Gross domestic product (GDP) in Central African Republic
Central African Republic: Gross domestic product (GDP) was 5.66 billion international-$ in 2021 prices in 2023. ▲ Rising
Latest (2023)
5.66 billion international-$ in 2021 prices
Change on year
down 4.5%
World rank
162nd
of 184 countries
All-time high
6.18 billion international-$ in 2021 prices
in 2012
All-time low
2.46 billion international-$ in 2021 prices
in 1960
Years of data
64
1960–2023
Gross domestic product (GDP) in Central African Republic, 1960–2023
Source: Feenstra et al. – Penn World Table (2025) – with major processing by Our World in Data. Measured in international-$ in 2021 prices.
Analysis
The most recent figure for gross domestic product (gdp) in Central African Republic is 5.66 billion international-$ in 2021 prices, measured in 2023.
The figure is down 4.5% on the previous year and up 33.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, gross domestic product (gdp) in Central African Republic peaked at 6.18 billion international-$ in 2021 prices in 2012 and was at its lowest, 2.46 billion international-$ in 2021 prices, in 1960.
Central African Republic ranks 162nd of 184 countries on this measure, in the bottom quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 64 years of available data.
Gross domestic product (GDP) in Central African Republic, year by year
| Year | international-$ in 2021 prices | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1960 | 2.46 billion international-$ in 2021 prices | — |
| 1961 | 2.66 billion international-$ in 2021 prices | +8.2% |
| 1962 | 2.65 billion international-$ in 2021 prices | -0.1% |
| 1963 | 2.50 billion international-$ in 2021 prices | -6.0% |
| 1964 | 2.61 billion international-$ in 2021 prices | +4.4% |
| 1965 | 2.63 billion international-$ in 2021 prices | +1.1% |
| 1966 | 2.63 billion international-$ in 2021 prices | -0.2% |
| 1967 | 2.62 billion international-$ in 2021 prices | -0.5% |
| 1968 | 2.97 billion international-$ in 2021 prices | +13.5% |
| 1969 | 2.98 billion international-$ in 2021 prices | +0.2% |
| 1970 | 3.11 billion international-$ in 2021 prices | +4.4% |
| 1971 | 2.99 billion international-$ in 2021 prices | -3.9% |
| 1972 | 2.86 billion international-$ in 2021 prices | -4.2% |
| 1973 | 3.19 billion international-$ in 2021 prices | +11.4% |
| 1974 | 2.88 billion international-$ in 2021 prices | -9.6% |
| 1975 | 2.85 billion international-$ in 2021 prices | -1.3% |
| 1976 | 2.83 billion international-$ in 2021 prices | -0.4% |
| 1977 | 2.98 billion international-$ in 2021 prices | +5.2% |
| 1978 | 3.06 billion international-$ in 2021 prices | +2.5% |
| 1979 | 3.01 billion international-$ in 2021 prices | -1.7% |
| 1980 | 2.77 billion international-$ in 2021 prices | -7.8% |
| 1981 | 3.23 billion international-$ in 2021 prices | +16.6% |
| 1982 | 3.27 billion international-$ in 2021 prices | +1.3% |
| 1983 | 3.08 billion international-$ in 2021 prices | -5.8% |
| 1984 | 3.32 billion international-$ in 2021 prices | +7.7% |
| 1985 | 3.69 billion international-$ in 2021 prices | +11.3% |
| 1986 | 3.66 billion international-$ in 2021 prices | -1.1% |
| 1987 | 3.41 billion international-$ in 2021 prices | -6.8% |
| 1988 | 3.59 billion international-$ in 2021 prices | +5.5% |
| 1989 | 3.80 billion international-$ in 2021 prices | +5.7% |
| 1990 | 3.75 billion international-$ in 2021 prices | -1.4% |
| 1991 | 3.69 billion international-$ in 2021 prices | -1.6% |
| 1992 | 3.54 billion international-$ in 2021 prices | -4.0% |
| 1993 | 3.48 billion international-$ in 2021 prices | -1.9% |
| 1994 | 4.23 billion international-$ in 2021 prices | +21.7% |
| 1995 | 4.36 billion international-$ in 2021 prices | +3.0% |
| 1996 | 3.72 billion international-$ in 2021 prices | -14.7% |
| 1997 | 3.90 billion international-$ in 2021 prices | +4.9% |
| 1998 | 4.10 billion international-$ in 2021 prices | +5.2% |
| 1999 | 4.05 billion international-$ in 2021 prices | -1.4% |
| 2000 | 4.18 billion international-$ in 2021 prices | +3.3% |
| 2001 | 4.24 billion international-$ in 2021 prices | +1.6% |
| 2002 | 4.25 billion international-$ in 2021 prices | +0.2% |
| 2003 | 4.06 billion international-$ in 2021 prices | -4.5% |
| 2004 | 4.18 billion international-$ in 2021 prices | +2.9% |
| 2005 | 4.27 billion international-$ in 2021 prices | +2.2% |
| 2006 | 4.49 billion international-$ in 2021 prices | +5.1% |
| 2007 | 4.75 billion international-$ in 2021 prices | +5.8% |
| 2008 | 4.87 billion international-$ in 2021 prices | +2.6% |
| 2009 | 5.25 billion international-$ in 2021 prices | +7.7% |
| 2010 | 5.49 billion international-$ in 2021 prices | +4.6% |
| 2011 | 5.59 billion international-$ in 2021 prices | +1.9% |
| 2012 | 6.18 billion international-$ in 2021 prices | +10.6% |
| 2013 | 4.25 billion international-$ in 2021 prices | -31.2% |
| 2014 | 3.92 billion international-$ in 2021 prices | -7.8% |
| 2015 | 4.38 billion international-$ in 2021 prices | +11.8% |
| 2016 | 4.65 billion international-$ in 2021 prices | +6.1% |
| 2017 | 4.79 billion international-$ in 2021 prices | +3.0% |
| 2018 | 4.99 billion international-$ in 2021 prices | +4.3% |
| 2019 | 5.41 billion international-$ in 2021 prices | +8.4% |
| 2020 | 5.81 billion international-$ in 2021 prices | +7.4% |
| 2021 | 5.95 billion international-$ in 2021 prices | +2.4% |
| 2022 | 5.92 billion international-$ in 2021 prices | -0.5% |
| 2023 | 5.66 billion international-$ in 2021 prices | -4.5% |
Central African Republic compared with similar countries
- Central African Republic's 5.66 billion international-$ in 2021 prices is below the median for low income countries, which is 42.81 billion international-$ in 2021 prices, 13% of the median. (22 countries reporting)
- Central African Republic's 5.66 billion international-$ in 2021 prices is below the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 45.59 billion international-$ in 2021 prices, 12% of the median. (47 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Gross domestic product (GDP) in Central African Republic changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2013 | -31.2% | 6.18 billion international-$ in 2021 prices | 4.25 billion international-$ in 2021 prices |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 2.67 billion international-$ in 2021 prices | 2.46 billion international-$ in 2021 prices | 2.98 billion international-$ in 2021 prices | 10 |
| 1970s | 2.98 billion international-$ in 2021 prices | 2.83 billion international-$ in 2021 prices | 3.19 billion international-$ in 2021 prices | 10 |
| 1980s | 3.38 billion international-$ in 2021 prices | 2.77 billion international-$ in 2021 prices | 3.80 billion international-$ in 2021 prices | 10 |
| 1990s | 3.88 billion international-$ in 2021 prices | 3.48 billion international-$ in 2021 prices | 4.36 billion international-$ in 2021 prices | 10 |
| 2000s | 4.45 billion international-$ in 2021 prices | 4.06 billion international-$ in 2021 prices | 5.25 billion international-$ in 2021 prices | 10 |
| 2010s | 4.97 billion international-$ in 2021 prices | 3.92 billion international-$ in 2021 prices | 6.18 billion international-$ in 2021 prices | 10 |
| 2020s | 5.84 billion international-$ in 2021 prices | 5.66 billion international-$ in 2021 prices | 5.95 billion international-$ in 2021 prices | 4 |
Countries ranked near Central African Republic
- 159 Liberia 9.15 billion international-$ in 2021 prices compare
- 160 South Sudan 8.35 billion international-$ in 2021 prices compare
- 161 Gambia 7.65 billion international-$ in 2021 prices compare
- 163 Lesotho 5.35 billion international-$ in 2021 prices compare
- 164 Guinea-Bissau 5.25 billion international-$ in 2021 prices compare
- 165 Cape Verde 4.97 billion international-$ in 2021 prices compare
More economy & growth data for Central African Republic
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 04 - Annual real GDP -0.5324 Percent per annum (2029)
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 02 - Annual real GDP 2.55 Percent per annum (2029)
- Foreign direct investment, net outflows (BoP, current US$), gaps 1,290 BoP, current US$ (2002)
- Foreign direct investment, net outflows (BoP, current US$), per unit 0 BoP, current US$ per US$ of GDP (2002)
- Foreign direct investment, net outflows (BoP, current US$), per capita 0.0003 BoP, current US$ per person (2002)
- Foreign direct investment, net inflows (BoP, current US$), gaps filled 40.41 million BoP, current US$ (2024)
- Foreign direct investment, net inflows (BoP, current US$), annual 4.29 % change on previous year (2024)
- Foreign direct investment, net inflows (BoP, current US$), per unit 0.0147 BoP, current US$ per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Foreign direct investment, net inflows (BoP, current US$), per capita 7.58 BoP, current US$ per person (2024)
- Total reserves (includes gold, current US$), annual growth rate 2.02 % change on previous year (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is gross domestic product (gdp) in Central African Republic?
- Gross domestic product (gdp) in Central African Republic was 5.66 billion international-$ in 2021 prices in 2023, according to Feenstra et al. – Penn World Table (2025) – with major processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest gross domestic product (gdp) recorded in Central African Republic?
- The highest recorded value was 6.18 billion international-$ in 2021 prices in 2012.
- What is the lowest gross domestic product (gdp) recorded in Central African Republic?
- The lowest recorded value was 2.46 billion international-$ in 2021 prices in 1960.
- How does Central African Republic rank for gross domestic product (gdp)?
- Central African Republic ranks 162nd out of 184 countries with data for 2023.
- Is gross domestic product (gdp) rising or falling in Central African Republic?
- Over the last ten years it is up 33.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Central African Republic data come from?
- The figures come from Feenstra et al. – Penn World Table (2025) – with major processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Gross domestic product (GDP). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 64 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
Total economic output of a country or region per year. This data is adjusted for inflation and differences in living costs between countries.