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

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

	Central African Republic (2004)	Singapore (2003)

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	none
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: 17.3% (male 411,656; female 385,575) 15-64 years: 75.5% (male 1,687,217; female 1,793,783) 65 years and over: 7.2% (male 144,277; female 186,087) (2003 est.)
Agriculture - products	cotton, coffee, tobacco, manioc (tapioca), yams, millet, corn, bananas; timber	rubber, copra, fruit, orchids, vegetables; poultry, eggs, fish, ornamental fish
Airports	50 (2003 est.)	9 (2002)
Airports - with paved runways	total: 3 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 (2004 est.)	total: 9 over 3,047 m: 2 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 4 914 to 1,523 m: 1 under 914 m: 1 (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.)	-
Area	total: 622,984 sq km land: 622,984 sq km water: 0 sq km	total: 692.7 sq km land: 682.7 sq km water: 10 sq km
Area - comparative	slightly smaller than Texas	slightly more than 3.5 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.	Singapore was founded as a British trading colony in 1819. It joined the Malaysian Federation in 1963 but separated two years later and became independent. It subsequently became one of the world's most prosperous countries with strong international trading links (its port is one of the world's busiest) and with per capita GDP equal to that of the leading nations of Western Europe.
Birth rate	35.55 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)	12.75 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)
Budget	revenues: NA expenditures: NA, including capital expenditures of NA	revenues: $27.9 billion expenditures: $19.5 billion, including capital expenditures of $5.4 billion (FY 00/01 est.)
Capital	Bangui	Singapore
Climate	tropical; hot, dry winters; mild to hot, wet summers	tropical; hot, humid, rainy; two distinct monsoon seasons - Northeastern monsoon from December to March and Southwestern monsoon from June to September; inter-monsoon - frequent afternoon and early evening thunderstorms
Coastline	0 km (landlocked)	193 km
Constitution	passed by referendum 5 December 2004	3 June 1959, amended 1965 (based on preindependence State of Singapore 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: Republic of Singapore conventional short form: Singapore
Currency	Communaute Financiere Africaine franc (XAF); note - responsible authority is the Bank of the Central African States	Singapore dollar (SGD)
Death rate	19.99 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)	4.31 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)
Debt - external	$881.4 million (2000 est.)	$8.2 billion (2002 est.)
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: Ambassador Franklin L. LAVIN embassy: 27 Napier Road, Singapore 258508 mailing address: PSC Box 470, FPO AP 96507-0001 telephone: [65] 6476-9100 FAX: [65] 6476-9340
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 CHAN Heng Chee chancery: 3501 International Place NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 537-3100 FAX: [1] (202) 537-0876 consulate(s) general: San Francisco consulate(s): New York
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	disputes with Malaysia over deliveries of fresh water to Singapore, Singapore's land reclamation works on Johor, maritime boundaries, and Singapore-occupied Pedra Branca Island/Pulau Batu Putih persist - parties agree to ICJ arbitration on island dispute within three years
Economic aid - recipient	ODA $73 million; note - traditional budget subsidies from France (2000 est.)	$NA
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.	Singapore, a highly developed and successful free market economy, enjoys a remarkably open and corruption-free environment, stable prices, and one of the highest per capita GDPs in the world. The economy depends heavily on exports, particularly in electronics and manufacturing. It was hard hit in 2001-2002 by the global recession and the slump in the technology sector. The government hopes to establish a new growth path that will be less vulnerable to the external business cycle than the current export-led model but is unlikely to abandon efforts to establish Singapore as Southeast Asia's financial and high-tech hub.
Electricity - consumption	98.63 million kWh (2001)	28.35 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)	30.48 billion kWh (2001)
Electricity - production by source	-	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: Singapore Strait 0 m highest point: Bukit Timah 166 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	industrial pollution; limited natural fresh water resources; limited land availability presents waste disposal problems; seasonal smoke/haze resulting from forest fires in Indonesia
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, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Nuclear Test Ban, 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%	Chinese 76.7%, Malay 14%, Indian 7.9%, other 1.4%
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)	Singapore dollars per US dollar - 1.79 (2002), 1.79 (2001), 1.72 (2000), 1.69 (1999), 1.67 (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: President Sellapan Rama (S. R.) NATHAN (since 1 September 1999) head of government: Prime Minister GOH Chok Tong (since 28 November 1990) and Deputy Prime Ministers Brig. Gen. (Ret.) LEE Hsien Loong (since 28 November 1990) and TAN Keng Yam Tony (since 1 August 1995) cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president, responsible to Parliament elections: president elected by popular vote for a six-year term; election last held 28 August 1999 (next to be held by August 2005); following legislative elections, the leader of the majority party or the leader of a majority coalition is usually appointed prime minister by the president; deputy prime ministers appointed by the president election results: Sellapan Rama (S. R.) NATHAN elected president unopposed
Exports	NA (2001)	NA (2001)
Exports - commodities	diamonds, timber, cotton, coffee, tobacco	machinery and equipment (including electronics), consumer goods, chemicals, mineral fuels
Exports - partners	Belgium 41.8%, Italy 10.7%, Spain 9.8%, France 7.4%, Indonesia 6.6% (2003)	Malaysia 17.4%, US 15.3%, Hong Kong 9.2%, Japan 7.1%, China 5.5%, Taiwan 4.9%, Thailand 4.6%, South Korea 4.2% (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	two equal horizontal bands of red (top) and white; near the hoist side of the red band, there is a vertical, white crescent (closed portion is toward the hoist side) partially enclosing five white five-pointed stars arranged in a circle
GDP	purchasing power parity - $4.183 billion (2003 est.)	purchasing power parity - $112.4 billion (2002 est.)
GDP - composition by sector	agriculture: 55% industry: 20% services: 25% (2001 est.)	agriculture: NEGL% industry: 33% services: 67% (2001 est.)
GDP - per capita	purchasing power parity - $1,100 (2003 est.)	purchasing power parity - $25,200 (2002 est.)
GDP - real growth rate	-7% (2003 est.)	2.2% (2002 est.)
Geographic coordinates	7 00 N, 21 00 E	1 22 N, 103 48 E
Geography - note	landlocked; almost the precise center of Africa	focal point for Southeast Asian sea routes
Highways	total: 23,810 km paved: 643 km unpaved: 23,167 km (1999 est.)	total: 3,066 km paved: 3,066 km (including 150 km of expressways) unpaved: 0 km (1999)
Household income or consumption by percentage share	lowest 10%: 0.7% highest 10%: 47.7% (1993)	lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA%
Illicit drugs	-	as a transportation and financial services hub, Singapore is vulnerable, despite strict laws and enforcement, to be used as a transit point for Golden Triangle heroin and as a venue for money laundering
Imports	NA (2001)	NA (2001)
Imports - commodities	food, textiles, petroleum products, machinery, electrical equipment, motor vehicles, chemicals, pharmaceuticals	machinery and equipment, mineral fuels, chemicals, foodstuffs
Imports - partners	France 27%, Cameroon 9.2%, US 5.3% (2003)	Malaysia 18.2%, US 14.3%, Japan 12.5%, China 7.6%, Thailand 4.6%, Taiwan 4.6% (2002)
Independence	13 August 1960 (from France)	9 August 1965 (from Malaysian Federation)
Industrial production growth rate	3% (2002)	-9.8% (2002 est.)
Industries	diamond mining, logging, brewing, textiles, footwear, assembly of bicycles and motorcycles	electronics, chemicals, financial services, oil drilling equipment, petroleum refining, rubber processing and rubber products, processed food and beverages, ship repair, entrepot trade, biotechnology
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: 3.57 deaths/1,000 live births male: 3.87 deaths/1,000 live births female: 3.25 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices)	3.6% (2001 est.)	-0.4% (2002 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	APEC, ARF, AsDB, ASEAN, BIS, C, CP, ESCAP, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, ICRM, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, ISO, ITU, NAM, OPCW, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNIKOM, UNMEE, UNMISET, UPU, WCL, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTrO
Internet Service Providers (ISPs)	-	9 (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 (chief justice is appointed by the president with the advice of the prime minister, other judges are appointed by the president with the advice of the chief justice); Court of Appeals
Labor force	NA (2000 est.)	2.19 million (2000)
Labor force - by occupation	-	financial, business, and other services 35%, manufacturing 21%, construction 13%, transportation and communication 9%, other 22%
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: 1.64% permanent crops: 0% other: 98.36% (1998 est.)
Languages	French (official), Sangho (lingua franca and national language), tribal languages	Chinese (official), Malay (official and national), Tamil (official), English (official)
Legal system	based on French law	based on English common 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 Parliament (84 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms); note - in addition, there are up to nine nominated members; the losing opposition candidate who came closest to winning a seat may be appointed as a "nonconstituency" member elections: last held 3 November 2001 (next to be held 25 June 2007) election results: percent of vote by party - PAP 75.3% (in contested constituencies), other 24.7%; seats by party - PAP 82, WP 1, SDA 1
Life expectancy at birth	total population: 41.36 years male: 39.7 years female: 43.08 years (2004 est.)	total population: 80.42 years male: 77.46 years female: 83.6 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: 93.2% male: 96.7% female: 89.7% (2003 est.)
Location	Central Africa, north of Democratic Republic of the Congo	Southeastern Asia, islands between Malaysia and Indonesia
Map references	Africa	Southeast Asia
Maritime claims	none (landlocked)	exclusive fishing zone: within and beyond territorial sea, as defined in treaties and practice territorial sea: 3 NM
Merchant marine	-	total: 859 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 20,836,021 GRT/32,765,063 DWT ships by type: bulk 125, cargo 85, chemical tanker 87, combination bulk 6, combination ore/oil 8, container 176, liquefied gas 38, livestock carrier 3, multi-functional large-load carrier 2, petroleum tanker 277, refrigerated cargo 4, roll on/roll off 4, short-sea passenger 1, specialized tanker 12, vehicle carrier 31 note: includes some foreign-owned ships registered here as a flag of convenience: Australia 7, Belgium 6, China 12, Denmark 27, Germany 17, Greece 4, Hong Kong 44, Indonesia 8, Japan 52, Malaysia 4, Monaco 22, Netherlands 2, Norway 42, Philippines 6, Russia 3, Slovenia 1, South Korea 10, Sweden 13, Switzerland 7, Taiwan 46, Tanzania 2, Thailand 22, UAE 4, UK 14, US 1 (2002 est.)
Military branches	Central African Armed Forces (FACA): Republican Guard, Ground Forces, Naval Forces, Air Force	Army, Navy, Air Force, People's Defense Force, Police Force
Military expenditures - dollar figure	$14.5 million (2003)	$4.47 billion (FY01 est.)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP	1.1% (2003)	4.9% (FY01)
Military manpower - availability	males age 15-49: 878,980 (2004 est.)	males age 15-49: 1,392,740 (2003 est.)
Military manpower - fit for military service	males age 15-49: 460,469 (2004 est.)	males age 15-49: 1,012,498 (2003 est.)
National holiday	Republic Day, 1 December (1958)	Independence Day, 9 August (1965)
Nationality	noun: Central African(s) adjective: Central African	noun: Singaporean(s) adjective: Singapore
Natural hazards	hot, dry, dusty harmattan winds affect northern areas; floods are common	NA
Natural resources	diamonds, uranium, timber, gold, oil, hydropower	fish, deepwater ports
Net migration rate	0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.)	25.76 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)
Pipelines	-	gas 139 km (2003)
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]	governing party: People's Action Party or PAP [GOH Chok Tong]; opposition parties: Democratic Progressive Party or DPP [leader NA]; National Solidarity Party or NSP [Steve CHIA]; Singapore Democratic Alliance or SDA [CHIAM See Tong] (includes SPP, PKMS, NSP, SJP); Singapore Democratic Party or SDP [CHEE Soon Juan]; Singapore Justice Party or SJP [leader NA]; Singapore National Malay Organization or PKMS [Muhammad ALI Aman]; Singapore People's Party or SPP [CHIAM See Tong]; Workers' Party or WP [LOW Thia Kiang]
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.)	4,608,595 (July 2003 est.)
Population below poverty line	NA (1993)	NA%
Population growth rate	1.56% (2004 est.)	3.42% (2003 est.)
Ports and harbors	Bangui, Nola, Salo, Nzinga	Singapore
Radio broadcast stations	AM 1, FM 5, shortwave 1 (2002)	AM 0, FM 16, shortwave 2 (1998)
Railways	-	total: 38.6 km narrow gauge: 38.6 km 1.000-m gauge note: there is also an 83 km mass transit system with 48 stations
Religions	indigenous beliefs 35%, Protestant 25%, Roman Catholic 25%, Muslim 15% note: animistic beliefs and practices strongly influence the Christian majority	Buddhist (Chinese), Muslim (Malays), Christian, Hindu, Sikh, Taoist, Confucianist
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: 1.08 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.07 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.94 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.78 male(s)/female total population: 0.95 male(s)/female (2003 est.)
Suffrage	21 years of age; universal	21 years of age; universal and compulsory
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: major consideration given to serving business interests; excellent international service domestic: excellent domestic facilities international: submarine cables to Malaysia (Sabah and Peninsular Malaysia), Indonesia, and the Philippines; satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (1 Indian Ocean and 1 Pacific Ocean), and 1 Inmarsat (Pacific Ocean region)
Telephones - main lines in use	9,000 (2002)	1.95 million (2000)
Telephones - mobile cellular	13,000 (2003)	2.74 million (2000)
Television broadcast stations	1 (2001)	6 (2000)
Terrain	vast, flat to rolling, monotonous plateau; scattered hills in northeast and southwest	lowland; gently undulating central plateau contains water catchment area and nature preserve
Total fertility rate	4.59 children born/woman (2004 est.)	1.24 children born/woman (2003 est.)
Unemployment rate	8% (23% for Bangui) (2001 est.)	4.6% (2002 est.)
Waterways	2,800 km (primarily on the Oubangui and Sangha rivers) (2004)	none

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