nt of GDP: 1.6% (FY99)

Transnational Issues Costa Rica

Disputes - international: legal dispute over navigational rights of
Rio San Juan on border with Nicaragua

Illicit drugs: transshipment country for cocaine and heroin from South
America; illicit production of cannabis on small, scattered plots;
domestic cocaine consumption is rising, particularly crack cocaine

This page was last updated on 1 January 2002

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Central African Republic

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 - a civilian government was
installed in 1993.

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% permanent crops: 0% other: 97% (1998 est.)

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 its reputation as one of the last great wildlife refuges;
desertification; deforestation

Environment - international agreements: 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

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

People Central African Republic

Population: 3,642,739 note: estimates for this country explicitly take
into account