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Ethnic groups of CAR
The people of the Central African Republic range from the hunting–and–gathering forest Pygmy peoples, the Aka, to
state–forming groups such as the Zande and Nzakara. Prior to the arrival of Europeans in the late 19
th
century,
distinctions between different groups were highly fluid. Many thought of themselves as members of a clan rather than of
a broader eth- nic group. Interactions with those who spoke different languages and had different cultural practices
ranged from peaceful trade and intermarriage to war and enslavement.
The attempts by colonial administrators and ethnographers to divide Central Africans into definite ethnic groups
have never been viable. However, French colonizers did promote ethnic and regional distinctions among their Central
African subjects. Drawing from popu- lations of such southern riverine people as the Ngbaka (Mbaka), Yakoma, and
Ubangi, the French helped to create an elite group, which emerged as an indigenous ruling group for the whole country
and has held most political positions since independence. Regional affiliations have increased the complexity of this
political terrain. Other, non-riverine Central Africans, who are far more numerous, have tended to resent this situation and
have occasionally taken leadership roles themselves. Although people living in the country’s northern regions have
gained more political power since independence, southern peoples still remain an important presence in national politics.
[9]
A minority of Greek, Portuguese, and Yemeni traders are scattered around the country, and a small French
population lives in Bangui. Diamond traders from western Africa and Chad, merchants from various African countries,
and refugees from nearby countries, such as the Democratic Republic of the Congo, also reside in Bangui and the
hinterlands. The people belong to more than 80 ethnic groups, which are classified according to geographic location and
each groups has its own language. (For the distribution of main language families see next Figure 1.)
Figure 1. Language families in CAR. [9]
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About 75% are Baya–Mandjia and Banda (40% are largely located in the northern and central parts of the country),
and 4% are M’Baka (south–western corner of CAR). Sangho, the language of a small group along the Oubangui
River, is the national language spoken by the majority of Central Africans. Only a small part of the population has
more than an elementary knowledge of French, the official language. [10] The Baya (33%) to the west and the Banda
(27%) in the east central region and are estimated to be the most numerous groups. In the savannah live the Mandjia,
accounting for 13% of the population, the Sara, account- ing for 10%, and the Mboum, accounting for 7%, each with
several subgroups. In the forest region are the Pygmies (Binga) and some Bantu groups, including the Mbaka, who
account for another 4% of the population. About 4% of the population are Yakoma. (See Figure 2.) There were about
6,500 Europeans in 1998, including 3,600 French. [12] About three–fifths of the population is rural, residing primarily in
the southern and western parts of the country.
The eastern and north–eastern sections of the country are less populated. Of the ur- ban population, a
significant proportion lives in Bangui. Other major towns are Berbérati, Bossangoa, and Bouar in the west, Bambari and
Bria in the central plains, and Bangassou and Mobaye on the Ubangi River. [13]
Figure 2. Main ethnic groups in CAR. [11]
There are presently no railways in the Central African Republic. [14] The country has
23,810 km (14,796 mi) of roads, of which only 429 km (267 mi) were paved.
Religion
The country has an area of 242,000 square miles and a population of around 4.3 million. According to the 2003 census,
Protestants constitute 51% of the population, Catholics 29%, and Muslims 15%. The remainder practices indigenous
beliefs (animism), although many indigenous beliefs are also incorporated into Christian and Islamic practice
throughout the country. [15] According to other sources providing more fresh data, the Christian religion represent
71.33% of population and the Muslim part only 13.67%. (See Chart 1.)
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Chart 1. Chart of religion distribution in CAR. [16]
The constitution (suspended since 2003) provides for freedom of religion while prohib- iting certain forms of
religious fundamentalism. This prohibition is generally considered to be directed toward Muslim fundamentalists.
Christian holidays are celebrated as national holidays. All religious groups must be registered through the Ministry of
Interior. The Unifi- cation Church has been banned since the mid–1980s. The practice of witchcraft is considered a
criminal offence; however, prosecution is generally made only in conjunction with other criminal activity, such as
murder.
Economy of CAR
Despite diamond and gold mining, agriculture is the largest sector and the basis of the Cen- tral African economy,
contributing half of the gross domestic product and occupying nearly four–fifths of the workforce; diamonds and timber
also contribute to the economy. Interna- tional (mostly French) capital dominates the economy, but the Central African
Republic has tried since independence to attract capital and development monies from other countries, including Libya,
Taiwan, China, Germany, and Japan.
Under pressure from the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund (IMF) to re- verse the growth of
government spending, liberalize prices, encourage a more open invest- ment code, and provide incentives to agriculture
and forestry, the Central African Republic submitted to a structural adjustment program in 1986. In the 1990s the IMF
asked for fur- ther adjustments, such as devaluing the franc and privatizing various businesses, commercial banks and a
petroleum distribution company. As France has reduced its financial commit- ments to its former colonies in Africa,
the Central African Republic’s financial standing has deteriorated.
In the 1990s a decline in international prices for cash crops, the inflated cost of imports caused by poor
transportation into the country, the continued smuggling of diamonds across the border, and domestic political unrest
further strained the economy. Most significant, how- ever, were corruption and financial mismanagement, which left the
government unable to pay the salaries for the military and the public sector. The resulting infidelity of police, armed
forces and disloyalty of public servants to running government also caused political unrest to continue into the 21
st
century. CAR is one of the poorest countries in African continent. The
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