Central African Republic

Sub-Saharan Africa·Low income

Population: 5.15M; 123rd of 217
GDP: $2.75B; 183rd of 214 · 2024
GDP per capita: $516; 210th of 214 · 2024
Life expectancy: 57.4; 214th of 217
Human development: 0.404; 186th of 189 · 2021

Benchmarked against

Malawi

Madagascar

Somalia

Mozambique

Default peers are drawn from region, income, and bloc membership — swap in any country you like. The gray tick on each strip is the world median.

Religion

who identifies with what, 2020

world view →

Christian90.7%▲ 0.9pt
Muslim6.2%▼ 2.2pt
Other2.6%▲ 1.8pt

Religious diversity: 2.02 / 10 · moderate · 126th of 193

Change markers show percentage-point shifts from 2010 to 2020 · Pew Research Center, Religious Composition 2010–2020.

Score card

quartile grades among all countries with data

A · Top quartileB · Above medianC · Below medianD · Bottom quartile

Topic

CAF

MWI

MDG

SOM

GDP

current US$

$2.75B–––

GDP per capita

current US$

–––

GDP per capita, PPP

international $

–––

GDP growth

annual %

–––

GNI per capita

Atlas method, US$

–––

Inflation

GDP deflator, annual %

–––

FDI inflows

current US$

$38.7M–––

Merchandise trade

% of GDP

19.3%–––

Agriculture value added

% of GDP

32.5%–––

Industry value added

% of GDP

17.8%–––

Unemployment

% of labor force

–––

Gini index

0–100

–––

Extreme poverty

% below $2.15/day

–––

GDP per capita, long run

2011 int'l $

–––

Human capital index

PWT, schooling × returns

–––

Labor share of GDP

share, 0–1

0.164–––

Total factor productivity

level, US = 1

–––

Population

people

5.15M–––

Population density

people per km²

8.2–––

Urban population

% of total

43.6%–––

Life expectancy

years at birth

–––

Fertility rate

births per woman

6–––

Net migration

people

-15.4K–––

Population under 15

% of total

49%–––

Population 65+

% of total

2.2%–––

Infant mortality

per 1,000 live births

–––

Under-5 mortality

per 1,000 live births

–––

Health expenditure

% of GDP

10%–––

Physicians

per 1,000 people

–––

Adult literacy

% ages 15+

–––

Education expenditure

% of GDP

2.1%–––

Tertiary enrollment

% gross

–––

Safe drinking water

% of population

–––

Internet users

% of population

–––

Mobile subscriptions

per 100 people

–––

Fixed broadband

per 100 people

–––

Secure internet servers

per 1M people

–––

Access to electricity

% of population

–––

Energy use per capita

kWh

279.6–––

Electricity per capita

kWh

27.5–––

Electricity generation

TWh

0.1–––

Renewable electricity

% of generation

–––

Fossil electricity

% of generation

–––

CO₂ emissions

Mt per year

–––

CO₂ per capita

t per person

–––

Share of global CO₂

0%–––

GHG per capita

t CO₂e per person

–––

Top 1% income share

% of pre-tax income

–––

Top 10% income share

% of pre-tax income

–––

Bottom 50% income share

% of pre-tax income

–––

Top 1% wealth share

% of net wealth

–––

Gini, pre-tax income

0–1

–––

Electoral democracy

V-Dem, 0–1

–––

Liberal democracy

V-Dem, 0–1

–––

Civil liberties

V-Dem, 0–1

–––

Political corruption

V-Dem, 0–1

–––

Academic freedom

V-Dem, 0–1

–––

Corruption perceptions

CPI, 0–100

–––

Control of corruption

WGI, −2.5 to 2.5

–––

Government effectiveness

WGI, −2.5 to 2.5

–––

Rule of law

WGI, −2.5 to 2.5

–––

Political stability

WGI, −2.5 to 2.5

–––

Women's political empowerment

V-Dem, 0–1

–––

Conflict deaths

deaths per year, best estimate

–––

State-based conflict deaths

deaths per year, best estimate

–––

One-sided violence deaths

civilian deaths per year

–––

Religious diversity

Pew RDI, 0–10

2.02–––

Religiously unaffiliated

% of population

0.5%–––

Human Development Index

UNDP, 0–1

–––

Gender inequality

GII, 0–1

–––

Happiness

Cantril ladder, 0–10

–––

Global Peace Index

1–5

–––

Military expenditure

% of GDP

2.3%–––

Economy & Trade

Output, growth, prices, and openness

theme overview →

GDP

current US$

#183/214

$2.75B2024

GDP per capita

current US$

#210/214

$5162024

GDP per capita, PPP

international $

#201/203

$1,257latest

GDP growth

annual %

#159/214

1.5%2024

GNI per capita

Atlas method, US$

#204/207

$5202024

Inflation

GDP deflator, annual %

#154/213

6%2024

FDI inflows

current US$

#156/201

$38.7M2023

Merchandise trade

% of GDP

#198/205

19.3%2024

Agriculture value added

% of GDP

#11/206

32.5%2024

Industry value added

% of GDP

#149/208

17.8%2024

Unemployment

% of labor force

#110/187

5.9%latest

Gini index

0–100

#137/168

43latest

Extreme poverty

% below $2.15/day

#161/168

71.6%latest

GDP per capita, long run

2011 int'l $

#165/165

$5962022

Human capital index

PWT, schooling × returns

#136/144

1.62023

Labor share of GDP

share, 0–1

#138/139

0.1642023

Total factor productivity

level, US = 1

#118/119

0.1982023

People & Society

Population structure, urbanization, and migration

theme overview →

Population

people

#123/217

5.15Mlatest

Population density

people per km²

#204/216

8.2latest

Urban population

% of total

#162/215

43.6%latest

Life expectancy

years at birth

#214/217

57.4latest

Fertility rate

births per woman

#5/217

6latest

Net migration

people

#166/217

-15.4K2024

Population under 15

% of total

#1/217

49%2024

Population 65+

% of total

#213/217

2.2%2024

Health & Education

Longevity, mortality, learning, and public spending

theme overview →

Infant mortality

per 1,000 live births

#192/196

60.4latest

Under-5 mortality

per 1,000 live births

#189/196

92.2latest

Health expenditure

% of GDP

#28/192

10%latest

Physicians

per 1,000 people

#194/195

0latest

Adult literacy

% ages 15+

#155/160

37.5%latest

Education expenditure

% of GDP

#178/199

2.1%latest

Tertiary enrollment

% gross

#189/194

2.7%latest

Safe drinking water

% of population

#139/139

6.1%latest

Connectivity

Internet, mobile, and digital infrastructure

theme overview →

Internet users

% of population

#209/210

7.5%latest

Mobile subscriptions

per 100 people

#207/214

38.82022

Fixed broadband

per 100 people

#203/208

02022

Secure internet servers

per 1M people

#214/215

1.72024

Access to electricity

% of population

#211/215

17.6%latest

Energy & Climate

Energy use, electricity mix, and emissions

theme overview →

Energy use per capita

kWh

#195/198

279.62023

Electricity per capita

kWh

#198/202

27.52022

Electricity generation

TWh

#195/202

0.12022

Renewable electricity

% of generation

#3/202

100%2022

Fossil electricity

% of generation

#3/202

0%2022

CO₂ emissions

Mt per year

#20/204

0.42024

CO₂ per capita

t per person

#4/204

0.12024

Share of global CO₂

#181/204

0%2024

GHG per capita

t CO₂e per person

#104/193

5.42023

Inequality

Who gets what — top and bottom shares of income and wealth, from tax data and national accounts

theme overview →

Top 1% income share

% of pre-tax income

#95/210

0.2%2024

Top 10% income share

% of pre-tax income

#164/210

0.5%2024

Bottom 50% income share

% of pre-tax income

#163/210

0.1%2024

Top 1% wealth share

% of net wealth

#148/210

0.3%2024

Gini, pre-tax income

0–1

#163/210

0.6162024

Governance & Democracy

Democratic institutions, corruption, and rule of law

theme overview →

Electoral democracy

V-Dem, 0–1

#119/175

0.2932025

Liberal democracy

V-Dem, 0–1

#140/175

0.1022025

Civil liberties

V-Dem, 0–1

#132/175

0.4382025

Political corruption

V-Dem, 0–1

#157/175

0.8542025

Academic freedom

V-Dem, 0–1

#122/175

0.3262025

Corruption perceptions

CPI, 0–100

#149/178

242022

Control of corruption

WGI, −2.5 to 2.5

#174/193

-1.252022

Government effectiveness

WGI, −2.5 to 2.5

#184/193

-1.712022

Rule of law

WGI, −2.5 to 2.5

#185/193

-1.72022

Political stability

WGI, −2.5 to 2.5

#184/193

-2.162022

Women's political empowerment

V-Dem, 0–1

#139/175

0.5562025

Conflict & Security

Organized violence since 1989 — every battle death georeferenced by the Uppsala Conflict Data Program

theme overview →

Conflict deaths

deaths per year, best estimate

#100/126

3622025

State-based conflict deaths

deaths per year, best estimate

#102/126

1972025

One-sided violence deaths

civilian deaths per year

#111/126

962025

Values & Beliefs

What people hold sacred, permit, and pass on — from 40 years of World Values Survey interviews

theme overview →

Religious diversity

Pew RDI, 0–10

#126/193

2.022020

Religiously unaffiliated

% of population

#141/193

0.5%2020

Development & Wellbeing

Composite measures of how life is going

theme overview →

Human Development Index

UNDP, 0–1

#186/189

0.4042021

Gender inequality

GII, 0–1

#166/170

0.6722021

Happiness

Cantril ladder, 0–10

#156/164

3.482019

Global Peace Index

1–5

#148/158

2.932023

Military expenditure

% of GDP

#50/161

2.3%latest

Explore any measure in depth on its own page — try GDP per capita or electoral democracy.