The 2004 CIA World Factbook. United States. Central Intelligence Agency

migration rate:

       0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.)

      Sex ratio:

       at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female

       under 15 years: 1.01 male(s)/female

       15–64 years: 0.97 male(s)/female

       65 years and over: 0.72 male(s)/female

       total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2004 est.)

      Infant mortality rate:

       total: 92.15 deaths/1,000 live births

       female: 84.99 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)

       male: 99.09 deaths/1,000 live births

      Life expectancy at birth:

       total population: 41.36 years

       male: 39.7 years

       female: 43.08 years (2004 est.)

      Total fertility rate:

       4.59 children born/woman (2004 est.)

      HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:

       13.5% (2003 est.)

      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

      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

      Executive branch:

       chief of state: President Francois BOZIZE (since 15 March 2003

       coup) and Vice President Abel GOUMA (since 12 December 2003)

       elections: NA; municipal, legislative and presidential elections

       scheduled for December 2004 or January 2005; prime minister

       appointed by the president

       head of government: Prime Minister Celestin GAOMBALET (since 12

       December 2003)

       cabinet: Council of Ministers

      Legislative branch:

       unicameral National Assembly or Assemblee Nationale (109 seats;

       members are elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms; note -

       there were 85 seats in the National Assembly before the 1998

       election)

       elections: last held 22–23 November and 13 December 1998 (next to be

       held NA 2004)

       election results: percent of vote by party - MLPC 43%, RDC 18%, MDD

       9%, FPP 6%, PSD 5%, ADP 4%, PUN 3%, FODEM 2%, PLD 2%, UPR 1%, FC 1%,

       independents 6%; seats by party - MLPC 47, RDC 20, MDD 8, FPP 7, PSD

       6, ADP 5, PUN 3, FODEM 2, PLD 2, UPR 1, FC 1, independents 7

      Judicial branch:

       Supreme Court or Cour Supreme; Constitutional Court (3 judges

       appointed by the president, 3 by the president of the National

       Assembly, and 3 by fellow judges); Court of Appeal; Criminal Courts;

       Inferior Courts

      Political parties and leaders:

       Alliance for Democracy and Progress or ADP [Jacques MBOLIEDAS];

       Central African Democratic Assembly or RDC [Andre KOLINGBA]; Civic

       Forum or FC [Gen. Timothee MALENDOMA]; Democratic Forum for

       Modernity or FODEM [Charles MASSI]; Liberal Democratic Party or PLD

       [Nestor KOMBO-NAGUEMON]; Movement for Democracy and Development or

       MDD [David DACKO]; Movement for the Liberation of the Central

       African People or MLPC [the party of deposed president, Ange-Felix

       PATASSE]; Patriotic Front for Progress or FPP [Abel GOUMBA];

       People's Union for the Republic or UPR [Pierre Sammy MAKFOY];

       National Unity Party or PUN [Jean-Paul NGOUPANDE]; Social Democratic

       Party or PSD [Enoch LAKOUE]

      Political pressure groups and leaders:

       NA

      International organization participation:

       ACCT, ACP, AfDB, AU, BDEAC, CEMAC, FAO, FZ, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO,

       ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, Interpol, IOC,

       ITU, MIGA, NAM, OIC (observer), OPCW (signatory), UN, UNCTAD,

       UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO

      Diplomatic representation in the US:

       chief of mission: Ambassador Emmanuel TOUABOY

       chancery: 1618 22nd Street NW, Washington, DC 20008