Population:
4,844,927
country comparison to the world: 116
note: estimates for this country explicitly take into account the effects of excess mortality due to AIDS; this can result in lower life expectancy, higher infant mortality, higher death rates, lower population growth rates, and changes in the distribution of population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July 2010 est.)
[see also: Population country ranks ]

Age structure:
0-14 years: 40.9% (male 928,277/female 917,739)
[see also: Age structure - 0-14 years country ranks ]
15-64 years: 55% (male 1,235,940/female 1,244,958)
[see also: Age structure - 15-64 years country ranks ]
65 years and over: 4.1% (male 71,439/female 113,135) (2010 est.)
[see also: Age structure - 65 years and over country ranks ]

Median age:
total: 19.1 years
[see also: Median age - total country ranks ]
male: 18.7 years
[see also: Median age - male country ranks ]
female: 19.5 years (2010 est.)
[see also: Median age - female country ranks ]

Population growth rate:
2.149% (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 43
[see also: Population growth rate country ranks ]

Birth rate:
36.79 births/1,000 population (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 26
[see also: Birth rate country ranks ]

Death rate:
15.3 deaths/1,000 population (July 2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 11
[see also: Death rate country ranks ]

Net migration rate:
0 migrant(s)/1,000 population
country comparison to the world: 78
[see also: Net migration rate country ranks ]

Urbanization:
urban population: 39% of total population (2008)
[see also: Urbanization - urban population country ranks ]
rate of urbanization: 2.3% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)
[see also: Urbanization - rate of urbanization country ranks ]

Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
[see also: Sex ratio - at birth country ranks ]
under 15 years: 1.01 male(s)/female
[see also: Sex ratio - under 15 years country ranks ]
15-64 years: 0.98 male(s)/female
[see also: Sex ratio - 15-64 years country ranks ]
65 years and over: 0.67 male(s)/female
[see also: Sex ratio - 65 years and over country ranks ]
total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2010 est.)
[see also: Sex ratio - total population country ranks ]

Infant mortality rate:
total: 101.6 deaths/1,000 live births
country comparison to the world: 7
[see also: Infant mortality rate - total country ranks ]
male: 109.65 deaths/1,000 live births
[see also: Infant mortality rate - male country ranks ]
female: 93.3 deaths/1,000 live births (2010 est.)
[see also: Infant mortality rate - female country ranks ]

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 49.68 years
country comparison to the world: 215
[see also: Life expectancy at birth - total population country ranks ]
male: 48.45 years
[see also: Life expectancy at birth - male country ranks ]
female: 50.95 years (2010 est.)
[see also: Life expectancy at birth - female country ranks ]

Total fertility rate:
4.68 children born/woman (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 33
[see also: Total fertility rate country ranks ]

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
6.3% (2007 est.)
country comparison to the world: 11
[see also: HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate country ranks ]

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
160,000 (2007 est.)
country comparison to the world: 35
[see also: HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS country ranks ]

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
11,000 (2007 est.)
country comparison to the world: 30
[see also: HIV/AIDS - deaths country ranks ]

Major infectious diseases:
degree of risk: very high
food or waterborne diseases: bacterial and protozoal diarrhea, hepatitis A, and typhoid fever
vectorborne disease: malaria
respiratory disease: meningococcal meningitis
water contact disease: schistosomiasis
animal contact disease: rabies (2009)

Nationality:
noun: Central African(s)
adjective: Central African

Ethnic groups:
Baya 33%, Banda 27%, Mandjia 13%, Sara 10%, Mboum 7%, M'Baka 4%, Yakoma 4%, other 2%

Religions:
indigenous beliefs 35%, Protestant 25%, Roman Catholic 25%, Muslim 15%
note: animistic beliefs and practices strongly influence the Christian majority

Languages:
French (official), Sangho (lingua franca and national language), tribal languages

Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 48.6%
[see also: Literacy - total population country ranks ]
male: 64.8%
[see also: Literacy - male country ranks ]
female: 33.5% (2000 est.)
[see also: Literacy - female country ranks ]

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):
total: 7 years
male: 8 years
female: 5 years (2009)

Education expenditures:
1.3% of GDP (2007)
country comparison to the world: 179
[see also: Education expenditures country ranks ]