<text><span class="style42"></span><span class="style12">CENTRAL AFRICAN REPUBLIC</span><span class="style42">Official name:</span><span class="style13"> La République centrafricaine (The Central African Republic)</span><span class="style42">Member of: </span><span class="style13">UN, OAU</span><span class="style42">Area: </span><span class="style13">622436 km2 (240323 sq mi)</span><span class="style42">Population: </span><span class="style13">2999000 (1993 est)</span><span class="style42">Capital: </span><span class="style13">Bangui 598000 (1988 est)</span><span class="style42">Other major city: </span><span class="style13">Bambari 52000 (1987 est)</span><span class="style42">Languages: </span><span class="style13">French (official), Sangho (national)</span><span class="style42">Religions: </span><span class="style13">various Protestant Churches (48%), Roman Catholic (32%), animist (under 20%)</span><span class="style42">GOVERNMENT </span><span class="style13">The President – who appoints a Council of Ministers – is elected for a six-year term by universal adult suffrage. The 85-member National Assembly is elected directly for a five-year term.</span><span class="style42">GEOGRAPHY</span><span class="style13">The country is a low plateau, rising along the border with Sudan to the Bongos Mountains and in the west to the Monts Karre. </span><span class="style42">Climate: </span><span class="style13">The north is savannah, with little rain between November and March. The south is equatorial with high temperatures and heavy rainfall.</span><span class="style42">ECONOMY</span><span class="style13">Subsistence farming dominates, although cotton and coffee are grown for export. Diamonds contribute over 30% of the state’s foreign earnings. The country is poor, and – largely owing to mismanagement under Bokassa – its economy has declined since independence. </span><span class="style42">Currency: </span><span class="style13">CFA franc.</span><span class="style42">HISTORY</span><span class="style13">French influence began in 1889, and the region became the French colony of Oubangi-Chari in 1903. It suffered greatly from the activities of companies that were granted exclusive rights to large areas of the colony. Independence – as the Central African Republic – was gained in 1960. Jean-Bédel Bokassa took power in a coup in 1965. In 1976 he declared himself emperor and was crowned in an extravagantly expensive ceremony. Revolts by students and schoolchildren helped to end his murderous regime in 1979. Multi-party elections were held in 1993.</span></text>