Main page Compare countries Index countries Index fields

Query:
##ciekawa_strona##

Compare Central African Republic (2001) - Aruba (2002)

Compare Central African Republic (2001) z Aruba (2002)

 Central African Republic (2001)Aruba (2002)
 Central African RepublicAruba
Administrative divisions 14 prefectures (prefectures, singular - prefecture), 2 economic prefectures* (prefectures economiques, singular - prefecture economique), and 1 commune**; Bamingui-Bangoran, Bangui**, Basse-Kotto, Gribingui*, Haute-Kotto, Haute-Sangha, Haut-Mbomou, Kemo-Gribingui, Lobaye, Mbomou, Nana-Mambere, Ombella-Mpoko, Ouaka, Ouham, Ouham-Pende, Sangha*, Vakaga none (part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands)
Age structure 0-14 years:
43.23% (male 778,885; female 767,414)

15-64 years:
53% (male 929,717; female 965,947)

65 years and over:
3.77% (male 59,364; female 75,557) (2001 est.)
0-14 years: 21% (male 7,635; female 7,169)


15-64 years: 68.4% (male 23,270; female 24,906)


65 years and over: 10.6% (male 3,081; female 4,380) (2002 est.)
Agriculture - products cotton, coffee, tobacco, manioc (tapioca), yams, millet, corn, bananas; timber aloes; livestock; fish
Airports 52 (2000 est.) 1 (2001)
Airports - with paved runways total:
3

2,438 to 3,047 m:
1

1,524 to 2,437 m:
2 (2000 est.)
total: 1


2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 (2002)
Airports - with unpaved runways total:
49

2,438 to 3,047 m:
1

1,524 to 2,437 m:
10

914 to 1,523 m:
23

under 914 m:
15 (2000 est.)
-
Area total:
622,984 sq km

land:
622,984 sq km

water:
0 sq km
total: 193 sq km


land: 193 sq km


water: 0 sq km
Area - comparative slightly smaller than Texas slightly larger than Washington, DC
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 - a civilian government was installed in 1993. Discovered and claimed for Spain in 1499, Aruba was acquired by the Dutch in 1636. The island's economy has been dominated by three main industries. A 19th century gold rush was followed by prosperity brought on by the opening in 1924 of an oil refinery. The last decades of the 20th century saw a boom in the tourism industry. Aruba seceded from the Netherlands Antilles in 1986 and became a separate, autonomous member of the Kingdom of the Netherlands. Movement toward full independence was halted at Aruba's request in 1990.
Birth rate 37.05 births/1,000 population (2001 est.) 12.22 births/1,000 population (2002 est.)
Budget revenues:
$638 million

expenditures:
$1.9 billion, including capital expenditures of $888 million (1994 est.)
revenues: $135.81 million


expenditures: $147 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (2000)
Capital Bangui Oranjestad
Climate tropical; hot, dry winters; mild to hot, wet summers tropical marine; little seasonal temperature variation
Coastline 0 km (landlocked) 68.5 km
Constitution passed by referendum 29 December 1994; adopted 7 January 1995 1 January 1986
Country name conventional long form:
Central African Republic

conventional short form:
none

local long form:
Republique Centrafricaine

local short form:
none

former:
Ubangi-Shari, Central African Empire

abbreviation:
CAR
conventional long form: none


conventional short form: Aruba
Currency Communaute Financiere Africaine franc (XAF); note - responsible authority is the Bank of the Central African States Aruban guilder/florin (AWG)
Death rate 18.53 deaths/1,000 population (2001 est.) 6.29 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.)
Debt - external $790 million (1999 est.) $285 million (1996)
Dependency status - part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands; full autonomy in internal affairs obtained in 1986 upon separation from the Netherlands Antilles; Dutch Government responsible for defense and foreign affairs
Diplomatic representation from the US chief of mission:
Ambassador Robert C. PERRY

embassy:
Avenue David Dacko, Bangui

mailing address:
B. P. 924, Bangui

telephone:
[236] 61 02 00

FAX:
[236] 61 44 94
chief of mission: Consul General Deborah A. BOLTON


embassy: J. B. Gorsiraweg #1, Curacao


mailing address: P. O. Box 158, Willemstad, Curacao


telephone: [599] (9) 461-3066


FAX: [599] (9) 461-6489
Diplomatic representation in the US chief of mission:
Ambassador Emmanuel TOUABOY

chancery:
1618 22nd Street NW, Washington, DC 20008

telephone:
[1] (202) 483-7800

FAX:
[1] (202) 332-9893
none (represented by the Kingdom of the Netherlands)
Disputes - international none none
Economic aid - recipient $172.2 million (1995); note - traditional budget subsidies from France $26 million (1995); note - the Netherlands provided a $127 million aid package to Aruba and Suriname in 1996
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 nearly 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. The 50% devaluation of the currencies of 14 Francophone African nations on 12 January 1994 had mixed effects on the CAR's economy. Diamond, timber, coffee, and cotton exports increased, leading an estimated rise of GDP of 7% in 1994 and nearly 5% in 1995. Military rebellions and social unrest in 1996 were accompanied by widespread destruction of property and a drop in GDP of 2%. The IMF approved an Extended Structure Adjustment Facility in 1998 and the World Bank extended further credits in 1999 and approved a $10 million loan in early 2001. The government has set targets of 3.5% GDP growth in 2001 and 2002. As of January 2001, many civil servants were owed as much as 30 months pay, leading them to go on strike and further damaging the economy. Tourism is the mainstay of the small, open Aruban economy, with offshore banking and oil refining and storage also important. The rapid growth of the tourism sector over the last decade has resulted in a substantial expansion of other activities. Construction has boomed, with hotel capacity five times the 1985 level. In addition, the reopening of the country's oil refinery in 1993, a major source of employment and foreign exchange earnings, has further spurred growth. Aruba's small labor force and low unemployment rate have led to a large number of unfilled job vacancies, despite sharp rises in wage rates in recent years. The government's goal of balancing the budget within two years will hamper expenditures, as will the decline in stopover tourist arrivals following the 11 September terrorist attacks.
Electricity - consumption 94.9 million kWh (1999) 418.5 million kWh (2000)
Electricity - exports 0 kWh (1999) 0 kWh (2000)
Electricity - imports 0 kWh (1999) 0 kWh (2000)
Electricity - production 102 million kWh (1999) 450 million kWh (2000)
Electricity - production by source fossil fuel:
20.59%

hydro:
79.41%

nuclear:
0%

other:
0% (1999)
fossil fuel: 100%


hydro: 0%


nuclear: 0%


other: 0% (2000)
Elevation extremes lowest point:
Oubangui River 335 m

highest point:
Mont Ngaoui 1,420 m
lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m


highest point: Mount Jamanota 188 m
Environment - current issues tap water is not potable; poaching has diminished its reputation as one of the last great wildlife refuges; desertification; deforestation NA
Environment - international agreements party to:
Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Tropical Timber 94

signed, but not ratified:
Law of the Sea
-
Ethnic groups Baya 34%, Banda 27%, Sara 10%, Mandjia 21%, Mboum 4%, M'Baka 4%, Europeans 6,500 (including 1,500 French) mixed white/Caribbean Amerindian 80%
Exchange rates Communaute Financiere Africaine francs (XAF) per US dollar - 699.21 (January 2001), 711.98 (2000), 615.70 (1999), 589.95 (1998), 583.67 (1997), 511.55 (1996); note - from 1 January 1999, the XAF is pegged to the euro at a rate of 655.957 XAF per euro Aruban guilders/florins per US dollar - 1.7900 (fixed rate since 1986)
Executive branch chief of state:
President Ange-Felix PATASSE (since 22 October 1993)

head of government:
Prime Minister Martin ZIGUELE (since 1 April 2001)

cabinet:
Council of Ministers

elections:
president elected by popular vote for a six-year term; election last held 19 September 1999 (next to be held NA 2005); prime minister appointed by the president

election results:
Ange-Felix PATASSE reelected president; percent of vote - Ange-Felix PATASSE 51.63%, Andre KOLINGBA 19.38%, David DACKO 11.15%
chief of state: Queen BEATRIX of the Netherlands (since 30 April 1980), represented by Governor General Olindo KOOLMAN (since 1 January 1992)


head of government: Prime Minister Nelson O. ODUBER (since 30 October 2001); deputy prime minister NA


cabinet: Council of Ministers (elected by the Staten)


elections: the monarch is hereditary; governor general appointed for a six-year term by the monarch; prime minister and deputy prime minister elected by the Staten for four-year terms; election last held 28 September 2001 (next to be held by December 2005)


election results: Nelson O. ODUBER elected prime minister; percent of legislative vote - NA%
Exports $166 million (f.o.b., 2000) $2.58 billion f.o.b. (including oil reexports) (2000)
Exports - commodities diamonds, timber, cotton, coffee, tobacco live animals and animal products, art and collectibles, machinery and electrical equipment, transport equipment
Exports - partners Benelux 64%, Cote d'Ivoire, Spain, China, Egypt, France (1999) US 42%, Colombia 20%, Netherlands 12% (1999)
Fiscal year calendar year calendar year
Flag description four equal horizontal bands of blue (top), white, green, and yellow with a vertical red band in center; there is a yellow five-pointed star on the hoist side of the blue band blue, with two narrow, horizontal, yellow stripes across the lower portion and a red, four-pointed star outlined in white in the upper hoist-side corner
GDP purchasing power parity - $6.1 billion (2000 est.) purchasing power parity - $1.94 billion (1999 est.)
GDP - composition by sector agriculture:
53%

industry:
20%

services:
27% (1999 est.)
agriculture: NA%


industry: NA%


services: NA%
GDP - per capita purchasing power parity - $1,700 (2000 est.) purchasing power parity - $28,000 (2000 est.)
GDP - real growth rate 3.5% (2000 est.) 2.5% (2000)
Geographic coordinates 7 00 N, 21 00 E 12 30 N, 69 58 W
Geography - note landlocked; almost the precise center of Africa a flat, riverless island renowned for its white sand beaches; its tropical climate is moderated by constant trade winds from the Atlantic Ocean; the temperature is almost constant at about 27 degrees Celsius (81 degrees Fahrenheit)
Highways total:
23,810 km

paved:
429 km

unpaved:
23,381 km (2000)
total: 800 km


paved: 513 km


unpaved: 287 km


note: most coastal roads are paved, while unpaved roads serve large tracts of the interior (1995)
Household income or consumption by percentage share lowest 10%:
0.7%

highest 10%:
47.7% (1993)
lowest 10%: NA%


highest 10%: NA%
Illicit drugs - transit point for US- and Europe-bound narcotics with some accompanying money-laundering activity
Imports $154 million (f.o.b., 2000) $2.61 billion f.o.b. (2000)
Imports - commodities food, textiles, petroleum products, machinery, electrical equipment, motor vehicles, chemicals, pharmaceuticals, consumer goods, industrial products machinery and electrical equipment, crude oil for refining and reexport, chemicals; foodstuffs
Imports - partners France 35%, Cameroon 13%, Benelux, Cote d'Ivoire, Germany, Japan (1999) US 63%, Netherlands 11%, Netherlands Antilles 3%, Japan (1999)
Independence 13 August 1960 (from France) none (part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands)
Industrial production growth rate NA% NA%
Industries diamond mining, sawmills, breweries, textiles, footwear, assembly of bicycles and motorcycles tourism, transshipment facilities, oil refining
Infant mortality rate 105.25 deaths/1,000 live births (2001 est.) 6.26 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices) 3% (2000 est.) 4% (2000)
International organization participation ACCT, ACP, AfDB, BDEAC, CCC, CEEAC, CEMAC, ECA, FAO, FZ, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, ITU, NAM, OAU, OIC (observer), OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO Caricom (observer), ECLAC (associate), Interpol, IOC, UNESCO (associate), WCL, WToO (associate)
Internet Service Providers (ISPs) 1 (2000) NA
Irrigated land NA sq km 0.01 sq km (1998 est.)
Judicial branch Supreme Court or Cour Supreme; Constitutional Court (all judges appointed by the president); Court of Appeal; Criminal Courts Joint High Court of Justice (judges are appointed by the monarch)
Labor force NA 41,501
Labor force - by occupation - most employment is in wholesale and retail trade and repair, followed by hotels and restaurants; oil refining
Land boundaries total:
5,203 km

border countries:
Cameroon 797 km, Chad 1,197 km, Democratic Republic of the Congo 1,577 km, Republic of the Congo 467 km, Sudan 1,165 km
0 km
Land use arable land:
3%

permanent crops:
0%

permanent pastures:
5%

forests and woodland:
75%

other:
17% (1993 est.)
arable land: 10.53% (including aloe 0.01%)


permanent crops: 0%


other: 89.47% (1998 est.)
Languages French (official), Sangho (lingua franca and national language), Arabic, Hunsa, Swahili Dutch (official), Papiamento (a Spanish, Portuguese, Dutch, English dialect), English (widely spoken), Spanish
Legal system based on French law based on Dutch civil law system, with some English common law influence
Legislative branch unicameral National Assembly or Assemblee Nationale (109 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms; note - there were 85 seats in the National Assembly before the 1998 election)

elections:
last held 22-23 November and 13 December 1998 (next to be held NA 2003)

election results:
percent of vote by party - MLPC 43%, RDC 18%, MDD 9%, FPP 6%, PSD 5%, ADP 4%, PUN 3%, FODEM 2%, PLD 2%, UPR 1%, FC 1%, independents 6%; seats by party - MLPC 47, RDC 20, MDD 8, FPP 7, PSD 6, ADP 5, PUN 3, FODEM 2, PLD 2, UPR 1, FC 1, independents 7

note:
the National Assembly is advised by the Economic and Regional Council or Conseil Economique et Regional; when they sit together they are called the Congress or Congres
unicameral Legislature or Staten (21 seats; members elected by direct, popular vote to serve four-year terms)


elections: last held 28 September 2001 (next to be held by NA 2005)


election results: percent of vote by party - MEP 52.4%, AVP 26.7%, PPA 9.6%, OLA 5.7%, Aliansa 3.5%, other 2.1%; seats by party - MEP 12, AVP 6, PPA 2, OLA 1
Life expectancy at birth total population:
43.8 years

male:
42.17 years

female:
45.48 years (2001 est.)
total population: 78.67 years


male: 75.32 years


female: 82.19 years (2002 est.)
Literacy definition:
age 15 and over can read and write

total population:
60%

male:
68.5%

female:
52.4% (1995 est.)
definition: NA


total population: 97%


male: NA%


female: NA%
Location Central Africa, north of Democratic Republic of the Congo Caribbean, island in the Caribbean Sea, north of Venezuela
Map references Africa Central America and the Caribbean
Maritime claims none (landlocked) territorial sea: 12 NM
Merchant marine - note: there is one foreign-owned ship registered here as a flag of convenience: Monaco 1 (2002 est.)
Military - note - defense is the responsibility of the Kingdom of the Netherlands
Military branches Central African Armed Forces (includes Army, Air Force, Presidential Guard, National Gendarmerie, Police Force) no regular indigenous military forces; Royal Dutch Navy and Marines, Coast Guard
Military expenditures - dollar figure $29 million (FY96) -
Military expenditures - percent of GDP 2.2% (FY96) -
Military manpower - availability males age 15-49:
824,139 (2001 est.)
-
Military manpower - fit for military service males age 15-49:
430,922 (2001 est.)
-
National holiday Republic Day, 1 December (1958) Flag Day, 18 March
Nationality noun:
Central African(s)

adjective:
Central African
noun: Aruban(s)


adjective: Aruban; Dutch
Natural hazards hot, dry, dusty harmattan winds affect northern areas; floods are common lies outside the Caribbean hurricane belt
Natural resources diamonds, uranium, timber, gold, oil, hydropower NEGL; white sandy beaches
Net migration rate 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2001 est.) NEGL migrant(s)/1,000 population (2002 est.)
Political parties and leaders Alliance for Democracy and Progress or ADP [Francois PEHOUA]; Central African Democratic Assembly or RDC [Andre KOLINGBA]; Civic Forum or FC [Gen. Timothee MALENDOMA]; Democratic Forum or FODEM [Charles MASSI]; Liberal Democratic Party or PLD [Nestor KOMBO-NAGUEMON]; Movement for Democracy and Development or MDD [David DACKO]; Movement for the Liberation of the Central African People or MLPC [the party of the president, Ange-Felix PATASSE]; Patriotic Front for Progress or FPP [Abel GOUMBA]; People's Union for the Republic or UPR [leader NA]; National Unity Party or PUN [Jean-Paul NGOUPANDE]; Social Democratic Party or PSD [Enoch LAKOUE] Aruba Solidarity Movement or MAS [leader NA]; Aruban Democratic Alliance or Aliansa [leader NA]; Aruban Democratic Party or PDA [Leo BERLINSKI]; Aruban Liberal Party or OLA [Glenbert CROES]; Aruban Patriotic Party or PPA [Benny NISBET]; Aruban People's Party or AVP [Jan (Henny) H. EMAN]; Concentration for the Liberation of Aruba or CLA [leader NA]; People's Electoral Movement Party or MEP [Nelson O. ODUBER]; For a Restructured Aruba Now or PARA [Urbana LOPEZ]; National Democratic Action or ADN [Pedro Charro KELLY]
Political pressure groups and leaders NA NA
Population 3,576,884

note:
estimates for this country explicitly take into account the effects of excess mortality due to AIDS; this can result in lower life expectancy, higher infant mortality and death rates, lower population and growth rates, and changes in the distribution of population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July 2001 est.)
70,441 (July 2002 est.)
Population below poverty line NA% NA%
Population growth rate 1.85% (2001 est.) 0.59% (2002 est.)
Ports and harbors Bangui, Nola Barcadera, Oranjestad, Sint Nicolaas
Radio broadcast stations AM 1, FM 3, shortwave 1 (1998) AM 4, FM 6, shortwave 0 (1998)
Radios 283,000 (1997) 50,000 (1997)
Railways 0 km 0 km
Religions indigenous beliefs 24%, Protestant 25%, Roman Catholic 25%, Muslim 15%, other 11%

note:
animistic beliefs and practices strongly influence the Christian majority
Roman Catholic 82%, Protestant 8%, Hindu, Muslim, Confucian, Jewish
Sex ratio at birth:
1.03 male(s)/female

under 15 years:
1.01 male(s)/female

15-64 years:
0.96 male(s)/female

65 years and over:
0.79 male(s)/female

total population:
0.98 male(s)/female (2001 est.)
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female


under 15 years: 1.07 male(s)/female


15-64 years: 0.93 male(s)/female


65 years and over: 0.7 male(s)/female


total population: 0.93 male(s)/female (2002 est.)
Suffrage 21 years of age; universal 18 years of age; universal
Telephone system general assessment:
fair system

domestic:
network consists principally of microwave radio relay and low-capacity, low-powered radiotelephone communication

international:
satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)
general assessment: NA


domestic: more than adequate


international: 1 submarine cable to Sint Maarten (Netherlands Antilles); extensive interisland microwave radio relay links
Telephones - main lines in use 10,000 (1997) 33,000 (1997)
Telephones - mobile cellular 570 (1997) 3,402 (1997)
Television broadcast stations NA 1 (1997)
Terrain vast, flat to rolling, monotonous plateau; scattered hills in northeast and southwest flat with a few hills; scant vegetation
Total fertility rate 4.86 children born/woman (2001 est.) 1.8 children born/woman (2002 est.)
Unemployment rate 6% (1993) 0.6%
Waterways 900 km

note:
traditional trade carried on by means of shallow-draft dugouts; Oubangui is the most important river, navigable all year to craft drawing 0.6 m or less; 282 km navigable to craft drawing as much as 1.8 m
none
Sitemap: Compare countries listing (map site) | Country listing (map site)
Links: Add to favorites | Information about this website | Stats | Polityka prywatnosci
This page was generated in ##czas## s. Size this page: ##rozmiar_strony## kB.