| Key Demographic
Features of Central African Republic* |
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Geography
Location: Central Africa, north of Zaire
Map references: Africa
People
Population: 3,274,426 (July 1996 est.)
Age structure:
0-14 years: 44% (male 724,914; female 718,423)
15-64 years: 52% (male 839,118; female 877,069)
65 years and over: 4% (male 53,418; female 61,484)
(July 1996 est.)
Population growth rate: 2.08% (1996 est.)
Infant mortality rate: 111.7 deaths/1,000 live births
(1996 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 45.86 years
male: 45.03 years
female: 46.71 years (1996 est.)
Ethnic divisions: Baya 34%, Banda 27%, Sara 10%,
Mandjia 21%, Mboum 4%, M'Baka 4%, Europeans 6,500 (including
3,600 French)
Religions: indigenous beliefs 24%, Protestant 25%,
Roman Catholic 25%, Muslim 15%, other 11%
note: animistic beliefs and practices strongly
influence the Christian majority
Languages: French (official), Sangho (lingua franca and
national language), Arabic, Hunsa, Swahili
Literacy: age 15 and over can read and write (1995
est.)
total population: 60%
male: 68.5%
female: 52.4%
Government
Country Abbreviation: CT
Type of government: republic;
Independence: 13 August 1960 (from France)
National holiday: National Day, 1 December (1958)
(proclamation of the republic)
Constitution: passed by referendum 29 December 1994;
adopted 7 January 1995
Legal system: based on French law
Suffrage: 21 years of age; universal
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
International organization participation: 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
Diplomatic representation in US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Henri KOBA
chancery: 1618 22nd Street NW, Washington, DC 20008
telephone: [1] (202) 483-7800, 7801
FAX: [1] (202) 332-9893
US diplomatic representation:
chief of mission: Ambassador Mosina H. JORDAN
embassy: Avenue David Dacko, Bangui
mailing address: B. P. 924, Bangui
telephone: [236] 61 02 00, 61 25 78, 61 02 10
FAX: [236] 61 44 94
Flag: 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
Economic overview:
GDP: purchasing power parity - $2.5 billion (1995 est.)
GDP real growth rate: 4.1% (1995 est.)
GDP per capita: $800 (1995 est.)
Unemployment rate: NA%
Communications
Telephones: 16,867 (1992 est.)
Radio broadcast stations: AM 1, FM 1, shortwave 0
Radios: NA
Television broadcast stations: 1 (1987 est.)
Televisions: 7,500 (1993 est.)
*Source: World Factbook 1996, U.S.
Central Intelligence Agency
The World Factbook contains many additional demographic
variables that may be of interest to persons who wish to
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