Central African Republic ( lo) is a country in Central Africa, north of Democratic Republic of the Congo. Central African Republic geographic coordinates 7 00 N, 21 00 E; area 622,984 sq km; area comparative slightly smaller than Texas; land boundaries Cameroon 797 km, Chad 1,197 km, Democratic Republic of the Congo 1,577 km, Republic of the Congo 467 km, Sudan 1,165 km; coastline 0 km (landlocked); maritime claims none (landlocked); climate tropical; hot, dry winters; mild to hot, wet summers; terrain vast, flat to rolling, monotonous plateau; scattered hills in northeast and southwest; elevation extremes Mont Ngaoui 1,420 m; natural resources diamonds, uranium, timber, gold, oil, hydropower; land use 96.76% (2001); irrigated land NA sq km; natural hazards hot, dry, dusty harmattan winds affect northern areas; floods are common; environment current issues tap water is not potable; poaching has diminished the country's reputation as one of the last great wildlife refuges; desertification; deforestation; environment international agreements Law of the Sea; geography note landlocked; almost the precise center of Africa;

introduction

The former French colony of Ubangi-Shari became the Central African Republic upon independence in 1960. After three tumultuous decades of misrule - mostly by military governments - civilian rule was established in 1993 and lasted for one decade. President Ange-Felix PATASSE's civilian government was plagued by unrest, and in March 2003 he was deposed in a military coup led by General Francois BOZIZE, who has since established a transitional government. Though the government has the tacit support of civil society groups and the main parties, a wide field of affiliated and independent candidates will contest the municipal, legislative, and presidential elections scheduled for February 2005. The government still does not fully control the countryside, where pockets of lawlessness persist. government type republic; 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, Haute-Kotto, Haut-Mbomou, Kemo, Lobaye, Mambere-Kadei, Mbomou, Nana-Grebizi*, Nana-Mambere, Ombella-Mpoko, Ouaka, Ouham, Ouham-Pende, Sangha-Mbaere*, Vakaga; independence 13 August 1960 (from France); national holiday Republic Day, 1 December (1958); constitution passed by referendum 5 December 2004; legal system based on French law; suffrage 21 years of age; universal;

people

Central African Republic population 3,799,897 estimates for this country explicit; age structure 3.4% (male 54,345/female 76,629) (2005 est.); median age 18.5 years (2005 est.); population growth rate 1.49% (2005 est.); birth rate 35.17 births/1,000 population (2005 est.); death rate 20.27 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.); net migration rate 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.); sex ratio 0.98 male(s)/female (2005 est.); infant mortality rate 97.84 deaths/1,000 live births; life expectancy at birth 42.86 years (2005 est.); total fertility rate 4.5 children born/woman (2005 est.); hiv adult rate 13.5% (2003 est.); hiv people with aids 260,000 (2003 est.); hiv deaths 23,000 (2003 est.); major infectious diseases malaria; nationality 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% animistic beliefs and practices strongly influence the Chris; languages French (official), Sangho (lingua franca and national language), tribal languages; literacy 39.9% (2003 est.);

Regions

Cities