Chapter 26
Age structure: 0-14 years: 44% (male 757,422; female 749,289) 15-64 years: 53% (male 885,087; female 927,282) 65 years and over: 3% (male 56,309; female 69,562) (1999 est.)
Population growth rate: 2.04% (1999 est.)
Birth rate: 38.28 births/1,000 population (1999 est.)
Death rate: 16.46 deaths/1,000 population (1999 est.)
Net migration rate: -1.45 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1999 est.)
Sex ratio: at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.01 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.95 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.81 male(s)/female total population: 0.97 male(s)/female (1999 est.)
Infant mortality rate: 103.42 deaths/1,000 live births (1999 est.)
Life expectancy at birth: total population: 47.19 years male: 45.35 years female: 49.09 years (1999 est.)
Total fertility rate: 5.03 children born/woman (1999 est.)
Nationality: noun: Central African(s) adjective: Central African
Ethnic groups: Baya 34%, Banda 27%, Sara 10%, Mandjia 21%, Mboum 4%, M'Baka 4%, Europeans 6,500 (including 3,600 French)
Religions: indigenous beliefs 24%, Protestant 25%, Roman Catholic 25%, Muslim 15%, other 11% note: animistic beliefs and practices strongly influence the Christian majority
Languages: French (official), Sangho (lingua franca and national language), Arabic, Hunsa, Swahili
Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 60% male: 68.5% female: 52.4% (1995 est.)
Government
Country name: conventional long form: Central African Republic conventional short form: none local long form: Republique Centrafricaine local short form: none former: Central African Empire abbreviation: CAR
Data code: CT
Government type: republic
Capital: Bangui
Administrative divisions: 14 prefectures (prefectures, singular--prefecture), 2 economic prefectures* (prefectures economiques, singular--prefecture economique), and 1 commune**; Bamingui-Bangoran, Bangui**, Basse-Kotto, Gribingui*, Haute-Kotto, Haute-Sangha, Haut-Mbomou, Kemo-Gribingui, Lobaye, Mbomou, Nana-Mambere, Ombella-Mpoko, Ouaka, Ouham, Ouham-Pende, Sangha*, Vakaga
Independence: 13 August 1960 (from France)
National holiday: National Day, 1 December (1958) (proclamation of the republic)
Constitution: passed by referendum 29 December 1994; adopted 7 January 1995
Legal system: based on French law
Suffrage: 21 years of age; universal
Executive branch: chief of state: President Ange-Felix PATASSE (since 22 October 1993) head of government: Prime Minister Anicet Georges DOLOGUELE (since January 1999) cabinet: Council of Ministers elections: president elected by popular vote for a six-year term; election last held 19 September 1993 (next to be held NA 1999); prime minister appointed by the president election results: Ange-Felix PATASSE elected president; percent of vote--PATASSE 52.45%, Abel GOUMBA 45.62%
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 NA 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 10, FPP 7, PSD 5, ADP 4, PUN 3, FODEM 2, PLD 2, UPR 1, FC 1, independents 7; note--results of election are being contested note: the National Assembly is advised by the Economic and Regional Council or Conseil Economique et Regional; when they sit together they are called the Congress or Congres
Judicial branch: Supreme Court or Cour Supreme, judges appointed by the president; Constitutional Court, judges appointed by the president
Political parties and leaders: Alliance for Democracy and of the president, Ange-Felix PATASSE]; Movement for Democracy and
International organization participation: ACCT, ACP, AfDB, BDEAC, CCC, CEEAC, ECA, FAO, FZ, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, ITU, NAM, OAU, OIC (observer), OPCW, UDEAC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO
Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Henri KOBA chancery: 1618 22nd Street NW, Washington, DC 20008
Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Robert C. PERRY embassy: Avenue David Dacko, Bangui mailing address: B. P. 924, Bangui
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
Economy
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 nearly 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. The 50% devaluation of the currencies of 14 Francophone African nations on 12 January 1994 had mixed effects on the CAR's economy. Diamond, timber, coffee, and cotton exports increased, leading an estimated rise of GDP of 7% in 1994 and nearly 5% in 1995. Military rebellions and social unrest in 1996 were accompanied by widespread destruction of property and a drop in GDP of 2%. Ongoing violence between the government and rebel military groups over pay issues, living conditions, and political representation has destroyed many businesses in the capital and reduced tax revenues for the government. The IMF approved an Extended Structure Adjustment Facility in 1998.
GDP: purchasing power parity--$5.5 billion (1998 est.)
GDP--real growth rate: 5.5% (1998 est.)
GDP--per capita: purchasing power parity?$1,640 (1998 est.)
GDP--composition by sector: agriculture: 53% industry: 21% services: 26% (1997 est.)
Population below poverty line: NA%
Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA%
Inflation rate (consumer prices): 2.6% (1998 est.)
Labor force: NA
Unemployment rate: 6% (1993)
Budget: revenues: $638 million expenditures: $1.9 billion, including capital expenditures of $888 million (1994 est.)
Industries: diamond mining, sawmills, breweries, textiles, footwear, assembly of bicycles and motorcycles
Industrial production growth rate: NA%
Electricity--production: 100 million kWh (1996)
Electricity--production by source: fossil fuel: 20% hydro: 80% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (1996)
Electricity--consumption: 100 million kWh (1996)
Electricity--exports: 0 kWh (1996)
Electricity--imports: 0 kWh (1996)
Agriculture--products: cotton, coffee, tobacco, manioc (tapioca), yams, millet, corn, bananas; timber
Exports: $182 million (f.o.b., 1998)
Exports--commodities: diamonds, timber, cotton, coffee, tobacco
Exports--partners: Belgium-Luxembourg 36%, Cote d'Ivoire 5%, Spain 4%, Egypt 3%, France
Imports: $155 million (f.o.b., 1998)
Imports--commodities: food, textiles, petroleum products, machinery, electrical equipment, motor vehicles, chemicals, pharmaceuticals, consumer goods, industrial products
Imports--partners: France 30%, Cote d'Ivoire 18%, Cameroon 11%, Germany 4%, Japan
Debt--external: $930 million (1997 est.)
Economic aid--recipient: $172.2 million (1995); note?traditional budget subsidies from France
Currency: 1 Communaute Financiere Africaine franc (CFAF) = 100 centimes
Exchange rates: Communaute Financiere Africaine francs (CFAF) per US$1--560.01 (December 1998), 589.95 (1998), 583.67 (1997), 511.55 (1996), 499.15 (1995), 555.20 (1994)
Fiscal year: calendar year
Communications
Telephones: 16,867 (1992 est.)
Telephone system: 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)
Radio broadcast stations: AM 1, FM 3 (including Africa No. 1 and R. France Internationale stations located in Bangui), shortwave 1 (1998)
Radios: NA
Television broadcast stations: NA
Televisions: 7,500 (1993 est.)
Transportation
Railways: 0 km
Highways: total: 23,810 km paved: 429 km unpaved: 23,381 km (1995 est.)
Waterways: 800 km; traditional trade carried on by means of shallow-draft dugouts; Oubangui is the most important river
Ports and harbors: Bangui, Nola
Airports: 52 (1998 est.)
Airports--with paved runways: total: 3 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 (1998 est.)
Airports--with unpaved runways: total: 49 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 10 914 to 1,523 m: 23 under 914 m: 15 (1998 est.)
Military
Military branches: Central African Armed Forces (includes Republican Guard and Air Force), Presidential Guard, National Gendarmerie, Police Force
Military manpower--availability: males age 15-49: 782,678 (1999 est.)
Military manpower--fit for military service: males age 15-49: 409,044 (1999 est.)
Military expenditures--dollar figure: $29 million (1996)
Military expenditures--percent of GDP: 2.2% (1996)
Transnational Issues
Disputes--international: none
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@Chad ----
Introduction
Background: In 1960, Chad gained full independence from France. In December 1990, after Chad had endured three decades of ethnic warfare as well as invasions by Libya, former northern guerrilla leader Idriss DEBY seized control of the government. His transitional government eventually suppressed or came to terms with most political-military groups, settled the territorial dispute with Libya on terms favorable to Chad, drafted a democratic constitution which was ratified by popular referendum in 1996, held multiparty national presidential elections in 1996 (DEBY won with 69% of the vote), and held multiparty elections for the National Assembly in 1997 (DEBY's Patriotic Salvation Movement won a majority of the seats). But by the end of 1998, DEBY was beset with numerous problems including heavy casualties in the Democratic Republic of the Congo where Chadian troops had been deployed to support embattled President KABILA, a new rebellion in northern Chad, and further delays in the Doba Basin oil project in the south.
Geography
Location: Central Africa, south of Libya
Geographic coordinates: 15 00 N, 19 00 E
Map references: Africa
Area: total: 1.284 million sq km land: 1,259,200 sq km water: 24,800 sq km
Area--comparative: slightly more than three times the size of California
Land boundaries: total: 5,968 km border countries: Cameroon 1,094 km, Central African Republic 1,197 km, Libya 1,055 km, Niger 1,175 km, Nigeria 87 km, Sudan 1,360 km
Coastline: 0 km (landlocked)
Maritime claims: none (landlocked)
Climate: tropical in south, desert in north
Terrain: broad, arid plains in center, desert in north, mountains in northwest, lowlands in south
Elevation extremes: lowest point: Djourab Depression 160 m highest point: Emi Koussi 3,415 m
Natural resources: petroleum (unexploited but exploration under way), uranium, natron, kaolin, fish (Lake Chad)
Land use: arable land: 3% permanent crops: 0% permanent pastures: 36% forests and woodland: 26% other: 35% (1993 est.)
Irrigated land: 140 sq km (1993 est.)
Natural hazards: hot, dry, dusty harmattan winds occur in north; periodic droughts; locust plagues
Environment--current issues: inadequate supplies of potable water; improper waste disposal in rural areas contributes to soil and water pollution; desertification
Environment--international agreements: party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping
Geography--note: landlocked; Lake Chad is the most significant water body in the Sahel
People
Population: 7,557,436 (July 1999 est.)
Age structure: 0-14 years: 44% (male 1,675,394; female 1,667,717) 15-64 years: 53% (male 1,953,251; female 2,034,883) 65 years and over: 3% (male 99,783; female 126,408) (1999 est.)
Population growth rate: 2.65% (1999 est.)
Birth rate: 43.06 births/1,000 population (1999 est.)
Death rate: 16.57 deaths/1,000 population (1999 est.)
Net migration rate: 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1999 est.)
Sex ratio: at birth: 1.04 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.96 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.79 male(s)/female total population: 0.97 male(s)/female (1999 est.)
Infant mortality rate: 115.27 deaths/1,000 live births (1999 est.)
Life expectancy at birth: total population: 48.56 years male: 46.13 years female: 51.09 years (1999 est.)
Total fertility rate: 5.69 children born/woman (1999 est.)
Nationality: noun: Chadian(s) adjective: Chadian
Ethnic groups: Muslims (Arabs, Toubou, Hadjerai, Fulbe, Kotoko, Kanembou, Baguirmi, Boulala, Zaghawa, and Maba), non-Muslims (Sara, Ngambaye, Mbaye, Goulaye, Moundang, Moussei, Massa), nonindigenous 150,000 (of whom 1,000 are French)
Religions: Muslim 50%, Christian 25%, indigenous beliefs (mostly animism) 25%
Languages: French (official), Arabic (official), Sara and Sango (in south), more than 100 different languages and dialects
Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write French or Arabic total population: 48.1% male: 62.1% female: 34.7% (1995 est.)
Government
Country name: conventional long form: Republic of Chad conventional short form: Chad local long form: Republique du Tchad local short form: Tchad
Data code: CD
Government type: republic
Capital: N'Djamena
Administrative divisions: 14 prefectures (prefectures, singular--prefecture); Batha, Biltine, Borkou-Ennedi-Tibesti, Chari-Baguirmi, Guera, Kanem, Lac, Logone Occidental, Logone Oriental, Mayo-Kebbi, Moyen-Chari, Ouaddai, Salamat, Tandjile
Independence: 11 August 1960 (from France)
National holiday: Independence Day, 11 August (1960)
Constitution: 31 March 1995, passed by referendum
Legal system: based on French civil law system and Chadian customary law; does not accept compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal
Executive branch: chief of state: President Lt. Gen. Idriss DEBY (since 4 December 1990) head of government: Prime Minister Nassour Guelengdouksia OUAIDOU (since 16 May 1997) cabinet: Council of State appointed by the president on the recommendation of the prime minister elections: president elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms; if no candidate receives at least 50% of the total vote, the two candidates receiving the most votes must stand for a second round of voting; last held 2 June and 11 July 1996 (next to be held NA 2001); prime minister appointed by the president election results: in the first round of voting none of the 15 candidates received the required 50% of the total vote; percent of vote, first round--Lt. Gen. Idress DEBY 47.8%; percent of vote, second round--Lt. Gen. DEBY 69.1%, Wadal Abdelkader KAMOUGUE 30.9%
Legislative branch: unicameral National Assembly (125 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms); replaces the Higher Transitional Council or the Conseil Superieur de Transition elections: National Assembly--last held in two rounds on 5 January and 23 February 1997, (next to be held NA 2001); in the first round of voting some candidates won clear victories by receiving 50% or more of the vote; where that did not happen, the two highest scoring candidates stood for a second round of voting election results: percent of vote by party--NA; seats by party--MPS 65, URD 29, UNDR 15, RDP 3, others 13
Judicial branch: Supreme Court; Court of Appeal; Criminal Courts; Magistrate Courts
Political parties and leaders: Patriotic Salvation Movement or the party in power and the party of the president); National Union mid-1996 Chad had about 60 political parties, of which these are the most prominent in the new National Assembly
International organization participation: ACCT, ACP, AfDB, BDEAC, CEEAC, ECA, FAO, FZ, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, ITU, MINURCA, NAM, OAU, OIC, OPCW, UDEAC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO
Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Hassaballah Abdelhadi Ahmat SOUBIANE chancery: 2002 R Street NW, Washington, DC 20009
Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador David C. HALSTED embassy: Avenue Felix Eboue, N'Djamena mailing address: B. P. 413, N'Djamena
Flag description: three equal vertical bands of blue (hoist side), yellow, and red; similar to the flag of Romania; also similar to the flag of Andorra, which has a national coat of arms featuring a quartered shield centered in the yellow band; design was based on the flag of France
Economy
Economy--overview: Landlocked Chad's economic development suffers from it's geographic remoteness, drought, lack of infrastructure, and political turmoil. About 85% of the population depends on agriculture, including the herding of livestock. Of Africa's Francophone countries, Chad benefited least from the 50% devaluation of their currencies in January 1994. Financial aid from the World Bank, the African Development Fund, and other sources is directed largely at the improvement of agriculture, especially livestock production. Lack of financing and low oil prices, however, are stalling the development of an oil field in the Doba Basin and the construction of a proposed oil pipeline through Cameroon.
GDP: purchasing power parity--$7.5 billion (1998 est.)
GDP--real growth rate: 2.9% (1998 est.)
GDP--per capita: purchasing power parity?$1,000 (1998 est.)
GDP--composition by sector: agriculture: 39% industry: 15% services: 46% (1997)
Population below poverty line: NA%
Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA%
Inflation rate (consumer prices): 15% (1997 est.)
Labor force: NA
Labor force--by occupation: agriculture 85% (subsistence farming, herding, and fishing)
Unemployment rate: NA%
Budget: revenues: $198 million expenditures: $218 million, including capital expenditures of $146 million (1998 est.)
Industries: cotton textiles, meat packing, beer brewing, natron (sodium carbonate), soap, cigarettes, construction materials
Industrial production growth rate: 5% (1995)
Electricity--production: 90 million kWh (1996)
Electricity--production by source: fossil fuel: 100% hydro: 0% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (1996)
Electricity--consumption: 90 million kWh (1996)
Electricity--exports: 0 kWh (1996)
Electricity--imports: 0 kWh (1996)
Agriculture--products: cotton, sorghum, millet, peanuts, rice, potatoes, manioc (tapioca); cattle, sheep, goats, camels
Exports: $220 million (f.o.b., 1998 est.)
Exports--commodities: cotton, cattle, textiles
Exports--partners: Portugal 30%, Germany 14%, Thailand, Costa Rica, South Africa, France (1997)
Imports: $252 million (f.o.b., 1998 est.)
Imports--commodities: machinery and transportation equipment, industrial goods, petroleum products, foodstuffs, textiles
Imports--partners: France 41%, Nigeria 10%, Cameroon 7%, India 6% (1997)
Debt--external: $875 million (1995 est.)
Economic aid--recipient: $238.3 million (1995); note?$125 million committed by Taiwan (August 1997); $30 million committed by African Development Bank
Currency: 1 Communaute Financiere Africaine franc (CFAF) = 100 centimes
Exchange rates: Communaute Financiere Africaine Francs (CFAF) per US$1--560.01 (December 1998), 589.95 (1998), 583.67 (1997), 511.55 (1996), 499.15 (1995), 555.20 (1994)
Fiscal year: calendar year
Communications
Telephones: 5,000 (1987 est.)
Telephone system: primitive system domestic: fair system of radiotelephone communication stations international: satellite earth station--1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)
Radio broadcast stations: AM 2, FM 3, shortwave 3 (one of the shortwave stations has three frequencies) (1998)
Radios: NA
Television broadcast stations: 1 (broadcasts 1800 to 2100 hours, four days per week) (1997)
Televisions: 7,000 (1991 est.)
Transportation
Railways: 0 km
Highways: total: 33,400 km paved: 267 km unpaved: 33,133 km (1996 est.)
Waterways: 2,000 km navigable
Ports and harbors: none
Airports: 52 (1998 est.)
Airports--with paved runways: total: 8 over 3,047 m: 1 2,438 to 3,047 m: 2 1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 914 to 1,523 m: 2 under 914 m: 1 (1998 est.)
Airports--with unpaved runways: total: 44 1,524 to 2,437 m: 12 914 to 1,523 m: 22 under 914 m: 10 (1998 est.)
Military
Military branches: Armed Forces (includes Ground Force, Air Force, and Gendarmerie), Republican Guard, Rapid Intervention Force, Police
Military manpower--military age: 20 years of age
Military manpower--availability: males age 15-49: 1,689,112 (1999 est.)
Military manpower--fit for military service: males age 15-49: 875,541 (1999 est.)
Military manpower--reaching military age annually: males: 70,464 (1999 est.)
Military expenditures--dollar figure: $39 million (1996)
Military expenditures--percent of GDP: 3.5% (1996)
Transnational Issues
Disputes--international: delimitation of international boundaries in the vicinity of Lake Chad, the lack of which led to border incidents in the past, is completed and awaits ratification by Cameroon, Chad, Niger, and Nigeria
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@Chile -----
Geography
Location: Southern South America, bordering the South Atlantic Ocean and South Pacific Ocean, between Argentina and Peru
Geographic coordinates: 30 00 S, 71 00 W
Map references: South America
Area: total: 756,950 sq km land: 748,800 sq km water: 8,150 sq km note: includes Easter Island (Isla de Pascua) and Isla Sala y Gomez
Area--comparative: slightly smaller than twice the size of Montana
Land boundaries: total: 6,171 km border countries: Argentina 5,150 km, Bolivia 861 km, Peru 160 km
Coastline: 6,435 km
Maritime claims: contiguous zone: 24 nm continental shelf: 200 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm territorial sea: 12 nm
Climate: temperate; desert in north; cool and damp in south
Terrain: low coastal mountains; fertile central valley; rugged Andes in east
Elevation extremes: lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m highest point: Cerro Aconcagua 6,962 m
Natural resources: copper, timber, iron ore, nitrates, precious metals, molybdenum
Land use: arable land: 5% permanent crops: 0% permanent pastures: 18% forests and woodland: 22% other: 55% (1993 est.)
Irrigated land: 12,650 sq km (1993 est.)
Natural hazards: severe earthquakes; active volcanism; tsunamis
Environment--current issues: air pollution from industrial and vehicle emissions; water pollution from raw sewage; deforestation contributing to loss of biodiversity; soil erosion; desertification