Central African Republic ELEVATED 64
Amalgam 64: kinetic — (quiet, <40 events/48h) × w 0 + structural 64 (UCDP) × 1 · z pending baseline (pseudo-z active) · GDELT 48h: 18 events, conflict 16.7%, tone -3.25
UCDP GED: ~591 organized-violence deaths/yr (decayed avg) · state-based conflict
Factbook dossier
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 mismanag…
Location
Central Africa, north of Democratic Republic of the Congo
Area
total : 622,984 sq km land: 622,984 sq km water: 0 sq km
Natural resources
diamonds, uranium, timber, gold, oil, hydropower
Natural hazards
hot, dry, dusty harmattan winds affect northern areas; floods are common
Population
total: 5,750,570 (2025 est.) male: 2,864,870 female: 2,885,700
Ethnic groups
Baya 28.8%, Banda 22.9%, Mandjia 9.9%, Sara 7.9%, M'Baka-Bantu 7.9%, Arab-Fulani (Peuhl) 6%, Mbum 6%, Ngbanki 5.5%, Zande-Nzakara 3%, other Central African Republic ethnic groups 2%, non-Central African Republic ethnic groups .1% (2003 est.)
Languages
French (official), Sangho (lingua franca and national language), tribal languages
Religions
Roman Catholic 34.6%, Protestant 15.7%, other Christian 22.9%, Muslim 13.8%, ethnic religionist 12%, Baha'i 0.2%, agnostic/atheist 0.7% (2020 est.) note: animistic beliefs and practices strongly influence the Christian majority
Environmental issues
water pollution; tap water not potable; poaching; wildlife mismanagement; desertification; deforestation; soil erosion
Government type
presidential republic
Capital
name: Bangui geographic coordinates: 4 22 N, 18 35 E time difference: UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time) etymology: established as a French military post in 1889; the name means "rapids" in the local Bobangui language, because of the city's location above the first great rapid on the Ubangi River
Executive branch
chief of state: President Faustin-Archange TOUAD RA (since 30 March 2016) head of government: Prime Minister F lix MOLOUA (since 7 February 2022) cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president election/appointment process: current president was directly elected for 5-year term; constitutional referendum in July 2023 removed term limits and instituted 7-year terms most recent election date: 28 December 2025 election results: 2025: Faustin-Archange TOUAD RA reelected president in first round; percent of vote - Faustin-Archange TOUAD RA (independent) 76.2%, Anicet Georges DOLOGUELE (URCA) 14.7%, other 9.1% expected date of next election: December 2032
Legislative branch
legislature name: National Assembly (Assembl e nationale) legislative structure: unicameral number of seats: 140 (all directly elected) electoral system: plurality/majority scope of elections: full renewal term in office: 5 years most recent election date: 12/27/2020 to 7/25/2021 parties elected and seats per party: United Hearts Movement (MCU) (63); National Movement of Independents (MOUNI) (9); Union for Central African Renewal (URCA) (7); Movement for the Liberation of the Central African People (MLPC) (7); Other (34); Independents (20) percentage of women in chamber: 11.4% expected date of next election: 28 December 2025 note 1: on 27 December 2020, the day of first round elections, voting in many electoral areas was disrupted by armed groups; on 13 February 2021, President TOUADERA announced that new first round elections would be held on 27 February 2021 for those areas controlled by armed groups and the second round on 6 March 2021; ultimately, two additional rounds were held on 23 May and 25 July 2021 in areas that continued to suffer from election security problems note 2: in accordance with article 98 of the constitution published in August 2023, the parliamentary term has increased from five to seven years and will be first applied to the legislature due to be elected in late 2025
Real GDP (purchasing power parity)
$5.926 billion (2024 est.) $5.836 billion (2023 est.) $5.795 billion (2022 est.) note: data in 2021 dollars
Real GDP per capita
$1,100 (2024 est.) $1,100 (2023 est.) $1,100 (2022 est.) note: data in 2021 dollars
Inflation rate (consumer prices)
3% (2023 est.) 5.6% (2022 est.) 4.3% (2021 est.) note: annual % change based on consumer prices
Exports - partners
UAE 54%, China 14%, France 6%, Turkey 5%, Belgium 4% (2023) note: top five export partners based on percentage share of exports
Imports - partners
China 16%, Cameroon 14%, France 8%, Belgium 6%, Cote d'Ivoire 5% (2023) note: top five import partners based on percentage share of imports
Military and security forces
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 Sp cial Charg de la Protection R publicaine or GSPR) provides protection to the head of state; it is part of the Army but reports to the president
Military expenditures
2.5% of GDP (2024 est.) 1.8% of GDP (2023 est.) 1.7% of GDP (2022 est.) 1.8% of GDP (2021 est.) 1.8% of GDP (2020 est.)