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 General details about Central African Republic |  CAPITAL CITY OF Central African Republic: Bangui
LANGUAGE OF Central African Republic: French
CURRENCY OF Central African Republic: Communaute Financiere Africaine franc (XOF, XAF)
COMMENTS ABOUT Central African Republic: The Central African Republic (CAR) is a landlocked country in Central Africa.
Cities : Bambari, Bangassou, Bangui (capital), Birao, Bossangoa, Bouar, Bria, Mbaiki, Nola
Calling Code : +236
Time Zone : UTC +1
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 - civilian rule was established in 1993 and lasted for one decade. President Ange-Felix PATASSE's civilian government was plagued by unrest, and in March 2003 he was deposed in a military coup led by General Francois BOZIZE, who has since established a transitional government. Though the government has the tacit support of civil society groups and the main parties, a wide field of affiliated and independent candidates will contest the municipal, legislative, and presidential elections scheduled for February 2005. The government still does not fully control the countryside, where pockets of lawlessness persist.
CLIMATE OF Central African Republic: Tropical; hot, dry winters; mild to hot, wet summers
RELIGION OF Central African Republic: indigenous beliefs 35%, Protestant 25%, Roman Catholic 25%, Muslim 15%
POPULATION OF Central African Republic: 3,742,482 - 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 2004 est.)
ECONOMY OVERVIEW OF Central African Republic: 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. Factional fighting between the government and its opponents remains a drag on economic revitalization, with GDP likely to contract in 2004. Distribution of income is extraordinarily unequal. Grants from France and the international community can only partially meet humanitarian needs.
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