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; Movement for Democracy and Development (MDD), David
DACKO; Marginal Movement for Democracy, Renaissance and Evolution
(MDREC), Joseph BENDOUNGA; Central African Democratic Assembly (RDC),
Andre KOLINGBA; Patriotic Front for Progress (FFP), Abel GOUMBA; Civic
Forum (FC), Gen. Timothee MALENDOMA
Member of: ACCT, ACP, AfDB, BDEAC, CCC, CEEAC, ECA, FAO, FZ, G-77,
GATT, 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
Diplomatic representation in US: chief of mission: Ambassador Henri KOBA (appointed 19 September 1994) 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 Robert E. GRIBBIN III 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
@Central African Republic:Economy
Overview: Subsistence agriculture, together with forestry, remains the backbone of the CAR economy, with more than 70% of the population living in outlying areas. The agricultural sector generates about half of GDP. Timber has 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, a largely unskilled work force, and a legacy of misdirected macroeconomic policies. A major plus is the large forest reserves, which the government is moving to protect from overexploitation. The 50% devaluation of the currencies of 14 Francophone African nations on 12 January 1994 had mixed effects on CAR's economy. While diamond, timber, coffee, and cotton exports increased - leading GDP to increase by 5.5% - inflation rose to 40%, fueled by the rising prices of imports on which the economy depends. CAR's poor resource base and primitive infrastructure will keep it dependent on multilateral donors and France for the foreseeable future.
National product: GDP - purchasing power parity - $2.2 billion (1994 est.)