Central African Republic vs France: Compare Statistics

Side-by-side comparison of 105 key metrics across economy, population, geography, and more — latest data through 2026.

Summary

Comparing Central African Republic and France: Central African Republic leads on Major Urban Areas Population (958,000 people) against France (11.21 people); Central African Republic leads on Energy Consumption per Capita (USD) (954,000 USD per capita) against France (123.53 USD per capita); Central African Republic leads on Radios (283,000) against France (55.30). Across 105 compared metrics, Central African Republic wins on 31 and France wins on 65.

  • Communications: 6 metrics compared
  • Economy: 45 metrics compared
  • Environment: 5 metrics compared
  • Geography: 5 metrics compared
  • Government: 4 metrics compared
  • Health: 8 metrics compared
  • Military and Security: 1 metric compared
  • People and Society: 28 metrics compared
  • Transportation: 3 metrics compared

Communications

6 metrics
Metric🇨🇫 Central African Republic🇫🇷 FranceShare
Internet Usage Rate by Country (% of Population)7.51 %83.34 %
Internet Userspercent of population: 8% (2019 est.)percent of population: 87% (2023 est.)
Press Freedom Index Score60.15 points76.62 points
Radios283,00055.3
Televisions18,00034.8
Waterways2,800metropolitan France: 8,501 km (1,621 km navigable by craft up to 3,000 metric tons) (2010)

Economy

45 metrics
Metric🇨🇫 Central African Republic🇫🇷 FranceShare
Agriculture Value Added as a Share of GDP by Country880.33M $58.37B $
Gross Domestic Product (GDP) by Country in Current US Dollars2.86B $3.37T $
Central Bank Discount Rate (%)4.25 %0 %
Coal Revenue00
Commercial Bank Prime Lending Rate (%)15.5 %1.29 %
Current Health Expenditure (% of GDP)11 % of GDP11.3 % of GDP
Ease of Doing Business Index35.676.8
Electricity Consumption159.4450.8
Electricity Exports061.41
Electricity from Fossil Fuels5017
Electricity from Hydroelectric Plants5015
Electricity from Nuclear Fuels050
Electricity from Other Renewables119
Electricity Imports019.9
Electricity Installed Capacity38,300130.8
Electricity Production171.4529.1
Energy Consumption per Capita (USD)954,000 USD per capita123.53 USD per capita
Gini Index Coefficient4331.2
Gross Fixed Investment11.319.3
Gross National Saving5.422.9
Industrial Production Growth Rate (%)9.7 %0.7 %
Inflation Rate (Consumer Prices)3 %2 %
Military Expenditures (% of GDP)2.5 % of GDP2.1 % of GDP
Natural Gas Consumption041.88
Natural Gas Exports06.03
Natural Gas Imports048.59
Natural Gas Production016.99
Natural Gas Proved Reserves08.41
Oil Consumption2,0001.86
Oil Exports0487,200
Oil Imports2,4182.22
Oil Production084,820
Oil Proved Reserves091.63
Population Below Poverty Line68.8 people15.6 people
Public Debt5698.5
Real GDP Growth Rate (USD)1.5 USD1.2 USD
Refined Petroleum Products Consumption2,8001.71
Refined Petroleum Products Exports0440,600
Refined Petroleum Products Imports2,799886,800
Refined Petroleum Products Production01.31
Remittances01.2
Revenue from Forest Resources8.990.03
Share of population in poverty ($3 a day)71.620.07
Taxes and Other Revenues8.223.1
Unemployment Rate5.9 %7.4 %

Environment

5 metrics
Metric🇨🇫 Central African Republic🇫🇷 FranceShare
Annual CO₂ Emissions Growth (abs)5,402-6.11M
Carbon Dioxide Emissions313,000303.78
Population Distributionmajority of residents live in the western and central areas of the country, especially in and around the capital of Bangui, as shown in this population distribution mapmuch of the population is concentrated in the north and southeast; although there are many urban agglomerations throughout the country, Paris is by far the largest city, with Lyon ranked a distant second
Total Renewable Groundwater Resources by Country56 Cubic meters per year120 Cubic meters per year
Total Renewable Water Resources141211

Geography

5 metrics
Metric🇨🇫 Central African Republic🇫🇷 FranceShare
Percentage of land area by degree of urbanization0.16 %4.22 %
Above-Ground Biomass in Forest (tonnes/ha)217.09135.5
Agricultural land61,222.8 sq. km281,003.2 sq. km
Coastline Length (km)0 km4,853 km
Irrigated Land1014,236

Government

4 metrics
Metric🇨🇫 Central African Republic🇫🇷 FranceShare
Rule of Law Index by Country3.51 %82.08 %
Administrative Divisions1418
Independence13no official date of independence: 486 (Frankish tribes unified under Merovingian kingship); 10 August 843 (Western Francia established from the division of the Carolingian Empire); 14 July 1789 (French monarchy overthrown); 22 September 1792 (First French
Suffrage Participation Rate1818

Health

8 metrics
Metric🇨🇫 Central African Republic🇫🇷 FranceShare
Diabetes Prevalence (% of Population)7.66.5
Health Expenditure (% of GDP)9.1 % of GDP12.3 % of GDP
HIV/AIDS Adult Prevalence Rate2.7 %0.3 %
Hospital Bed Density1 people/sq km5.9 people/sq km
Maternal Mortality Ratio (%)692 %7 %
Obesity Adult Prevalence Rate (%)7.5 %21.6 %
People Living With HIV/AIDS88,000190,000
Underweight Children Under 520.5NA

Military and Security

1 metric
Metric🇨🇫 Central African Republic🇫🇷 FranceShare
Total Armed Forces Personnel (PPP)10,000304,000

People and Society

28 metrics
Metric🇨🇫 Central African Republic🇫🇷 FranceShare
Currently married (Percent)65.35 %52.51 %
Human Capital Index0.290.76
Life expectancy at birth68.51 years86.69 years
Median age of population14.46 years42.51 years
Population Change264,195 persons62,507.4 persons
Population density8.91 per sq. km121.19 per sq. km
Total population5.70M persons66.75M persons
Academic Freedom Index0.330.8
Birth Rate (%)31.49 %10.88 %
Contraceptive Prevalence Rate17.8 %NA
Death Rate (%)11.04 %9.91 %
Education Expenditure (% of GDP)1.8 % of GDP5.3 % of GDP
Female population of reproductive age1.32M persons13.97M persons
Labor Force Participation Rate231.73
Learning-adjusted years of school2.7 years11.25 years
Length of paid parental leave for mother0 days180 days
Major Urban Areas Population958,000 people11.21 people
Mean Male Height (cm)166.67179.74
Military Service Age and Obligation18generally 17-30 years of age for both men and women with some variations by service, position, and enlisted versus officer; 17-40 for National Gendarmerie; basic service contract is for 12 months; no conscription (abolished 2001) (2025) note 1: a 10-month
Percentage of population by degree of urbanization55.33 %62.53 %
Physician Density0.07 people/sq km3.28 people/sq km
Population Growth Rate1.74 %0.2 %
Population living in slums68.91 %0 %
Total deaths4,763.8 persons607,731.9 persons
Total demand for family planning (Percent)43.25 %70.02 %
Total fertility rate5.8 per woman1.56 per woman
Total net-migration13,632.1 persons66,501.8 persons
Under-five mortality rate32.16 per live births3.49 per live births

Transportation

3 metrics
Metric🇨🇫 Central African Republic🇫🇷 FranceShare
Air Travel Trips Per Capita (PPP)0.021.35
Airports431,218
Civil Air Travel2195

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Central African Republic vs France: Compare Key Statistics and Facts | Geo Factbook