central african republic

It is one of the poorest countries in the world, in spite of ample natural resources including diamonds, gold, land, water, and forests. [44], On 31 December 1965, Dacko was overthrown in the Saint-Sylvestre coup d'état by Colonel Jean-Bédel Bokassa, who suspended the constitution and dissolved the National Assembly. Crisis in the Central African Republic : hearing before the Subcommittee on Africa, Global Health, Global Human Rights, and International Organizations of the Committee on Foreign Affairs, House of Representatives, One Hundred Thirteenth ... regained eligibility for benefits under AGOA in 2017. The country is noted for its population of forest elephants and western lowland gorillas. [113], Freedom of speech is addressed in the country's constitution, but there have been incidents of government intimidation of the media. Multiple tension hotspots and violence have sprung up across the country in 2017 and … [75] Former president François Bozizé announced his candidacy on 25 July 2020 but was rejected by the Constitutional Court of the country, which held that Bozizé did not satisfy the “good morality” requirement for candidates because of an international warrant and United Nations sanctions against him for alleged assassinations, torture and other crimes. The Central African Republic (C.A.R.) [80][81] President Faustin Archange Touadéra was reelected in the first round of the election in December 2020. In the 2009 World Bank Group's report Doing Business, it was ranked 183rd of 183 as regards 'ease of doing business', a composite index which takes into account regulations that enhance business activity and those that restrict it. [12] Approximately 25% of women had undergone female genital mutilation. The Central African Republic has also ratified the African Charter on the Rights and Welfare of the Child. Some of the worst mortality rates are in western CAR’s diamond mining region, which is impoverished because of government attempts to control the diamond trade and the fall in industrial diamond prices. ), at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female0-14 years: 1.01 male(s)/female15-24 years: 1.01 male(s)/female25-54 years: 1 male(s)/female55-64 years: 0.92 male(s)/female65 years and over: 0.64 male(s)/femaletotal population: 0.99 male(s)/female (2020 est. ), total dependency ratio: 86.4youth dependency ratio: 81.1elderly dependency ratio: 5.2potential support ratio: 19.2 (2020 est. [147] A collection of twelve stories dealing with the folkore and fables of this African region ), 12.01 deaths/1,000 population (2021 est. )$342.2 million (2016 est. Executive power is exercised by the government. It is comparable in size to Ukraine, as the Ukraine is 603,500 square kilometres (233,000 sq mi) in area, according to List of countries and dependencies by area. In the northwest is the Yade Massif, a granite plateau with an altitude of 348 metres (1,143 ft). The Central African Republic has a total population of around five million. Home to more than 80 different ethnic groups, it is an ethnically diverse nation. Since gaining independence from France in 1960, the country has failed to achieve substantial economic development and has considerable foreign debt. [31] In March 2015, Samantha Power, the U.S. ambassador to the United Nations, said 417 of the country's 436 mosques had been destroyed, and Muslim women were so scared of going out in public they were giving birth in their homes instead of going to the hospital. [17] Farming began as part of the Neolithic Revolution. Schools are closed, qualified teachers are scarce, infrastructure, funding, and supplies are lacking and subject to looting, and many students and teachers are displaced by violence. [119], The nation is divided into over 80 ethnic groups, each having its own language. [153], Coordinates: 7°N 21°E / 7°N 21°E / 7; 21, "CAR" redirects here. A peace deal between the government and 14 … In March 2003, President Ange-Felix PATASSE was deposed in a military coup led by General Francois BOZIZE, who established a transitional government. [105] Three priority areas were identified: first, the reform of the security sector; second, the promotion of good governance and the rule of law; and third, the revitalization of communities affected by conflicts. While these missionaries are predominantly from the United States, France, Italy, and Spain, many are also from Nigeria, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and other African countries. During the wet season, rainstorms are an almost daily occurrence, and early morning fog is commonplace. )$691.5 million (31 December 2016 est. Because of the current situation in Central African Republic, even fully vaccinated travelers may be at risk for getting and spreading COVID-19 variants. Central Africa, north of Democratic Republic of the Congo, total: 622,984 sq kmland: 622,984 sq kmwater: 0 sq km, slightly smaller than Texas; about four times the size of Georgia, total: 5,920 kmborder countries (6): Cameroon 901 km, Chad 1556 km, Democratic Republic of the Congo 1747 km, Republic of the Congo 487 km, South Sudan 1055 km, Sudan 174 km, tropical; hot, dry winters; mild to hot, wet summers, vast, flat to rolling plateau; scattered hills in northeast and southwest, highest point: Mont Ngaoui 1,410 mlowest point: Oubangui River 335 mmean elevation: 635 m, diamonds, uranium, timber, gold, oil, hydropower, agricultural land: 8.1% (2018 est. )56% of GDP (2016 est. ), -$163 million (2017 est. The currency is pegged to the Euro. Venue Stade de la Réunification (Douala) 0 - 1 86' K. Sherman. In the southeast is a plain cut by a number of rivers. The region was the site of much slave trading activity in the centuries before becoming a French protectorate in the late 19th century, and then was heavily economically exploited in the early part of the 20th century. Abel Goumba was named vice-president, which gave Bozizé's new government a positive image.[why?] The World Bank in late 2016 approved a $20 million grant to restore basic fiscal management, improve transparency, and assist with economic recovery. CNN team was tracked by Russian operatives in Central African Republic, Bellingcat investigation shows. )1.5% of GDP (2016 est. ), 52.9% of GDP (2017 est. It is bordered by Cameroon, Chad, Sudan, South Sudan, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and the Republic of the Congo. "[61] By August 2013, there were reports of over 200,000 internally displaced persons (IDPs)[62][63], French President François Hollande called on the UN Security Council and African Union to increase their efforts to stabilize the country. The concessionary companies forced local people to harvest rubber, coffee, and other commodities without pay and held their families hostage until they met their quotas. The holiday commemorates the anniversary when Barthélemy Boganda died on March 29 in 1959. President Touadéra signed a new peace agreement on February 6, 2019 with 14 armed groups. ), agriculture: 43.2% (2017 est. The remaining two-thirds of the terrain drains southward into the Ubangi River, which forms the Central African Republic’s southern border with Congo (Kinshasa). [140][141], The largest hospitals in the country are located in the Bangui district. Its other initial tasks included support for the )$252.5 million (31 December 2016 est. The earliest inhabitants were the probable ancestors of today’s Aka (Pygmy) peoples, who live in the western and southern forested regions of the country. ), India 18%, France 12%, United States 11%, China 9%, Netherlands 7%, Belgium 7%, Malta 6% (2019), refined petroleum, packaged medicines, natural gas, broadcasting equipment, second-hand clothing (2019), $304.3 million (31 December 2017 est. )note: data are in 2017 dollars, 5.4% of GDP (2017 est. The country had the lowest inequality-adjusted Human Development Index (IHDI), ranking 150th out of 150 countries. [129], The currency of the Central African Republic is the CFA franc, which is accepted across the former countries of French West Africa and trades at a fixed rate to the euro. If you must travel to Central African Republic, make sure you are fully vaccinated before travel. For the region in the Philippines, see, Bokassa and the Central African Empire (1965–1979), Largest cities or towns in Central African Republic. ), $779.9 million (31 December 2017 est. The Central African Republic has been in turmoil since a violent takeover of power in 2013. ), 50% of total installed capacity (2017 est. This page was last edited on 3 September 2021, at 12:43. The U.S. has provided assistance to strengthen the UN mission and humanitarian aid to address the continuing humanitarian crisis in C.A.R. The capital, Bangui, is situated on the southern boundary, formed by the Ubangi River, a tributary of the Congo River. )4.2% (2017 est. CAR is one of the few African countries to have an African language as their official language. The Human Capital Index (HCI) database provides data at the country level for each of the components of the Human Capital Index as well as for the overall index, disaggregated by gender. This African Union force of 6,000 personnel was accompanied by the French Operation Sangaris. [18] Initial farming of white yam progressed into millet and sorghum, and before 3000 BC[19] the domestication of African oil palm improved the groups' nutrition and allowed for expansion of the local populations. [46], Kolingba suspended the constitution and ruled with a military junta until 1985. In addition, the Central African Republic receives international support on telecommunication related operations from ITU Telecommunication Development Sector (ITU-D) within the International Telecommunication Union to improve infrastructure. [108], In 2017, Central African Republic signed the UN treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons. ), forest revenues: 8.99% of GDP (2018 est. President Bokassa declared himself President for Life in 1972 and named himself Emperor Bokassa I of the Central African Empire (as the country was renamed) on 4 December 1976. The army chief of staff, Abel Abrou, and General François N'Djadder Bedaya were killed, but Patassé regained the upper hand by bringing in at least 300 troops of the Congolese rebel leader Jean-Pierre Bemba and Libyan soldiers. Subsistence agriculture, together with forestry and mining, remains the backbone of the economy of the Central African Republic (CAR), with about 60% of the population living in outlying areas. Locations in the country have many attractions to travellers include the Chutes De Boali, waterfalls of a height of 50 m (164 ft). 4.3% (2017 est. Tributaries of the Chari River occupy the northern third of the country’s territory. [14] The Central African Republic is also estimated to be the unhealthiest country[15] as well as the worst country in which to be young.[16]. have a small amount of bilateral trade. [53] According to 2009 estimates, the HIV/AIDS prevalence rate is about 4.7% of the adult population (ages 15–49). The annual real GDP growth rate is just above 3%. It is bordered by Chad to the north, Sudan to the northeast, South Sudan to the southeast, the DR Congo to the south, the Republic of the Congo to the southwest, and Cameroon to the west. Devastated by years of conflict, the impact of which persists, it faces both structural and economic challenges. [126], There are many missionary groups operating in the country, including Lutherans, Baptists, Catholics, Grace Brethren, and Jehovah's Witnesses. [83], It has been estimated that up to 8% of the country is covered by forest, with the densest parts generally located in the southern regions. [138] However, approximately half of the adult population of the country is illiterate. Examines the culture and customs of the people of the Central African Republic. As of 1999, eight roads connected the city to other main towns in the country, Cameroon, Chad and South Sudan; of these, only the toll roads are paved. By … [110] A report by the International Research & Exchanges Board's media sustainability index noted that "the country minimally met objectives, with segments of the legal system and government opposed to a free media system".[110]. [139], The two institutions of higher education in the Central African Republic are the University of Bangui, a public university located in Bangui, which includes a medical school; and Euclid University, an international university. As of 2021[update], the CAR is the scene of a civil war, ongoing since 2012. [33] New forms of forced labor were also introduced and a large number of Ubangians were sent to work on the Congo-Ocean Railway. [21][22] Ironworking arrived in the region around 1000 BC. Their captives were enslaved and shipped to the Mediterranean coast, Europe, Arabia, the Western Hemisphere, or to the slave ports and factories along the West and North Africa or South along the Ubanqui and Congo rivers. A year later, Emperor Bokassa crowned himself in a lavish and expensive ceremony that was ridiculed by much of the world. )$101.5 million (2016 est. Participation in the Kimberley Process, a commitment to remove conflict diamonds from the global supply chain, led to a partially lifted the ban on diamond exports from CAR in 2015, but persistent insecurity is likely to constrain real GDP growth. 3 new cases in the Central African Republic. During the colonial era, the country's name was Ubangi-Shari which is derived from the Ubangi River and the Chari River. Products were often moved in ceramic pots, which are the first known examples of artistic expression from the region's inhabitants. On 18 February 2014, United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon called on the UN Security Council to immediately deploy 3,000 troops to the country, bolstering the 6,000 African Union soldiers and 2,000 French troops already in the country, to combat civilians being murdered in large numbers. The Central African Republic’s (CAR) humanitarian crisis has worsened since a coup in March 2013. In the north the most significant mountains are those of the Dar Challa range, which rise to 4,350 feet (1,326 metres) at Mount Ngaya near the border with Sudan. ), Cooperation Financiere en Afrique Centrale francs (XAF) per US dollar -605.3 (2017 est. Avoid travel to Central African Republic. [32] During the 1920s and 1930s the French introduced a policy of mandatory cotton cultivation,[32] a network of roads was built, attempts were made to combat sleeping sickness, and Protestant missions were established to spread Christianity. As of 2010[update], the country had the 4th highest maternal mortality rate in the world. [26][27] In the mid 19th century, the Bobangi people became major slave traders and sold their captives to the Americas using the Ubangi river to reach the coast. ranks 188 out of 188 countries on the United Nations Human Development Index. Coordinator for the Arctic Region, Deputy Secretary of State for Management and Resources, Office of Small and Disadvantaged Business Utilization, Under Secretary for Arms Control and International Security, Bureau of Arms Control, Verification and Compliance, Bureau of International Security and Nonproliferation, Under Secretary for Civilian Security, Democracy, and Human Rights, Bureau of Conflict and Stabilization Operations, Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor, Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs, Bureau of Population, Refugees, and Migration, Office of International Religious Freedom, Office of the Special Envoy To Monitor and Combat Anti-Semitism, Office of the U.S. Special Coordinator for Tibetan Issues, Office to Monitor and Combat Trafficking in Persons, Under Secretary for Economic Growth, Energy, and the Environment, Bureau of Oceans and International Environmental and Scientific Affairs, Office of the Science and Technology Adviser, Bureau of the Comptroller and Global Financial Services, Bureau of Information Resource Management, Office of Management Strategy and Solutions, Bureau of International Organization Affairs, Bureau of South and Central Asian Affairs, Under Secretary for Public Diplomacy and Public Affairs, U.S. While the number of detected cases has so far been limited, the COVID-19 pandemic, if not contained, could have a considerable economic and social impact in C.A.R. and could exacerbate tensions in an already volatile environment. )investment in fixed capital: 13.7% (2017 est. 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