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| Independence Year : 1960 Population : 3615000 Life Expectancy : 44.0 Capital : 1889 GNP : 1054.00 GNP Old : 993.00 Local Name : Centrafrique/Bê-Afrîka Government Form : Republic Location : landlocked country inCentral Africa, almost the precise center of Africa Terrain : Rolling plain 600 meters-700 meters (1,980 ft.-2,310 ft.) above sea level; scattered hills in northeast and southwes, mainly savannah in the north and equatorial forest in the south. The Oubangui river, which forms the southern border and flows through th Climate : Tropical, ranging from humid equatorial in the south to Sahelo-Sudanese in the north; hot, dry winters with mild to hot, wet summers Ethnic Group : More than 80;Baya 33%, Banda 27%, Sara 10%, Mandja 13%, Mboum 7%, M'baka 4%, Yakoma 4%, other 2%. Religions : Protestant 25%,Roman Catholic 25%, Muslim 15%, indigenous beliefs 35%. Official Website :www.minurcat.unmissions.org/ | 
Genral Information - Central African Republic
Background
The former French colony of Ubangi-Shari became the Central African Republic upon independence in 1960. After three tumultuous decades of misrule - mostly by military governments - civilian rule was established in 1993 and lasted for one decade. President Ange-Felix PATASSE's civilian government was plagued by unrest, and in March 2003 he was deposed in a military coup led by General Francois BOZIZE, who established a transitional government. Though the government has the tacit support of civil society groups and the main parties, a wide field of candidates contested the municipal, legislative, and presidential elections held in March and May of 2005 in which General BOZIZE was affirmed as president. The government still does not fully control the countryside, where pockets of lawlessness persist. Unrest in neighboring nations, Chad, Sudan, and the DRC, continues to affect stability in the Central African Republic as well. Source: CIA - The World Factbook |
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