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%
Religions: indigenous beliefs 35%, Protestant and Roman
Catholic (both with animist influence) 25% each, Islam 15%
Literacy rate: 51% (2003 est.)
Economic summary:GDP/PPP $4.913
billion (2006 est.); per capita $1,100. Real growth rate: 3%.
Inflation: 3.6% (2001 est.). Unemployment: 8% (23% for
Bangui) (2001 est.). Arable land: 3%. Agriculture:
cotton, coffee, tobacco, manioc (tapioca), yams, millet, corn,
bananas; timber. Labor force: n.a. Industries: gold
and diamond mining, logging, brewing, textiles, footwear, assembly
of bicycles and motorcycles. Natural resources: diamonds,
uranium, timber, gold, oil, hydropower. Exports: $131 million
f.o.b. (2004 est.): diamonds, timber, cotton, coffee, tobacco.
Imports: $203 million f.o.b. (2004 est.): food, textiles,
petroleum products, machinery, electrical equipment, motor vehicles,
chemicals, pharmaceuticals. Major trading partners: Belgium,
Italy, Spain, U.S., France, Indonesia, China, Cameroon (2004).
Communications: Telephones: main lines
in use: 10,000 (2004); mobile cellular: 60,000 (2004). Radio
broadcast stations: AM 1, FM 5, shortwave 1 (2002).
Television broadcast stations: 1 (2001). Internet hosts:
10 (2006). Internet users: 9,000 (2005).
Transportation: Railways: 0 km.
Highways: total: 23,810 km; paved: 643 km; unpaved: 23,167
km (1999 est.). Waterways: 2,800 km (primarily on the
Oubangui and Sangha rivers) (2004). Ports and harbors:
Bangui, Nola, Salo, Nzinga. Airports: 50 (2006 est.).
International disputes: about 30,000
refugees fleeing the 2002 civil conflict in the CAR still reside in
southern Chad; periodic skirmishes over water and grazing rights
among related pastoral populations along the border with southern
Sudan persist.
Situated about 500 mi (805 km) north of the equator, the Central
African Republic is a landlocked nation bordered by Cameroon, Chad, the
Sudan, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and the Republic of Congo.
The Ubangi and the Shari are the largest of many rivers.
Government
Republic.
History
From the 16th to 19th century, the people of this region were ravaged
by slave traders. The Banda, Baya, Ngbandi, and Azande make up the largest
ethnic groups.
The French occupied the region in 1894. As the colony of Ubangi-Shari,
what is now the Central African Republic was united with Chad in 1905. In
1910 it was joined with Gabon and the Middle Congo to become French
Equatorial Africa. After World War II a rebellion in 1946 forced the
French to grant self-government. In 1958 the territory voted to become an
autonomous republic within the French Community, and on Aug. 13, 1960,
President David Dacko proclaimed the republic's independence from France.
Dacko moved the country politically into Beijing's orbit, but he was
overthrown in a coup on Dec. 31, 1965, by Col. Jean-Bédel Bokassa,
army chief of staff.
On Dec. 4, 1976, the Central African Republic became the Central
African Empire. Marshal Jean-Bédel Bokassa, who had ruled the
republic since he took power in 1965, was declared Emperor Bokassa I.
Brutality and excess characterized his regime. He was overthrown in a coup
on Sept. 20, 1979. Former president David Dacko returned to power and
changed the country's name back to the Central African Republic. An army
coup on Sept. 1, 1981, deposed President Dacko again.
In 1991, President André Kolingba, under pressure, announced a
move toward parliamentary democracy. In elections held in Aug. 1993, Prime
Minister Ange-Félix Patassé defeated Kolingba. Part of
Patassé's popularity rested on his pledge to pay the back salaries
of the military and civil servants.
A 1994 economic upturn was too small to effectively improve the
catastrophic financial condition of the nation. Patassé was unable
to pay the salaries due to government workers, and the military revolted
in 1996. At Patassé's request, French troops suppressed the
uprising. In 1998 the United Nations sent an all-African peacekeeping
force to the country. In elections held in Sept. 1999, amid widespread
charges of massive fraud, Patassé easily defeated Kolingba.
Patassé survived a coup attempt in May 2001, but two years later,
in March 2003, he was overthrown by Gen. François Bozizé.
After two years of military rule, presidential elections were held, and
Bozizé won in what international monitors called a free and fair
election.
In May 2007, the International Criminal Court began investigating war
crimes that were allegedly committed in 2002 and 2003 during civil unrest
that followed the attempted coup against Patassé.
Prime Minister Elie Dote and his government resigned in January, a day
before Parliament was set to debate a censure motion against him. Faustin
Archange Touadéra was named as his successor.
