Central African Republic | Facts & Information

Updated September 9, 2022 | Infoplease Staff

Infoplease has everything you need to know about Central African Republic. Check out our country profile, full of essential information about Central African Republic's geography, history, government, economy, population, culture, religion and languages. If that's not enough, click over to our collection of world maps and flags.

Facts & Figures

  • President: Catherine Samba-Panza (interim; 2014)

    Prime Minister: Mahamat Kamoun (2014)

    Total area: 240,533 sq mi (622,980 sq km)

    Population (2014 est.): 5,277,959 (growth rate: 2.13%); birth rate: 35.45/1000; infant mortality rate: 92.86/1000; life expectancy: 51.35

    Capital and largest city (2011 est.): Bangui, 740,000

    Monetary unit: CFA Franc

    National name: République Centrafricaine

    Current Government Officials

    Languages: French (official), Sangho (lingua franca, national), tribal languages

    Ethnicity/race: Baya 33%, Banda 27%, Mandjia 13%, Sara 10%, Mboum 7%, M'Baka 4%, Yakoma 4%, other 2%

    National Holiday: Republic Day, December 1

    Religions: indigenous beliefs 35%, Protestant and Roman Catholic (both with animist influence) 25% each, Islam 15%

    Literacy rate: 56.6% (2011 est.)

    Economic summary: GDP/PPP $3.336 billion (2013 est.); per capita $700. Real growth rate: -14.5%. Inflation: 7% (2013 est.). Unemployment: 8% (2001 est.). Arable land: 2.89%. Agriculture: cotton, coffee, tobacco, manioc (tapioca), yams, millet, corn, bananas; timber. Labor force: 2.082 million (2012) Industries: gold and diamond mining, logging, brewing, textiles, footwear, assembly of bicycles and motorcycles. Natural resources: diamonds, uranium, timber, gold, oil, hydropower. Exports: $138.9 million (2013 est.): diamonds, timber, cotton, coffee, tobacco. Imports: $218.6 million (2013 est.): food, textiles, petroleum products, machinery, electrical equipment, motor vehicles, chemicals, pharmaceuticals. Major trading partners: Belgium, Democratic Republic of the Congo, France, Indonesia, China, Cameroon, South Korea (2012).

    Communications: Telephones: main lines in use: 5,600 (2012); mobile cellular: 1.07 million (2012). Broadcast media: government-owned network, Radiodiffusion Television Centrafricaine, provides domestic TV broadcasting; licenses for 2 private TV stations are pending; state-owned radio network is supplemented by a small number of privately owned broadcast stations as well as a few community radio stations; transmissions of at least 2 international broadcasters are available (2007). Internet hosts: 20 (2012). Internet users: 22,600 (2009).

    Transportation: Railways: 0 km. Roadways: total: 20,278 km (2010 est.). Waterways: 2,800 km (primarily on the Oubangui and Sangha rivers) (2011). Ports and harbors: Bangui, Nola. Airports: 39 (2013 est.).

    International disputes: periodic skirmishes over water and grazing rights among related pastoral populations along the border with southern Sudan persist.

    Major sources and definitions

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