Central African Republic (2004) | Samoa (2003) | |
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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 | 11 districts; A'ana, Aiga-i-le-Tai, Atua, Fa'asaleleaga, Gaga'emauga, Gagaifomauga, Palauli, Satupa'itea, Tuamasaga, Va'a-o-Fonoti, Vaisigano |
Age structure | 0-14 years: 42.8% (male 806,506; female 795,639)
15-64 years: 53.8% (male 990,522; female 1,021,491) 65 years and over: 3.4% (male 53,860; female 74,464) (2004 est.) |
0-14 years: 29.4% (male 26,613; female 25,715)
15-64 years: 64.6% (male 72,135; female 42,903) 65 years and over: 6.1% (male 4,980; female 5,827) (2003 est.) |
Agriculture - products | cotton, coffee, tobacco, manioc (tapioca), yams, millet, corn, bananas; timber | coconuts, bananas, taro, yams, coffee, cocoa |
Airports | 50 (2003 est.) | 4 (2002) |
Airports - with paved runways | total: 3
2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 (2004 est.) |
total: 3
2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 under 914 m: 2 (2002) |
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 (2004 est.) |
total: 1
under 914 m: 1 (2002) |
Area | total: 622,984 sq km
land: 622,984 sq km water: 0 sq km |
total: 2,944 sq km
land: 2,934 sq km water: 10 sq km |
Area - comparative | slightly smaller than Texas | slightly smaller than Rhode Island |
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 has since established a transitional government. Though the government has the tacit support of civil society groups and the main parties, a wide field of affiliated and independent candidates will contest the municipal, legislative, and presidential elections scheduled for February 2005. The government still does not fully control the countryside, where pockets of lawlessness persist. | New Zealand occupied the German protectorate of Western Samoa at the outbreak of World War I in 1914. It continued to administer the islands as a mandate and then as a trust territory until 1962, when the islands became the first Polynesian nation to reestablish independence in the 20th century. The country dropped the "Western" from its name in 1997. |
Birth rate | 35.55 births/1,000 population (2004 est.) | 15.41 births/1,000 population (2003 est.) |
Budget | revenues: NA
expenditures: NA, including capital expenditures of NA |
revenues: $105 million
expenditures: $119 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (2001/2002) |
Capital | Bangui | Apia |
Climate | tropical; hot, dry winters; mild to hot, wet summers | tropical; rainy season (October to March), dry season (May to October) |
Coastline | 0 km (landlocked) | 403 km |
Constitution | passed by referendum 5 December 2004 | 1 January 1962 |
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: Independent State of Samoa
conventional short form: Samoa former: Western Samoa |
Currency | Communaute Financiere Africaine franc (XAF); note - responsible authority is the Bank of the Central African States | tala (SAT) |
Death rate | 19.99 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.) | 6.41 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.) |
Debt - external | $881.4 million (2000 est.) | $197 million (2000) |
Diplomatic representation from the US | chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant)
embassy: Avenue David Dacko, Bangui mailing address: B. P. 924, Bangui telephone: [236] 61 02 00 FAX: [236] 61 44 94 note: The embassy is currently operating with a minimal staff |
chief of mission: the Ambassador to New Zealand is accredited to Samoa
embassy: Vailima mailing address: P. O. Box 3430, Apia telephone: [685] 21631/22696 FAX: [685] 22030 |
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 Feturi ELISAIA
chancery: 800 Second Avenue, Suite 400D, New York, NY 10017 telephone: [1] (212) 599-6196, 6197 FAX: [1] (212) 599-0797 |
Disputes - international | internal political instabilities with fighting and violence overlap into Chad and CAR, leaving refugees and rebel groups in both countries; Sudan has pledged to work with CAR to stem violent skirmishes over water and grazing rights among related pastoral populations along the border | none; note - some EEZ demarcations, including the one with American Samoa, are undefined |
Economic aid - recipient | ODA $73 million; note - traditional budget subsidies from France (2000 est.) | $42.9 million (1995) |
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. | The economy of Samoa has traditionally been dependent on development aid, family remittances from overseas, and agriculture and fishing. The country is vulnerable to devastating storms. Agriculture employs two-thirds of the labor force, and furnishes 90% of exports, featuring coconut cream, coconut oil, and copra. The manufacturing sector mainly processes agricultural products. The decline of fish stocks in the area is a continuing problem. Tourism is an expanding sector, accounting for 25% of GDP; about 88,000 tourists visited the islands in 2001. The Samoan Government has called for deregulation of the financial sector, encouragement of investment, and continued fiscal discipline, meantime protecting the environment. Observers point to the flexibility of the labor market as a basic strength for future economic advances. Foreign reserves are in a relatively healthy state, the external debt is stable, and inflation is low. |
Electricity - consumption | 98.63 million kWh (2001) | 97.74 million kWh (2001) |
Electricity - exports | 0 kWh (2001) | 0 kWh (2001) |
Electricity - imports | 0 kWh (2001) | 0 kWh (2001) |
Electricity - production | 106 million kWh (2001) | 105.1 million kWh (2001) |
Electricity - production by source | - | fossil fuel: 58%
hydro: 42% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001) |
Elevation extremes | lowest point: Oubangui River 335 m
highest point: Mont Ngaoui 1,420 m |
lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
highest point: Mauga Silisili 1,857 m |
Environment - current issues | tap water is not potable; poaching has diminished the country's reputation as one of the last great wildlife refuges; desertification; deforestation | soil erosion, deforestation, invasive species, overfishing |
Environment - international agreements | party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Ozone Layer Protection, Tropical Timber 94
signed, but not ratified: Law of the Sea |
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Law of the Sea, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection
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% | Samoan 92.6%, Euronesians 7% (persons of European and Polynesian blood), Europeans 0.4% |
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) | tala per US dollar - 3.37 (2002), 3.48 (2001), 3.29 (2000), 3.01 (1999), 2.95 (1998) |
Executive branch | chief of state: President Francois BOZIZE (since 15 March 2003 coup) and Vice President Abel GOUMA (since 12 December 2003)
head of government: Prime Minister Celestin GAOMBALET (since 12 December 2003) cabinet: Council of Ministers elections: NA; municipal, legislative and presidential elections scheduled for December 2004 or January 2005; prime minister appointed by the president |
chief of state: Chief Tanumafili II MALIETOA (cochief of state from 1 January 1962 until becoming sole chief of state 5 April 1963)
head of government: Prime Minister Sailele Malielegaoi TUILA'EPA (since 1996); note - TUILA'EPA served as deputy prime minister from 1992 until he assumed the prime ministership in 1996, when former Prime Minister TOFILAU Eti Alesana resigned in poor health; TUILA'EPA was confirmed as prime minister after TOFILAU died; the post of deputy prime minister is currently vacant cabinet: Cabinet consists of 12 members, appointed by the chief of state with the prime minister's advice elections: upon the death of Chief Tanumafili II MALIETOA, a new chief of state will be elected by the Legislative Assembly to serve a five-year term; following legislative elections, the leader of the majority party is usually appointed prime minister by the chief of state with the approval of the Legislative Assembly |
Exports | NA (2001) | NA (2001) |
Exports - commodities | diamonds, timber, cotton, coffee, tobacco | fish, coconut oil and cream, copra, taro, automotive parts, garments, beer |
Exports - partners | Belgium 41.8%, Italy 10.7%, Spain 9.8%, France 7.4%, Indonesia 6.6% (2003) | Australia 66.1%, US 10%, Japan 3.7% (2002) |
Fiscal year | calendar year | June 1 - May 31 |
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 blue rectangle in the upper hoist-side quadrant bearing five white five-pointed stars representing the Southern Cross constellation |
GDP | purchasing power parity - $4.183 billion (2003 est.) | purchasing power parity - $1 billion (2002 est.) |
GDP - composition by sector | agriculture: 55%
industry: 20% services: 25% (2001 est.) |
agriculture: 14%
industry: 23% services: 63% (2001 est.) |
GDP - per capita | purchasing power parity - $1,100 (2003 est.) | purchasing power parity - $5,600 (2002 est.) |
GDP - real growth rate | -7% (2003 est.) | 5% (2002 est.) |
Geographic coordinates | 7 00 N, 21 00 E | 13 35 S, 172 20 W |
Geography - note | landlocked; almost the precise center of Africa | occupies an almost central position within Polynesia |
Highways | total: 23,810 km
paved: 643 km unpaved: 23,167 km (1999 est.) |
total: 790 km
paved: 332 km unpaved: 458 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% |
Imports | NA (2001) | NA (2001) |
Imports - commodities | food, textiles, petroleum products, machinery, electrical equipment, motor vehicles, chemicals, pharmaceuticals | machinery and equipment, industrial supplies, foodstuffs |
Imports - partners | France 27%, Cameroon 9.2%, US 5.3% (2003) | New Zealand 23.3%, Fiji 20.2%, Australia 15.7%, Japan 13.1%, Taiwan 6.4%, US 4.2% (2002) |
Independence | 13 August 1960 (from France) | 1 January 1962 (from New Zealand-administered UN trusteeship) |
Industrial production growth rate | 3% (2002) | 2.8% (2000) |
Industries | diamond mining, logging, brewing, textiles, footwear, assembly of bicycles and motorcycles | food processing, building materials, auto parts |
Infant mortality rate | total: 92.15 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 99.09 deaths/1,000 live births female: 84.99 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.) |
total: 29.73 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 34.98 deaths/1,000 live births female: 24.21 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.) |
Inflation rate (consumer prices) | 3.6% (2001 est.) | 4% (2001 est.) |
International organization participation | ACCT, ACP, AfDB, AU, BDEAC, CEMAC, FAO, FZ, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, Interpol, IOC, ITU, MIGA, NAM, OIC (observer), OPCW (signatory), UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO | ACP, AsDB, C, ESCAP, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IMF, IMO, IOC, ITU, OPCW, Sparteca, SPC, SPF, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UPU, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTrO (observer) |
Internet Service Providers (ISPs) | - | 2 (2000) |
Irrigated land | NA sq km | NA sq km |
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; Court of Appeal; Land and Titles Court |
Labor force | NA (2000 est.) | 90,000 (2000 est.) |
Labor force - by occupation | - | NA |
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% (2001) |
arable land: 19.43%
permanent crops: 23.67% other: 56.9% (1998 est.) |
Languages | French (official), Sangho (lingua franca and national language), tribal languages | Samoan (Polynesian), English |
Legal system | based on French law | based on English common law and local customs; judicial review of legislative acts with respect to fundamental rights of the citizen; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction |
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 2004) 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 Legislative Assembly or Fono (49 seats - 47 elected by voters affiliated with traditional village-based electoral districts, 2 elected by independent, mostly Eurasian, voters who cannot, (or choose not to) establish a village affiliation; only chiefs (matai) may stand for election to the Fono; members serve five-year terms)
elections: election last held 3 March 2001 (next election to be held not later than March 2006) election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - HRPP 30, SNDP 13, independents 6 |
Life expectancy at birth | total population: 41.36 years
male: 39.7 years female: 43.08 years (2004 est.) |
total population: 70.11 years
male: 67.35 years female: 73 years (2003 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: 99.7% male: 99.6% female: 99.7% (2003 est.) |
Location | Central Africa, north of Democratic Republic of the Congo | Oceania, group of islands in the South Pacific Ocean, about one-half of the way from Hawaii to New Zealand |
Map references | Africa | Oceania |
Maritime claims | none (landlocked) | exclusive economic zone: 200 NM
territorial sea: 12 NM |
Merchant marine | - | total: 1 ship (1,000 GRT or over) 7,091 GRT/8,127 DWT
ships by type: cargo 1 note: includes a foreign-owned ship registered here as a flag of convenience: Germany 1 (2002 est.) |
Military - note | - | Samoa has no formal defense structure or regular armed forces; informal defense ties exist with NZ, which is required to consider any Samoan request for assistance under the 1962 Treaty of Friendship |
Military branches | Central African Armed Forces (FACA): Republican Guard, Ground Forces, Naval Forces, Air Force | no regular armed services; Samoa Police Force |
Military expenditures - dollar figure | $14.5 million (2003) | $NA |
Military expenditures - percent of GDP | 1.1% (2003) | NA% |
Military manpower - availability | males age 15-49: 878,980 (2004 est.) | - |
Military manpower - fit for military service | males age 15-49: 460,469 (2004 est.) | - |
National holiday | Republic Day, 1 December (1958) | Independence Day Celebration, 1 June (1962); note - 1 January 1962 is the date of independence from the New Zealand-administered UN trusteeship, 1 June 1962 is the date that independence is celebrated |
Nationality | noun: Central African(s)
adjective: Central African |
noun: Samoan(s)
adjective: Samoan |
Natural hazards | hot, dry, dusty harmattan winds affect northern areas; floods are common | occasional typhoons; active volcanism |
Natural resources | diamonds, uranium, timber, gold, oil, hydropower | hardwood forests, fish, hydropower |
Net migration rate | 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.) | -11.67 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 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] | Christian Democratic Party [leader NA]; Human Rights Protection Party or HRPP [Sailele Malielegaoi TUILA'EPA, chairman]; Samoa All People's Party or SAPP [Matatumua MAIMOANA]; Samoan National Development Party or SNDP [LE MAMEA Ropati, chairman] (opposition); Samoa National Party [FETU Tiatia, party secretary]; Samoan Progressive Conservative Party [LEOTA Ituau Ale]; Samoan United Independents Party or SUIP [Dr. Saleimoa VAAI] |
Political pressure groups and leaders | NA | NA |
Population | 3,742,482
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 2004 est.) |
178,173 (July 2003 est.) |
Population below poverty line | NA (1993) | NA% |
Population growth rate | 1.56% (2004 est.) | -0.27% (2003 est.) |
Ports and harbors | Bangui, Nola, Salo, Nzinga | Apia, Asau, Mulifanua, Salelologa |
Radio broadcast stations | AM 1, FM 5, shortwave 1 (2002) | AM 1, FM 3, shortwave 0 (1998) |
Railways | - | 0 km |
Religions | indigenous beliefs 35%, Protestant 25%, Roman Catholic 25%, Muslim 15%
note: animistic beliefs and practices strongly influence the Christian majority |
Christian 99.7% (about one-half of population associated with the London Missionary Society; includes Congregational, Roman Catholic, Methodist, Latter-Day Saints, Seventh-Day Adventist) |
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: 0.72 male(s)/female total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2004 est.) |
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.03 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.68 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.85 male(s)/female total population: 1.39 male(s)/female (2003 est.) |
Suffrage | 21 years of age; universal | 21 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: country code - 236; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) |
general assessment: adequate
domestic: NA international: satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Pacific Ocean) |
Telephones - main lines in use | 9,000 (2002) | 8,183 (1998) |
Telephones - mobile cellular | 13,000 (2003) | 1,545 (February 1998) |
Television broadcast stations | 1 (2001) | 2 (2002) |
Terrain | vast, flat to rolling, monotonous plateau; scattered hills in northeast and southwest | narrow coastal plain with volcanic, rocky, rugged mountains in interior |
Total fertility rate | 4.59 children born/woman (2004 est.) | 3.21 children born/woman (2003 est.) |
Unemployment rate | 8% (23% for Bangui) (2001 est.) | NA%; note - substantial underemployment |
Waterways | 2,800 km (primarily on the Oubangui and Sangha rivers) (2004) | none |