• World’s seventh least developed

---

•  World’s  seventh  least  developed 

country.

• 73% live on less than US$1 per day (66% 

in 1995).   

• External debt amounts to around 80% of 

GDP.

Human Development Index

172

Life expectancy at birth

172

Gross enrolment ratio*** 

167

Probability of not surviving past age 40

166

GDP per capita

156

Adult literacy rate**

119

Children underweight for age*

102

People without access to an

improved water source

80

Human Development Index Ranking 

High

Low

125

1

134

1

128

1

172

1

172

1

172

1

out of 177 countries

1

177 

1

* ages 0-5   ** Ages 15 and older   *** Combined primary, secondary and tertiary gross enrolment ratio.

Data source: UNDP (2006), Human

Development Report 2006.

•  Average  life  expectancy  dropped  from 

48.7 years in 1988 to 42.7 in 2003. 

•  Life  expectancy  decreases  4.8  months 

per year.  

•  Almost  one  child  in  five  does  not  reach 

age of five.

Statistics

Economy

1

GDP per capita (2006): US$ 352

GDP growth rate (2006): 3.2%

Public Health

Infant mortality (per 1,000)

2

: 132

Children < 5 mortality (per 1,000)

2

:  220

Pop. without access to safe water

2

: 2,060,000

HIV prevalence among adults

3

: 10.7%

Orphans due to AIDS

3

: 140,000

Education

2

Primary school enrolment (net): 44% (male), 37% (female)

Adult literacy rate: 54% (male), 32% (female)

Food Security

4

Global acute malnutrition < 5 years: 13%

Global chronic malnutrition < 5 years: 35%

 1. IMF (2007), World Economic Outlook 2006

 2. CAR (2003), General Census on Population and Housing 2003

3. UNAIDS (2006), Report on the Global AIDS Epidemic 2006

4. UNICEF (2005), Post-Conflict Nutritional Survey in Kémo,

Nana-Gribizi, Ombella-M’Poko,Ouham and Ouham-Pendé

1988

2003

40

47

55

62

70

Life Expectancy

2

2007: 

40 Male

45.7 Female

World

CAR

CAR

CAR

CHAD

SUDAN

DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC

OF THE CONGO

CONGO

C

AMER

OON

Ouham

398,179

Mbomou

176,873

Haute-Kotto

97,400

Ouaka

298,413

Vakaga

56,354

Haute-

Mbomou

62,120

Bamingui-

Bangora

46,620

Lobaye

266,238

Kémo

127,708

Ombella-M’Poko

384,704

Nana-

Gribizi

127,057

Basse-Kotto

268,692

Sangha-

Mbaéré

109,002

Ouham-

Pendé

464,272

Mambéré-Kadéï

393,407

Nana-

Mambéré

251,993

Bangui

687,634

Population

• Over 50% is sparsely 

inhabited.  

• Over 30% of population concentrated in 

Bangui and north-west.  

•  Population  density  of  north-east  is 

among  lowest  on  continent  (one  per 

square km).  

•  Insecurity  since  late  2005  has  added  to 

already  high  levels  of  migration  due  to 

economic factors.

0

100Km

Population numbers

40,000

20,000

TOTAL:

4,216,666

Data source: 2007 projection from UNFPA, based on 2003 census.

•  Vast  distances  from  agency  HQs 

complicate  provision  of  humanitarian 

support, coordination, data collection and 

sharing or development projects.

•  Few  international  and  local  NGOs  work 

in  north  and  region  is  off  limits  to  most 

UN staff. 

•  Limited  UN  access  to  60%  of  the 

country.

CHAD

SUDAN

DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC

OF THE CONGO

CONGO

C

AMER

OON

Mboki

Bouar

Birao

Gordil

Bambari

Pissa

Kaga-Bandoro

1. Markounda

2. Boguila Kota

3. Kabo

4. Batangafo

5. Bossangoa

6. Bouca

Paoua

Bangui

Bozoum

Bangassou

1,100km

1,100km

400km

400km

700km

700km

5 6

- Caritas

- ICRC

- IRC

- MSF

- Caritas

- COOPI

- IPHD

-ACF

- COOPI

- ICRC

- IPHD

- MSF

- UN

- ICRC

- MSF

- Première 

Urgence 

- COOPI

MSF

MSF

MSF

- UN

- COOPI

UN

ICRC

COOPI

COOPI

UN

UN

- MSF

- Solidarités

- Save the Children

1

2

3

4

Humanitarian Presence 

(as of early Mar 2007)

Distance from

headquarters

0

100Km

Data source: WFP, HCPT.

CHAD

SUDAN

DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC

OF THE CONGO

CONGO

C

AMER

OON

Obo

Nola

Sibut

Bouar

Ndélé

Birao

Mbaïkï

Mobaye

Bambari

Berbérati

Kaga-Bandoro

Bria

Bangui

Bozoum

Bangassou

Bossangoa

•  Security  environment  has  deteriorated 

steadily  in  2006,  especially  in  north-east 

and north-west. 

•  Security  threats  include  armed 

insurgents  in  north,  highway  banditry 

throughout the country and urban crimes 

in Bangui.

•  Spread  of  light  weapons,  ranging  from 

domestic  hunting  rifles  to  light-calibre 

military weapons.

•  Civilians  caught  in  recurrent  rounds  of 

violence.  At least 100 villages burnt in the 

last months.

Security

Areas severely

affected by violence

Areas affected by

violence

Areas with burned

villages

Road

0

100Km

Data source:  HCPT.

CHAD

SUDAN

DEMOCRATIC

REPUBLIC OF THE CONGO

CONGO

C

AMER

OON

Haute-Kotto

20,000 IDPs

Ouham

30,000 IDPs

Vakaga

15,000 IDPs

Bamingui-

Bangora

15,000 IDPs

Ouham-Pendé

37,000 IDPs

Nana-

Mambéré

20,000 IDPs

Nana-Gribizi

35,000 IDPs

50,000

CAR Refugees

3,000 DRC

Refugees

3,300

Sudanese

Refugees

20,000

CAR

Refugees

Size of circle proportional

to IDP numbers

30,000

20,000

% IDPs of the total population

IDPs and Refugees 

(as of Feb 2007)

TOTAL: 1,000,000 affected by violence

212,000 IDPs

70,000 Refugees

•  Estimated  282,000  forced  to  flee  their 

homes  due  to  insecurity,  notably  in 

country’s northern regions.

•  IDPs  have  fled  to  wilderness  near  their 

villages.  

• Providing protection to civilians affected 

by violence is an urgent priority.

•  IDP  access  to  food  and  clean  water  is 

limited  and  likely  to  deteriorate  in    near 

future.  

0

100Km

Data source: UNHCR, 

Humanitarian Community Partnership Team (HCPT).

CENTRAL AFRICAN REPUBLIC 

: Humanitarian Profile - 2006/2007

Created by ReliefWeb on 13 March 2007

UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs

www.reliefweb.int

[e-mail]

Base map source: WFP, UNCS, Global Discovery.

The boundaries and names shown and the designations used on all maps do not imply official endorsement or acceptance by the United Nations.

---

V

il

la

g

e

r

s

 

ab

a

n

do

ne

d t

hei

r

 

h

ous

e

s

 

a

n

d too

k

 r

ef

u

ge

 

in

 

th

e

 b

u

sh

.

1960

CAR gains independence from France. David 

Dacko, backed by France, becomes president.

1964

Dacko wins elections in which he is the sole 

candidate.

1966

Dacko overthrown by army commander 

Jean-Bedel Bokassa.

1972

Bokassa declares himself president for life.

1991

Political parties are allowed to form.

2001

May

 - Libya flies in troops to help put down a 

coup attempt by former president Andre 

Kolingba. Chadian troops and Congolese rebels 

also support President Patasse.

2000

Civil servants organise a general strike over lack 

of pay.

Nov

 - Soldiers clash with supporters of sacked 

army commander Francois Bozize who is accused 

of organising May's coup attempt. Thousands flee 

the fighting.

2003

Mar

 - Bozize launches a successful coup, declares 

himself president, dissolves parliament and 

imposes military rule for an interim period until 

elections.

2002

Jun

 - Fighting continues in Bangui. Over 50,000 

civilians flee the capital.

Oct

 - Libya helps defeat 

another attempt by 

Bozize to take power.

2007

Jan

 - U.N. Security Council says it will send an 

assessment mission to Chad and CAR and calls for 

recommendations on the possibility of a formal 

U.N. presence in both countries.

1979

Protests mount over Bokassa's killing of 100 

schoolchildren. This prompts France to support a 

coup restoring Dacko to power.

1962

Dacko declares a one-party state.

1977

In a lavish coronation, Bokassa has himself 

crowned "Emperor of the Central African Empire".

1981

Dacko is ousted in a coup by army commander 

Andre Kolingba who suspends the constitution 

and imposes military rule.

1993

Kolingba finally agrees to elections, and is 

defeated by Ange-Felix Patasse, a northerner, 

ending 12 years of military rule.

1997

Soldiers stage further 

mutinies. The increased 

unrest prompts France to 

send in troops to rescue its expatriates 

and restore order. They are later replaced by 

African peacekeepers.

1996

Apr

 - Over 400 soldiers from the south desert the 

army and loot the capital Bangui.

Dec

 - Rival army factions clash in Bangui.

2005

May

 - Bozize stands in presidential election and 

wins the second round. 

Nov

 - U.N. begins a humanitarian air service in the 

north. UFDR rebels intent on toppling Bozize 

capture Birao, near the border with Sudan's 

Darfur region. Government later ousts rebels with 

the help of French troops. Nearly 45,000 flee 

fighting to refugee camps in Chad.

Bur

ne

d h

o

us

es

Source: Alertnet.

Pictures: OCHA CAR.

Timeline from Alertnet

0

3

6

9

12

15

Shelter and

non-food

items

Security

Protection/

human rights/

rule of law

Economic recovery 

and infrastructure

Agriculture

Health

Water and

sanitation

Education

Coordination and

support services

Food

Multi-sector

Original Requirements 

Million US$ 

Total: 49.5M US$

CAP 2007

launched on 30 Nov 2006

Security

Protection/

human rights/

rule of law

Agriculture

Health

Water and

sanitation

Education

Coordination and

support services

Food

Multi-sector

0

2

4

6

8

10

12

Revised Requirements 

Million US$ 

12% 37% 60% 58% 53% 13% 100% 18% 100%

CAP 2006

launched on 30 Nov 2005

Total: 38M US$

Requirements unmet

Requirements funded

% unmet

Consolidated Appeal

Source: Consolidated Appeal from the Financial Tracking Service.

Source: HCPT CAR.

At least 90,000

Affected population

At least 60,000

Expected beneficiaries

WATER AND 

SANITATION

At least 90,000

Affected population

At least 60,000

Expected beneficiaries

SHELTER AND 

NON-FOOD ITEMS

20,000

Affected population

20,000

Expected beneficiaries

+Bangui

MULTI-SECTOR

ASSISTANCE TO REFUGEES

684,000

Affected population

684,000

Expected beneficiaries

PROTECTION, HUMAN

RIGHTS, RULE OF LAW

460,000

Affected population

347,300

Expected beneficiaries

FOOD SECURITY

92,800

Affected population

88,900

Expected beneficiaries

EDUCATION

+Bangui

1,677,100

Affected population

1,677,100

Expected beneficiaries

ECONOMIC RECOVERY

AND INFRASTRUCTURE

1,961,200

Affected population

1,961,200

Expected beneficiaries

HEALTH

+Bangui

These charts show funding requirements through the CAP in 2007 and 2006.

CAP-identified Needs and Response by Sector

CAP-identified Needs and Response by Sector

100,000

expected

beneficiaries

100,000

awaiting assistance

Affected population

Region identified 

for projects or as 

requiring projects

The information in this diagram is based on project areas 

planned in the 2007 Consolidated Appeals Process (CAP).

The numbers below refer to affected population and 

expected beneficiaries in CAP project areas by sector.

The data and information represented originates from public sources as indicated.  ReliefWeb makes every effort to ensure that its products are accurate, 

complete and timely, but no warranties are made to this effect. Comments are welcome to [e-mail].

---

Document Outline

• 070228_car_humanitarian_profile.pdf
• 070228_car_humanitarian_profile_bis.pdf