Compare Central African Republic (2004) - Sao Tome and Principe (2006)

Compare Central African Republic (2004) z Sao Tome and Principe (2006)

	Central African Republic (2004)	Sao Tome and Principe (2006)

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	2 provinces; Principe, Sao Tome note: Principe has had self-government since 29 April 1995
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: 47.5% (male 46,478/female 45,302) 15-64 years: 48.8% (male 45,631/female 48,661) 65 years and over: 3.8% (male 3,368/female 3,973) (2006 est.)
Agriculture - products	cotton, coffee, tobacco, manioc (tapioca), yams, millet, corn, bananas; timber	cocoa, coconuts, palm kernels, copra, cinnamon, pepper, coffee, bananas, papayas, beans; poultry; fish
Airports	50 (2003 est.)	2 (2006)
Airports - with paved runways	total: 3 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 (2004 est.)	total: 2 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2006)
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.)	-
Area	total: 622,984 sq km land: 622,984 sq km water: 0 sq km	total: 1,001 sq km land: 1,001 sq km water: 0 sq km
Area - comparative	slightly smaller than Texas	more than five 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. 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.	Discovered and claimed by Portugal in the late 15th century, the islands' sugar-based economy gave way to coffee and cocoa in the 19th century - all grown with plantation slave labor, a form of which lingered into the 20th century. Although independence was achieved in 1975, democratic reforms were not instituted until the late 1980s. Though the first free elections were held in 1991, the political environment has been one of continued instability with frequent changes in leadership and coup attempts in 1995 and 2003. The recent discovery of oil in the Gulf of Guinea is likely to have a significant impact on the country's economy.
Birth rate	35.55 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)	40.25 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)
Budget	revenues: NA expenditures: NA, including capital expenditures of NA	revenues: $26.39 million expenditures: $59.48 million; including capital expenditures of $54 million (2004 est.)
Capital	Bangui	name: Sao Tome geographic coordinates: 0 12 N, 6 39 E time difference: UTC 0 (5 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)
Climate	tropical; hot, dry winters; mild to hot, wet summers	tropical; hot, humid; one rainy season (October to May)
Coastline	0 km (landlocked)	209 km
Constitution	passed by referendum 5 December 2004	approved March 1990, effective 10 September 1990
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: Democratic Republic of Sao Tome and Principe conventional short form: Sao Tome and Principe local long form: Republica Democratica de Sao Tome e Principe local short form: Sao Tome e Principe
Currency	Communaute Financiere Africaine franc (XAF); note - responsible authority is the Bank of the Central African States	-
Death rate	19.99 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)	6.47 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)
Debt - external	$881.4 million (2000 est.)	$318 million (2002)
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	the US does not have an embassy in Sao Tome and Principe; the Ambassador to Gabon is accredited to Sao Tome and Principe on a nonresident basis and makes periodic visits to the islands
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: First Secretary Domingos Augusto FERREIRA chancery: 400 Park Avenue, 7th Floor, New York, NY 10022 telephone: [1] (212) 317-0580 FAX: [1] (212) 935-7348 consulate(s): Atlanta
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
Economic aid - recipient	ODA $73 million; note - traditional budget subsidies from France (2000 est.)	$200 million in December 2000 under the HIPC program
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.	This small, poor island economy has become increasingly dependent on cocoa since independence in 1975. Cocoa production has substantially declined in recent years because of drought and mismanagement, but strengthening prices helped boost export earnings in 2003. Sao Tome has to import all fuels, most manufactured goods, consumer goods, and a substantial amount of food. Over the years, it has had difficulty servicing its external debt and has relied heavily on concessional aid and debt rescheduling. Sao Tome benefited from $200 million in debt relief in December 2000 under the Highly Indebted Poor Countries (HIPC) program, and is expected to benefit from an additional round of HIPC debt relief in early 2006, to help bring down the country's $300 million debt burden. In August 2005, Sao Tome signed on to a new 3-year IMF Poverty Reduction and Growth Facility (PRGF) program worth $4.3 million. Considerable potential exists for development of a tourist industry, and the government has taken steps to expand facilities in recent years. The government also has attempted to reduce price controls and subsidies. Sao Tome is optimistic about the development of petroleum resources in its territorial waters in the oil-rich Gulf of Guinea, which are being jointly developed in a 60-40 split with Nigeria. The first production licenses were sold in 2004, though a dispute over licensing with Nigeria delayed Sao Tome's receipt of more than $20 million in signing bonuses for almost a year. Real GDP growth reached 6% in 2004, and also probably in 2005, as a result of increases in public expenditures and oil-related capital investment.
Electricity - consumption	98.63 million kWh (2001)	13.95 million kWh (2003)
Electricity - exports	0 kWh (2001)	0 kWh (2003)
Electricity - imports	0 kWh (2001)	0 kWh (2003)
Electricity - production	106 million kWh (2001)	15 million kWh (2003)
Elevation extremes	lowest point: Oubangui River 335 m highest point: Mont Ngaoui 1,420 m	lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m highest point: Pico de Sao Tome 2,024 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	deforestation; soil erosion and exhaustion
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, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution 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%	mestico, angolares (descendants of Angolan slaves), forros (descendants of freed slaves), servicais (contract laborers from Angola, Mozambique, and Cape Verde), tongas (children of servicais born on the islands), Europeans (primarily Portuguese)
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)	dobras per US dollar - 9,900.4 (2005), (2004), 9,347.6 (2003), 9,088.3 (2002), 8,842.1 (2001)
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: President Fradique DE MENEZES (since 3 September 2001) head of government: Prime Minister Tome Soares da VERA CRUZ (since 21 April 2006) cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president on the proposal of the prime minister elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term (eligible for a second term); election last held 30 July 2006 (next to be held July 2011); prime minister chosen by the National Assembly and approved by the president election results: Fradique DE MENEZES elected president; percent of vote - Fradique DE MENEZES 60%, Patrice TROVOADA 38.5%
Exports	NA (2001)	NA bbl/day
Exports - commodities	diamonds, timber, cotton, coffee, tobacco	cocoa 80%, copra, coffee, palm oil
Exports - partners	Belgium 41.8%, Italy 10.7%, Spain 9.8%, France 7.4%, Indonesia 6.6% (2003)	Netherlands 61.1%, Belgium 9.2%, Turkey 5.5%, South Korea 4% (2005)
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	three horizontal bands of green (top), yellow (double width), and green with two black five-pointed stars placed side by side in the center of the yellow band and a red isosceles triangle based on the hoist side; uses the popular pan-African colors of Ethiopia
GDP	purchasing power parity - $4.183 billion (2003 est.)	-
GDP - composition by sector	agriculture: 55% industry: 20% services: 25% (2001 est.)	agriculture: 16.7% industry: 14.8% services: 68.4% (2005 est.)
GDP - per capita	purchasing power parity - $1,100 (2003 est.)	-
GDP - real growth rate	-7% (2003 est.)	6% (2004 est.)
Geographic coordinates	7 00 N, 21 00 E	1 00 N, 7 00 E
Geography - note	landlocked; almost the precise center of Africa	the smallest country in Africa; the two main islands form part of a chain of extinct volcanoes and both are fairly mountainous
Highways	total: 23,810 km paved: 643 km unpaved: 23,167 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 bbl/day
Imports - commodities	food, textiles, petroleum products, machinery, electrical equipment, motor vehicles, chemicals, pharmaceuticals	machinery and electrical equipment, food products, petroleum products
Imports - partners	France 27%, Cameroon 9.2%, US 5.3% (2003)	UK 94.2%, Portugal 2.7%, US 1% (2005)
Independence	13 August 1960 (from France)	12 July 1975 (from Portugal)
Industrial production growth rate	3% (2002)	NA%
Industries	diamond mining, logging, brewing, textiles, footwear, assembly of bicycles and motorcycles	light construction, textiles, soap, beer, fish processing, timber
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: 41.83 deaths/1,000 live births male: 43.74 deaths/1,000 live births female: 39.86 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices)	3.6% (2001 est.)	15.2% (2005 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	ACCT, ACP, AfDB, AU, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt (signatory), ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM (observer), IPU, ITU, NAM, OIF, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO (observer)
Irrigated land	NA sq km	100 sq km (2003)
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 (judges are appointed by the National Assembly)
Labor force	NA (2000 est.)	35,050
Labor force - by occupation	-	note: population mainly engaged in subsistence agriculture and fishing; shortages of skilled workers
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: 8.33% permanent crops: 48.96% other: 42.71% (2005)
Languages	French (official), Sangho (lingua franca and national language), tribal languages	Portuguese (official)
Legal system	based on French law	based on Portuguese legal system and customary law; 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 National Assembly or Assembleia Nacional (55 seats; members are elected by direct, popular vote to serve four-year terms) elections: last held 26 March 2006 (next to be held March 2010) election results: percent of vote by party - MDFM-PCD 37.2%, MLSTP 28.9%, ADI 20.0%, NR 4.7%, other 9.2%; seats by party - MDFM-PCD 23, MLSTP 19, ADI 12, NR 1
Life expectancy at birth	total population: 41.36 years male: 39.7 years female: 43.08 years (2004 est.)	total population: 67.31 years male: 65.73 years female: 68.95 years (2006 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: 79.3% male: 85% female: 62% (1991 est.)
Location	Central Africa, north of Democratic Republic of the Congo	Western Africa, islands in the Gulf of Guinea, straddling the Equator, west of Gabon
Map references	Africa	Africa
Maritime claims	none (landlocked)	measured from claimed archipelagic baselines territorial sea: 12 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
Merchant marine	-	total: 8 ships (1000 GRT or over) 21,527 GRT/29,823 DWT by type: bulk carrier 1, cargo 7 foreign-owned: 3 (Egypt 1, Greece 1, Lebanon 1) (2006)
Military - note	-	Sao Tome and Principe's army is a tiny force with almost no resources at its disposal and would be wholly ineffective operating unilaterally; infantry equipment is considered simple to operate and maintain but may require refurbishment or replacement after 25 years in tropical climates; poor pay and conditions have been a problem in the past, as has alleged nepotism in the promotion of officers, as reflected in the 1995 and 2003 coups; these issues are being addressed with foreign assistance as initial steps towards the improvement of the army and its focus on realistic security concerns; command is exercised from the president, through the Minister of Defense, to the Chief of the Armed Forces staff (2005)
Military branches	Central African Armed Forces (FACA): Republican Guard, Ground Forces, Naval Forces, Air Force	Armed Forces of Sao Tome and Principe (FASTP): Army, Coast Guard, Presidential Guard (2004)
Military expenditures - dollar figure	$14.5 million (2003)	$581,729 (2005 est.)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP	1.1% (2003)	0.8% (2005 est.)
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, 12 July (1975)
Nationality	noun: Central African(s) adjective: Central African	noun: Sao Tomean(s) adjective: Sao Tomean
Natural hazards	hot, dry, dusty harmattan winds affect northern areas; floods are common	NA
Natural resources	diamonds, uranium, timber, gold, oil, hydropower	fish, hydropower
Net migration rate	0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.)	-2.32 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 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]	Democratic Renovation Party [Armindo GRACA]; Force for Change Democratic Movement or MDFM; Independent Democratic Action or ADI [Carlos NEVES]; Movement for the Liberation of Sao Tome and Principe-Social Democratic Party or MLSTP-PSD [Manuel Pinto Da COSTA]; Party for Democratic Convergence or PCD [Aldo BANDEIRA]; Ue-Kedadji coalition; other small parties
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.)	193,413 (July 2006 est.)
Population below poverty line	NA (1993)	54% (2004 est.)
Population growth rate	1.56% (2004 est.)	3.15% (2006 est.)
Ports and harbors	Bangui, Nola, Salo, Nzinga	-
Radio broadcast stations	AM 1, FM 5, shortwave 1 (2002)	AM 1, FM 5, shortwave 1 (2002)
Religions	indigenous beliefs 35%, Protestant 25%, Roman Catholic 25%, Muslim 15% note: animistic beliefs and practices strongly influence the Christian majority	Catholic 70.3%, Evangelical 3.4%, New Apostolic 2%, Adventist 1.8%, other 3.1%, none 19.4% (2001 census)
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: 1.03 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.03 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.94 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.85 male(s)/female total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2006 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: country code - 236; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)	general assessment: adequate facilities domestic: minimal system international: country code - 239; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)
Telephones - main lines in use	9,000 (2002)	7,000 (2004)
Telephones - mobile cellular	13,000 (2003)	12,000 (2005)
Television broadcast stations	1 (2001)	2 (2002)
Terrain	vast, flat to rolling, monotonous plateau; scattered hills in northeast and southwest	volcanic, mountainous
Total fertility rate	4.59 children born/woman (2004 est.)	5.62 children born/woman (2006 est.)
Unemployment rate	8% (23% for Bangui) (2001 est.)	NA%
Waterways	2,800 km (primarily on the Oubangui and Sangha rivers) (2004)	-

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