Compare Central African Republic (2005) - Paraguay (2002)

Compare Central African Republic (2005) z Paraguay (2002)

	Central African Republic (2005)	Paraguay (2002)

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	17 departments (departamentos, singular - departamento) and 1 capital city; Alto Paraguay, Alto Parana, Amambay, Asuncion, Boqueron, Caaguazu, Caazapa, Canindeyu, Central, Concepcion, Cordillera, Guaira, Itapua, Misiones, Neembucu, Paraguari, Presidente Hayes, San Pedro
Age structure	0-14 years: 42.5% (male 813,596/female 802,728) 15-64 years: 54% (male 1,010,696/female 1,041,903) 65 years and over: 3.4% (male 54,345/female 76,629) (2005 est.)	0-14 years: 38.7% (male 1,156,366; female 1,119,558) 15-64 years: 56.6% (male 1,671,721; female 1,658,683) 65 years and over: 4.7% (male 128,137; female 150,026) (2002 est.)
Agriculture - products	cotton, coffee, tobacco, manioc (tapioca), yams, millet, corn, bananas; timber	cotton, sugarcane, soybeans, corn, wheat, tobacco, cassava (tapioca), fruits, vegetables; beef, pork, eggs, milk; timber
Airports	50 (2004 est.)	899 (2001)
Airports - with paved runways	total: 3 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 (2004 est.)	total: 11 over 3,047 m: 3 1,524 to 2,437 m: 4 914 to 1,523 m: 4 (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: 868 1,524 to 2,437 m: 27 914 to 1,523 m: 323 under 914 m: 518 (2002)
Area	total: 622,984 sq km land: 622,984 sq km water: 0 sq km	total: 406,750 sq km land: 397,300 sq km water: 9,450 sq km
Area - comparative	slightly smaller than Texas	slightly smaller than California
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.	In the disastrous War of the Triple Alliance (1865-70), Paraguay lost two-thirds of all adult males and much of its territory. It stagnated economically for the next half century. In the Chaco War of 1932-35, large, economically important areas were won from Bolivia. The 35-year military dictatorship of Alfredo STROESSNER was overthrown in 1989, and, despite a marked increase in political infighting in recent years, relatively free and regular presidential elections have been held since then.
Birth rate	35.17 births/1,000 population (2005 est.)	30.5 births/1,000 population (2002 est.)
Budget	revenues: NA expenditures: NA, including capital expenditures of NA	revenues: $1.3 billion expenditures: $2 billion, including capital expenditures of $700 million (1999 est.)
Capital	Bangui	Asuncion
Climate	tropical; hot, dry winters; mild to hot, wet summers	subtropical to temperate; substantial rainfall in the eastern portions, becoming semiarid in the far west
Coastline	0 km (landlocked)	0 km (landlocked)
Constitution	passed by referendum 5 December 2004	promulgated 20 June 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 Paraguay conventional short form: Paraguay local long form: Republica del Paraguay local short form: Paraguay
Currency	-	guarani (PYG)
Death rate	20.27 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.)	4.69 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.)
Debt - external	$881.4 million (2000 est.)	$2.9 billion (2001 est.)
Diplomatic representation from the US	chief of mission: Charge d'Affaires James PANOS 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 John F. KEANE embassy: 1776 Avenida Mariscal Lopez, Casilla Postal 402, Asuncion mailing address: Unit 4711, APO AA 34036-0001 telephone: [595] (21) 213-715 FAX: [595] (21) 213-728
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 Leila Teresa RACHID COWLES chancery: 2400 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 483-6960 through 6962 FAX: [1] (202) 234-4508 consulate(s) general: Kansas City, Los Angeles, Miami, New Orleans, New York
Disputes - international	about 30,000 refugees fleeing the 2002 civil conflict in the CAR still reside in southern Chad; periodic skirmishes over water and grazing rights among related pastoral populations along the border with southern Sudan persist	none
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 growth at only 0.5% in 2004. Distribution of income is extraordinarily unequal. Grants from France and the international community can only partially meet humanitarian needs.	Paraguay has a market economy marked by a large informal sector. The informal sector features both reexport of imported consumer goods to neighboring countries as well as the activities of thousands of microenterprises and urban street vendors. Because of the importance of the informal sector, accurate economic measures are difficult to obtain. A large percentage of the population derives their living from agricultural activity, often on a subsistence basis. The formal economy grew by an average of about 3% annually in 1995-97, but GDP declined slightly in 1998, 1999, and 2000. On a per capita basis, real income has stagnated at 1980 levels. Most observers attribute Paraguay's poor economic performance to political uncertainty, corruption, lack of progress on structural reform, substantial internal and external debt, and deficient infrastructure.
Electricity - consumption	98.58 million kWh (2002)	1.95 billion kWh (2000)
Electricity - exports	0 kWh (2002)	47.392 billion kWh (2000)
Electricity - imports	0 kWh (2002)	0 kWh (2000)
Electricity - production	106 million kWh (2002)	53.056 billion kWh (2000)
Electricity - production by source	-	fossil fuel: 0% hydro: 100% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2000)
Elevation extremes	lowest point: Oubangui River 335 m highest point: Mont Ngaoui 1,420 m	lowest point: junction of Rio Paraguay and Rio Parana 46 m highest point: Cerro Pero (Cerro Tres Kandu) 842 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; water pollution; inadequate means for waste disposal present health risks for many urban residents; loss of wetlands
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, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: Nuclear Test Ban
Ethnic groups	Baya 33%, Banda 27%, Mandjia 13%, Sara 10%, Mboum 7%, M'Baka 4%, Yakoma 4%, other 2%	mestizo (mixed Spanish and Amerindian) 95%
Exchange rates	Communaute Financiere Africaine francs (XAF) per US dollar - 528.29 (2004), 581.2 (2003), 696.99 (2002), 733.04 (2001), 711.98 (2000)	guarani per US dollar - 4,783.0 (January 2002), 4,107.7 (2001), 3,486.4 (2000), 3,119.1 (1999), 2,726.5 (1998), 2,177.9 (1997); note - since early 1998, the exchange rate has operated as a managed float; prior to that, the exchange rate was determined freely in the market
Executive branch	chief of state: President Francois BOZIZE (since 15 March 2003 coup) head of government: Prime Minister Elie DOTE (since 13 June 2005) note - Celestin GAOMBALET resigned 11 June 2005 cabinet: Council of Ministers elections: president elected to five year term with a two-term limit; next presidential elections scheduled for 10 April 2005; prime minister appointed by the political party with a parliamentary majority	chief of state: President Luis Angel GONZALEZ MACCHI (since 28 March 1999); Vice President Julio Cesar FRANCO (since NA August 2000) resigned 16 October 2002; position now vacant; note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government head of government: President Luis Angel GONZALEZ MACCHI (since 28 March 1999); Vice President Julio Cesar FRANCO (since NA August 2000) resigned 16 October 2002; position now vacant; note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government cabinet: Council of Ministers nominated by the president elections: president and vice president elected on the same ticket by popular vote for five-year terms; election last held 10 May 1998 (next to be held NA May 2003) election results: Raul CUBAS Grau elected president; percent of vote - 55.3%; resigned 28 March 1999 note: President Luis Angel GONZALEZ MACCHI, formerly president of the Chamber of Senators, constitutionally succeeded President Raul CUBAS Grau, who resigned after being impeached soon after the assassination of Vice President Luis Maria ARGANA; the successor to ARGANA was decided in an election held in August 2000
Exports	NA	$2.2 billion f.o.b. (2001 est.)
Exports - commodities	diamonds, timber, cotton, coffee, tobacco	electricity, soybeans, feed, cotton, meat, edible oils
Exports - partners	Belgium 39.2%, Italy 8.6%, Spain 7.9%, US 6.2%, France 6.1%, Indonesia 5.8%, China 4.9% (2004)	Brazil 39%, Uruguay 14%, Argentina 11% (2000)
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 equal, horizontal bands of red (top), white, and blue with an emblem centered in the white band; unusual flag in that the emblem is different on each side; the obverse (hoist side at the left) bears the national coat of arms (a yellow five-pointed star within a green wreath capped by the words REPUBLICA DEL PARAGUAY, all within two circles); the reverse (hoist side at the right) bears the seal of the treasury (a yellow lion below a red Cap of Liberty and the words Paz y Justicia (Peace and Justice) capped by the words REPUBLICA DEL PARAGUAY, all within two circles)
GDP	-	purchasing power parity - $26.2 billion (2001 est.)
GDP - composition by sector	agriculture: 55% industry: 20% services: 25% (2001 est.)	agriculture: 29% industry: 26% services: 45% (2000 est.)
GDP - per capita	purchasing power parity - $1,100 (2004 est.)	purchasing power parity - $4,600 (2001 est.)
GDP - real growth rate	0.5% (2004 est.)	0% (2001 est.)
Geographic coordinates	7 00 N, 21 00 E	23 00 S, 58 00 W
Geography - note	landlocked; almost the precise center of Africa	landlocked; lies between Argentina, Bolivia, and Brazil; population concentrated in southern part of country
Highways	total: 23,810 km paved: 643 km unpaved: 23,167 km (1999 est.)	total: 25,901 km paved: 3,067 km unpaved: 22,834 km (2001)
Household income or consumption by percentage share	lowest 10%: 0.7% highest 10%: 47.7% (1993)	lowest 10%: 1% highest 10%: 44% (1998) (1998)
Illicit drugs	-	major illicit producer of cannabis, most or all of which is consumed in South America; transshipment country for Andean cocaine headed for Brazil, other Southern Cone markets, Europe, and US; corruption and some money-laundering activity, especially in the Tri-Border Area
Imports	NA	$2.7 billion f.o.b. (2001 est.)
Imports - commodities	food, textiles, petroleum products, machinery, electrical equipment, motor vehicles, chemicals, pharmaceuticals	road vehicles, consumer goods, tobacco, petroleum products, electrical machinery
Imports - partners	France 17.6%, US 16.3%, Cameroon 9.3%, Belgium 5% (2004)	Argentina 25.4%, Brazil 24.5%, Uruguay 3.8% (2000)
Independence	13 August 1960 (from France)	14 May 1811 (from Spain)
Industrial production growth rate	3% (2002)	0% (2000 est.)
Industries	gold and diamond mining, logging, brewing, textiles, footwear, assembly of bicycles and motorcycles	sugar, cement, textiles, beverages, wood products
Infant mortality rate	total: 91 deaths/1,000 live births male: 97.84 deaths/1,000 live births female: 83.96 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)	28.75 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices)	3.6% (2001 est.)	7.2% (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	CCC, ECLAC, FAO, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO (correspondent), ITU, LAES, LAIA, Mercosur, MONUC, NAM (observer), OAS, OPANAL, OPCW, PCA, RG, UN, UNAMSIL, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNMEE, UPU, WCL, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO
Internet Service Providers (ISPs)	-	4 (2000)
Irrigated land	NA sq km	670 sq km (1998 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 of Justice or Corte Suprema de Justicia (judges appointed on the proposal of the Counsel of Magistrates or Consejo de la Magistratura)
Labor force	NA	2 million (2000 est.)
Labor force - by occupation	-	agriculture 45%
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: 3,920 km border countries: Argentina 1,880 km, Bolivia 750 km, Brazil 1,290 km
Land use	arable land: 3.1% permanent crops: 0.14% other: 96.76% (2001)	arable land: 5.54% permanent crops: 0.21% other: 94.25% (1998 est.)
Languages	French (official), Sangho (lingua franca and national language), tribal languages	Spanish (official), Guarani (official)
Legal system	based on French law	based on Argentine codes, Roman law, and French codes; judicial review of legislative acts in Supreme Court of Justice
Legislative branch	unicameral National Assembly or Assemblee Nationale (109 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms elections: last held 22-23 November and 13 December 1998 (next to be held 13 March 2005) 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	bicameral Congress or Congreso consists of the Chamber of Senators or Camara de Senadores (45 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms) and the Chamber of Deputies or Camara de Diputados (80 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms) elections: Chamber of Senators - last held 10 May 1998 (next to be held NA May 2003); Chamber of Deputies - last held 10 May 1998 (next to be held NA May 2003) election results: Chamber of Senators - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - Colorado Party 25, PLRA 13, PEN 7; Chamber of Deputies - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - Colorado Party 45, PLRA 26, PEN 9
Life expectancy at birth	total population: 43.39 years male: 43.27 years female: 43.52 years (2005 est.)	total population: 74.16 years male: 71.67 years female: 76.77 years (2002 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: 92.1% male: 93.5% female: 90.6% (1995 est.)
Location	Central Africa, north of Democratic Republic of the Congo	Central South America, northeast of Argentina
Map references	Africa	South America
Maritime claims	none (landlocked)	none (landlocked)
Merchant marine	-	total: 21 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 34,623 GRT/36,821 DWT ships by type: cargo 14, chemical tanker 1, petroleum tanker 3, roll on/roll off 3 note: includes some foreign-owned ships registered here as a flag of convenience: Argentina 2, Japan 1 (2002 est.)
Military branches	Central African Armed Forces (FACA): Ground Forces, Air Force; General Directorate of Gendarmerie Inspection (DGIG), Republican Guard (2004)	Army, Navy (includes Naval Air and Marines), Air Force
Military expenditures - dollar figure	$15.5 million (2004)	$125 million (FY98)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP	1% (2004)	1.4% (FY98)
Military manpower - availability	-	males age 15-49: 1,427,160 (2002 est.)
Military manpower - fit for military service	-	males age 15-49: 1,028,935 (2002 est.)
Military manpower - military age	-	17 years of age (2002 est.)
Military manpower - reaching military age annually	-	males: 58,359 (2002 est.)
National holiday	Republic Day, 1 December (1958)	Independence Day, 14 May (1811)
Nationality	noun: Central African(s) adjective: Central African	noun: Paraguayan(s) adjective: Paraguayan
Natural hazards	hot, dry, dusty harmattan winds affect northern areas; floods are common	local flooding in southeast (early September to June); poorly drained plains may become boggy (early October to June)
Natural resources	diamonds, uranium, timber, gold, oil, hydropower	hydropower, timber, iron ore, manganese, limestone
Net migration rate	0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.)	-0.09 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2002 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]	Authentic Radical Liberal Party or PLRA [Miguel Abdon SAGUIER]; Christian Democratic Party or PDC [Luis Miguel ANDRADA Nogues]; Febrerista Revolutionary Party or PRF [Oscar ACUNA TORRES]; National Encounter Party or PEN [Mario PAZ CASTAING]; National Republican Association - Colorado Party [Nicanor DUARTE FRUTOS]
Political pressure groups and leaders	NA	Ahorristas Estafados or AE; National Workers Central or CNT; Paraguayan Workers Confederation or CPT; Roman Catholic Church; Unitary Workers Central or CUT
Population	3,799,897 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 2005 est.)	5,884,491 (July 2002 est.)
Population below poverty line	NA (1993)	36% (2001 est.)
Population growth rate	1.49% (2005 est.)	2.57% (2002 est.)
Ports and harbors	Bangui, Nola, Salo, Nzinga	Asuncion, Villeta, San Antonio, Encarnacion
Radio broadcast stations	AM 1, FM 5, shortwave 1 (2002)	AM 46, FM 27, shortwave 6 (three inactive) (1998)
Radios	-	925,000 (1997)
Railways	-	total: 971 km standard gauge: 441 km 1.435-m gauge narrow gauge: 60 km 1.000-m gauge note: there are 470 km of various gauges that are privately owned
Religions	indigenous beliefs 35%, Protestant 25%, Roman Catholic 25%, Muslim 15% note: animistic beliefs and practices strongly influence the Christian majority	Roman Catholic 90%, Mennonite, and other Protestant
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: 0.71 male(s)/female total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2005 est.)	at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.03 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.01 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.85 male(s)/female total population: 1.01 male(s)/female (2002 est.)
Suffrage	21 years of age; universal	18 years of age; universal and compulsory up to age 75
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: meager telephone service; principal switching center is Asuncion domestic: fair microwave radio relay network international: satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)
Telephones - main lines in use	9,000 (2002)	290,475 (2001)
Telephones - mobile cellular	13,000 (2003)	510,000 (2001)
Television broadcast stations	1 (2001)	4 (2001)
Terrain	vast, flat to rolling, monotonous plateau; scattered hills in northeast and southwest	grassy plains and wooded hills east of Rio Paraguay; Gran Chaco region west of Rio Paraguay mostly low, marshy plain near the river, and dry forest and thorny scrub elsewhere
Total fertility rate	4.5 children born/woman (2005 est.)	4.07 children born/woman (2002 est.)
Unemployment rate	8% (23% for Bangui) (2001 est.)	17.8% (2001 est.)
Waterways	2,800 km (primarily on the Oubangui and Sangha rivers) (2004)	3,100 km

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