Central African Republic

Wealth and National Well-Being

Country Comparisons:
2010: see chart (middle)

Factbook: "Subsistence agriculture, together with forestry, remains the backbone of the economy of the Central African Republic (CAR), with more than 70% of the People living in outlying areas. The agricultural sector generates more than half of GDP."

Geography

Central Africa, south of Chad, north of Democratic Republic of the Congo. Landlocked, tropical and slightly smaller than Texas.

Recent History

A former colony of France (Ubangi-Shari), the republic became independent in 1960. This was followed by three decades of mostly military misrule and civilian rule from 1993 to March 2003.

Dec 18, 2008: The World Factbook writes that the government "does not fully control the countryside, where pockets of lawlessness persist." It adds that "unrest in neighboring nations, Chad, Sudan, and the DRC, continues to affect stability in the Central African Republic as well." The BBC writes of bands of bandits roaming the countryside, killing people. "In the last couple of years," according to the BBC, "tens of thousands of people in the CAR's countryside have fled their homes in terror at bandit raids."