Compare Sierra Leone (2002) - Central African Republic (2003)

Compare Sierra Leone (2002) z Central African Republic (2003)

	Sierra Leone (2002)	Central African Republic (2003)

Administrative divisions	3 provinces and 1 area; Eastern, Northern, Southern, Western	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
Age structure	0-14 years: 44.7% (male 1,230,530; female 1,280,084) 15-64 years: 52.1% (male 1,397,070; female 1,528,986) 65 years and over: 3.2% (male 87,256; female 90,817) (2002 est.)	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.)
Agriculture - products	rice, coffee, cocoa, palm kernels, palm oil, peanuts; poultry, cattle, sheep, pigs; fish	cotton, coffee, tobacco, manioc (tapioca), yams, millet, corn, bananas; timber
Airports	10 (2001)	50 (2002)
Airports - with paved runways	total: 1 over 3,047 m: 1 (2002)	total: 3 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 (2002)
Airports - with unpaved runways	total: 9 914 to 1,523 m: 7 under 914 m: 2 (2002)	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)
Area	total: 71,740 sq km land: 71,620 sq km water: 120 sq km	total: 622,984 sq km land: 622,984 sq km water: 0 sq km
Area - comparative	slightly smaller than South Carolina	slightly smaller than Texas
Background	Since 1991, civil war between the government and the Revolutionary United Front (RUF) has resulted in tens of thousands of deaths and the displacement of more than 2 million people (well over one-third of the population) many of whom are now refugees in neighboring countries. After several setbacks, the end to the eleven-year conflict in Sierra Leone may finally be near at hand. With the support of the UN peacekeeping force and contributions from the World Bank and international community, demobilization and disarmament of the RUF and Civil Defense Forces (CDF) combatants has been completed. Reestablishment of government authority throughout the country is slowly proceeding and national elections took place in May 2002.	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.
Birth rate	44.58 births/1,000 population (2002 est.)	35.93 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)
Budget	revenues: $96 million expenditures: $351 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (2000 est.) (2000 est.)	revenues: $NA expenditures: $NA, including capital expenditures of $NA
Capital	Freetown	Bangui
Climate	tropical; hot, humid; summer rainy season (May to December); winter dry season (December to April)	tropical; hot, dry winters; mild to hot, wet summers
Coastline	402 km	0 km (landlocked)
Constitution	1 October 1991; subsequently amended several times	passed by referendum 29 December 1994; adopted 7 January 1995
Country name	conventional long form: Republic of Sierra Leone conventional short form: Sierra Leone	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
Currency	leone (SLL)	Communaute Financiere Africaine franc (XAF); note - responsible authority is the Bank of the Central African States
Death rate	18.83 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.)	19.73 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)
Debt - external	$1.3 billion (2000)	$881.4 million (2000 est.)
Diplomatic representation from the US	chief of mission: Ambassador Peter Russell CHAVEAS embassy: Corner of Walpole and Siaka Stevens Streets, Freetown mailing address: use embassy street address telephone: [232] (22) 226481 through 226485 FAX: [232] (22) 225471	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
Diplomatic representation in the US	chief of mission: Ambassador Ibrahim M. KAMARA chancery: 1701 19th Street NW, Washington, DC 20009 telephone: [1] (202) 939-9261 through 9263 FAX: [1] (202) 483-1793	chief of mission: Ambassador Emmanuel TOUABOY chancery: 1618 22nd Street NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 483-7800 FAX: [1] (202) 332-9893
Disputes - international	ongoing conflict in Sierra Leone has engendered refugee movements into neighboring Guinea and Liberia	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
Economic aid - recipient	$103 million (2001 est.)	ODA $73 million; note - traditional budget subsidies from France (2000 est.)
Economy - overview	Sierra Leone is an extremely poor African nation with tremendous inequality in income distribution. It does have substantial mineral, agricultural, and fishery resources. However, the economic and social infrastructure is not well developed, and serious social disorders continue to hamper economic development, following a 10-year civil war. About two-thirds of the working-age population engages in subsistence agriculture. Manufacturing consists mainly of the processing of raw materials and of light manufacturing for the domestic market. There are plans to reopen bauxite and rutile mines shut down during the conflict. The major source of hard currency consists of the mining of diamonds. The fate of the economy depends upon the maintenance of domestic peace and the continued receipt of substantial aid from abroad.	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.
Electricity - consumption	227.85 million kWh (2000)	98.63 million kWh (2001)
Electricity - exports	0 kWh (2000)	0 kWh (2001)
Electricity - imports	0 kWh (2000)	0 kWh (2001)
Electricity - production	245 million kWh (2000)	106 million kWh (2001)
Electricity - production by source	fossil fuel: 100% hydro: 0% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2000)	fossil fuel: 19.8% hydro: 80.2% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001)
Elevation extremes	lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m highest point: Loma Mansa (Bintimani) 1,948 m	lowest point: Oubangui River 335 m highest point: Mont Ngaoui 1,420 m
Environment - current issues	rapid population growth pressuring the environment; overharvesting of timber, expansion of cattle grazing, and slash-and-burn agriculture have resulted in deforestation and soil exhaustion; civil war depleting natural resources; overfishing	tap water is not potable; poaching has diminished its reputation as one of the last great wildlife refuges; desertification; deforestation
Environment - international agreements	party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Law of the Sea, Marine Life Conservation, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: Environmental Modification	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
Ethnic groups	20 native African tribes 90% (Temne 30%, Mende 30%, other 30%), Creole (Krio) 10% (descendants of freed Jamaican slaves who were settled in the Freetown area in the late-18th century), refugees from Liberia's recent civil war, small numbers of Europeans, Lebanese, Pakistanis, and Indians	Baya 33%, Banda 27%, Mandjia 13%, Sara 10%, Mboum 7%, M'Baka 4%, Yakoma 4%, other 2%
Exchange rates	leones per US dollar - 2,212.47 (January 2002), 1,985.89 (2001), 2,092.13 (2000), 1,804.20 (1999), 1,563.62 (1998), 981.48 (1997)	Communaute Financiere Africaine francs (XAF) per US dollar - 696.99 (2002), 733.04 (2001), 711.98 (2000), 615.7 (1999), 589.95 (1998)
Executive branch	chief of state: President Ahmad Tejan KABBAH (since 29 March 1996, reinstated 10 March 1998); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government head of government: President Ahmad Tejan KABBAH (since 29 March 1996, reinstated 10 March 1998); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government cabinet: Ministers of State appointed by the president with the approval of the House of Representatives; the cabinet is responsible to the president elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term; election last held 14 May 2002 (next to be held NA May 2007); note - president's tenure of office is limited to two five-year terms election results: Ahmad Tejan KABBAH reelected president; percent of vote - Ahmad Tejan KABBAH (SLPP) 70.6%, Ernest KOROMA 22.4%	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
Exports	$65 million f.o.b. (2000 est.)	NA (2001)
Exports - commodities	diamonds, rutile, cocoa, coffee, fish	diamonds, timber, cotton, coffee, tobacco
Exports - partners	NZ 33.7%, Belgium 32.6%, US 7.4%, France 5.1% (2000)	Belgium 66.8%, Spain 6.4%, Kazakhstan 4% (2002)
Fiscal year	calendar year	calendar year
Flag description	three equal horizontal bands of light green (top), white, and light blue	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
GDP	purchasing power parity - $2.7 billion (2001 est.)	purchasing power parity - $4.296 billion (2002 est.)
GDP - composition by sector	agriculture: 43% industry: 27% services: 30% (2000)	agriculture: 55% industry: 20% services: 25% (2001 est.)
GDP - per capita	purchasing power parity - $500 (2001 est.)	purchasing power parity - $1,200 (2002 est.)
GDP - real growth rate	3% (2001 est.)	1.5% (2002 est.)
Geographic coordinates	8 30 N, 11 30 W	7 00 N, 21 00 E
Geography - note	rainfall along the coast can reach 495 cm (195 inches) a year, making it one of the wettest places along coastal, western Africa	landlocked; almost the precise center of Africa
Heliports	2 (2002)	-
Highways	total: 11,700 km paved: 936 km unpaved: 10,764 km (2002)	total: 23,810 km paved: 643 km unpaved: 23,167 km (1999 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share	lowest 10%: 1% highest 10%: 44% (1989) (1989)	lowest 10%: 0.7% highest 10%: 47.7% (1993)
Imports	$145 million f.o.b. (2000 est.)	NA (2001)
Imports - commodities	foodstuffs, machinery and equipment, fuels and lubricants, chemicals	food, textiles, petroleum products, machinery, electrical equipment, motor vehicles, chemicals, pharmaceuticals
Imports - partners	Czech Republic 26.7%, UK 26.6%, US 5.1%, Netherlands 4.6% (2000)	France 30%, US 5.2%, Cameroon 4.5%, Germany 4.3% (2002)
Independence	27 April 1961 (from UK)	13 August 1960 (from France)
Industrial production growth rate	NA%	3% (2002)
Industries	mining (diamonds); small-scale manufacturing (beverages, textiles, cigarettes, footwear); petroleum refining	diamond mining, logging, brewing, textiles, footwear, assembly of bicycles and motorcycles
Infant mortality rate	144.38 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.)	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.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices)	15% (2000 est.)	3.6% (2001 est.)
International organization participation	ACP, AfDB, C, CCC, ECA, ECOWAS, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ITU, NAM, OAU, OIC, OPCW (signatory), UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO	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
Internet Service Providers (ISPs)	1 (2001)	1 (2002)
Irrigated land	290 sq km (1998 est.)	NA sq km
Judicial branch	Supreme Court; Appeals Court; High Court	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
Labor force	1.369 million note: only about 65,000 wage earners (1985) (1981 est.)	NA
Labor force - by occupation	agriculture NA%, industry NA%, services NA%	-
Land boundaries	total: 958 km border countries: Guinea 652 km, Liberia 306 km	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
Land use	arable land: 6.76% permanent crops: 0.78% other: 92.46% (1998 est.)	arable land: 3.1% permanent crops: 0.14% other: 96.76% (1998 est.)
Languages	English (official, regular use limited to literate minority), Mende (principal vernacular in the south), Temne (principal vernacular in the north), Krio (English-based Creole, spoken by the descendants of freed Jamaican slaves who were settled in the Freetown area, a lingua franca and a first language for 10% of the population but understood by 95%)	French (official), Sangho (lingua franca and national language), tribal languages
Legal system	based on English law and customary laws indigenous to local tribes; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction	based on French law
Legislative branch	unicameral Parliament (124 seats - 112 elected by popular vote, 12 filled by paramount chiefs elected in separate elections; members serve five-year terms) elections: last held 14 May 2002 (next to be held NA May 2007) election results: percent of vote by party - SLPP 70.06%, APC 22.35%, PLP 3%, others 4.59%; seats by party - SLPP 83, APC 27, PLP 2	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
Life expectancy at birth	total population: 45.96 years male: 43.01 years female: 49.01 years (2002 est.)	total population: 41.71 years male: 40.18 years female: 43.29 years (2003 est.)
Literacy	definition: age 15 and over can read and write English, Mende, Temne, or Arabic total population: 31.4% male: 45.4% female: 18.2% (1995 est.)	definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 51% male: 63.3% female: 39.9% (2003 est.)
Location	Western Africa, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean, between Guinea and Liberia	Central Africa, north of Democratic Republic of the Congo
Map references	Africa	Africa
Maritime claims	territorial sea: 12 NM contiguous zone: 24 NM exclusive economic zone: 200 NM	none (landlocked)
Military branches	Army (RSLAF)	Central African Armed Forces (FACA) (including Republican Guard, Ground Forces, Naval Forces, and Air Force), Presidential Security Guard, Gendarmerie, National Police
Military expenditures - dollar figure	$10.3 million (FY01)	$13.43 million (FY02)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP	1.5% (FY01)	1.1% (FY02)
Military manpower - availability	males age 15-49: 1,203,682 (2002 est.)	males age 15-49: 858,671 (2003 est.)
Military manpower - fit for military service	males age 15-49: 583,946 (2002 est.)	males age 15-49: 449,466 (2003 est.)
National holiday	Independence Day, 27 April (1961)	Republic Day, 1 December (1958)
Nationality	noun: Sierra Leonean(s) adjective: Sierra Leonean	noun: Central African(s) adjective: Central African
Natural hazards	dry, sand-laden harmattan winds blow from the Sahara (December to February); sandstorms, dust storms	hot, dry, dusty harmattan winds affect northern areas; floods are common
Natural resources	diamonds, titanium ore, bauxite, iron ore, gold, chromite	diamonds, uranium, timber, gold, oil, hydropower
Net migration rate	6.32 migrant(s)/1,000 population note: by the end of 1999 refugees from Sierra Leone are assumed to be returning (2002 est.)	0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)
Political parties and leaders	All People's Congress or APC [Alhaji Sat KOROMA, interim chairman]; Citizens United for Peace and Progress or CUPP [Alfred Musa CONTEH, interim chairman]; Coalition for Progress Party or CPP [Jeridine WILLIAM-SARHO, interim leader]; Democratic Center Party or DCP [Adu Aiah KOROMA]; Democratic Labor Party or DLP [George E. L. PALMER]; Democratic Party or DP [Henry BALO, acting chairman]; National Alliance Democratic Party or NADP [Mohamed Yahya SILLAH, chairman]; National Democratic Alliance or NDA [Amadu M. B. JALLOH]; National People's Party or NPP [Andrew TURAY]; National Republican Party or NRP [Stephen Sahr MAMBU]; National Unity Movement or NUM [Sam LEIGH, interim chairman]; National Unity Party or NUP [John BENJAMINE, interim leader]; Peace and Liberation Party or PLP [Darlington MORRISON, interim chairman]; People's Democratic Alliance or PDA [Cpl. (Ret.) Abdul Rahman KAMARA, interim chairman]; People's Democratic Party or PDP [Osman KAMARA]; People's National Convention or PNC [Edward John KARGBO]; People's Progressive Party or PPP [Abass Chernok BUNDU, chairman]; Revolutionary United Front Party or RUFP [Foday Saybana SANKOH, chairman]; Social Democratic Party or SDP [Andrew Victor LUNGAY]; Sierra Leone People's Party or SLPP [Ahmad Tejan KABBAH, chairman]; United National People's Party or UNPP [John KAREFA-SMART in exile, Raymond KAMARA, acting leader]; Young People's Party or YPP [Cornelius DEVEAUS, interim chairman]	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]
Political pressure groups and leaders	Trade Unions and Student Unions	NA
Population	5,614,743 (July 2002 est.)	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.)
Population below poverty line	68% (1989 est.)	NA%
Population growth rate	3.21% (2002 est.)	1.62% (2003 est.)
Ports and harbors	Bonthe, Freetown, Pepel	Bangui, Nola, Salo, Nzinga
Radio broadcast stations	AM 1, FM 9, shortwave 1 (1999)	AM 1, FM 5, shortwave 1 (2002)
Radios	1.12 million (1997)	-
Railways	total: 84 km narrow gauge: 84 km 1.067-m gauge note: Sierra Leone has no common carrier railroads; the existing railroad is private and used on a limited basis while the mine at Marampa is closed (2001)	0 km
Religions	Muslim 60%, indigenous beliefs 30%, Christian 10%	indigenous beliefs 35%, Protestant 25%, Roman Catholic 25%, Muslim 15% note: animistic beliefs and practices strongly influence the Christian majority
Sex ratio	at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female under 15 years: 0.96 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.91 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.96 male(s)/female total population: 0.94 male(s)/female (2002 est.)	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.)
Suffrage	18 years of age; universal	21 years of age; universal
Telephone system	general assessment: marginal telephone and telegraph service domestic: The national microwave radio relay trunk system connects Freetown to Bo and Kenema (April 2001) international: satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)	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)
Telephones - main lines in use	25,000 (2001)	9,500 (2000)
Telephones - mobile cellular	30,000 (2001)	710 (1998)
Television broadcast stations	2 (1999)	1 (2001)
Terrain	coastal belt of mangrove swamps, wooded hill country, upland plateau, mountains in east	vast, flat to rolling, monotonous plateau; scattered hills in northeast and southwest
Total fertility rate	5.94 children born/woman (2002 est.)	4.68 children born/woman (2003 est.)
Unemployment rate	NA%	8% (23% for Bangui) (2001 est.)
Waterways	800 km (of which 600 km navigable year round)	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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