Central African Republic — Country Profile
Population, GDP, natural resources, leaders and history of Central African Republic: the Magna Factbook country file, with its Magna Power score (--/100, ranked #-- of 195).
Last updated: October 2026
CT is in Central Africa, north of Democratic Republic of the Congo. It covers 622,984 sq km. Terrain: vast, flat to rolling plateau; scattered hills in northeast and southwest. Climate: tropical; hot, dry winters; mild to hot, wet summers.
| Capital | Bangui |
|---|---|
| Population | 5,750,570 (2025 est.) |
| GDP (PPP) | $5.926 billion (2024 est.) |
| GDP per capita (PPP) | $1,100 (2024 est.) |
| Real GDP growth | 1.5% (2024 est.) |
| Inflation | 3% (2023 est.) |
| Unemployment | 5.9% (2024 est.) |
| Public debt | 56% of GDP (2016 est.) |
| Exports | $425.306 million (2024 est.) |
| Imports | $890.572 million (2024 est.) |
| Life expectancy | 56.4 years (2024 est.) |
| Median age | 20.6 years (2025 est.) |
| Urbanization | 43.6% of total population (2023) |
| Government | presidential republic |
| Independence | 13 August 1960 (from France) |
| Languages | French (official), Sangho (lingua franca and national language), tribal languages |
Central African Republic’s GDP is $5.926 billion (2024 est.) in purchasing-power-parity terms. At official exchange rates it stands at $2.752 billion (2024 est.). Real GDP grew 1.5% (2024 est.). See where Central African Republic ranks among all 195 countries by GDP.
POWER --/100 — The Magna Power score is our 0–100 composite of structural national power — nine components, 135 indicators. It is the Bureau's own assessment, not a mirror of World Bank or CIA figures.
Momentum 0 — Quarterly momentum: the Bureau's read on the country's trajectory over the last quarter, from −10 (deteriorating fast) to +10 (accelerating).
Little moved in Jul–Sep 2026: no crisis, no windfall. The quarter simply confirmed the country's standing course.
Deeper forces — trade patterns, regional stability, institutional strength — will decide the trajectory; three months rarely do.
- What our model rewards: inflation tamed at 3.0%; unemployment near 5.9% — work for whoever wants it
- What drags it down: life expectancy of only 56 years; a median age of 21 — a nation of children, its workforce still in the classroom
Diamonds, Uranium, Timber, Gold, Oil, Hydropower.
Energy is the physical base of economic power — what a country can generate, move and burn decides what it can build, sell and defend.
| Electricity access | 15.7% (2022 est.) |
|---|---|
| Installed capacity mix (CIA) | fossil fuels: 0.8% of total installed capacity (2023 est.); hydroelectricity: 99.2% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) |
| Energy consumption per capita (CIA) | 954,000 Btu/person (2023 est.) |
| Primary energy consumption (OWID) | 1.4 TWh (2023) |
| Energy per capita (OWID) | 280 kWh per person (2023) |
Sources: CIA World Factbook, Energy section; Our World in Data (IEA/Ember), 2023.
Trade shows what the world buys from a country and what the country must buy from the world — the balance between the two is a direct measure of economic leverage.
| Exports | $425.306 million (2024 est.) |
|---|---|
| Imports | $890.572 million (2024 est.) |
| Trade balance (calculated) | Deficit of $465.3 million (2024), calculated from the CIA export and import figures above. |
| Key industries | gold and diamond mining, logging, brewing, sugar refining |
Source: CIA World Factbook, Economy section.
Faustin-Archange Touadéra — President. President Faustin-Archange TOUADÉRA (since 30 March 2016)
Central African Republic maintains 19 embassies and 1 consulates abroad, hosts 18 foreign diplomatic missions, holds permanent missions to UN New York, AU Addis Ababa. The breadth of a diplomatic network is a direct measure of diplomatic power — it shows how far a country’s influence, alliances and interests reach.
| Embassies abroad | 19 |
|---|---|
| Consulates abroad | 1 |
| Foreign missions hosted | 18 |
| Multilateral missions | UN New York, AU Addis Ababa |
Source: Consular Affairs Center, Diplomatic and Consular Networks Database and Rankings, January 2026 (Zenodo, CC BY 4.0). https://zenodo.org/records/18109976
Transport networks are economic power made physical — ports, runways, railways and pipelines decide what a country can move, sell and defend.
| Sea access | Landlocked — no seacoast; exports move through transit corridors across neighbouring countries. |
|---|---|
| Airports (total) | 43 (registration prefix TL) |
Major airports
Bangui M'Poko International Airport (BGF) — Bangui.
Sources: OurAirports public-domain extract (2026-10-02); per-entry Wikipedia links included; CIA World Factbook via cia_factbook snapshot (2026-09-28)
| Political system | presidential republic |
|---|---|
| Next election | No election currently scheduled. |
POWER --/100 Ranked #-- of 195 countries in the Magna Country Rankings. Full ranking breakdown for Central African Republic.
Historical timeline of Central African Republic
This profile covers the population, economy, natural resources, leaders, and history of Central African Republic — with the Bureau’s live national-power score of --/100, ranking #-- of 195 countries.
What is Central African Republic's power score?
Central African Republic has a Magna Power score of --/100. The score measures structural power — the proven capacity to shape events — across nine components.