Demographic features of the population of the Central African Republic include population density, ethnicity, education level, health of the populace, economic status, religious affiliations and other aspects of the population.

There are more than 80 ethnic groups in the Central African Republic (CAR), each with its own language. The largest ethnic groups are Gbaya (Baya) 28.8%, Banda 22.9%, Mandjia 9.9%, Sara 7.9%, M'Baka-Bantu 7.9%, Arab-Fulani (Peuhl) 6%, Mbum 6%, Ngbanki 5.5%, Zande-Nzakara 3%, other Central African Republic ethnic groups 2%, non-Central African Republic ethnic groups .1%, as of 2003. Sangho, the language of a small group along the Oubangui River, is the national language spoken by the majority of Central Africans. Only a small part of the population has more than an elemental knowledge of French, the official language.

More than 55% of the population of the CAR lives in rural areas. The chief agricultural areas are around the Bossangoa and Bambari. Bangui, Berberati, Bangassou, and Bossangoa are the most densely populated urban centers.

Population According to the total population was in , compared to only 1 327 000 in 1950. The proportion of children below the age of 15 in 2010 was 40.4%, 55.6% were between 15 and 65 years of age, while 4% were 65 years or older.Population Division of the Department of Economic and Social Affairs of the United Nations Secretariat, World Population Prospects: The 2010 Revision +Population by age groupYearTotal0–14 (%)15–64 (%)65+ (%) 19501 327 00036.258.75.1 19551 399 00037.058.34.7 19601 504 00038.257.54.3 19651 649 00039.656.24.2 19701 829 00040.655.34.1 19752 017 00041.754.24.1 19802 274 00042.253.64.1 19852 627 00042.453.64.0 19902 935 00043.252.84.0 19953 328 00042.553.54.0 20003 702 00042.054.03.9 20054 018 00041.654.54.0 20104 401 00040.455.64.0 20154 410 00040.855.84.0

Vital statistics Registration of vital events is not complete in the Central African Republic. The Population Department of the United Nations prepared the following estimates.

Mid-year populationLive birthsDeathsNatural changeCBRCDRNCTFRIMRLife expectancy (years)19501,437,000 63,000 42,000 20,00043.629.514.05.74190.735.391951 1,457,000 63,000 43,000 21,00043.529.414.15.75189.735.591952 1,478,000 64,000 43,000 21,00043.529.014.55.76187.536.001953 1,500,000 65,000 43,000 22,00043.428.614.85.76185.436.401954 1,522,000 66,000 43,000 23,00043.328.215.25.77183.336.801955 1,546,000 67,000 43,000 24,00043.327.715.65.78181.337.191956 1,570,000 68,000 43,000 25,00043.227.315.95.78179.337.581957 1,596,000 69,000 43,000 26,00043.226.816.45.79177.337.971958 1,623,000 70,000 43,000 27,00043.026.416.75.80175.338.351959 1,650,000 71,000 43,000 28,00043.025.917.05.81173.338.741960 1,680,000 72,000 43,000 29,00042.925.417.55.81170.539.241961 1,710,000 73,000 43,000 31,00042.924.918.05.83167.839.741962 1,743,000 75,000 43,000 32,00043.024.418.65.85164.940.261963 1,776,000 76,000 42,000 34,00043.023.919.15.87162.040.781964 1,812,000 78,000 42,000 36,00043.323.419.95.91158.941.351965 1,849,000 80,000 42,000 38,00043.422.920.65.94155.841.931966 1,889,000 83,000 42,000 40,00043.822.421.45.98152.642.531967 1,931,000 85,000 42,000 43,00044.021.922.16.02149.443.161968 1,975,000 87,000 42,000 45,00044.321.422.96.06146.243.801969 2,022,000 89,000 42,000 47,00044.120.923.26.04143.244.441970 2,067,000 90,000 42,000 48,00043.720.323.46.00140.345.071971 2,111,000 92,000 42,000 50,00043.519.823.75.99137.645.691972 2,154,000 93,000 42,000 51,00043.119.223.85.96135.146.291973 2,196,000 94,000 41,000 53,00042.618.723.95.93132.846.851974 2,239,000 95,000 41,000 54,00042.318.324.05.91130.647.401975 2,284,000 96,000 41,000 55,00041.917.824.15.89128.547.911976 2,318,000 98,000 41,000 57,00042.017.524.55.93126.648.401977 2,342,000 100,000 41,000 60,00042.417.225.25.97124.848.841978 2,366,000 103,000 41,000 62,00043.017.026.06.02123.049.241979 2,390,000 105,000 41,000 65,00043.616.826.86.07121.449.601980 2,415,000 107,000 41,000 67,00044.116.727.46.11120.049.891981 2,441,000 110,000 41,000 69,00044.616.528.16.14118.850.161982 2,468,000 112,000 41,000 71,00044.916.428.56.14117.850.301983 2,495,000 114,000 41,000 73,00045.216.328.96.12117.050.421984 2,524,000 116,000 41,000 75,00045.516.329.36.11116.350.481985 2,553,000 118,000 42,000 77,00045.916.229.76.11115.750.521986 2,584,000 120,000 42,000 78,00046.216.130.06.09115.150.491987 2,616,000 123,000 42,000 80,00046.516.130.46.10114.750.411988 2,657,000 124,000 43,000 81,00046.516.130.46.08114.550.241989 2,724,000 127,000 44,000 83,00046.516.130.56.06114.749.991990 2,809,000 130,000 45,000 85,00046.316.130.26.05115.049.641991 2,898,000 133,000 47,000 86,00046.016.129.86.03115.249.251992 2,992,000 136,000 48,000 87,00045.416.229.25.98115.148.791993 3,089,000 139,000 50,000 88,00044.916.328.75.94114.748.351994 3,188,000 142,000 52,000 90,00044.516.428.15.93114.347.851995 3,277,000 146,000 54,000 92,00044.516.627.95.97113.847.351996 3,364,000 149,000 56,000 92,00044.316.827.55.99113.446.831997 3,458,000 151,000 59,000 93,00043.817.026.85.96112.846.321998 3,555,000 155,000 61,000 94,00043.517.126.45.93112.246.031999 3,655,000 159,000 63,000 96,00043.417.226.25.93111.445.752000 3,759,000 162,000 65,000 97,00043.317.325.95.92111.045.412001 3,845,000 165,000 67,000 99,00042.817.225.65.85110.145.392002 3,931,000 167,000 67,000 100,00042.617.225.55.84109.145.412003 4,027,000 173,000 68,000 104,00042.816.925.95.85108.145.762004 4,115,000 175,000 69,000 107,00042.516.725.95.83107.246.042005 4,209,000 180,000 69,000 111,00042.616.426.35.85106.246.432006 4,294,000 185,000 69,000 115,00042.816.126.75.87104.846.852007 4,376,000 188,000 69,000 119,00042.815.727.15.89103.447.432008 4,467,000 192,000 69,000 124,00042.915.327.65.91101.748.022009 4,565,000 197,000 68,000 129,00043.014.928.15.9299.548.652010 4,660,000 202,000 68,000 134,00043.214.528.75.9497.349.262011 4,732,000 206,000 67,000 139,00043.214.129.15.9694.749.952012 4,773,000 208,000 66,000 142,00043.013.629.46.0192.150.692013 4,802,000 206,000 65,000 141,00042.413.429.06.0289.950.902014 4,799,000 205,000 66,000 139,00041.913.528.46.0289.150.572015 4,819,000 199,000 59,000 140,00041.012.228.96.0484.752.792016 4,904,000 203,000 58,000 145,00041.211.729.56.0481.653.462017 4,997,000 209,000 58,000 151,00041.611.530.16.0579.353.722018 5,095,000 214,000 58,000 157,00041.811.230.66.0477.454.372019 5,209,000 219,000 57,000 162,00041.910.931.06.0174.655.032020 5,343,000 226,000 59,000 167,00042.211.031.15.9972.454.602021 5,457,000 235,000 63,000 172,00042.711.431.35.9871.453.902022    45.455.16.022023    46.49.436.96.012024    46.29.436.85.952025    45.49.336.15.81 Source: UN DESA, World Population Prospects, 2022

Fertility Total Fertility Rate (TFR) (Wanted Fertility Rate) and Crude Birth Rate (CBR):

Year CBR (Total) TFR (Total) CBR (Urban) TFR (Urban) CBR (Rural) TFR (Rural) 1994–95 38,0 5,07 (4,7) 37,9 4,86 (4,3) 37,9 5,23 (5,0)

Years 1925192619271928192919301931193219331934Total Fertility Rate in Central African Republic6.516.466.426.386.336.296.246.206.156.11 Years 1935193619371938193919401941194219431944Total Fertility Rate in Central African Republic6.076.025.985.935.895.855.805.765.715.67 Years 19451946194719481949Total Fertility Rate in Central African Republic5.625.585.545.495.45

Life expectancy PeriodLife expectancy in Years1950–195533.441955–1960 35.501960–1965 37.571965–1970 40.161970–1975 43.901975–1980 47.621980–1985 49.561985–1990 49.491990–1995 47.651995–2000 44.962000–2005 43.682005–2010 45.992010–2015 49.40

Ethnic groups An approximate distribution of the ethnic groups is shown in the chart below:

+Ethnic groups in Central African Republic Ethnic group Percentage Population Baggara Arabs2.4%107,000 Salamate commerçant 1.9%87,000 Baka0.5%20,000 Banda27%1,190,700 Bayaka?? Fula4.5%250,000 Gbaya33%1,300,000 Kara2.3%100,000 Kresh?? Mbaka4%176,400 Mandja13%573,300 Ngbandi?? Sara10%441,000 Vidiri?? Wodaabe2.3%100,000 Yakoma4%176,400 Yulu?? Zande1.4%62,000 Others??

Languages

Sango (lingua franca and official language), French (official), tribal languages

Religion

Christian 89%, Muslim 9%, folk religionist 1%, unaffiliated 1% (2020 est.)

Animistic beliefs and practices strongly influence the Christian majority

See also Demographics of Africa List of ethnic groups of Africa

References

Attribution: