ostly 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.

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
water: 0 sq km
land: 622,984 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: 0.14%
other: 96.76% (2001)

Irrigated land:
NA sq km

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, Desertification, Endangered
Species, Ozone Layer Protection, Tropical Timber 94
signed, but not ratified: Law of the Sea

Geography - note:
landlocked; almost the precise center of Africa

People Central African Republic

Population:
3,742,482
note: estimates for this country explicitly take into account the
effects of excess mortality due to AIDS; this can result in lower
life