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Central African Republic
(information)
Population as of 2020: 4.8 million 123 of 193
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Region: Central Africa
Nominal G.D.P. in 2024: $2.75 billion 167 of 193
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Top Exports
Because CAR's trade statistics are often incomplete and affected by informal exports (especially gold and diamonds), these figures should be viewed as **best estimates based on 2024 trade data and the latest detailed product breakdowns available.** **Total exports (reported): approximately US$205 million in 2024**. | Rank | Export Product | Estimated Export Value (USD) | | ---- | -------------------------------------- | ---------------------------: | | 1 | Gold (unwrought and semi-manufactured) | **~US$72.4 million** | | 2 | Diamonds (rough and unmounted) | **~US$15.9 million** | | 3 | Wood in the rough (logs) | **~US$7.6 million** | | 4 | Sawn wood and lumber | **~US$14.1 million** | | 5 | Motor vehicle parts and accessories | **~US$3.1 million** | | 6 | Electrical machinery and apparatus | **~US$8.3 million** | | 7 | Miscellaneous base-metal articles | **~US$20.5 million** | | 8 | Aircraft and aircraft parts | **~US$102.3 million** | | 9 | Cotton (carded or combed) | **~US$1.0 million** | | 10 | Machinery parts | **~US$0.9 million** | | 11 | Special-purpose vehicles | **~US$0.8 million** | | 12 | Food preparations | **~US$0.9 million** | | 13 | Headgear and hats | **~US$1.0 million** | | 14 | Coffee | **~US$0.5 million** | | 15 | Tobacco | **~US$0.4 million** | | 16 | Cotton fiber products | **~US$0.3 million** | | 17 | Timber products (other processed wood) | **~US$0.3 million** | | 18 | Agricultural products (misc.) | **~US$0.2 million** | | 19 | Hides and skins | **~US$0.1 million** | | 20 | Other miscellaneous exports | **~US$0.5 million** | *Note:* Some 2024 customs datasets show unusually large exports in categories such as aircraft parts and base-metal articles. CAR's trade statistics can vary significantly between sources because of reporting practices and commodity transit trade. The country's traditional export economy remains overwhelmingly centered on gold, diamonds, and timber. Key Takeaways * 🥇 **Gold is the country's most important traditional export**, accounting for roughly 40–60% of merchandise export earnings depending on the dataset used. * 💎 **Diamonds remain a major export**, although formal exports are believed to understate actual production because of smuggling and informal trade. * 🌲 **Timber and wood products are the primary non-mineral exports**, especially logs and sawn wood. * 🌾 **Agricultural exports are relatively small**, including cotton, coffee, and tobacco. * ⚠️ **The export economy is extremely concentrated.** Gold, diamonds, rough wood, and sawn wood account for a very large share of total export earnings. Top Importers of Central African Republic Exports (2024) | Rank | Country | Approx. Imports from CAR | | ---- | -------------------- | -----------------------: | | 1 | Pakistan | ~US$62.2 million | | 2 | Tunisia | ~US$40.2 million | | 3 | Sri Lanka | ~US$15.2 million | | 4 | Egypt | ~US$11.7 million | | 5 | Portugal | ~US$7.0 million | | 6 | United Arab Emirates | ~US$5.9 million | | 7 | Mauritania | ~US$5.1 million | | 8 | United States | ~US$4.7 million | | 9 | Gabon | ~US$4.2 million* | | 10 | Vietnam | ~US$2.1 million* | Key Patterns * 🥇 **Pakistan was the largest reported importer** of CAR exports in 2024, followed by Tunisia and Sri Lanka. * 🪙 Much of CAR's export value comes from **gold, diamonds, timber, and other resource products**, which often move through trading hubs before reaching final consumers. * 🌍 The export destinations are unusually diverse, spanning **South Asia, North Africa, the Middle East, Europe, and Africa**. * 📊 Other trade datasets emphasize partners such as the United Arab Emirates, France, China, and Italy as major destinations in recent years, highlighting the volatility and reporting challenges of CAR trade statistics.
