| 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 more than half of GDP. Timber has accounted for about 16% of export earnings and the diamond industry, for 40%. 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. Distribution of income is extraordinarily unequal. Grants from France and the international community can only partially meet humanitarian needs. |
| GDP - real growth rate: |
3.5% (2006 est.) |
| GDP (purchasing power parity): |
$4.998 billion (2006 est.) |
| GDP (official exchange rate): |
$1.55 billion (2006 est.) |
| GDP - per capita (PPP): |
$1,200 (2006 est.) |
| GDP - composition by sector: |
agriculture: 55%
industry: 20%
services: 25% (2001 est.) |
| Population below poverty line: |
NA |
| Household income or consumption by percentage share: |
lowest 10%: 0.7%
highest 10%: 47.7% (1993) |
| Inflation rate (consumer prices): |
3.6% (2001 est.) |
| Labor force: |
NA |
| Unemployment rate: |
8% (23% for Bangui) (2001 est.) |
| Budget: |
revenues: NA
expenditures: NA |
| Industries: |
gold and diamond mining, logging, brewing, textiles, footwear, assembly of bicycles and motorcycles |
| Industrial production growth rate: |
3% (2002) |
| Electricity - production: |
109 million kWh (2004) |
| Electricity - consumption: |
101.4 million kWh (2004) |
| Electricity - exports: |
0 kWh (2004) |
| Electricity - imports: |
0 kWh (2004) |
| Oil - production: |
0 bbl/day (2004) |
| Oil - consumption: |
2,420 bbl/day (2004 est.) |
| Oil - exports: |
NA bbl/day |
| Oil - imports: |
NA bbl/day |
| Oil - proved reserves: |
0 bbl |
| Natural gas - production: |
0 cu m (2004 est.) |
| Agriculture - products: |
cotton, coffee, tobacco, manioc (tapioca), yams, millet, corn, bananas; timber |
| Exports: |
$131 million f.o.b. (2004 est.) |
| Exports - commodities: |
diamonds, timber, cotton, coffee, tobacco |
| Exports - partners: |
Belgium 30.8%, Spain 10.7%, Indonesia 8%, France 7.8%, China 6.9%, Democratic Republic of the Congo 6%, Turkey 5%, Italy 4.7% (2006) |
| Imports: |
$203 million f.o.b. (2004 est.) |
| Imports - commodities: |
food, textiles, petroleum products, machinery, electrical equipment, motor vehicles, chemicals, pharmaceuticals |
| Imports - partners: |
France 15.4%, Netherlands 15.1%, US 9.2%, Cameroon 8.9% (2006) |
| Debt - external: |
$1.06 billion (2002 est.) |
| Economic aid - recipient: |
ODA, $59.8 million; note - traditional budget subsidies from France (2002 est.) |
| Currency: |
XAF |
| Currency code: |
XAF |
| Exchange rates: |
Communaute Financiere Africaine francs (XAF) per US dollar - 522.59 (2006), 527.47 (2005), 528.29 (2004), 581.2 (2003), 696.99 (2002) |
| Fiscal year: |
calendar year |
