Economy Of 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 likely to contract 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 - $4.183 billion (2004 est.)
 
GDP - real growth rate -7% (2004 est.)
 
GDP - per capita purchasing power parity - $1,100 (2004 est.)
 
GDP - composition by sector
agriculture: 55%
industry: 20%
services: 25% (2001 est.)
 
Investment gross fixed  
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.)
 
Labor force NA (2000 est.)
 
Labor force by occupation  
Unemployment rate 8% (23% for Bangui) (2001 est.)
 
Budget
revenues: NA
expenditures: NA, including capital expenditures of NA
 
Public debt  
Agriculture products cotton, coffee, tobacco, manioc (tapioca), yams, millet, corn, bananas; timber
 
Industries diamond mining, logging, brewing, textiles, footwear, assembly of bicycles and motorcycles
 
Industrial production growth rate 3% (2002)
 
Electricity production 106 million kWh (2001)
 
Electricity production by source
fossil fuel: 19.8%
hydro: 80.2%
other: 0% (2001)
nuclear: 0%
 
Electricity consumption 98.63 million kWh (2001)
 
Electricity exports 0 kWh (2001)
 
Electricity imports 0 kWh (2001)
 
Oil production 0 bbl/day (2001 est.)
 
Oil consumption 2,400 bbl/day (2001 est.)
 
Oil exports NA (2001)
 
Oil imports NA (2001)
 
Oil proved reserves  
Natural gas production  
Natural gas consumption  
Natural gas exports  
Natural gas imports  
Natural gas proved reserves  
Current account balance  
Exports $172 million f.o.b. (2002 est.)
 
Exports commodities diamonds, timber, cotton, coffee, tobacco
 
Exports partners Belgium 41.8%, Italy 10.7%, Spain 9.8%, France 7.4%, Indonesia 6.6% (2003)
 
Imports $136 million f.o.b. (2002 est.)
 
Imports commodities food, textiles, petroleum products, machinery, electrical equipment, motor vehicles, chemicals, pharmaceuticals
 
Imports partners France 27%, Cameroon 9.2%, US 5.3% (2003)
 
Reserves of foreign exchange gold  
Debt external $881.4 million (2000 est.)
 
Economic aid recipient ODA $73 million; note - traditional budget subsidies from France (2000 est.)
 
Currency 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 - 581.2 (2003), 696.988 (2002), 733.039 (2001), 711.976 (2000), 615.699 (1999)
 
Fiscal year calendar year

 

 

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This information was reproduced in part from the CIA World Fact book.

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