Population, GDP, natural resources, leaders and history of Central African Republic: the Magna Factbook country file, with its Magna Power score (11.4/100, ranked #181 of 195).
CT is a presidential republic in Central Africa, north of Democratic Republic of the Congo. The country's capital is Bangui; it covers 622,984 sq km. Independence: 13 August 1960 (from France). Terrain: vast, flat to rolling plateau; scattered hills in northeast and southwest. Climate: tropical; hot, dry winters; mild to hot, wet summers. Population: 5.8 million (2025 estimate). Population growth: +1.74% per year. Median age: 20.6 years. Life expectancy: 56.4 years (2024 est.). Languages: French (official), Sangho (lingua franca and national language), tribal languages Religions: Roman Catholic 34.6%, Protestant 15.7%, other Christian 22.9%, Muslim 13.8%, ethnic religionist 12%, Baha'i 0.2%…
| 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 | 3.0% |
| Unemployment | 5.9% |
| 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 |
| 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 11.4/100 — 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.
Diamonds, Uranium, Timber, Gold, Oil, Hydropower.
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) |
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 11.4/100 Ranked #181 of 195 countries in the Magna Country Rankings. Full ranking breakdown for Central African Republic.
Historical timeline of Central African Republic
