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Central African Republic

History

Government Observers

Country Facts

Chairman's Statement:

Diamonds are of good quality with beautiful form, purity and color.

The Central African Republic's diamonds are produced through artisinal mining. They are found in alluvial layers, in rivers that drain sandstones, by diving and through the extraction of gravel. CAR's major diamond (as well as gold) producing regions are Berbérati, Upper Kotto, and Sangha. Currently, CAR's mining sector accounts for 4% of the national GDP. However, as a result of the illegal trade in diamonds, the accuracy of this figure is questionable. The main impediment to the full optimization of CAR's mineral resources is its lack of a sophisticated mining infrastructure. The extant Mining Code of 1961 is currently being revised in an attempt to further the growth of a competitive mining sector.

During the last two decades of the nineteenth century, several European nations were competing for control over what would become the French colony of Ubangi-Shari at the beginning of the twentieth century. The French faced mass resistance against the imposition of colonial rule and were later forced to resort to military conquest in order to pacify the area. The tenuous nature of their control is signaled by the fact that at the late date of 1928 the Kongo-Wara rebellion broke out in the western and southwestern parts of the colony and took three years to repress.

In 1960, when Ubangi-Shari achieved independence, it changed its name to the Central African Republic. As its name suggests it is located in central Africa, just north of the Democratic Republic of Congo and south of the Sudan/Chad border. Successive military governments largely dominated CAR's post-independence political history until 1993, when a civilian government came to power under President Ange-Felix Patasse. In December 1994, a new constitution was passed by referendum and later adopted in January 1995. It calls for a presidential term of six years and election by popular vote. Significant tension still exists between the military and civil branches of the government. The ability to resolve this tension, along with the conflicts that continue to plague the larger central African region, will largely determine the future trajectory of the CAR.

President: His Excellency François Bozizé YANGOUVONDA

Ministre d'Etat aux Mines, à l'Energie et à l'Hydraulique: Sylvain NDOUTINGAÏ

Ministère des Mines, de l'Energie et de l'Hydraulique

Direction Générale des Ressources Minérales

Bangui, Central African Republic

Telephone: +236 61 20 54

Population: 4,844,927

Capital: Bangui

Major languages: French (official language), Sangho (lingua franca), Hunsa, Arabic, Swahili

Major religions: Christianity, Islam, Indigenous Belief Systems

Life expectancy: 42 years (men), 46 years (women)

Monetary unit: 1 CFA (Communaute Financiere Africaine) franc = 100 centimes

Main exports: Diamonds, timber, cotton, coffee, tobacco

Average annual income: US $290

Internet domain: .cf

International dialing code: +236