Part 44
a blue field, with the flag of the UK in the upper hoist-side quadrant and the Caymanian coat of arms centered on the outer half of the flag; the coat of arms includes a crest with a pineapple, representing the connection with Jamaica, and a turtle, representing Cayman's seafaring tradition, above a shield bearing a golden lion, symbolizing Great Britain, below which are three green stars (representing the three islands) surmounting white and blue wavy lines representing the sea and a scroll at the bottom bearing the motto HE HATH FOUNDED IT UPON THE SEAS
Economy ::Cayman Islands
Economy - overview:
With no direct taxation, the islands are a thriving offshore financial center. More than 68,000 companies were registered in the Cayman Islands as of 2003, including almost 500 banks, 800 insurers, and 5,000 mutual funds. A stock exchange was opened in 1997. Tourism is also a mainstay, accounting for about 70% of GDP and 75% of foreign currency earnings. The tourist industry is aimed at the luxury market and caters mainly to visitors from North America. Total tourist arrivals exceeded 2.1 million in 2003, with about half from the US. About 90% of the islands' food and consumer goods must be imported. The Caymanians enjoy one of the highest outputs per capita and one of the highest standards of living in the world.
GDP (purchasing power parity):
$1.939 billion (2004 est.) country comparison to the world: 182 $1.922 billion (2003 est.)
GDP (official exchange rate):
$NA
GDP - real growth rate:
0.9% (2004 est.) country comparison to the world: 177
GDP - per capita (PPP):
$43,800 (2004 est.) country comparison to the world: 14
GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 1.4%
industry: 3.2%
services: 95.4% (1994 est.)
Labor force:
23,450 (2004) country comparison to the world: 200
Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture: 1.4%
industry: 12.6%
services: 86% (1995)
Unemployment rate:
4.4% (2004) country comparison to the world: 54
Population below poverty line:
NA%
Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: NA%
highest 10%: NA%
Budget:
revenues: $423.8 million
expenditures: $392.6 million (2004)
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
4.4% (2004) country comparison to the world: 74
Market value of publicly traded shares:
$NA (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 107 $183.5 million (31 December 2007)
$188.4 million (31 December 2006)
Agriculture - products:
vegetables, fruit; livestock; turtle farming
Industries:
tourism, banking, insurance and finance, construction, construction materials, furniture
Industrial production growth rate:
NA%
Electricity - production:
546 million kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 157
Electricity - consumption:
507.8 million kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 162
Electricity - exports:
0 kWh (2008 est.)
Electricity - imports:
0 kWh (2008 est.)
Oil - production:
0 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 199
Oil - consumption:
3,000 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 175
Oil - exports:
0 bbl/day (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 203
Oil - imports:
3,294 bbl/day (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 168
Oil - proved reserves:
0 bbl (1 January 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 197
Natural gas - production:
0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 197
Natural gas - consumption:
0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 198
Natural gas - exports:
0 cu m (2008) country comparison to the world: 183
Natural gas - imports:
0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 193
Natural gas - proved reserves:
0 cu m (1 January 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 195
Exports:
$2.52 million (2004) country comparison to the world: 216
Exports - commodities:
turtle products, manufactured consumer goods
Imports:
$866.9 million (2004) country comparison to the world: 173
Imports - commodities:
foodstuffs, manufactured goods
Debt - external:
$70 million (1996) country comparison to the world: 191
Stock of direct foreign investment - at home:
$NA
Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad:
$NA
Exchange rates:
Caymanian dollars (KYD) per US dollar - NA (2007), 0.8496 (2006)
Communications ::Cayman Islands
Telephones - main lines in use:
38,000 (2008) country comparison to the world: 172
Telephones - mobile cellular:
33,800 (2004) country comparison to the world: 202
Telephone system:
general assessment: reasonably good system
domestic: liberalization of telecom market in 2003; introduction of competition in the mobile-cellular market in 2004
international: country code - 1-345; landing point for the MAYA-1 submarine telephone cable network that provides links to the US and parts of Central and South America; submarine cable provides connectivity to Jamaica; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) (2007)
Radio broadcast stations:
AM 1, FM 4, shortwave 0 (2004)
Television broadcast stations:
4 with cable system (2004)
Internet country code:
.ky
Internet hosts:
21,428 (2009) country comparison to the world: 102
Internet users:
23,000 (2008) country comparison to the world: 186
Transportation ::Cayman Islands
Airports:
3 (2009) country comparison to the world: 196
Airports - with paved runways:
total: 2
1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 (2009)
Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 1
914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2009)
Roadways:
total: 785 km country comparison to the world: 186 paved: 785 km (2007)
Merchant marine:
total: 109 country comparison to the world: 49 by type: bulk carrier 30, cargo 2, chemical tanker 42, petroleum tanker 15, refrigerated cargo 10, roll on/roll off 3, vehicle carrier 7
foreign-owned: 107 (Denmark 3, Germany 15, Greece 16, Italy 4, Japan 13, Norway 1, Singapore 10, UK 3, US 42) (2008)
Ports and terminals:
Cayman Brac, George Town
Military ::Cayman Islands
Military branches:
no regular military forces; Royal Cayman Islands Police Force (2008)
Manpower available for military service:
males age 16-49: 11,790 (2008 est.)
Manpower fit for military service:
males age 16-49: 9,735
females age 16-49: 10,145 (2009 est.)
Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:
male: 334
female: 345 (2009 est.)
Military - note:
defense is the responsibility of the UK
Transnational Issues ::Cayman Islands
Disputes - international:
none
Illicit drugs:
major offshore financial center; vulnerable to drug transshipment to the US and Europe (2008)
page last updated on November 10, 2009
======================================================================
@Central African Republic (Africa)
Introduction ::Central African Republic
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 established a transitional government. Though the government has the tacit support of civil society groups and the main parties, a wide field of candidates contested the municipal, legislative, and presidential elections held in March and May of 2005 in which General BOZIZE was affirmed as president. The government still does not fully control the countryside, where pockets of lawlessness persist. Unrest in neighboring nations, Chad, Sudan, and the DRC, continues to affect stability in the Central African Republic as well.
Geography ::Central African Republic
Location:
Central Africa, north of Democratic Republic of the Congo
Geographic coordinates:
7 00 N, 21 00 E
Map references:
Africa
Area:
total: 622,984 sq km country comparison to the world: 44 land: 622,984 sq km
water: 0 sq km
Area - comparative:
slightly smaller than Texas
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
Coastline:
0 km (landlocked)
Maritime claims:
none (landlocked)
Climate:
tropical; hot, dry winters; mild to hot, wet summers
Terrain:
vast, flat to rolling, monotonous plateau; scattered hills in northeast and southwest
Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Oubangui River 335 m
highest point: Mont Ngaoui 1,420 m
Natural resources:
diamonds, uranium, timber, gold, oil, hydropower
Land use:
arable land: 3.1%
permanent crops: 0.15%
other: 96.75% (2005)
Irrigated land:
20 sq km (2003)
Total renewable water resources:
144.4 cu km (2003)
Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural):
total: 0.03 cu km/yr (80%/16%/4%)
per capita: 7 cu m/yr (2000)
Natural hazards:
hot, dry, dusty harmattan winds affect northern areas; floods are common
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
Environment - international agreements:
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Ozone Layer Protection, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: Law of the Sea
Geography - note:
landlocked; almost the precise center of Africa
People ::Central African Republic
Population:
4,511,488 country comparison to the world: 120 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, higher death rates, lower population growth rates, and changes in the distribution of population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July 2009 est.)
Age structure:
0-14 years: 40.9% (male 928,277/female 917,739)
15-64 years: 55% (male 1,235,940/female 1,244,958)
65 years and over: 4.1% (male 71,439/female 113,135) (2009 est.)
Median age:
total: 18.8 years
male: 18.5 years
female: 19.1 years (2009 est.)
Population growth rate:
1.491% (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 90
Birth rate:
32.75 births/1,000 population (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 44
Death rate:
17.84 deaths/1,000 population (July 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 10
Net migration rate:
NA (2009 est.)
Urbanization:
urban population: 39% of total population (2008)
rate of urbanization: 2.3% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)
Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.01 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.99 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.63 male(s)/female
total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2009 est.)
Infant mortality rate:
total: 80.62 deaths/1,000 live births country comparison to the world: 21 male: 87.22 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 73.82 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 44.47 years country comparison to the world: 215 male: 44.4 years
female: 44.54 years (2009 est.)
Total fertility rate:
4.14 children born/woman (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 45
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
6.3% (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 11
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
160,000 (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 35
HIV/AIDS - deaths:
11,000 (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 29
Major infectious diseases:
degree of risk: very high
food or waterborne diseases: bacterial and protozoal diarrhea, hepatitis A, and typhoid fever
vectorborne disease: malaria
respiratory disease: meningococcal meningitis
water contact disease: schistosomiasis
animal contact disease: rabies (2009)
Nationality:
noun: Central African(s)
adjective: Central African
Ethnic groups:
Baya 33%, Banda 27%, Mandjia 13%, Sara 10%, Mboum 7%, M'Baka 4%, Yakoma 4%, other 2%
Religions:
indigenous beliefs 35%, Protestant 25%, Roman Catholic 25%, Muslim 15%
note: animistic beliefs and practices strongly influence the Christian majority
Languages:
French (official), Sangho (lingua franca and national language), tribal languages
Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 48.6%
male: 64.8%
female: 33.5% (2000 est.)
Education expenditures:
1.4% of GDP (2006) country comparison to the world: 174
Government ::Central African Republic
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
Government type:
republic
Capital:
name: Bangui
geographic coordinates: 4 22 N, 18 35 E
time difference: UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)
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
Independence:
13 August 1960 (from France)
National holiday:
Republic Day, 1 December (1958)
Constitution:
ratified by popular referendum 5 December 2004; effective 27 December 2004
Legal system:
based on French law; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
Suffrage:
21 years of age; universal
Executive branch:
chief of state: President Francois BOZIZE (since 15 March 2003 coup)
head of government: Prime Minister Faustin-Archange TOUADERA (since 22 January 2008)
cabinet: Council of Ministers
elections: under the new constitution, the president elected to a five-year term (eligible for a second term); elections last held 13 March and 8 May 2005 (next to be held in 2010); prime minister appointed by the political party with a parliamentary majority
election results: Francois BOZIZE elected president; percent of second round balloting - Francois BOZIZE (KNK) 64.6%, Martin ZIGUELE (MLPC) 35.4%
Legislative branch:
unicameral National Assembly or Assemblee Nationale (105 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms)
elections: last held 13 March 2005 and 8 May 2005 (next to be held in 2010)
election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - KNK 42, MLPC 11, RDC 8, PSD 4, FPP 2, ADP 2, LONDO 1, independents 34, other 1
Judicial branch:
Supreme Court or Cour Supreme; Constitutional Court (three judges appointed by the president, three by the president of the National Assembly, and three by fellow judges); Court of Appeal; Criminal Courts; Inferior Courts
Political parties and leaders:
Alliance for Democracy and Progress or ADP [Jacques MBOLIEDAS]; Central African Democratic Rally 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]; Londo Association or LONDO; Movement for Democracy and Development or MDD [David DACKO]; Movement for the Liberation of the Central African People or MLPC [Ange-Felix PATASSE] (the party of deposed president); National Convergence or KNK; 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:
Monam (combating gender-base violence)
International organization participation:
ACCT, ACP, AfDB, AU, BDEAC, CEMAC, FAO, FZ, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, Interpol, IOC, ITSO, ITU, ITUC, MIGA, NAM, OIC (observer), OIF, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNWTO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
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
Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Frederick B. COOK
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
Flag description:
four equal horizontal bands of blue (top), white, green, and yellow with a vertical red band in center; a yellow five-pointed star to the hoist side of the blue band
Economy ::Central African Republic
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 (purchasing power parity):
$3.184 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 171 $3.115 billion (2007 est.)
$3.004 billion (2006 est.)
note: data are in 2008 US dollars
GDP (official exchange rate):
$1.997 billion (2008 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:
2.2% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 153 3.7% (2007 est.)
3.8% (2006 est.)
GDP - per capita (PPP):
$700 (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 221 $700 (2007 est.)
$700 (2006 est.)
note: data are in 2008 US dollars
GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 55%
industry: 20%
services: 25% (2001 est.)
Labor force:
1.926 million (2007) country comparison to the world: 121
Unemployment rate:
8% (2001 est.) country comparison to the world: 111 note: 23% unemployment for Bangui
Population below poverty line:
NA%
Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: 2.1%
highest 10%: 33% (2003)
Distribution of family income - Gini index:
61.3 (1993) country comparison to the world: 6
Budget:
revenues: $250 million
expenditures: $273 million (2007 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
0.9% (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 6
Central bank discount rate:
4.75% (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 85 5.25% (31 December 2007)
Commercial bank prime lending rate:
NA% (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 45 15% (31 December 2007)
Stock of money:
$NA (31 December 2008)
$218.3 million (31 December 2007)
Stock of quasi money:
$NA (31 December 2008)
$47.58 million (31 December 2007)
Stock of domestic credit:
$NA (31 December 2008)
$320.2 million (31 December 2007)
Market value of publicly traded shares:
$NA
Agriculture - products:
timber, cotton, coffee, tobacco, manioc (tapioca), yams, millet, corn, bananas; timber
Industries:
gold and diamond mining, logging, brewing, textiles, footwear, assembly of bicycles and motorcycles
Industrial production growth rate:
3% (2002) country comparison to the world: 85
Electricity - production:
115 million kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 187
Electricity - consumption:
107 million kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 188
Electricity - exports:
0 kWh (2008 est.)
Electricity - imports:
0 kWh (2008 est.)
Oil - production:
0 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 196
Oil - consumption:
2,000 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 186
Oil - exports:
0 bbl/day (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 202
Oil - imports:
2,203 bbl/day (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 176
Oil - proved reserves:
0 bbl (1 January 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 185
Natural gas - production:
0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 194
Natural gas - consumption:
0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 195
Natural gas - exports:
0 cu m (2008) country comparison to the world: 179
Natural gas - imports:
0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 186
Natural gas - proved reserves:
0 cu m (1 January 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 192
Current account balance:
-$77 million (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 77
Exports:
$146.7 million (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 185
Exports - commodities:
diamonds, timber, cotton, coffee, tobacco
Exports - partners:
Japan 40.4%, Belgium 9.8%, China 8.2%, Morocco 6%, Indonesia 5.6%, France 4.4%, Italy 4.1%, Democratic Republic of the Congo 4% (2008)
Imports:
$237.3 million (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 197
Imports - commodities:
food, textiles, petroleum products, machinery, electrical equipment, motor vehicles, chemicals, pharmaceuticals
Imports - partners:
South Korea 20.2%, France 13.6%, Cameroon 7.7%, Netherlands 5.8%, US 5.3% (2008)
Debt - external:
$1.153 billion (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 152
Exchange rates:
Cooperation Financiere en Afrique Centrale francs (XAF) per US dollar - 447.81 (2008 est.), 481.8 (2007), 522.59 (2006), 527.47 (2005), 528.29 (2004)
note: since 1 January 1999, the Central African CFA franc (XAF) has been pegged to the euro at a rate of 655.957 CFA francs per euro; Central African CFA franc (XAF) coins and banknotes are not accepted in countries using West African CFA francs (XOF), and vice versa, even though the two currencies trade at par
Communications ::Central African Republic
Telephones - main lines in use:
12,000 (2008) country comparison to the world: 200
Telephones - mobile cellular:
154,000 (2008) country comparison to the world: 176
Telephone system:
general assessment: limited telephone service; fixed-line connections for well less than 1 per 100 persons coupled with mobile-cellular usage of only about 3 per 100 persons; most fixed-line and cellular telephone services are concentrated in Bangui
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) (2008)
Radio broadcast stations:
AM 1, FM 5, shortwave 1 (2001)
Television broadcast stations:
1 (2001)
Internet country code:
.cf
Internet hosts:
21 (2009) country comparison to the world: 215
Internet users:
19,000 (2008) country comparison to the world: 191
Transportation ::Central African Republic
Airports:
40 (2009) country comparison to the world: 104
Airports - with paved runways:
total: 2
2,438 to 3,047 m: 1
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2009)
Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 38
2,438 to 3,047 m: 1
1,524 to 2,437 m: 12
914 to 1,523 m: 17
under 914 m: 8 (2009)
Roadways:
total: 24,307 km (2000) country comparison to the world: 105
Waterways:
2,800 km (primarily on the Oubangui and Sangha rivers) (2007) country comparison to the world: 35
Ports and terminals:
Bangui, Nola, Salo, Nzinga
Military ::Central African Republic
Military branches:
Central African Armed Forces (Forces Armees Centrafricaines, FACA): Ground Forces, General Directorate of Gendarmerie Inspection (DGIG), Military Air Service, National Police (2008)
Military service age and obligation:
18 years of age for selective military service; 2-year conscript service obligation (2009)
Manpower available for military service:
males age 16-49: 1,032,828
females age 16-49: 999,330 (2008 est.)
Manpower fit for military service:
males age 16-49: 552,907
females age 16-49: 512,611 (2009 est.)
Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:
male: 55,484