The 1994 CIA World Factbook

by United States. Central Intelligence Agency

Names:
conventional long form:
Central African Republic
conventional short form:
none
local long form:
Republique Centrafricaine
local short form:
none
former:
Central African Empire
Abbreviation:
CAR
Digraph:
CT
Type:
republic; one-party presidential regime since 1986
Capital:
Bangui
Administrative divisions:
14 prefectures (prefectures, singular - prefecture), 2 economic
prefectures* (prefectures economiques, singular - prefecture
economique), and 1 commune**; Bamingui-Bangoran, Bangui** Basse-Kotto,
Gribingui*, Haute-Kotto, Haute-Sangha, Haut-Mbomou, Kemo-Gribingui,
Lobaye, Mbomou, Nana-Mambere, Ombella-Mpoko, Ouaka, Ouham,
Ouham-Pende, Sangha*, Vakaga
Independence:
13 August 1960 (from France)
National holiday:
National Day, 1 December (1958) (proclamation of the republic)
Constitution:
21 November 1986
Legal system:
based on French law
Suffrage:
21 years of age; universal
Executive branch:
chief of state:
President Felix (Ange) PATASSE (since 22 October 1993) election last
held 19 September 1993; PATASSE received 52.45% of the votes and Abel
GOUMBA received 45.62%; next election schelduled for 1998
head of government:
Prime Minister Dr. Jean-Luc MANDABA (since 25 October 1993)
cabinet:
Council of Ministers; appointed by the president
Legislative branch:
unicameral
National Assembly (Assemblee Nationale):
elections last held 19 September 1993; results - percentage vote by
party NA; seats - (85 total) MLPC 33, RDC 14, PLD 7, ADP 6, PSD 3,
others 22
note:
the National Assembly is advised by the Economic and Regional Council
(Conseil Economique et Regional); when they sit together they are
called the Congress (Congres)
Judicial branch:
Supreme Court (Cour Supreme)
Political parties and leaders:
Movement for the Liberation of the Central African People (MLPC), the
party of the new president, Ange Felix PATASSE; Central African
Democratic Party (RDC), Laurent GOMINA-PAMPALI; Council of Moderates
Coalition includes; Union of the People for Economic and Social
Development (UPDS), Katossy SIMANI; Liberal Republican Party (PARELI),
Augustin M'BOE; Central African Socialist Movement (MSCA), Michel
BENGUE; Concerted Democratic Forces (CFD), a coalition of 13 parties,
including; Alliance for Democracy and Progress (ADP), Francois PEHOUA;
Central African Republican party (PRC), Ruth ROLLAND; Social
Democratic Party (PSD), Enoch DERANT-LAKOUE; Civic Forum (FC), Gen.
Timothee MALENDOMA; Liberal Democratic Party (PLD), Nestor
KOMBOT-NAGUEMON; Movement for the Liberation of the Central African
People (MLPC), Felix (Ange) PATASSE
Member of:
ACCT, ACP, AfDB, BDEAC, CCC, CEEAC, ECA, FAO, FZ, G-77, GATT, IBRD,
ICAO, IDA, IFAD, IFC, ILO, IMF, INTELSAT, INTERPOL, IOC, ITU, LORCS,
NAM, OAU, UDEAC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WHO, WIPO, WMO
Diplomatic representation in US:
chief of mission:
Ambassador Henri KOBA
chancery:
1618 22nd Street NW, Washington, DC 20008
telephone:
(202) 483-7800 or 7801
US diplomatic representation:
chief of mission:
Ambassador Robert E. GRIBBIN
embassy:
Avenue David Dacko, Bangui
mailing address:
B. P. 924, Bangui
telephone:
[236] 61-02-00, 61-25-78, 61-43-33, 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

@Central African Republic, Economy

Overview:
Subsistence agriculture, including forestry, remains the backbone of
the CAR economy, with more than 70% of the population living in the
countryside. In 1990 the agricultural sector generated about 42% of
GDP. Timber accounted for about 26% of export earnings and the diamond
industry for 54%. Important constraints to economic development
include the CAR's landlocked position, a poor transportation system,
and a weak human resource base. Multilateral and bilateral development
assistance, particularly from France, plays a major role in providing
capital for new investment.
National product:
GDP - purchasing power equivalent - $2.5 billion (1993 est.)
National product real growth rate:
-3% (1990 est.)
National product per capita:
$800 (1993 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
-3% (1990 est.)
Unemployment rate:
30% (1988 est.) in Bangui
Budget:
revenues:
$175 million
expenditures:
$312 million, including capital expenditures of $122 million (1991
est.)
Exports:
$123.5 million (f.o.b.1992)
commodities:
diamonds, cotton, coffee, timber, tobacco
partners:
France, Belgium, Italy, Japan, US
Imports:
$165.1 million (f.o.b.1992)
commodities:
food, textiles, petroleum products, machinery, electrical equipment,
motor vehicles, chemicals, pharmaceuticals, consumer goods, industrial
products
partners:
France, other EC countries, Japan, Algeria
External debt:
$859 million (1991)
Industrial production:
growth rate 4% (1990 est.); accounts for 14% of GDP
Electricity:
capacity:
40,000 kW
production:
95 million kWh
consumption per capita:
30 kWh (1991)
Industries:
diamond mining, sawmills, breweries, textiles, footwear, assembly of
bicycles and motorcycles
Agriculture:
accounts for 42% of GDP; self-sufficient in food production except for
grain; commercial crops - cotton, coffee, tobacco, timber; food crops
- manioc, yams, millet, corn, bananas
Economic aid:
recipient:
US commitments, including Ex-Im (FY70-90), $52 million; Western
(non-US) countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments (1970-90), $1.6
billion; OPEC bilateral aid (1979-89), $6 million; Communist countries
(1970-89), $38 million
Currency:
1 CFA franc (CFAF) = 100 centimes
Exchange rates:
Communaute Financiere Africaine francs (CFAF) per US$1 - 592.05
(January 1994), 283.16 (1993), 264.69 (1992), 282.11 (1991), 272.26
(1990), 319.01 (1989)
note:
beginning 12 January 1994, the CFA franc was devalued to CFAF 100 per
French franc from CFAF 50 at which it had been fixed since 1948
Fiscal year:
calendar year

@Central African Republic, Communications

Highways:
total:
22,000 km
paved:
bituminous 458 km
unpaved:
improved earth 10,542 km; unimproved earth 11,000 km
Inland waterways:
800 km; traditional trade carried on by means of shallow-draft
dugouts; Oubangui is the most important river
Airports:
total:
65
usable:
51
with permanent-surface runways:
3
with runways over 3,659 m:
0
with runways 2,440-3,659 m:
2
with runways 1,220-2,439 m:
20
Telecommunications:
fair system; network relies primarily on radio relay links, with
low-capacity, low-powered radiocommunication also used; broadcast
stations - 1 AM, 1 FM, 1 TV; 1 Atlantic Ocean INTELSAT earth station

@Central African Republic, Defense Forces

Branches:
Central African Army (including Republican Guard), Air Force, National
Gendarmerie, Police Force
Manpower availability:
males age 15-49 701,728; fit for military service 367,264
Defense expenditures:
exchange rate conversion - $23 million, 1.8% of GDP (1989 est.)

@Chad, Geography

Location:
Central Africa, between the Central African Republic and Libya
Map references:
Africa, Standard Time Zones of the World
Area:
total area:
1.284 million sq km
land area:
1,259,200 sq km
comparative area:
slightly more than three times the size of California
Land boundaries:
total 5,968 km, Cameroon 1,094 km, Central African Republic 1,197 km,
Libya 1,055 km, Niger 1,175 km, Nigeria 87 km, Sudan 1,360 km
Coastline:
0 km (landlocked)
Maritime claims:
none; landlocked
International disputes:
the International Court of Justice (ICJ) ruled in February 1994 that
the 100,000 sq km Aozou Strip between Chad and Libya belongs to Chad,
and that Libya must withdraw from it by 31 May 1994; Libya had
withdrawn its forces in response to the ICJ ruling, but as of June
1994 still maintained an airfield in the disputed area; demarcation of
international boundaries in Lake Chad, the lack of which has led to
border incidents in the past, is completed and awaiting ratification
by Cameroon, Chad, Niger, and Nigeria
Climate:
tropical in south, desert in north
Terrain:
broad, arid plains in center, desert in north, mountains in northwest,
lowlands in south
Natural resources:
petroleum (unexploited but exploration under way), uranium, natron,
kaolin, fish (Lake Chad)
Land use:
arable land:
2%
permanent crops:
0%
meadows and pastures:
36%
forest and woodland:
11%
other:
51%
Irrigated land:
100 sq km (1989 est.)
Environment:
current issues:
desertification
natural hazards:
hot, dry, dusty harmattan winds occur in north; periodic droughts;
subject to locust plagues
international agreements:
party to - Endangered Species, Nuclear Test Ban, Wetlands; signed, but
not ratified - Biodiversity, Climate Change, Law of the Sea, Marine
Dumping
Note:
landlocked; Lake Chad is the most significant water body in the Sahel

@Chad, People