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Compare Central African Republic (2001) - Hong Kong (2003)

Compare Central African Republic (2001) z Hong Kong (2003)

 Central African Republic (2001)Hong Kong (2003)
 Central African RepublicHong Kong
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 (special administrative region of China)
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: 17.3% (male 680,973; female 599,309)


15-64 years: 71.7% (male 2,619,929; female 2,679,430)


65 years and over: 11% (male 375,058; female 439,471) (2003 est.)
Agriculture - products cotton, coffee, tobacco, manioc (tapioca), yams, millet, corn, bananas; timber fresh vegetables; poultry, fish, pork
Airports 52 (2000 est.) 3 (2002)
Airports - with paved runways total:
3

2,438 to 3,047 m:
1

1,524 to 2,437 m:
2 (2000 est.)
total: 3


over 3,047 m: 1


1,524 to 2,437 m: 1


914 to 1523 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: 1,092 sq km


land: 1,042 sq km


water: 50 sq km
Area - comparative slightly smaller than Texas six times the size of 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. Occupied by the UK in 1841, Hong Kong was formally ceded by China the following year; various adjacent lands were added later in the 19th century. Pursuant to an agreement signed by China and the UK on 19 December 1984, Hong Kong became the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (SAR) of China on 1 July 1997. In this agreement, China has promised that, under its "one country, two systems" formula, China's socialist economic system will not be imposed on Hong Kong and that Hong Kong will enjoy a high degree of autonomy in all matters except foreign and defense affairs for the next 50 years.
Birth rate 37.05 births/1,000 population (2001 est.) 10.71 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)
Budget revenues:
$638 million

expenditures:
$1.9 billion, including capital expenditures of $888 million (1994 est.)
revenues: $22.8 billion


expenditures: $30.7 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (FY02/03)
Capital Bangui -
Climate tropical; hot, dry winters; mild to hot, wet summers tropical monsoon; cool and humid in winter, hot and rainy from spring through summer, warm and sunny in fall
Coastline 0 km (landlocked) 733 km
Constitution passed by referendum 29 December 1994; adopted 7 January 1995 Basic Law approved in March 1990 by China's National People's Congress is Hong Kong's "mini-constitution"
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: Hong Kong Special Administrative Region


conventional short form: Hong Kong


local long form: Xianggang Tebie Xingzhengqu


local short form: Xianggang


abbreviation: HK
Currency Communaute Financiere Africaine franc (XAF); note - responsible authority is the Bank of the Central African States Hong Kong dollar (HKD)
Death rate 18.53 deaths/1,000 population (2001 est.) 6.19 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)
Debt - external $790 million (1999 est.) $49.5 billion (2002 est.)
Dependency status - special administrative region of China
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 James KEITH


consulate(s) general: 26 Garden Road, Hong Kong


mailing address: PSC 461, Box 1, FPO AP 96521-0006


telephone: [852] 2523-9011


FAX: [852] 2524-0860
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 (special administrative region of China)
Disputes - international none none
Economic aid - recipient $172.2 million (1995); note - traditional budget subsidies from France -
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. Hong Kong has a free market economy highly dependent on international trade. Natural resources are limited, and food and raw materials must be imported. Imports and exports, including reexports, each exceed GDP in dollar value. Even before Hong Kong reverted to Chinese administration on 1 July 1997 it had extensive trade and investment ties with China. Hong Kong has been further integrating its economy with China because China's growing openness to the world economy has increased competitive pressure on Hong Kong's service industries, and Hong Kong's re-export business from China is a major driver of growth. Per capita GDP compares with the level in the four big economies of Western Europe. GDP growth averaged a strong 5% in 1989-1997, but Hong Kong suffered two recessions in the past 6 years because of the Asian financial crisis in 1998 and the global downturn of 2001-2002. The Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) outbreak has also battered Hong Kong's economy but the resumption of strong growth began in 2003.
Electricity - consumption 94.9 million kWh (1999) 37.12 billion kWh (2001)
Electricity - exports 0 kWh (1999) 1.581 billion kWh (2001)
Electricity - imports 0 kWh (1999) 10.36 billion kWh (2001)
Electricity - production 102 million kWh (1999) 30.48 billion kWh (2001)
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% (2001)
Elevation extremes lowest point:
Oubangui River 335 m

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


highest point: Tai Mo Shan 958 m
Environment - current issues tap water is not potable; poaching has diminished its reputation as one of the last great wildlife refuges; desertification; deforestation air and water pollution from rapid urbanization
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
party to: Marine Dumping (associate member), Ship Pollution (associate member)
Ethnic groups Baya 34%, Banda 27%, Sara 10%, Mandjia 21%, Mboum 4%, M'Baka 4%, Europeans 6,500 (including 1,500 French) Chinese 95%, other 5%
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 Hong Kong dollars per US dollar - 7.8 (2002), 7.8 (2001), 7.79 (2000), 7.76 (1999), 7.75 (1998)
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: President of China HU Jintao (since 15 March 2003)


head of government: Chief Executive TUNG Chee-hwa (since 1 July 1997)


cabinet: Executive Council consists of three ex-officio members and 10 appointed members; ex-officio members are: Chief Secretary Donald TSANG Yam-kuen (since 1 May 2001), Financial Secretary Antony LEUNG (since 1 May 2001), and Secretary of Justice Elsie LEUNG (since 1 July 1997)


elections: TUNG Chee-Hwa was elected to a second term in March 2002 by an 800-member election committee dominated by pro-Beijing forces; the next election is scheduled to be held in 2007
Exports $166 million (f.o.b., 2000) NA (2001)
Exports - commodities diamonds, timber, cotton, coffee, tobacco electrical machinery and appliances, textiles, apparel, footwear, watches and clocks, toys, plastics, precious stones
Exports - partners Benelux 64%, Cote d'Ivoire, Spain, China, Egypt, France (1999) China 34%, US 19.5%, UK 5.5%, Japan 4.8% (2002)
Fiscal year calendar year 1 April - 31 March
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 red with a stylized, white, five-petal bauhinia flower in the center
GDP purchasing power parity - $6.1 billion (2000 est.) purchasing power parity - $198.5 billion (2002 est.)
GDP - composition by sector agriculture:
53%

industry:
20%

services:
27% (1999 est.)
agriculture: 0.1%


industry: 13.4%


services: 86.5% (2001 est.)
GDP - per capita purchasing power parity - $1,700 (2000 est.) purchasing power parity - $27,200 (2002 est.)
GDP - real growth rate 3.5% (2000 est.) 2.3% (2002 est.)
Geographic coordinates 7 00 N, 21 00 E 22 15 N, 114 10 E
Geography - note landlocked; almost the precise center of Africa more than 200 islands
Heliports - 2 (2002)
Highways total:
23,810 km

paved:
429 km

unpaved:
23,381 km (2000)
total: 1,831 km


paved: 1,831 km


unpaved: 0 km (1999 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share lowest 10%:
0.7%

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


highest 10%: NA%
Illicit drugs - Makes strenuous law enforcement efforts, but faces serious challenges in controlling transit of heroin and methamphetamine to regional and world markets; modern banking system provides a conduit for money laundering; rising indigenous use of synthetic drugs, especially among young people
Imports $154 million (f.o.b., 2000) NA (2001)
Imports - commodities food, textiles, petroleum products, machinery, electrical equipment, motor vehicles, chemicals, pharmaceuticals, consumer goods, industrial products foodstuffs, transport equipment, raw materials, semimanufactures, petroleum, plastics, machinery, electrical equipment; a large share is reexported
Imports - partners France 35%, Cameroon 13%, Benelux, Cote d'Ivoire, Germany, Japan (1999) China 37.5%, Japan 12.2%, Taiwan 7.3%, US 6.2%, Singapore 5.3%, South Korea 5% (2002)
Independence 13 August 1960 (from France) none (special administrative region of China)
Industrial production growth rate NA% -9.7% (2002 est.)
Industries diamond mining, sawmills, breweries, textiles, footwear, assembly of bicycles and motorcycles textiles, clothing, tourism, banking, shipping, electronics, plastics, toys, watches, clocks
Infant mortality rate 105.25 deaths/1,000 live births (2001 est.) total: 5.63 deaths/1,000 live births


male: 5.44 deaths/1,000 live births


female: 5.84 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices) 3% (2000 est.) 3% (2002 est.)
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 APEC, AsDB, BIS, ESCAP (associate), ICC, ICFTU, IHO, IMO (associate), Interpol (subbureau), IOC, ISO (correspondent), WCL, WCO, WMO, WToO (associate), WTrO
Internet Service Providers (ISPs) 1 (2000) 17 (2000)
Irrigated land NA sq km 20 sq km (1998 est.)
Judicial branch Supreme Court or Cour Supreme; Constitutional Court (all judges appointed by the president); Court of Appeal; Criminal Courts Court of Final Appeal in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region
Labor force NA 3.52 million (2001 est.)
Labor force - by occupation - wholesale and retail trade, restaurants, and hotels 31%, financing, insurance, and real estate 13%, community and social services 12%, manufacturing 6%, transport and communications 6%, construction 5%, other 25% (2002 est.)
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
total: 30 km


border countries: China 30 km
Land use arable land:
3%

permanent crops:
0%

permanent pastures:
5%

forests and woodland:
75%

other:
17% (1993 est.)
arable land: 5.05%


permanent crops: 1.01%


other: 93.94% (1998 est.)
Languages French (official), Sangho (lingua franca and national language), Arabic, Hunsa, Swahili Chinese (Cantonese), English; both are official
Legal system based on French law based on English common law
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 Legislative Council or LEGCO (60 seats; 30 indirectly elected by functional constituencies, 24 elected by popular vote, and 6 elected by an 800-member election committee; members serve four-year terms)


elections: last held 10 September 2000 (next to be held in September 2004)


election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - Democratic Party 12, Democratic Alliance for the Betterment of Hong Kong 10, Liberal Party 7, Frontier Party 5, Hong Kong Progressive Alliance 4, New Century Forum 2, Hong Kong Association for Democracy and People's Livelihood 1, independents 19
Life expectancy at birth total population:
43.8 years

male:
42.17 years

female:
45.48 years (2001 est.)
total population: 79.93 years


male: 77.23 years


female: 82.83 years (2003 est.)
Literacy definition:
age 15 and over can read and write

total population:
60%

male:
68.5%

female:
52.4% (1995 est.)
definition: age 15 and over has ever attended school


total population: 94%


male: 97.1%


female: 90.5% (2003 est.)
Location Central Africa, north of Democratic Republic of the Congo Eastern Asia, bordering the South China Sea and China
Map references Africa Southeast Asia
Maritime claims none (landlocked) territorial sea: 3 NM
Merchant marine - total: 549 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 16,176,728 GRT/27,119,764 DWT


ships by type: barge carrier 1, bulk 315, cargo 66, chemical tanker 15, combination bulk 2, container 86, liquefied gas 16, multi-functional large-load carrier 1, petroleum tanker 40, refrigerated cargo 2, roll on/roll off 2, short-sea passenger 1, vehicle carrier 2, includes some foreign-owned ships registered here as a flag of convenience: Belgium 5, Belize 1, British Virgin Islands 1, China 115, Denmark 2, Germany 19, Greece 2, India 8, Japan 8, Liberia 1, Malaysia 7, Norway 1, Panama 2, Philippines 5, Singapore 7, South Korea 2, Taiwan 1, UK 27, Virgin Islands (UK) 1


note: (2002 est.)
Military - note - defense is the responsibility of China
Military branches Central African Armed Forces (includes Army, Air Force, Presidential Guard, National Gendarmerie, Police Force) no regular indigenous military forces; Hong Kong garrison of China's People's Liberation Army (PLA) including elements of the PLA Ground Forces, PLA Navy, and PLA Air Force; these forces are under the direct leadership of the Central Military Commission in Beijing and under administrative control of the adjacent Guangzhou Military Region
Military expenditures - dollar figure $29 million (FY96) -
Military expenditures - percent of GDP 2.2% (FY96) NA% (FY02)
Military manpower - availability males age 15-49:
824,139 (2001 est.)
males age 15-49: 2,033,716 (2003 est.)
Military manpower - fit for military service males age 15-49:
430,922 (2001 est.)
males age 15-49: 1,524,903 (2003 est.)
Military manpower - military age - 18 years of age (2003 est.)
Military manpower - reaching military age annually - males: 47,477 (2003 est.)
National holiday Republic Day, 1 December (1958) National Day (Anniversary of the Founding of the People's Republic of China), 1 October (1949); note - 1 July 1997 is celebrated as Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Establishment Day
Nationality noun:
Central African(s)

adjective:
Central African
noun: Chinese


adjective: Chinese
Natural hazards hot, dry, dusty harmattan winds affect northern areas; floods are common occasional typhoons
Natural resources diamonds, uranium, timber, gold, oil, hydropower outstanding deepwater harbor, feldspar
Net migration rate 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2001 est.) 7.64 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 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] Association for Democracy and People's Livelihood [Frederick FUNG Kin-kee, chairman]; Citizens Party [Alex CHAN Kai-chung]; Democratic Alliance for the Betterment of Hong Kong [Jasper TSANG Yok-sing, chairman]; Democratic Party [Martin LEE Chu-ming, chairman]; Frontier Party [Emily LAU Wai-hing, chairwoman]; Hong Kong Association for Democracy and People's Livelihood [leader NA]; Hong Kong Progressive Alliance [Ambrose LAU Hon-chuen]; Liberal Party [James TIEN Pei-chun, chairman]; New Century Forum [NQ Ching-fai, chairman]


note: political blocs include: pro-democracy - Association for Democracy and People's Livelihood, Citizens Party, Democratic Party, Frontier Party; pro-Beijing - Democratic Alliance for the Betterment of Hong Kong, Hong Kong Progressive Alliance, Liberal Party, New Century Forum
Political pressure groups and leaders NA Chinese General Chamber of Commerce (pro-China); Chinese Manufacturers' Association of Hong Kong; Confederation of Trade Unions (pro-democracy) [LAU Chin-shek, president; LEE Cheuk-yan, general secretary]; Federation of Hong Kong Industries; Federation of Trade Unions (pro-China) [LEE Chark-tim, president]; Hong Kong Alliance in Support of the Patriotic Democratic Movement in China [Szeto WAH, chairman]; Hong Kong and Kowloon Trade Union Council (pro-Taiwan); Hong Kong General Chamber of Commerce; Hong Kong Professional Teachers' Union [CHEUNG Man-kwong, president]; Liberal Democratic Federation [HU Fa-kuang, chairman]
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.)
7,394,170 (July 2003 est.)
Population below poverty line NA% NA%
Population growth rate 1.85% (2001 est.) 1.22% (2003 est.)
Ports and harbors Bangui, Nola Hong Kong
Radio broadcast stations AM 1, FM 3, shortwave 1 (1998) AM 7, FM 13, shortwave 0 (1998)
Radios 283,000 (1997) -
Railways 0 km total: 34 km


standard gauge: 34 km 1.435-m gauge (electrified and double-tracked)


note: connects to China railway system at Hong Kong-China border (2001)
Religions indigenous beliefs 24%, Protestant 25%, Roman Catholic 25%, Muslim 15%, other 11%

note:
animistic beliefs and practices strongly influence the Christian majority
eclectic mixture of local religions 90%, Christian 10%
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: 1.07 male(s)/female


under 15 years: 1.14 male(s)/female


15-64 years: 0.98 male(s)/female


65 years and over: 0.85 male(s)/female


total population: 0.99 male(s)/female (2003 est.)
Suffrage 21 years of age; universal direct election 18 years of age; universal for permanent residents living in the territory of Hong Kong for the past seven years; indirect election limited to about 100,000 members of functional constituencies and an 800-member election committee drawn from broad regional groupings, municipal organizations, and central government bodies
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: modern facilities provide excellent domestic and international services


domestic: microwave radio relay links and extensive fiber-optic network


international: satellite earth stations - 3 Intelsat (1 Pacific Ocean and 2 Indian Ocean); coaxial cable to Guangzhou, China; access to 5 international submarine cables providing connections to ASEAN member nations, Japan, Taiwan, Australia, Middle East, and Western Europe
Telephones - main lines in use 10,000 (1997) 3.839 million (1999)
Telephones - mobile cellular 570 (1997) 3.7 million (December 1999)
Television broadcast stations NA 4 (plus two repeaters) (1997)
Terrain vast, flat to rolling, monotonous plateau; scattered hills in northeast and southwest hilly to mountainous with steep slopes; lowlands in north
Total fertility rate 4.86 children born/woman (2001 est.) 1.32 children born/woman (2003 est.)
Unemployment rate 6% (1993) 7.5% (2002 est.)
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
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