Central African Republic
Top Sights & Landmarks
Background
The Central African Republic (CAR) is a perennially weak state that sits at the crossroads of ethnic and linguistic groups in the center of the African continent. Among the last areas of Sub-Saharan Africa to be drawn into the world economy, its introduction into trade networks around the early 1700s fostered significant competition among its population. The local population sought to benefit from the lucrative Atlantic, trans-Saharan, and Indian Ocean trade in enslaved people and ivory. Slave raids aided by the local populations fostered animosity between ethnic groups that remains today. The territory was established as a French colony named Ubangui-Shari in 1903, and France modeled its administration of the colony after the Belgian Congo, subcontracting control of the territory to private companies that collected rubber and ivory. Although France banned the domestic slave trade in CAR in the 1910s, the private companies continued to exploit the population through forced labor. The colony of Ubangi-Shari gained independence from France as the Central African Republic in 1960, but the death of independence leader Barthelemy BOGANDA six months prior led to an immediate struggle for power. CAR’s political history has since been marred by a series of coups, the first of which brought Jean-Bedel BOKASSA to power in 1966. Widespread corruption and intolerance for any political opposition characterized his regime. In an effort to prolong his mandate, BOKASSA named himself emperor in 1976 and changed the country’s name to the Central African Empire. His regime’s economic mismanagement culminated in widespread student protests in 1979 that were violently suppressed by security forces. BOKASSA fell out of favor with the international community and was overthrown in a French-backed coup in 1979. After BOKASSA’s departure, the country’s name once again became the Central African Republic. CAR’s fifth coup in 2013 unseated President Francois BOZIZE after the Seleka, a mainly Muslim rebel coalition, seized the capital and forced BOZIZE to flee the country. The Seleka's widespread abuses spurred the formation of mainly Christian self-defense groups that called themselves the anti-Balaka, which have also committed human rights abuses against Muslim populations in retaliation. Since the rise of these groups, conflict in CAR has become increasingly ethnoreligious, although focused on identity rather than religious ideology. Elections in 2016 installed independent candidate Faustin-Archange TOUADERA as president; he was reelected in 2020. A peace agreement signed in 2019 between the government and the main armed factions has had little effect, and armed groups remain in control of large swaths of the country's territory. TOUADERA's United Hearts Movement has governed the country since 2016, and a new constitution approved by referendum on 30 July 2023 effectively ended term limits, creating the potential for TOUADERA to extend his rule.
Location
Central Africa, north of Democratic Republic of the Congo
Area
Elevation
Detailed Geography Information
Coastline
0 km (landlocked)
Geography - note
landlocked; almost the precise center of Africa
Irrigated land
10 sq km (2012)
Land boundaries
Major aquifers
Congo Basin, Lake Chad Basin
Major rivers (by length in km)
Oubangui (Ubangi) river [s] (shared with Democratic Republic of Congo and Republic of Congo [m]) - 2,270 km note: [s] after country name indicates river source; [m] after country name indicates river mouth
Major watersheds (area sq km)
Atlantic Ocean drainage: Congo (3,730,881 sq km), (Mediterranean Sea) Nile (3,254,853 sq km) Internal (endorheic basin) drainage: Lake Chad (2,497,738 sq km)
Maritime claims
none (landlocked)
Natural hazards
hot, dry, dusty harmattan winds affect northern areas; floods are common
Natural resources
Terrain
vast, flat to rolling plateau; scattered hills in northeast and southwest
Population & Growth
Age Distribution
Demographic Longevity
Vital Dynamics
Detailed People & Society Information
Alcohol consumption per capita
0.94 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
Children under the age of 5 years underweight
18.4% (2022 est.)
Currently married women (ages 15-49)
65.4% (2019 est.)
Dependency ratios
total dependency ratio: 71.7 (2025 est.) youth dependency ratio: 65.7 (2025 est.) elderly dependency ratio: 6 (2025 est.) potential support ratio: 16.6 (2025 est.)
Education expenditure
1.8% of GDP (2023 est.) 10% national budget (2023 est.)
Ethnic groups
Gross reproduction rate
1.92 (2025 est.)
Health expenditure
9.1% of GDP (2021) 9% of national budget (2022 est.)
Infant mortality rate
total: 79.3 deaths/1,000 live births (2025 est.) male: 86.4 deaths/1,000 live births female: 74.5 deaths/1,000 live births
Languages
Literacy
total population: 42.4% (2019 est.) male: 59.8% (2019 est.) female: 27.1% (2019 est.)
Major urban areas - population
958,000 BANGUI (capital) (2023)
Maternal mortality ratio
692 deaths/100,000 live births (2023 est.)
Nationality
noun: Central African(s) adjective: Central African
Obesity - adult prevalence rate
7.5% (2016)
Physician density
0.07 physicians/1,000 population (2023)
Population distribution
majority of residents live in the western and central areas of the country, especially in and around the capital of Bangui, as shown in this population distribution map
Refugees and internally displaced persons
Religions
Sex ratio
at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female 0-14 years: 1.05 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.97 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.79 male(s)/female total population: 0.99 male(s)/female (2024 est.)
Climate & Issues
tropical; hot, dry winters; mild to hot, wet summers
Land Cover
Air & Carbon Emissions
Water Resources & Use
Detailed Environmental Information
International environmental agreements
Urbanization
urban population: 43.6% of total population (2023) rate of urbanization: 3.32% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)
Waste and recycling
municipal solid waste generated annually: 1.106 million tons (2024 est.) percent of municipal solid waste recycled: 9.1% (2022 est.)
Capital & State Profile
Executive Branch
Legislative Branch
National Identity & Symbols
four equal horizontal bands of blue (top), white, green, and yellow with a vertical red band in the center; a five-pointed yellow star sits in the top left corner of the flag, on the blue band
Detailed Government Information
Administrative divisions
14 prefectures (préfectures, singular - préfecture), 2 economic prefectures* (préfectures économiques, singular - préfecture économique), 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
Citizenship
citizenship by birth: no citizenship by descent only: least one parent must be a citizen of the Central African Republic dual citizenship recognized: yes residency requirement for naturalization: 35 years
Constitution
history: several previous; latest constitution passed by a national referendum on 30 July 2023 and validated by the Constitutional Court on 30 August 2023 amendment process: proposals require support of the government, two thirds of the National Council of Transition, and assent by the "Mediator of the Central African" crisis; passage requires at least three-fourths majority vote by the National Council membership; non-amendable constitutional provisions include those on the secular and republican form of government, fundamental rights and freedoms, amendment procedures, or changes to the authorities of various high-level executive, parliamentary, and judicial officials
Country name
conventional long form: Central African Republic conventional short form: none local long form: République centrafricaine local short form: none former: Ubangi-Shari, Central African Empire abbreviation: CAR etymology: self-descriptive name specifying the country's location on the continent; "Africa" is derived from the Roman designation of the area corresponding to present-day Tunisia, "Africa terra," which meant "Land of the Afri" (the tribe resident in that area), but which eventually came to mean the entire continent
International law organization participation
has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; accepts ICCt jurisdiction
International organization participation
Judicial branch
highest court(s): Supreme Court or Cour Supreme (number of judges unknown); Constitutional Court (consists of 9 judges, at least 3 of whom are women) judge selection and term of office: Supreme Court judges appointed by the president; Constitutional Court judge appointments - 2 by the president, 1 by the speaker of the National Assembly, 2 elected by their peers, 2 are advocates elected by their peers, and 2 are law professors elected by their peers; judges serve 7-year non-renewable terms subordinate courts: high courts; magistrates' courts
Legal system
civil law system based on the French model
National heritage
total World Heritage Sites: 2 (natural) selected World Heritage Site locales: Manovo-Gounda St. Floris National Park; Sangha Trinational Forest
Political parties
Action Party for Development or PAD African Party for Radical Transformation and Integration of States or PATRIE Alliance for Democracy and Progress or ADP Be Africa ti e Kwe (also known as Central Africa for Us All or BTK) Central African Democratic Rally or RDC Central African Party for Integrated Development or PCDI Democratic Movement for the Renewal and Evolution of Central Africa or MDREC Kodro Ti Mo Kozo Si Movement or MKMKS Movement for Democracy and Development or MDD Movement for the Liberation of the Central African People or MLPC National Convergence (also known as Kwa Na Kwa or KNK) National Movement of Independents or MOUNI National Union for Democracy and Progress or UNDP National Union of Republican Democrats or UNADER New Impetus for Central Africa or CANE Party for Democracy and Solidarity - Kélémba or KPDS Party for Democratic Governance or PGD Path of Hope or CDE Renaissance for Sustainable Development or RDD Socialist Party or PS Transformation Through Action Initiative or ITA Union for Central African Renewal or URCA Union for Renaissance and Development or URD United Hearts Movement or MCU
Suffrage
18 years of age; universal
Economic Overview
enormous natural resources; extreme poverty; weak public institutions and infrastructure; political and gender-based violence have led to displacement of roughly 25% of population; Bangui-Douala corridor blockade reduced activity and tax collection; strong agricultural performance offset COVID-19 downturn
Size & Performance
GDP Sector Breakdown
Trade Balance
Budget Balance
Export Profile
Top Export Partners
Major Export Commodities
Import Profile
Top Import Partners
Major Import Commodities
Labor & Employment
Income Inequality
Family Income / Consumption Share
Detailed Economic Data
Agricultural products
Debt - external
$724.179 million (2023 est.) note: present value of external debt in current US dollars
Exchange rates
Cooperation Financiere en Afrique Centrale francs (XAF) per US dollar - Exchange rates: 606.345 (2024 est.) 606.57 (2023 est.) 623.76 (2022 est.) 554.531 (2021 est.) 575.586 (2020 est.)
GDP - composition, by end use
Industrial production growth rate
9.7% (2024 est.) note: annual % change in industrial value added based on constant local currency
Industries
Inflation rate (consumer prices)
3% (2023 est.) 5.6% (2022 est.) 4.3% (2021 est.) note: annual % change based on consumer prices
Remittances
0% of GDP (2023 est.) 0% of GDP (2022 est.) 0% of GDP (2021 est.) note: personal transfers and compensation between resident and non-resident individuals/households/entities
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold
$479.593 million (2023 est.) $374.405 million (2022 est.) $483.872 million (2021 est.) note: holdings of gold (year-end prices)/foreign exchange/special drawing rights in current dollars
Taxes and other revenues
8.2% (of GDP) (2021 est.) note: central government tax revenue as a % of GDP
Grid Infrastructure
Generation Mix
Fossil Fuels Production
Intensity & Nuclear
Digital Access
Active internet users as a percentage of the total population.
Fixed Broadband
Mobile Cellular
Broadcast Media
Aviation
Military Expenditures
Active Duty Strengths
estimated 10-15,000 active FACA (2025)
Service & Defense Details
Central African Armed Forces (Forces Armees Centrafricaines, FACA): Army (includes an air squadron, Escadrille Centrafricaine) Ministry of Interior: National Gendarmerie (Gendarmerie Nationale), National Police (2025) note: the Special Republican Protection Group (Groupement Spécial Chargé de la Protection Républicaine or GSPR) provides protection to the head of state; it is part of the Army but reports to the president
most of the military's heavy weapons and equipment were lost during the 2012–2014 civil war; prior to the war, most of its inventory was of French, Russian, or Soviet origin; in recent years, it has received some donated equipment from China and Russia, including armored vehicles, drones, helicopters, jet trainer aircraft, and some light weapons (2025) note: the CAR was under a UNSC arms embargo from 2013-July 2024
the Central African Armed Forces (FACA) are focused on internal security; since the 2013 coup, multiple armed groups have been active in the country, carrying out attacks, controlling territory, and undermining security; the coup resulted in the institutional collapse of the FACA; its forces were overwhelmed and forced to flee to neighboring countries; it has been estimated that only 10% of the FACA returned afterwards; over the past decade, the FACA has sought to rebuild with considerable foreign assistance, including from France, the EU, Russia, Rwanda, Uganda, and the UN; Russian private military contractors and Rwandan military forces have assisted the FACA in its operations against rebel groups the UN Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in the Central African Republic (MINUSCA) has operated in the country since 2014; its mission includes providing security, protecting civilians, facilitating humanitarian assistance, disarming and demobilizing armed groups, and supporting the country’s transitional government (2025)
18-22 years of age for voluntary military service for men and women; no conscription although the constitution provides for the possibility of conscription in the event of an imminent threat to the country (2025)