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Central African Republic trade in 2024

In 2024, the Central African Republic exported $245 million and imported $872 million, a trade deficit of $627 million. It was the world's 179th-largest exporter, with 0% of world exports. Its top export was aircraft parts (41.7% of the total) and its main trading partner was China (20.3% of its trade).

Summary

Exports
$245million
Imports
$872million
Trade balance
-$627million
Routes to the main partners. Width: trade value; color: estimated transport mode.SeaAirLand
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Products

What it exports

Aircraft parts (41.7%) and logs (15.4%) together make up 57.1% of its exports.

  1. Aircraft parts$102 million · 41.7%
    Main partner: Pakistan
  2. Logs$38 million · 15.4%
    Main partner: China
  3. Metal ornaments and frames$21 million · 8.4%
    Main partner: Sri Lanka
  4. Diamonds$16 million · 6.5%
    Main partner: Belgium
  5. Sawn wood$14 million · 5.7%
    Main partner: Turkey
  6. Airplanes and helicopters$13 million · 5.2%
    Main partner: Sri Lanka
  7. Cameras and broadcast equipment$7 million · 2.9%
    Main partner: Portugal
  8. Gold$6 million · 2.4%
    Main partner: United Arab Emirates
  9. Armored vehicles$5 million · 2.1%
    Main partner: Mauritania
  10. Trucks$4 million · 1.5%
    Main partner: Egypt

What it imports

Refined petroleum (23.4%) and medicines in measured doses or retail packs (5.2%) together make up 28.6% of its imports.

  1. Refined petroleum$204 million · 23.4%
    Main partner: Cameroon
  2. Medicines in measured doses or retail packs$46 million · 5.2%
    Main partner: India
  3. Fresh milk and cream$41 million · 4.7%
    Main partner: Cameroon
  4. Low-voltage switches and connectors$30 million · 3.5%
    Main partner: France
  5. Cars$26 million · 3%
    Main partner: Japan
  6. Trucks$24 million · 2.8%
    Main partner: China
  7. Auto parts$23 million · 2.7%
    Main partner: Japan
  8. Bulldozers and excavators$18 million · 2.1%
    Main partner: China
  9. Poultry meat$16 million · 1.8%
    Main partner: Netherlands
  10. Cameras and broadcast equipment$14 million · 1.7%
    Main partner: China
By Harmonized System chapter (91)
ChapterExportsImports
88 · Aircraft and spacecraft$115 million$3 million
44 · Wood$53 million$2 million
71 · Gems and precious metals$22 million$274 thousand
83 · Miscellaneous metal goods$21 million$2 million
87 · Vehicles$14 million$97 million
85 · Electrical and electronic equipment$12 million$91 million
69 · Ceramics$2 million$875 thousand
84 · Mechanical machinery$2 million$59 million
52 · Cotton$814 thousand$874 thousand
90 · Precision and medical instruments$732 thousand$18 million
72 · Iron and steel$585 thousand$3 million
22 · Beverages and spirits$446 thousand$8 million
97 · Art and antiques$275 thousand$77 thousand
08 · Fruit and nuts$275 thousand$2 million
12 · Oilseeds and grains$266 thousand$71 thousand
15 · Fats and oils$263 thousand$8 million
20 · Preserved fruit and vegetables$233 thousand$4 million
27 · Oil, gas and coal$232 thousand$216 million
25 · Salt, stone and cement$215 thousand$10 million
30 · Pharmaceuticals$211 thousand$61 million
39 · Plastics$172 thousand$19 million
86 · Railway equipment$93 thousand$3 million
10 · Cereals$70 thousand$10 million
33 · Perfumes and cosmetics$60 thousand$2 million
62 · Woven clothing$56 thousand$1 million
40 · Rubber$51 thousand$3 million
38 · Miscellaneous chemicals$49 thousand$2 million
63 · Home textiles and used clothing$45 thousand$9 million
73 · Iron and steel products$45 thousand$10 million
70 · Glass$42 thousand$468 thousand
34 · Soap and cleaning products$39 thousand$3 million
82 · Tools and cutlery$37 thousand$2 million
01 · Live animals$34 thousand$237 thousand
35 · Glues, starches and enzymes$33 thousand$665 thousand
07 · Vegetables$29 thousand$10 million
03 · Fish and seafood$22 thousand$7 million
24 · Tobacco$21 thousand$19 million
49 · Books and printed matter$17 thousand$3 million
68 · Stone, plaster and cement articles$16 thousand$933 thousand
29 · Organic chemicals$15 thousand$1 million
94 · Furniture and lighting$15 thousand$10 million
61 · Knitted clothing$14 thousand$2 million
42 · Leather goods and bags$13 thousand$638 thousand
89 · Ships and boats$11 thousand$658 thousand
09 · Coffee, tea and spices$11 thousand$2 million
95 · Toys and sports gear$9 thousand$801 thousand
28 · Inorganic chemicals$8 thousand$5 million
21 · Food preparations$7 thousand$17 million
91 · Watches and clocks$6 thousand$43 thousand
23 · Animal feed and food waste$4 thousand$9 million
48 · Paper and paperboard$3 thousand$7 million
57 · Carpets and rugs$3 thousand$103 thousand
41 · Hides and leather$3 thousand$0
04 · Dairy, eggs and honey$2 thousand$49 million
74 · Copper$2 thousand$363 thousand
18 · Cocoa and chocolate$2 thousand$1 million
05 · Other animal products$2 thousand$293 thousand
92 · Musical instruments$2 thousand$18 thousand
64 · Footwear$2 thousand$3 million
13 · Gums and plant extracts$944$119 thousand
02 · Meat and offal$746$25 million
06 · Live plants and flowers$642$28 thousand
96 · Other manufactured goods$324$958 thousand
32 · Dyes, paints and tanning agents$311$1 million
11 · Milling products and malt$249$10 million
93 · Weapons and ammunition$218$9 million
19 · Baked goods and cereal products$67$6 million
17 · Sugar and sweets$60$6 million
66 · Umbrellas and canes$50$114 thousand
26 · Ores and slag$35$50 thousand
76 · Aluminum$23$4 million
16 · Prepared meat and fish$22$4 million
67 · Feathers and artificial flowers$5$152 thousand
56 · Felt, nonwovens and rope$0$1 million
65 · Hats$0$961 thousand
47 · Wood pulp$0$656 thousand
36 · Explosives and matches$0$319 thousand
54 · Synthetic filaments$0$262 thousand
55 · Synthetic staple fibers$0$218 thousand
31 · Fertilizers$0$148 thousand
37 · Photographic goods$0$134 thousand
58 · Special fabrics and lace$0$39 thousand
59 · Coated and technical textiles$0$36 thousand
53 · Other plant fibers$0$33 thousand
46 · Wicker and basketware$0$16 thousand
60 · Knitted fabric$0$9 thousand
80 · Tin$0$7 thousand
75 · Nickel$0$6 thousand
45 · Cork$0$4 thousand
81 · Other base metals$0$460
79 · Zinc$0$57

Trading partners

Its main destination is Pakistan (25.6% of exports) and its main source is Cameroon (23.6% of imports).

Who it sells to

PartnerValue (USD millions)ShareMode
Pakistan62.725.6%Air
Tunisia40.116.4%Air
China33.113.5%Sea
Sri Lanka28.111.4%Air
Egypt11.84.8%Sea
Portugal10.84.4%Air
Belgium10.34.2%Air
Turkey7.83.2%Sea
India6.72.7%Air
United States62.5%Air

Who it buys from

PartnerValue (USD millions)ShareMode
Cameroon20623.6%Land
China19322.2%Sea
France68.47.8%Air
United States48.15.5%Sea
Japan37.64.3%Sea
India343.9%Sea
United Arab Emirates27.53.2%Sea
Belgium15.91.8%Sea
Morocco15.31.8%Sea
Netherlands15.21.7%Sea

Overview 1995–2024

In 2024, the Central African Republic accounted for 0% of world exports, compared with 0% in 1995.

Exports and imports

Exports grew 11% since 1995

USD millions (current). Bars: trade balance (green surplus, red deficit).

  • Exports 245
  • Imports 872
  • Balance -627

Source: CEPII BACI

Show the numbers
YearExportsImportsTrade balance
1995$221 million$227 million-$6 million
1996$185 million$170 million$16 million
1997$192 million$129 million$63 million
1998$274 million$134 million$140 million
1999$245 million$118 million$127 million
2000$261 million$103 million$159 million
2001$192 million$103 million$89 million
2002$207 million$102 million$105 million
2003$168 million$128 million$41 million
2004$231 million$141 million$90 million
2005$214 million$190 million$23 million
2006$167 million$254 million-$87 million
2007$216 million$264 million-$48 million
2008$230 million$392 million-$161 million
2009$137 million$325 million-$189 million
2010$159 million$501 million-$342 million
2011$226 million$489 million-$263 million
2012$209 million$438 million-$229 million
2013$156 million$430 million-$274 million
2014$90 million$430 million-$340 million
2015$157 million$620 million-$463 million
2016$199 million$504 million-$304 million
2017$280 million$557 million-$277 million
2018$154 million$552 million-$398 million
2019$194 million$804 million-$610 million
2020$170 million$712 million-$541 million
2021$173 million$634 million-$462 million
2022$239 million$877 million-$638 million
2023$231 million$859 million-$628 million
2024$245 million$872 million-$627 million

World rank

The Central African Republic fell from 150th to 179th among the world's exporters

Rank among 222 countries by export value (1st at the top).

  • 150th in 1995
  • 179th in 2024

Source: CEPII BACI

Show the numbers
YearRank
1995150th
1996158th
1997161st
1998152nd
1999158th
2000162nd
2001168th
2002168th
2003171st
2004170th
2005176th
2006182nd
2007179th
2008180th
2009187th
2010187th
2011185th
2012187th
2013188th
2014193rd
2015189th
2016187th
2017180th
2018189th
2019185th
2020188th
2021193rd
2022183rd
2023184th
2024179th

What it sells

Aircraft and spacecraft became its top export group: from 0.1% to 47%

% of exports by Harmonized System chapter.

  • Other 2%
  • Mechanical machinery 1%
  • Ceramics 1%
  • Electrical and electronic equipment 5%
  • Vehicles 6%
  • Miscellaneous metal goods 8%
  • Gems and precious metals 9%
  • Wood 22%
  • Aircraft and spacecraft 47%

Source: CEPII BACI

Show the numbers
Chapter19952024
Aircraft and spacecraft0.12%46.9%
Wood7.8%21.6%
Gems and precious metals57.6%8.9%
Miscellaneous metal goods0%8.4%
Vehicles4%5.8%
Electrical and electronic equipment0.25%4.7%
Ceramics0%0.78%
Mechanical machinery0.17%0.71%
Other30%2.3%

Who it trades with

France went from 26% to 6% of the Central African Republic's trade

% of total trade (exports + imports) with each partner.

  • China 20%
  • Cameroon 18%
  • France 6%
  • Pakistan 6%
  • United States 5%

Source: CEPII BACI

Show the numbers
Partner19952024
China0.33%20.3%
Cameroon3.6%18.4%
France26.4%6.4%
Pakistan0%5.7%
United States1.8%4.8%

Production hubs

Largest industrial emission sources (Climate TRACE, 2025)

No hubs above the globe threshold.

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Largest economic production hubs (gridded GDP, 2024)

No hubs above the globe threshold.

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Sources and methodology

Sources and licenses

Methodology

Goods trade from CEPII BACI (BACI_HS92_V202601), in current US dollars, with exports and imports reconciled between countries. The transport mode is our own estimate based on value per kilo and geography. Ranks are computed among the countries with data each year. Services are not included. Data up to 2024.

Neighboring countries

Main partners

See all countries