Short facts about the government of Central African Republic
| Country
name: |
conventional long
form: Central African Republic
conventional
short form: none
local long form: Republique
Centrafricaine
local short form: none
former:
Ubangi-Shari, Central African Empire
abbreviation:
CAR |
| Government
type: |
republic |
| Administrative divisions: |
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 |
| Independence: |
13 August 1960 (from
France) |
| National
holiday: |
Republic Day, 1 December
(1958) |
| Constitution: |
passed by referendum 29 December 1994;
adopted 7 January 1995 |
| Legal
system: |
based on French
law |
| Suffrage: |
21 years of age;
universal |
| Executive
branch: |
chief of state:
President Ange-Felix PATASSE (since 22 October 1993)
head
of government: Prime Minister Martin ZIGUELE (since 1 April
2001)
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% |
| Legislative
branch: |
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: 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 |
| Judicial
branch: |
Supreme Court or Cour Supreme;
Constitutional Court (all judges appointed by the president); Court of Appeal;
Criminal Courts |
| Political
parties and leaders: |
Alliance for Democracy and Progress or
ADP [Francois PEHOUA]; Central African Democratic Assembly or RDC [Andre
KOLINGBA]; Civic Forum or FC [Gen. Timothee MALENDOMA]; Democratic Forum or
FODEM [Charles MASSI]; Liberal Democratic Party or PLD [Nestor KOMBO-NAGUEMON];
Movement for Democracy and Development or MDD [David DACKO]; Movement for the
Liberation of the Central African People or MLPC [the party of the president,
Ange-Felix PATASSE]; Patriotic Front for Progress or FPP [Abel GOUMBA]; People's
Union for the Republic or UPR [leader NA]; National Unity Party or PUN
[Jean-Paul NGOUPANDE]; Social Democratic Party or PSD [Enoch
LAKOUE] |
| Political
pressure groups and leaders: |
NA |
| International organization participation: |
ACCT, ACP, AfDB, BDEAC, CCC, CEEAC,
CEMAC, ECA, FAO, FZ, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO,
IMF, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, ITU, NAM, OAU, OIC (observer), OPCW, UN, UNCTAD,
UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO,
WTrO |
| Diplomatic
representation in the US: |
chief of mission:
Ambassador Emmanuel TOUABOY
chancery: 1618 22nd
Street NW, Washington, DC 20008
telephone: [1] (202)
483-7800
FAX: [1] (202)
332-9893 |
| Diplomatic
representation from the US: |
chief of mission:
Ambassador Robert C. PERRY
embassy: Avenue David
Dacko, Bangui
mailing address: B. P. 924,
Bangui
telephone: [236] 61 02 00
FAX: [236] 61 44
94 |
| Flag
description: |
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 | Source: World Factbook |
