Supreme)

Political parties and leaders: Movement for the Liberation of the
Central African People (MLPC), the party of the new president, Ange
Felix PATASSE; Movement for Democracy and Development (MDD), David
DACKO; Marginal Movement for Democracy, Renaissance and Evolution
(MDREC), Joseph BENDOUNGA; Central African Democratic Assembly (RDC),
Andre KOLINGBA; Patriotic Front for Progress (FFP), Abel GOUMBA; Civic
Forum (FC), Gen. Timothee MALENDOMA

Member of: ACCT, ACP, AfDB, BDEAC, CCC, CEEAC, ECA, FAO, FZ, G-77,
GATT, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, INTELSAT,
INTERPOL, IOC, ITU, NAM, OAU, UDEAC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU,
WCL, WHO, WIPO, WMO

Diplomatic representation in US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Henri KOBA (appointed 19 September 1994)
chancery: 1618 22nd Street NW, Washington, DC 20008
telephone: [1] (202) 483-7800, 7801
FAX: [1] (202) 332-9893

US diplomatic representation:
chief of mission: Ambassador Robert E. GRIBBIN III
embassy: Avenue David Dacko, Bangui
mailing address: B. P. 924, Bangui
telephone: [236] 61 02 00, 61 25 78, 61 02 10
FAX: [236] 61 44 94

Flag: four equal horizontal bands of blue (top), white, green, and
yellow with a vertical red band in center; there is a yellow
five-pointed star on the hoist side of the blue band

@Central African Republic:Economy

Overview: Subsistence agriculture, together with forestry, remains the
backbone of the CAR economy, with more than 70% of the population
living in outlying areas. The agricultural sector generates about half
of GDP. Timber has accounted for about 26% of export earnings and the
diamond industry for 54%. Important constraints to economic
development include the CAR's landlocked position, a poor
transportation system, a largely unskilled work force, and a legacy of
misdirected macroeconomic policies. A major plus is the large forest
reserves, which the government is moving to protect from
overexploitation. The 50% devaluation of the currencies of 14
Francophone African nations on 12 January 1994 had mixed effects on
CAR's economy. While diamond, timber, coffee, and cotton exports
increased - leading GDP to increase by 5.5% - inflation rose to 40%,
fueled by the rising prices of imports on which the economy depends.
CAR's poor resource base and primitive infrastructure will keep it
dependent on multilateral donors and France for the foreseeable
future.

National