but not ratified - Desertification, Law of the Sea

{2}Geographic note:{4} landlocked; almost the precise center of Africa


{1}People{4}

{2}Population:{4} 3,274,426 (July 1996 est.)

{2}Age structure:{4}
{3}0-14 years:{4} 44% (male 724,914; female 718,423)
{3}15-64 years:{4} 52% (male 839,118; female 877,069)
{3}65 years and over:{4} 4% (male 53,418; female 61,484) (July 1996 est.)

{2}Population growth rate:{4} 2.08% (1996 est.)

{2}Birth rate:{4} 39.97 births/1,000 population (1996 est.)

{2}Death rate:{4} 17.64 deaths/1,000 population (1996 est.)

{2}Net migration rate:{4} -1.53 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1996 est.)

{2}Sex ratio:{4}
{3}at birth:{4} 1.03 male(s)/female
{3}under 15 years:{4} 1.01 male(s)/female
{3}15-64 years:{4} 0.96 male(s)/female
{3}65 years and over:{4} 0.87 male(s)/female
{3}all ages:{4} 0.98 male(s)/female (1996 est.)

{2}Infant mortality rate:{4} 111.7 deaths/1,000 live births (1996 est.)

{2}Life expectancy at birth:{4}
{3}total population:{4} 45.86 years
{3}male:{4} 45.03 years
{3}female:{4} 46.71 years (1996 est.)

{2}Total fertility rate:{4} 5.41 children born/woman (1996 est.)

{2}Nationality:{4}
{3}noun:{4} Central African(s)
{3}adjective:{4} Central African

{2}Ethnic divisions:{4} Baya 34%, Banda 27%, Sara 10%, Mandjia 21%, Mboum 4%, M'Baka 4%,
Europeans 6,500 (including 3,600 French)

{2}Religions:{4} indigenous beliefs 24%, Protestant 25%, Roman Catholic 25%, Muslim 15%, other
11%
{3}note:{4} animistic beliefs and practices strongly influence the Christian majority

{2}Languages:{4} French (official), Sangho (lingua franca and national language), Arabic, Hunsa, Swahili

{2}Literacy:{4} age 15 and over can read and write (1995 est.)
{3}total population:{4} 60%
{3}male:{4} 68.5%
{3}female:{4} 52.4%


{1}Government{4}

{2}Name of country:{4}
{3}conventional long form:{4} Central African Republic
{3}conventional short form:{4} none
{3}local long form:{4} Republique Centrafricaine
{3}local short form:{4} none
{3}former:{4} Central African Empire
abbreviation: CAR

{2}Type of government:{4} republic;

{2}Capital:{4} Bangui

{2}Administrative divisions:{4} 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

{2}Independence:{4} 13 August 1960 (from France)

{2}National holiday:{4} National Day, 1 December (1958) (proclamation of the republic)

{2}Constitution:{4} passed by referendum 29 December 1994; adopted 7 January 1995

{2}Legal system:{4} based on French law

{2}Suffrage:{4} 21 years of age; universal

{2}Executive branch:{4}
{3}chief of state:{4} President Ange PATASSE (since 22 October 1993) elected for a five-year term by
universal suffrage; election last held 19 September 1993 (next to be held NA 1998); results -
PATASSE received 52.45% of the votes and Abel GOUMBA received 45.62%
{3}head of government:{4} Prime Minister Jean-Paul NGOUPANDE (since 6 June 1996); appointed by
the president
{3}cabinet:{4} Council of Ministers; appointed by the president

{2}Legislative branch:{4} unicameral
National Assembly (Assemblee Nationale): elections last held 19 September 1993 (next to be held
NA); results - percent of vote by party NA; seats - (85 total) MLPC 33, RDC 14, PLD 7, ADP 6,
PSD 3, others 22
{3}note:{4} the National Assembly is advised by the Economic and Regional Council (Conseil
Economique et Regional); when they sit together they are called the Congress (Congres)

{2}Judicial branch:{4} Supreme Court (Cour Supreme), judges appointed by the president;
Constitutional Court, judges appointed by the president

{2}Political parties and leaders:{4} Alliance for Democracy and Progress (ADP), Tchapka BREDE;
Central African Democratic Assembly (RDC), Andre KOLINGBA; Civic Forum (FC), Gen.
Timothee MALENDOMA; Liberal Democratic Party (PLD), Nestor KOMBO-NAGUEMON;
Movement for the Liberation of the Central African People (MLPC), the party of the president,
Ange Felix PATASSE; Movement for Democracy and Development (MDD), David DACKO;
Marginal Movement for Democracy, Renaissance and Evolution (MDREC), Joseph
BENDOUNGA; Patriotic Front for Progress (FFP), Abel GOUMBA; Social Democratic Party
(PSD), Enoch Derant LAKOUE

{2}International organization participation:{4} ACCT, ACP, AfDB, BDEAC, CCC, CEEAC, ECA, FAO,
FZ, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, ITU,
NAM, OAU, UDEAC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTrO

{2}Diplomatic representation in US:{4}
{3}chief of mission:{4} Ambassador Henri KOBA
{3}chancery:{4} 1618 22nd Street NW, Washington, DC 20008
{3}telephone:{4} [1] [phone], 7801
{3}FAX:{4} [1] [phone]

{2}US diplomatic representation:{4}
{3}chief of mission:{4} Ambassador Mosina H. JORDAN
{3}embassy:{4} Avenue David Dacko, Bangui
{3}mailing address:{4} B. P. 924, Bangui
{3}telephone:{4} [236] 61 02 00, 61 25 78, 61 02 10
{3}FAX:{4} [236] 61 44 94

{2}Flag:{4} 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


{1}Economy{4}

{2}Economic overview:{4} 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
13% of export earnings and the diamond industry for nearly 80%. 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. A major plus is
the large forest reserves, which the government is moving to protect from overexploitation. The
50% devaluation of the currencies of 14 Francophone African nations on 12 January 1994 had
mixed effects on the CAR's economy. While diamond, timber, coffee, and cotton exports
increased - leading GDP to increase by 5.5% - inflation rose to 45%, fueled by the rising prices of
imports on which the economy depends; inflation dropped back rapidly in 1995. The CAR's poor
resource base and primitive infrastructure will keep it dependent on multilateral donors and France
for the foreseeable future.

{2}GDP:{4} purchasing power parity - $2.5 billion (1995 est.)

{2}GDP real growth rate:{4} 4.1% (1995 est.)

{2}GDP per capita:{4} $800 (1995 est.)

{2}GDP composition by sector:{4}
{3}agriculture:{4} 50%
{3}industry:{4} 14%
{3}services:{4} 36% (1993)

{2}Inflation rate (consumer prices):{4} 45% (1994 est.)

{2}Labor force:{4} 775,413 (1986 est.)
{3}by occupation:{4} agriculture 85%, commerce and services 9%, industry 3%, government 3%
{3}note:{4} about 64,000 salaried workers (1985)

{2}Unemployment rate:{4} NA%

{2}Budget:{4}
{3}revenues:{4} $NA
{3}expenditures:{4} $NA, including capital expenditures of $NA

{2}Industries:{4} diamond mining, sawmills, breweries, textiles, footwear, assembly of bicycles and
motorcycles

{2}Industrial production growth rate:{4} NA%

{2}Electricity:{4}
{3}capacity:{4} 40,000 kW
{3}production:{4} 100 million kWh
{3}consumption per capita:{4} 29 kWh (1993)

{2}Agriculture:{4} cotton, coffee, tobacco, manioc (tapioca), yams, millet, corn, bananas; timber

{2}Exports:{4} $154 million (f.o.b., 1994 est.)
{3}commodities:{4} diamonds, timber, cotton, coffee, tobacco
{3}partners:{4} France, Belgium, Italy, Japan, US, Spain, Iran

{2}Imports:{4} $215 million (f.o.b., 1994 est.)
{3}commodities:{4} food, textiles, petroleum products, machinery, electrical equipment, motor vehicles,
chemicals, pharmaceuticals, consumer goods, industrial products
{3}partners:{4} France, other EC countries, Japan, Algeria, Cameroon, Namibia

{2}External debt:{4} $904.3 million (1993 est.)

{2}Economic aid:{4}
{3}recipient:{4} ODA, $NA

{2}Currency:{4} 1 Communaute Financiere Africaine franc (CFAF) = 100 centimes

{2}Exchange rates:{4} CFA francs (CFAF) per US$1 - 500.56 (January 1996), 499.15 (1995), 555.20
(1994), 283.16 (1993), 264.69 (1992), 282.11 (1991)
{3}note:{4} beginning 12 January 1994, the CFA franc was devalued to CFAF 100 per French franc from
CFAF 50 at which it had been fixed since 1948

{2}Fiscal year:{4} calendar year


{1}Transportation{4}

{2}Railways:{4} 0 km

{2}Highways:{4}
{3}total:{4} 23,738 km
{3}paved:{4} 427 km
{3}unpaved:{4} 23,311 km (1991 est.)

{2}Waterways:{4} 800 km; traditional trade carried on by means of shallow-draft dugouts; Oubangui is
the most important river

{2}Ports:{4} Bangui, Nola

{2}Airports:{4}
{3}total:{4} 48
{3}with paved runways 2,438 to 3,047 m:{4} 1
{3}with paved runways 1,524 to 2,437 m:{4} 2
{3}with paved runways under 914 m:{4} 11
{3}with unpaved runways 2,438 to 3,047 m:{4} 1
{3}with unpaved runways 1,524 to 2,437 m:{4} 9
{3}with unpaved runways 914 to 1,523 m:{4} 24 (1995 est.)


{1}Communications{4}

{2}Telephones:{4} 16,867 (1992 est.)

{2}Telephone system:{4} fair system
{3}domestic:{4} network consists principally of microwave radio relay and low-capacity, low-powered
radiotelephone communication
{3}international:{4} satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)

{2}Radio broadcast stations:{4} AM 1, FM 1, shortwave 0

{2}Radios:{4} NA

{2}Television broadcast stations:{4} 1 (1987 est.)

{2}Televisions:{4} 7,500 (1993 est.)


{1}Defense{4}

{2}Branches:{4} Central African Army (includes Republican Guard), Air Force, National Gendarmerie,
Police Force

{2}Manpower availability:{4}
{3}males age 15-49:{4} 737,330
{3}males fit for military service:{4} 384,134 (1996 est.)

{2}Defense expenditures:{4} exchange rate conversion - $30 million, 2.3% of GDP (1994)