Central African Republic

C

Environmental Issues

About 37 percent (2005) of the Central African Republic’s total land area is wooded, and the country is considered to be one of the last great refuges of the African elephant. About 11.8 percent (2004) of the country is protected, but despite government efforts to set up and police the reserves, poaching is still a problem. Tap water cannot be drunk. The government has signed international agreements pertaining to endangered species and ozone layer protection.

III

Population

The main ethnic groups of the Central African Republic are the Baya, Banda, Sara, Mandjia, Mboum, and M’Baka. About 49 percent of the population inhabits small villages, living and working according to traditional customs.

A

Population Characteristics

The population of the Central African Republic was determined by the census of 1975 to be 2,054,610; the 2007 estimated population was 4,369,038. Most of the population is concentrated in the western half of the country, where Bangui (population, 1999, 622,000), the capital and chief city, is located.

B

Religion and Language

An estimated 15 percent of the total population follows traditional religions, about 45 percent are Christians, and 16 percent are Muslims. French is the official language, but Sango, an African language, is the most commonly spoken. Numerous other African languages are also spoken.

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C

Education

While officially compulsory, only 66 percent of the eligible children of the Central African Republic receive primary education. Secondary and higher education facilities are limited, with only 10 percent of secondary school-aged children enrolled. The country’s one university, the University of Bangui (1970), has an enrollment of about 2,900 students. Only 53.9 percent of the population is literate.