World Factbook

Central African Republic

République centrafricaine

Last updated: 2026-03-28 (today)

Budget

note

note: central government revenues and expenses (excluding grants/extrabudgetary units/social security funds) converted to US dollars at average official exchange rate for year indicated

revenues

$360.48 million (2021 est.)

expenditures

$462.104 million (2021 est.)

Exports

note

note: GDP expenditure basis - exports of goods and services in current dollars

Exports 2022

$293.074 million (2022 est.)

Exports 2023

$369.034 million (2023 est.)

Exports 2024

$425.306 million (2024 est.)

Imports

note

note: GDP expenditure basis - imports of goods and services in current dollars

Imports 2022

$784.669 million (2022 est.)

Imports 2023

$742.108 million (2023 est.)

Imports 2024

$890.572 million (2024 est.)

Industries

gold and diamond mining, logging, brewing, sugar refining

Labor force

2 million (2024 est.)

note: number of people ages 15 or older who are employed or seeking work

Public debt

Public debt 2016

56% of GDP (2016 est.)

Remittances

note

note: personal transfers and compensation between resident and non-resident individuals/households/entities

Remittances 2021

0% of GDP (2021 est.)

Remittances 2022

0% of GDP (2022 est.)

Remittances 2023

0% of GDP (2023 est.)

Exchange rates

Currency

Cooperation Financiere en Afrique Centrale francs (XAF) per US dollar -

Exchange rates 2020

575.586 (2020 est.)

Exchange rates 2021

554.531 (2021 est.)

Exchange rates 2022

623.76 (2022 est.)

Exchange rates 2023

606.57 (2023 est.)

Exchange rates 2024

606.345 (2024 est.)

Debt - external

note

note: present value of external debt in current US dollars

Debt - external 2023

$724.179 million (2023 est.)

Economic overview

enormous natural resources; extreme poverty; weak public institutions and infrastructure; political and gender-based violence have led to displacement of roughly 25% of population; Bangui-Douala corridor blockade reduced activity and tax collection; strong agricultural performance offset COVID-19 downturn

Unemployment rate

note

note: % of labor force seeking employment

Unemployment rate 2022

6% (2022 est.)

Unemployment rate 2023

5.9% (2023 est.)

Unemployment rate 2024

5.9% (2024 est.)

Exports - partners

UAE 54%, China 14%, France 6%, Turkey 5%, Belgium 4% (2023)

note: top five export partners based on percentage share of exports

Imports - partners

China 16%, Cameroon 14%, France 8%, Belgium 6%, Cote d'Ivoire 5% (2023)

note: top five import partners based on percentage share of imports

Real GDP per capita

note

note: data in 2021 dollars

Real GDP per capita 2022

$1,100 (2022 est.)

Real GDP per capita 2023

$1,100 (2023 est.)

Real GDP per capita 2024

$1,100 (2024 est.)

Real GDP growth rate

note

note: annual GDP % growth based on constant local currency

Real GDP growth rate 2022

0.5% (2022 est.)

Real GDP growth rate 2023

0.7% (2023 est.)

Real GDP growth rate 2024

1.5% (2024 est.)

Agricultural products

cassava, groundnuts, yams, coffee, maize, sesame seeds, taro, sugarcane, beef, milk (2023)

note: top ten agricultural products based on tonnage

Exports - commodities

gold, wood, diamonds, vehicle parts/accessories, cotton (2023)

note: top five export commodities based on value in dollars

Imports - commodities

refined petroleum, cars, packaged medicine, vaccines, tanks and armored vehicles (2023)

note: top five import commodities based on value in dollars

Taxes and other revenues

8.2% (of GDP) (2021 est.)

note: central government tax revenue as a % of GDP

GDP (official exchange rate)

$2.752 billion (2024 est.)

note: data in current dollars at official exchange rate

GDP - composition, by end use

note

note: figures may not total 100% due to rounding or gaps in data collection

household consumption

94.7% (2024 est.)

government consumption

9.7% (2024 est.)

investment in inventories

0% (2024 est.)

investment in fixed capital

15.4% (2024 est.)

exports of goods and services

15.5% (2024 est.)

imports of goods and services

-32.4% (2024 est.)

Population below poverty line

68.8% (2021 est.)

note: % of population with income below national poverty line

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

note

note: annual % change based on consumer prices

Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2021

4.3% (2021 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2022

5.6% (2022 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2023

3% (2023 est.)

Industrial production growth rate

9.7% (2024 est.)

note: annual % change in industrial value added based on constant local currency

Real GDP (purchasing power parity)

note

note: data in 2021 dollars

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2022

$5.795 billion (2022 est.)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2023

$5.836 billion (2023 est.)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2024

$5.926 billion (2024 est.)

Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24)

male

8.5% (2024 est.)

note

note: % of labor force ages 15-24 seeking employment

total

9.5% (2024 est.)

female

10.6% (2024 est.)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold

note

note: holdings of gold (year-end prices)/foreign exchange/special drawing rights in current dollars

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2021

$483.872 million (2021 est.)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2022

$374.405 million (2022 est.)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2023

$479.593 million (2023 est.)

GDP - composition, by sector of origin

note

note: figures may not total 100% due to non-allocated consumption not captured in sector-reported data

industry

17.8% (2024 est.)

services

40.5% (2024 est.)

agriculture

32.5% (2024 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share

note

note: % share of income accruing to lowest and highest 10% of population

lowest 10%

2.1% (2021 est.)

highest 10%

33.1% (2021 est.)

Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income

note

note: index (0-100) of income distribution; higher values represent greater inequality

Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income 2021

43 (2021 est.)