March - 25 CENTRAL AFRICAN REPUBLIC Population Peoples Over 100 ethnic groups. Sudanic 90%. Over 38 languages. Largest: Banda 607,000; Gbaya 542,000; Sango 361,000; Manja 270,000; Mbum 195,000; Kare 72,000; Azande 72,000; Sara 72,000; Tana 63,000; Nzakara 54,000; Maba 44,000; Pana 36,000; Ngbaka 31,000; Kaba Dunjo 31,000; Mbati 27,000; Runga 23,000. Bantu 3.2%. 11 languages. Largest: Kaka 67,000. Arab 2.3%. Chad and Baggara Arabs. West Atlantic 1.9%. Bororo Fulani 58,000. Chadic-Hausa 1%. Ten languages, mainly on northern borders. Pygmy 0.8%. Bayaka 18,000; three other small groups. Other 0.8%. Mainly French. Literacy 40%, but 73% of population have not had any formal schooling. Official languages: French, Sango, the latter a trade language used by most of the population. All languages 94. Languages with Scriptures 5Bi 4NT 5por. Cities Capital: Bangui 597,000. Urbanization 41%. Economy Underdeveloped subsistence economy due to poor communications with distant seaports. Diamonds and other gemstones are the main exports. Unemployment 30%. Foreign debt/person $264. Income/person $760 (3.6% of USA). Politics One-party or military governments 1981-87. A gradually developing multi-party democracy since then. | |
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