lation growth rate: 1.85% (2001 est.)

Birth rate: 37.05 births/1,000 population (2001 est.)

Death rate: 18.53 deaths/1,000 population (2001 est.)

Net migration rate: 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2001 est.)

Sex ratio: at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.01 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 0.96 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.79 male(s)/female

total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2001 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 105.25 deaths/1,000 live births (2001 est.)

Life expectancy at birth: total population: 43.8 years

male: 42.17 years

female: 45.48 years (2001 est.)

Total fertility rate: 4.86 children born/woman (2001 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 34%, Banda 27%, Sara 10%, Mandjia 21%, Mboum 4%,
M'Baka 4%, Europeans 6,500 (including 1,500 French)

Religions: indigenous beliefs 24%, Protestant 25%, Roman Catholic
25%, Muslim 15%, other 11%

note: animistic beliefs and practices strongly influence the
Christian majority

Languages: French (official), Sangho (lingua franca and national
language), Arabic, Hunsa, Swahili

Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 60%

male: 68.5%

female: 52.4% (1995 est.)

Central African Republic Government

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: 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, 1 December (1958)

Constitution: passed by referendum 29 December 1994; adopted 7
January 1995

Legal system: based on French law

Suffrage: 21 years of age; universal

Executive branch: chief of state: President Ange-Fe