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Central African Republic:
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Other pages in this profile of the Central African Republic:
Geography, People, Government, Communications & Transportation, Military & Transnational Issues.
Geography, People, Government, Communications & Transportation, Military & Transnational Issues.
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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 more than half of GDP. Timber has accounted for about 16% of export earnings and the diamond industry, for 40%. 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. Distribution of income is extraordinarily unequal. Grants from France and the international community can only partially meet humanitarian needs. |
GDP (purchasing power parity) |
$4.998 billion (2006 est.) |
GDP (official exchange rate) |
$1.55 billion (2006 est.) |
GDP - real growth rate |
3.5% (2006 est.) |
GDP - per capita |
$1,200 (2006 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% |
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 |
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 |
Electricity - production |
109 million kWh (2005) |
Electricity - consumption |
101.4 million kWh (2005) |
Electricity - exports |
0 kWh (2005) |
Electricity - imports |
0 kWh (2005) |
Oil - production |
0 bbl/day (2004) |
Oil - consumption |
2,420 bbl/day (2004 est.) |
Oil - exports |
NA bbl/day |
Oil - imports |
NA bbl/day |
Oil - proved reserves |
0 bbl (1 January 2006) |
Natural Gas - production |
0 cu m (2005 est.) |
Natural Gas - consumption |
0 cu m (2005 est.) |
Exports |
$131 million f.o.b. (2004 est.) |
Exports - commodities |
diamonds, timber, cotton, coffee, tobacco |
Exports - partners |
Belgium 30.7%, Spain 10.7%, Indonesia 8%, France 7.8%, China 6.9%, Democratic Republic of the Congo 6%, Turkey 5%, Italy 4.7% (2006) |
Imports |
$203 million f.o.b. (2004 est.) |
Imports - commodities |
food, textiles, petroleum products, machinery, electrical equipment, motor vehicles, chemicals, pharmaceuticals |
Imports - partners |
France 15.4%, Netherlands 15.1%, US 9.2%, Cameroon 8.9% (2006) |
Debt - external |
$1.06 billion (2002 est.) |
Economic aid - recipient |
ODA, $95.29 million; note - traditional budget subsidies from France (2005 est.) |
Currency (code) |
Communaute Financiere Africaine franc (XAF); note - responsible authority is the Bank of the Central African States |
Exchange rates |
Communaute Financiere Africaine francs (XAF) per US dollar - 522.59 (2006), 527.47 (2005), 528.29 (2004), 581.2 (2003), 696.99 (2002) |
Fiscal year |
calendar year |
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