the effects of excess mortality due to AIDS; this can result
in lower life expectancy, higher infant mortality and death rates, lower
population and growth rates, and changes in the distribution of population
by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July 2002 est.)

Age structure: 0-14 years: 43% (male 788,417; female 776,721) 15-64
years: 53.2% (male 951,908; female 986,947) 65 years and over: 3.8%
(male 60,395; female 78,351) (2002 est.)

Population growth rate: 1.8% (2002 est.)

Birth rate: 36.6 births/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Death rate: 18.62 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Net migration rate: 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Sex ratio: at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.02
male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.96 male(s)/female 65 years and over:
0.77 male(s)/female total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2002 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 103.81 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.)

Life expectancy at birth: 45.13 years (2002 est.) male: Total fertility
rate: 4.77 children born/woman (2002 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: 13.84% (1999 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: 240,000 (1999 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths: 23,000 (1999 est.)

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: 60% male: 68.5% female: 52.4% (1995 est.)

Government Central African Republic

Country name: Central African Republic conventional short form: local
long form: Republique Centrafricaine abbreviation: CAR

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: Republic Day