Simple directory > Regional > Central African Republic

Country : Central African Republic Official name: République Centrafricaine (Central African Republic) Head of State: President General François Bozizé (proclaimed himself president 15 Mar 2003; elected 8 May 2005) Head of government: Prime Minister Elie Doté (from 13 Jun 2005) Ruling party: A transitional government is in power, including members from all political parties and civic groups. Area: 622,984 square km Population: 4.09 million (2004) Capital: Bangui Official language: French Currency: CFA franc (CFAf) = 100 centimes (Communauté Financière Africaine (African Financial Community) franc) Exchange rate: CFAf507.21 per US$ (Nov 2004); CFAf655.95 per euro (pegged from Jan 1999) GDP per capita: US$294 (2003) GDP real growth: -5.80% (2003) Unemployment: 8.00% (2003) Inflation: 4.20% (2003) Balance of trade: US$32.00 million (2003) Foreign debt: US$881.40 million (2003)

Historical profile

1889 The French established themselves at Bangui, founding the colony of Oubangi-Shari (named after two main rivers) in 1907.

1958 The country was proclaimed a republic.

1960 Became independent under the presidency of David Dacko.

1966 President Dacko's cousin, Jean-Bedel Bokassa, an army commander, seized power, declaring himself life-president in 1972.

1977 Bokassa crowned himself emperor – the coronation consumed about one quarter of the country's annual income.

1979 Bokassa's repressive regime was forced from office when French troops reinstated David Dacko.

1981 Dacko was ousted by the army chief of staff, General André Kolingba.

1986 Kolingba established a one-party state.

1990 Opposition groups united and forced the government to adopt a multi-party system.

1992 Elections were held but the results were nullified after several groups boycotted the poll.

1993 A transitional government was appointed before elections in which Kolingba was defeated. Ange-Félix Patassé became president.

1995 A democratic constitution was adopted.

1996 France used its military presence of 1,600 troops to quell an army mutiny; 10,000 demonstrators opposed the intervention. Patassé appointed Jean-Paul Ngoupandé (previously ambassador to France) to lead a government of national unity.

1997 Ngoupandé was in turn replaced by Michel Gbezera-Bira at the head of an 11-party coalition government. It included parties led by ex-presidents Dacko and Kolingba and the veteran politician Abel Goumba (chairman of the group).

1998 The parliamentary elections were indecisive.

1999 Some deputies defected to Patassé's Mouvement de Libération du Peuple Centrafricain (MLPC) (Movement for the Liberation of the Central African People) and it then had a slight majority. Presidential elections confirmed support for President Patassé, who re-appointed Prime Minister Dologuélé to lead the government.

2001 Dologuélé was sacked by Patassé and Martin Ziguélé was appointed prime minister. Soldiers rebelled against the president, but failed to overthrow him. Libya sent troops to protect the Patassé government.

2002 The finance minister, Eric Sorongope-Zoumandji, was arrested and accused of embezzling public funds. His arrest was part of the government's on-going campaign to fight corruption. Rebels seized part of Bangui; they were forced out by government troops aided by Libyan warplanes.

2003 On 15 March, insurgents loyal to General François Bozizé captured Bangui while President Ange-Félix Patassé was out of the country. Bozizé proclaimed himself president, suspended the constitution and dissolved the National Assembly and government. He appointed Abel Goumba as prime minister. A National Transitional Council (NTC) was created. On 11 December, Abel Goumba was dismissed and the next day, Célestin Gaombalet was appointed prime minister.

2004 The NTC, in March, created an independent commission to oversee elections. A new constitution was approved in December.

2005 The Convergence Nationale `Kwa Na Kwa') (KNK) (National Convergence `Kwa Na Kwa') coalition won the May parliamentary elections and incumbent François Bozizé was elected president. Elie Doté was named as prime minister.

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