The Central African Republic (formerly known as Ubangi-Shari) gained independence from France in 1960, and saw several decades of unrest under military rule afterwards. After a series of flawed elections, Faustin-Archange Touadera was elected president in 2016. Economically, agriculture remains the main source of income for the people of the Central African Republic, accounting for over 50% of GDP.

• Country Profile
  • Land Mass/Major Cities – Central African Republic’s capital city is Bangui. A landlocked nation, the Central African Republic sits in the center of the continent.
  • Languages – French (official), Sangho (lingua franca and national language), tribal languages
• Business Activity
  • Agriculture – Bananas, cassava, coffee, corn, cotton, coffee, millet, timber, tobacco, and yams
  • Industries – Brewing, diamond mining, gold mining, logging, and sugar refining
  • Natural Resources – Diamonds, gold, hydropower, oil, timber, and uranium
  • Exports – Coffee, cotton, diamonds, and timber
  • Imports – Chemicals, food, electrical equipment, machinery, motor vehicles, petroleum products, pharmaceuticals, and textiles
  • Major Trading Partners – China, Democratic Republic of the Congo, France, Norway, and the United States

Source: CIA. (2017). The World Factbook: Central African Republic. CIA. Retrieved from: https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/ct.html