The 2005 CIA World Factbook. United States. Central Intelligence Agency

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

       telephone: [1] (202) 483–7800

       FAX: [1] (202) 332–9893

      Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Charge d'Affaires James PANOS embassy: Avenue David Dacko, Bangui mailing address: B. P. 924, Bangui telephone: [236] 61 02 00 FAX: [236] 61 44 94 note: the embassy is currently operating with a minimal staff

      Flag description:

       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

      Economy Central African Republic

      Economy - overview:

       Subsistence agriculture, together with forestry, remains the

       backbone of the economy of the Central African Republic (CAR), with

       more than 70% of the population living in outlying areas. The

       agricultural sector generates half of GDP. Timber has accounted for

       about 16% 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. Factional fighting between the government and its

       opponents remains a drag on economic revitalization, with GDP growth

       at only 0.5% in 2004. Distribution of income is extraordinarily

       unequal. Grants from France and the international community can only

       partially meet humanitarian needs.

      GDP (purchasing power parity):

       $4.248 billion (2004 est.)

      GDP - real growth rate:

       0.5% (2004 est.)

      GDP - per capita:

       purchasing power parity - $1,100 (2004 est.)

      GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 55% industry: 20% services: 25% (2001 est.)

      Labor force:

       NA

      Unemployment rate:

       8% (23% for Bangui) (2001 est.)

      Population below poverty line:

       NA (1993)

      Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 0.7% highest 10%: 47.7% (1993)

      Distribution of family income - Gini index:

       61.3 (1993)

      Inflation rate (consumer prices):

       3.6% (2001 est.)

      Budget:

       revenues: NA

       expenditures: NA, including capital expenditures of NA

      Agriculture - products:

       cotton, coffee, tobacco, manioc (tapioca), yams, millet, corn,

       bananas; timber

      Industries:

       gold and diamond mining, logging, brewing, textiles, footwear,

       assembly of bicycles and motorcycles

      Industrial production growth rate:

       3% (2002)

      Electricity - production:

       106 million kWh (2002)

      Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 19.8% hydro: 80.2% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001)

      Electricity - consumption:

       98.58 million kWh (2002)

      Electricity - exports:

       0 kWh (2002)

      Electricity - imports:

       0 kWh (2002)

      Oil - production:

       0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

      Oil - consumption:

       2,400 bbl/day (2001 est.)

      Oil - exports:

       NA

      Oil - imports:

       NA

      Exports:

       $172 million f.o.b. (2002 est.)

      Exports - commodities:

       diamonds, timber, cotton, coffee, tobacco

      Exports - partners:

       Belgium 39.2%, Italy 8.6%, Spain 7.9%, US 6.2%, France 6.1%,

       Indonesia 5.8%, China 4.9% (2004)

      Imports:

       $136 million f.o.b. (2002 est.)

      Imports - commodities:

       food, textiles, petroleum products, machinery, electrical

       equipment, motor vehicles, chemicals, pharmaceuticals

      Imports - partners:

       France 17.6%, US 16.3%, Cameroon 9.3%, Belgium 5% (2004)

      Debt - external:

       $881.4 million (2000 est.)

      Economic aid - recipient:

       ODA $73 million; note - traditional budget subsidies from France

       (2000 est.)

      Currency (code):

       Communaute Financiere Africaine franc (XAF); note - responsible

       authority is the Bank of the Central African States

      Currency code:

       XAF

      Exchange rates:

       Communaute Financiere Africaine francs (XAF) per US dollar - 528.29

       (2004), 581.2 (2003), 696.99 (2002), 733.04 (2001), 711.98 (2000)

      Fiscal year:

       calendar year

      Communications Central African Republic

      Telephones - main lines in use:

       9,000 (2002)

      Telephones - mobile