08/12/2009 The leaders of two neighboring countries in the Central African sub-region shall undoubtedly identify ways of further strengthening bilateral cooperation ties.
The Central African Republic (CAR) is a landlocked country in Central Africa that borders Chad in the north, Sudan in the east, the Republic of the Congo and the Democratic Republic of the Congo in the south, and Cameroon in the west.
The country which gained its independence from France in 1960 has a population of approximately 4, 4 million inhabitants, its capital is Bangui.
The country organized its first multi-party elections in 1993; elections that brought in Ange-Félix Patassé as first democratically elected President.
François Bozizé took over in March 2003. A new constitution was approved by voters in a referendum held on December 5, 2004.
Full multiparty presidential and parliamentary elections were held in March 2005, and Bozizé was declared the second democratically elected President since independence.
The country is self-sufficient in food crops, but much of the population lives at a subsistence level.
However food crops such as cassava, peanuts, maize, sorghum, millet, sesame, plantain and sara are exported. Diamonds constitute the most important export of the CAR, accounting for 40-55% of export revenues.
The nation is divided into over 80 ethnic groups, each having its own language. The largest ethnic groups are the Baya 33%, Banda 27%, Mandjia 13%, Sara 10%, Mboum 7%, M'Baka 4%, and Yakoma 4%, with 2% others, including Europeans of mostly French descent.
Pamela Bidjocka, Editor
