conventional long form: Central African Republic
conventional short form: none
local long form: Republique Centrafricaine
local short form: none
former: Central African Empire
abbreviation: CAR

CT

republic

Bangui

14 prefectures (prefectures, singular -
prefecture), 2 economic prefectures* (prefectures economiques,
singular - prefecture economique), and 1 commune**; Bamingui-Bangoran,
Bangui**, Basse-Kotto, Gribingui*, Haute-Kotto, Haute-Sangha,
Haut-Mbomou, Kemo-Gribingui, Lobaye, Mbomou, Nana-Mambere,
Ombella-Mpoko, Ouaka, Ouham, Ouham-Pende, Sangha*, Vakaga

13 August 1960 (from France)

National Day, 1 December (1958) (proclamation of the
republic)

passed by referendum 29 December 1994; adopted 7 January
1995

based on French law

21 years of age; universal

chief of state: President Ange-Felix PATASSE (since 22 October 1993)
head of government: Prime Minister Anicet Georges DOLOGUELE (since 4
January 1999)
cabinet: Council of Ministers
elections: president elected by popular vote for a six-year term;
election last held 19 September 1999 (next to be held NA 2005); prime
minister appointed by the president
election results: Ange-Felix PATASSE reelected president; percent of
vote - Ange-Felix PATASSE 51.63%, Andre KOLINGBA 19.38%, David DACKO
11.15%

unicameral National Assembly or Assemblee
Nationale (109 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve
five-year terms; note - there were 85 seats in the National Assembly
before the 1998 election)
elections: last held 22-23 November and 13 December 1998 (next to be
held NA 2003)
election results: percent of vote by party - MLPC 43%, RDC 18%, MDD
9%, FPP 6%, PSD 5%, ADP 4%, PUN 3%, FODEM 2%, PLD 2%, UPR 1%, FC 1%,
independents 6%; seats by party - MLPC 47, RDC 20, MDD 8, FPP 7, PSD
6, ADP 5, PUN 3, FODEM 2, PLD 2, UPR 1, FC 1, independents 7; note -
results of election are being contested
note: the National Assembly is advised by the Economic and Regional
Council or Conseil Economique et Regional; when they sit together they
are called the Congress or Congres

Supreme Court or Cour Supreme, judges appointed by
the president; Constitutional Court, judges appointed by the president

Alliance for Democracy and Progress or
ADP ; Central African Democratic Assembly or RDC [Andre
KOLINGBA]; Civic Forum or FC ; Democratic
Forum or FODEM ; Liberal Democratic Party or PLD
; Movement for Democracy and Development or MDD
; Movement for the Liberation of the Central African
People or MLPC ;
Patriotic Front for Progress or FPP ; People's Union for
the Republic or UPR ; National Unity Party or PUN
; Social Democratic Party or PSD

ACCT, ACP, AfDB, BDEAC, CCC,
CEEAC, ECA, FAO, FZ, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC,
IFRCS, ILO, IMF, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, ITU, NAM, OAU, OIC
(observer), OPCW, UDEAC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WHO,
WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO

chief of mission: Ambassador Henri KOBA
chancery: 1618 22nd Street NW, Washington, DC 20008
telephone:  (202) 483-7800
FAX:  (202) 332-9893

chief of mission: Ambassador Robert C. PERRY
embassy: Avenue David Dacko, Bangui
mailing address: B. P. 924, Bangui
telephone:  61 26 21
FAX:  61 44 94

four equal horizontal bands of blue (top), white,
green, and yellow with a vertical red band in center; there is a
yellow five-pointed star on the hoist side of the blue band