female
65 years and over: 0.87 male(s)/female
all ages: 0.98 male(s)/female (1996 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 111.7 deaths/1,000 live births (1996 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 45.86 years
male: 45.03 years
female: 46.71 years (1996 est.)

Total fertility rate: 5.41 children born/woman (1996 est.)

Nationality:
noun: Central African(s)
adjective: Central African

Ethnic divisions: Baya 34%, Banda 27%, Sara 10%, Mandjia 21%,
Mboum 4%, M'Baka 4%, Europeans 6,500 (including 3,600 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: age 15 and over can read and write (1995 est.)
total population: 60%
male: 68.5%
female: 52.4%

Government
----------

Name of country:
conventional long form: Central African Republic
conventional short form: none
local long form: Republique Centrafricaine
local short form: none
former: Central African Empire
abbreviation: CAR

Data code: CT

Type of government: 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: National Day, 1 December (1958) (proclamation of
the republic)

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 PATASSE (since 22 October 1993)
elected for a five-year term by universal suffrage; election last
held 19 September 1993 (next to be held NA 1998); results - PATASSE
received 52.45% of the votes and Abel GOUMBA received 45.62%
head of government: Prime Minister Jean-Paul NGOUPANDE (since 6 June
1996); appointed by the president
cabinet: Council of Ministers; appointed by the president

Legislative branch: unicameral
National Assembly (Asse