HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
260,000 (2003 est.)
HIV/AIDS - deaths:
23,000 (2003 est.)
Major infectious diseases:
typhoid fever, malaria
overall degree of risk: very high (2004)
Nationality:
noun: Central African(s)
adjective: Central African
Ethnic groups:
Baya 33%, Banda 27%, Mandjia 13%, Sara 10%, Mboum 7%, M'Baka 4%,
Yakoma 4%, other 2%
Religions:
indigenous beliefs 35%, Protestant 25%, Roman Catholic 25%, Muslim
15%
note: animistic beliefs and practices strongly influence the
Christian majority
Languages:
French (official), Sangho (lingua franca and national language),
tribal languages
Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 51%
male: 63.3%
female: 39.9% (2003 est.)
Government Central African Republic
Country name:
conventional long form: Central African Republic
conventional short form: none
local long form: Republique Centrafricaine
former: Ubangi-Shari, Central African Empire
abbreviation: CAR
local short form: none