Compare Central African Republic (2003) - Mauritius (2004)

Compare Central African Republic (2003) z Mauritius (2004)

	Central African Republic (2003)	Mauritius (2004)

Administrative divisions	14 prefectures (prefectures, singular - prefecture), 2 economic prefectures* (prefectures economiques, singular - prefecture economique), and 1 commune; Bamingui-Bangoran, Bangui, Basse-Kotto, Haute-Kotto, Haut-Mbomou, Kemo, Lobaye, Mambere-Kadei, Mbomou, Nana-Grebizi, Nana-Mambere, Ombella-Mpoko, Ouaka, Ouham, Ouham-Pende, Sangha-Mbaere, Vakaga	9 districts and 3 dependencies; Agalega Islands, Black River, Cargados Carajos Shoals, Flacq, Grand Port, Moka, Pamplemousses, Plaines Wilhems, Port Louis, Riviere du Rempart, Rodrigues, Savanne
Age structure	0-14 years: 43.1% (male 799,241; female 788,370) 15-64 years: 53.5% (male 969,581; female 1,000,740) 65 years and over: 3.4% (male 53,322; female 72,284) (2003 est.)	0-14 years: 24.8% (male 152,424; female 149,908) 15-64 years: 68.8% (male 418,836; female 420,411) 65 years and over: 6.5% (male 31,104; female 47,798) (2004 est.)
Agriculture - products	cotton, coffee, tobacco, manioc (tapioca), yams, millet, corn, bananas; timber	sugarcane, tea, corn, potatoes, bananas, pulses; cattle, goats; fish
Airports	50 (2002)	5 (2003 est.)
Airports - with paved runways	total: 3 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 (2002)	total: 2 over 3,047 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2004 est.)
Airports - with unpaved runways	total: 47 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 10 914 to 1,523 m: 23 under 914 m: 13 (2002)	total: 4 914 to 1,523 m: 2 under 914 m: 2 (2004 est.)
Area	total: 622,984 sq km land: 622,984 sq km water: 0 sq km	total: 2,040 sq km land: 2,030 sq km water: 10 sq km note: includes Agalega Islands, Cargados Carajos Shoals (Saint Brandon), and Rodrigues
Area - comparative	slightly smaller than Texas	almost 11 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 - civilian rule was established in 1993 and lasted for one decade. In March 2003 a military coup deposed the civilian government of President Ange-Felix PATASSE and has since established a new government.	Discovered by the Portuguese in 1505, Mauritius was subsequently held by the Dutch, French, and British before independence was attained in 1968. A stable democracy with regular free elections and a positive human rights record, the country has attracted considerable foreign investment and has earned one of Africa's highest per capita incomes. Recent poor weather and declining sugar prices have slowed economic growth, leading to some protests over standards of living in the Creole community.
Birth rate	35.93 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)	15.85 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)
Budget	revenues: $NA expenditures: $NA, including capital expenditures of $NA	revenues: $1.122 billion expenditures: $1.461 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (2003)
Capital	Bangui	Port Louis
Climate	tropical; hot, dry winters; mild to hot, wet summers	tropical, modified by southeast trade winds; warm, dry winter (May to November); hot, wet, humid summer (November to May)
Coastline	0 km (landlocked)	177 km
Constitution	passed by referendum 29 December 1994; adopted 7 January 1995	12 March 1968; amended 12 March 1992
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: Republic of Mauritius conventional short form: Mauritius
Currency	Communaute Financiere Africaine franc (XAF); note - responsible authority is the Bank of the Central African States	Mauritian rupee (MUR)
Death rate	19.73 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)	6.82 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)
Debt - external	$881.4 million (2000 est.)	$1.75 billion (2003 est.)
Diplomatic representation from the US	chief of mission: Ambassador Mattie R. SHARPLESS embassy: Avenue David Dacko, Bangui mailing address: B. P. 924, Bangui telephone: [236] 61 02 00 FAX: [236] 61 44 94	chief of mission: Ambassador John PRICE embassy: 4th Floor, Rogers House, John Kennedy Street, Port Louis mailing address: international mail: P. O. Box 544, Port Louis; US mail: American Embassy, Port Louis, Department of State, Washington, DC 20521-2450 telephone: [230] 202-4400 FAX: [230] 208-9534
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	chief of mission: Ambassador Usha JEETAH chancery: 4301 Connecticut Avenue NW, Suite 441, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 244-1491, 1492 FAX: [1] (202) 966-0983
Disputes - international	internal political instabilities with fighting and violence overlap into Chad and CAR, leaving refugees and rebel groups in both countries; violent ethnic skirmishes persist along the border with Sudan	Mauritius claims the Chagos Archipelago (UK-administered British Indian Ocean Territory), and its former inhabitants, who reside chiefly in Mauritius, were granted UK citizenship and the right to repatriation in 2001; claims French-administered Tromelin Island
Economic aid - recipient	ODA $73 million; note - traditional budget subsidies from France (2000 est.)	$42 million (1997)
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 growth likely to be no more than 1.3% in 2003. Distribution of income is extraordinarily unequal. Grants from France and the international community can only partially meet humanitarian needs.	Since independence in 1968, Mauritius has developed from a low-income, agriculturally based economy to a middle-income diversified economy with growing industrial, financial, and tourist sectors. For most of the period, annual growth has been in the order of 5% to 6%. This remarkable achievement has been reflected in more equitable income distribution, increased life expectancy, lowered infant mortality, and a much-improved infrastructure. Sugarcane is grown on about 90% of the cultivated land area and accounts for 25% of export earnings. The government's development strategy centers on expanding local financial institutions and building a domestic information telecommunications industry. Mauritius has attracted more than 9,000 offshore entities, many aimed at commerce in India and South Africa, and investment in the banking sector alone has reached over $1 billion. Mauritius, with its strong textile sector and responsible fiscal management, has been well poised to take advantage of the Africa Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA).
Electricity - consumption	98.63 million kWh (2001)	1.219 billion kWh (2001)
Electricity - exports	0 kWh (2001)	0 kWh (2001)
Electricity - imports	0 kWh (2001)	0 kWh (2001)
Electricity - production	106 million kWh (2001)	1.311 billion kWh (2001)
Electricity - production by source	fossil fuel: 19.8% hydro: 80.2% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001)	-
Elevation extremes	lowest point: Oubangui River 335 m highest point: Mont Ngaoui 1,420 m	lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m highest point: Mont Piton 828 m
Environment - current issues	tap water is not potable; poaching has diminished its reputation as one of the last great wildlife refuges; desertification; deforestation	water pollution, degradation of coral reefs
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: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Life Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
Ethnic groups	Baya 33%, Banda 27%, Mandjia 13%, Sara 10%, Mboum 7%, M'Baka 4%, Yakoma 4%, other 2%	Indo-Mauritian 68%, Creole 27%, Sino-Mauritian 3%, Franco-Mauritian 2%
Exchange rates	Communaute Financiere Africaine francs (XAF) per US dollar - 696.99 (2002), 733.04 (2001), 711.98 (2000), 615.7 (1999), 589.95 (1998)	Mauritian rupees per US dollar - 27.9015 (2003), 29.962 (2002), 29.1293 (2001), 26.2496 (2000), 25.1858 (1999)
Executive branch	chief of state: President Francois BOZIZE (since 15 March 2003 coup) head of government: Prime Minister Abel GOUMBA (since NA March 2003) cabinet: Council of Ministers elections: NA; current president assumed power following a coup on 15 March 2003 in which former President Ange-Felix PATASSE was overthrown (President BOZIZE has stated that elections will be held by NA 2004); prime minister appointed by the president	chief of state: President Sir Anerood JUGNAUTH (since 7 October 2003) and Vice President Abdool Raouf BUNDHUN (since 25 February 2002) head of government: Prime Minister Paul BERENGER (since 30 September 2003) cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president on the recommendation of the prime minister elections: president and vice president elected by the National Assembly for five-year terms; election last held 25 February 2002 (next to be held NA 2007); prime minister and deputy prime minister appointed by the president, responsible to the National Assembly election results: Karl OFFMANN elected president and Raouf BUNDHUN elected vice president; percent of vote by the National Assembly - NA; note - Karl OFFMANN stepped down on 30 September 2003
Exports	NA (2001)	NA (2001)
Exports - commodities	diamonds, timber, cotton, coffee, tobacco	clothing and textiles, sugar, cut flowers, molasses
Exports - partners	Belgium 66.8%, Spain 6.4%, Kazakhstan 4% (2002)	UK 31%, France 21.3%, US 17.6%, Madagascar 6.3% (2003)
Fiscal year	calendar year	1 July - 30 June
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	four equal horizontal bands of red (top), blue, yellow, and green
GDP	purchasing power parity - $4.296 billion (2002 est.)	purchasing power parity - $13.85 billion (2003 est.)
GDP - composition by sector	agriculture: 55% industry: 20% services: 25% (2001 est.)	agriculture: 6.1% industry: 30.3% services: 63.6% (2003 est.)
GDP - per capita	purchasing power parity - $1,200 (2002 est.)	purchasing power parity - $11,400 (2003 est.)
GDP - real growth rate	1.5% (2002 est.)	4.1% (2003 est.)
Geographic coordinates	7 00 N, 21 00 E	20 17 S, 57 33 E
Geography - note	landlocked; almost the precise center of Africa	the main island, from which the country derives its name, is of volcanic origin and is almost entirely surrounded by coral reefs
Highways	total: 23,810 km paved: 643 km unpaved: 23,167 km (1999 est.)	total: 1,926 km paved: 1,868 km (including 44 km of expressways) unpaved: 58 km (2000)
Household income or consumption by percentage share	lowest 10%: 0.7% highest 10%: 47.7% (1993)	lowest 10%: NA highest 10%: NA
Illicit drugs	-	minor consumer and transshipment point for heroin from South Asia; small amounts of cannabis produced and consumed locally; significant offshore financial industry creates potential for money laundering, but corruption levels are relatively low and the government appears generally to be committed to regulating its banking industry
Imports	NA (2001)	NA (2001)
Imports - commodities	food, textiles, petroleum products, machinery, electrical equipment, motor vehicles, chemicals, pharmaceuticals	manufactured goods, capital equipment, foodstuffs, petroleum products, chemicals
Imports - partners	France 30%, US 5.2%, Cameroon 4.5%, Germany 4.3% (2002)	South Africa 12.1%, France 12%, China 8.4%, India 8.2% (2003)
Independence	13 August 1960 (from France)	12 March 1968 (from UK)
Industrial production growth rate	3% (2002)	8% (2000 est.)
Industries	diamond mining, logging, brewing, textiles, footwear, assembly of bicycles and motorcycles	food processing (largely sugar milling), textiles, clothing; chemicals, metal products, transport equipment, nonelectrical machinery; tourism
Infant mortality rate	total: 93.3 deaths/1,000 live births male: 100.35 deaths/1,000 live births female: 86.04 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)	total: 15.57 deaths/1,000 live births male: 18.36 deaths/1,000 live births female: 12.73 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices)	3.6% (2001 est.)	4.2% (2003 est.)
International organization participation	ACCT, ACP, AfDB, BDEAC, CEEAC, CEMAC, ECA, FAO, FZ, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, Interpol, IOC, ITU, NAM, OAU, OIC (observer), OPCW (signatory), UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO	ACCT, ACP, AfDB, AU, C, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, InOC, Interpol, IOC, ISO, ITU, MIGA, NAM, OPCW, PCA, SADC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNMIK, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO
Internet Service Providers (ISPs)	1 (2002)	-
Irrigated land	NA sq km	200 sq km (2000 est.)
Judicial branch	Supreme Court or Cour Supreme; Constitutional Court (3 judges appointed by the president, 3 by the president of the National Assembly, and 3 by fellow judges); Court of Appeal; Criminal Courts; Inferior Courts	Supreme Court
Labor force	NA	560,000 (2003)
Labor force - by occupation	-	agriculture and fishing 14%, construction and industry 36%, transportation and communication 7%, trade, restaurants, hotels 16%, finance 3%, other services 24% (1995)
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: 3.1% permanent crops: 0.14% other: 96.76% (1998 est.)	arable land: 49.26% permanent crops: 2.96% other: 47.78% (2001)
Languages	French (official), Sangho (lingua franca and national language), tribal languages	English (official), Creole, French (official), Hindi, Urdu, Hakka, Bhojpuri
Legal system	based on French law	based on French civil law system with elements of English common law in certain areas
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	unicameral National Assembly (66 seats; 62 elected by popular vote, 4 appointed by the election commission from the losing political parties to give representation to various ethnic minorities; members serve five-year terms) elections: last held on 11 September 2000 (next to be held NA September 2004) election results: percent of vote by party - MSM/MMM 52.3%, MLP/PMSD 36.9%, OPR 10.8%; seats by party - MSM/MMM 54, MLP/PMSD 6, OPR 2
Life expectancy at birth	total population: 41.71 years male: 40.18 years female: 43.29 years (2003 est.)	total population: 72.09 years male: 68.11 years female: 76.13 years (2004 est.)
Literacy	definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 51% male: 63.3% female: 39.9% (2003 est.)	definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 85.6% male: 88.6% female: 82.7% (2003 est.)
Location	Central Africa, north of Democratic Republic of the Congo	Southern Africa, island in the Indian Ocean, east of Madagascar
Map references	Africa	Political Map of the World
Maritime claims	none (landlocked)	territorial sea: 12 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm continental shelf: 200 nm or to the edge of the continental margin
Merchant marine	-	total: 8 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 22,946 GRT/27,102 DWT by type: cargo 1, combination bulk 4, passenger/cargo 1, refrigerated cargo 2 foreign-owned: Belgium 1, India 4, Switzerland 2 (2004 est.)
Military branches	Central African Armed Forces (FACA) (including Republican Guard, Ground Forces, Naval Forces, and Air Force), Presidential Security Guard, Gendarmerie, National Police	National Police Force (includes the paramilitary Special Mobile Force or SMF and National Coast Guard)
Military expenditures - dollar figure	$13.43 million (FY02)	$11.2 million (2003)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP	1.1% (FY02)	0.2% (2003)
Military manpower - availability	males age 15-49: 858,671 (2003 est.)	males age 15-49: 342,482 (2004 est.)
Military manpower - fit for military service	males age 15-49: 449,466 (2003 est.)	males age 15-49: 172,157 (2004 est.)
National holiday	Republic Day, 1 December (1958)	Independence Day, 12 March (1968)
Nationality	noun: Central African(s) adjective: Central African	noun: Mauritian(s) adjective: Mauritian
Natural hazards	hot, dry, dusty harmattan winds affect northern areas; floods are common	cyclones (November to April); almost completely surrounded by reefs that may pose maritime hazards
Natural resources	diamonds, uranium, timber, gold, oil, hydropower	arable land, fish
Net migration rate	0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)	-0.9 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.)
Political parties and leaders	Alliance for Democracy and Progress or ADP [Jacques MBOLIEDAS]; Central African Democratic Assembly or RDC [Andre KOLINGBA]; Civic Forum or FC [Gen. Timothee MALENDOMA]; Democratic Forum for Modernity 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 deposed president, Ange-Felix PATASSE]; Patriotic Front for Progress or FPP [Abel GOUMBA]; People's Union for the Republic or UPR [Pierre Sammy MAKFOY]; National Unity Party or PUN [Jean-Paul NGOUPANDE]; Social Democratic Party or PSD [Enoch LAKOUE]	Hizbullah [Cehl Mohamed FAKEEMEEAH]; Mauritian Labor Party or MLP [Navinchandra RAMGOOLAM]; Mauritian Militant Movement or MMM [Paul BERENGER] - in coalition with MSM; Mauritian Social Democrat Party or PMSD [Charles Xavier-Luc DUVAL]; Militant Socialist Movement or MSM [Pravind JUGNAUTH] - governing party; Rodrigues Movement or MR [Joseph (Nicholas) Von MALLY]; Rodrigues Peoples Organization or OPR [Serge CLAIR]
Political pressure groups and leaders	NA	various labor unions
Population	3,683,538 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 2003 est.)	1,220,481 (July 2004 est.)
Population below poverty line	NA%	10% (2001 est.)
Population growth rate	1.62% (2003 est.)	0.81% (2004 est.)
Ports and harbors	Bangui, Nola, Salo, Nzinga	Port Louis
Radio broadcast stations	AM 1, FM 5, shortwave 1 (2002)	AM 4, FM 9, shortwave 0 (2002)
Railways	0 km	-
Religions	indigenous beliefs 35%, Protestant 25%, Roman Catholic 25%, Muslim 15% note: animistic beliefs and practices strongly influence the Christian majority	Hindu 52%, Christian 28.3% (Roman Catholic 26%, Protestant 2.3%), Muslim 16.6%, other 3.1%
Sex ratio	at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.01 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.97 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.74 male(s)/female total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2003 est.)	at birth: 1.02 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.02 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.65 male(s)/female total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2004 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: small system with good service domestic: primarily microwave radio relay trunk system international: country code - 230; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Indian Ocean); new microwave link to Reunion; HF radiotelephone links to several countries; fiber optic submarine cable (SAT-3/WASC/SAFE) provides connectivity to Europe and Asia
Telephones - main lines in use	9,500 (2000)	348,200 (2003)
Telephones - mobile cellular	710 (1998)	462,400 (2003)
Television broadcast stations	1 (2001)	2 (plus several repeaters) (1997)
Terrain	vast, flat to rolling, monotonous plateau; scattered hills in northeast and southwest	small coastal plain rising to discontinuous mountains encircling central plateau
Total fertility rate	4.68 children born/woman (2003 est.)	1.97 children born/woman (2004 est.)
Unemployment rate	8% (23% for Bangui) (2001 est.)	9.8% (2003 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	-

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