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Trade & investment · Sub-Saharan Africa · Low income
Central African Republic: trade and investment
Exports is 19.3% (2025), 148th of 184 in the world and 30th of 43 in Sub-Saharan Africa. Imports is 33.6% (2025), 121st of 184 in the world and 19th of 43 in Sub-Saharan Africa. Trade openness is 52.9% (2025), 139th of 184 in the world and 26th of 43 in Sub-Saharan Africa.
11 indicators
Trade & investment: Central African Republic in detail
Latest reported value, world rank and rank within Sub-Saharan Africa; values around 2000, 2010, 2020; group and world columns are World Bank aggregates.
| Indicator | Latest | World rank | In region | ~2000 | ~2010 | ~2020 | 10-year change | Region | Income group | World | Since 2000 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ExportsExports of goods and services, % of GDP | 19.3%2025 | 148/184 | 30/43 | 20.4% | 11.6% | 15.2% | +2.3 ppsince 2015 | 27.9% | 23.6% | 29.5% | |
| ImportsImports of goods and services, % of GDP | 33.6%2025 | 121/184 | 19/43 | 25.3% | 22.8% | 34.3% | −2.5 ppsince 2015 | 27.9% | 33.9% | 28.5% | |
| Trade opennessTrade, % of GDP | 52.9%2025 | 139/184 | 26/43 | 45.7% | 34.4% | 49.5% | −0.2 ppsince 2015 | 55.7% | 47.6% | 68.5% | |
| Merchandise exportsMerchandise exports, current US$ | $255m2025 | 177/206 | 45/48 | $161m | $140m | $134m | +197%since 2015 | $487bn | $107bn | $26.4tn | |
| High-tech exportsHigh-technology exports, % of manufactured exports | 8.3%2024 | 79/170 | 6/39 | · | 22.6% | 0.7% | +8.0 ppsince 2013 | 6.0% | 2.1% | 24.7% | |
| Fuel exportsFuel exports, % of merchandise exports | 0.0%2024 | 143/172 | 29/39 | 0.5% | 0.5%2011 | 0.0% | −0.1 ppsince 2013 | 40.9% | 8.2% | 9.5% | |
| Food exportsFood exports, % of merchandise exports | 0.2%2024 | 169/172 | 38/39 | 10.6% | 1.5% | 0.7% | +0.1 ppsince 2014 | 14.6% | 38.0% | 9.0% | |
| Average tariffApplied tariff rate, weighted mean, all products | 14.5%2022 | 13/184 | 7/45 | 18.3%2001 | 15.2% | 14.5%2022 | −3.0 ppsince 2012 | — | — | — | |
| FDI inflowsForeign direct investment, net inflows, % of GDP | 1.4%2025 | 122/197 | 31/46 | 0.1% | 2.9% | -0.4% | +1.3 ppsince 2015 | 2.1% | 3.7% | 1.4% | |
| Tourist arrivalsInternational tourist arrivals | 87,0002019 | 170/196 | 35/42 | 11,200 | 53,800 | 87,0002019 | +66%since 2009 | 56.0m | 17.4m | 2.4bn | |
| Tourism receiptsInternational tourism receipts, current US$ | $15.6m2013 | — | — | $5.0m | $14.4m | · | +290%since 2003 | $34.9bn | $11.8bn | $1.9tn |
Source: World Bank, World Development Indicators (CC BY 4.0)“·” — no value reported within two years of that date. World rank counts countries with a recent value.
neighbours
Central African Republic and its neighbours
Countries sharing a land border with Central African Republic. Latest values since 2005; the highest in each row is marked.
| Indicator | Central African Republic | Democratic Republic of the Congo | Sudan | Cameroon | Chad | South Sudan |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Exports | 19.3%2025 | 43.4%2025 | 1.1%2025 | 13.1%2025 | 29.4%2025 | 36.7%2015 |
| Imports | 33.6%2025 | 43.9%2025 | 1.3%2025 | 20.3%2025 | 16.7%2025 | 28.9%2015 |
| Trade openness | 52.9%2025 | 87.3%2025 | 2.4%2025 | 33.4%2025 | 46.1%2025 | 65.6%2015 |
| Merchandise exports | $255m2025 | $32.1bn2025 | $2.8bn2025 | $5.1bn2025 | $4.0bn2025 | $955m2025 |
| High-tech exports | 8.3%2024 | 0.2%2023 | 2.2%2018 | 2.1%2023 | — | — |
| Fuel exports | 0.0%2024 | 1.8%2024 | 14.3%2018 | 54.1%2023 | — | — |
| Food exports | 0.2%2024 | 1.3%2024 | 50.6%2018 | 22.8%2023 | — | — |
| Average tariff | 14.5%2022 | 8.4%2020 | 0.0%2021 | 18.1%2022 | 16.8%2022 | — |
| FDI inflows | 1.4%2025 | 2.1%2025 | 0.0%2025 | 1.0%2025 | 0.0%2025 | 0.0%2015 |