Central African Republic Population (LIVE)

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Central African Republic Population (1950 - 2026)

Yearly Population Growth Rate (%)
  • The current population of the Central African Republic is 5,651,407 as of Tuesday, April 14, 2026, based on Worldometer's elaboration of the latest United Nations data1.
  • the Central African Republic 2026 population is estimated at 5,698,984 people at mid-year.
  • the Central African Republic population is equivalent to 0.069% of the total world population.
  • the Central African Republic ranks number 118 in the list of countries (and dependencies) by population.
  • The population density in the Central African Republic is 9 per Km² (24 people per mi²).
  • The total land area is 622,980 Km² (240,534 sq. miles).
  • 44.54% of the population is urban (2,538,181 people in 2026)
  • The median age in the Central African Republic is 14.6 years.
1. U.N. Dept. of Economic and Social Affairs - Population Division. World Population Prospects: The 2024 Revision. (Medium-fertility variant).

Population of the Central African Republic (2026 and historical)

Year Population Yearly % Change Yearly Change Migrants (net) Median Age Fertility Rate Density (P/Km²) Urban Pop % Urban Population Country's Share of World Pop World Population CAR Global Rank
2026 5,698,984 3.37% 185,702 −15,608 14.6 5.69 9 44.5% 2,538,181 0.069% 8,300,678,395 118
2025 5,513,282 3.43% 182,592 −14,693 14.5 5.81 9 44.5% 2,451,673 0.067% 8,231,613,070 121
2024 5,330,690 3.46% 178,269 −15,357 14.4 5.95 9 44.4% 2,368,409 0.065% 8,161,972,572 122
2023 5,152,421 1.07% 54,382 −14,682 14.3 6.01 8 44.4% 2,288,695 0.064% 8,091,734,930 124
2022 5,098,039 0.71% 35,706 −17,430 14.3 6.02 8 43.4% 2,213,060 0.064% 8,021,407,192 124
2020 5,026,628 1.66% 79,462 −24,745 14.4 6.06 8 41.3% 2,076,534 0.064% 7,887,001,292 124
2015 4,629,320 0.6% 27,265 −63,045 14.4 6.13 7 39.6% 1,831,054 0.062% 7,470,491,872 123
2010 4,492,995 0.93% 40,837 −43,126 15.6 5.96 7 38.5% 1,730,652 0.064% 7,021,732,148 121
2005 4,288,810 2.27% 91,079 −13,604 16.1 5.81 7 36.6% 1,571,461 0.065% 6,586,970,132 119
2000 3,833,416 2.74% 97,073 8,079 16 5.85 6 36.9% 1,413,327 0.062% 6,171,702,993 124
1995 3,348,052 3.12% 95,228 −12,986 16.1 5.94 5 37.3% 1,248,262 0.058% 5,758,878,982 127
1990 2,871,910 2% 54,196 1,995 16.8 6.05 5 37.7% 1,082,570 0.054% 5,327,803,110 130
1985 2,600,932 1.2% 30,079 −46,427 17.2 6.12 4 36% 935,996 0.053% 4,868,943,465 130
1980 2,450,535 1.15% 27,324 −41,539 17.4 6.13 4 31.5% 772,263 0.055% 4,447,606,236 128
1975 2,313,916 1.98% 43,282 −9,895 17.4 5.88 4 27.9% 644,978 0.057% 4,070,735,277 128
1970 2,097,505 2.24% 43,930 −3,693 17.8 6.03 3 24% 502,752 0.057% 3,694,683,794 127
1965 1,877,854 1.98% 35,102 474 18.4 6.03 3 20.7% 387,790 0.056% 3,334,533,703 126
1960 1,702,346 1.77% 28,597 474 19.3 5.95 3 17.8% 302,205 0.056% 3,015,470,894 124
1955 1,559,363 1.63% 24,261 0 20.2 5.92 3 15.3% 238,917 0.057% 2,740,213,792 122

Source: Worldometer (www.Worldometers.info)

Elaboration of data by United Nations, Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Population Division. World Population Prospects: The 2024 Revision. (Medium-fertility variant).

Central African Republic Population Forecast

Year Population Yearly % Change Yearly Change Migrants (net) Median Age Fertility Rate Density (P/Km²) Urban Pop % Urban Population Country's Share of World Pop World Population CAR Global Rank
2030 6,478,245 3.28% 192,993 −17,862 15.2 5.25 10 45% 2,917,639 0.076% 8,569,124,911 112
2035 7,502,587 2.98% 204,868 −18,023 15.6 4.67 12 46% 3,454,676 0.084% 8,885,210,181 110
2040 8,526,455 2.59% 204,774 −19,887 16.4 4.15 14 47.4% 4,039,450 0.093% 9,177,190,203 107
2045 9,550,893 2.3% 204,888 −17,844 17.7 3.7 15 48.8% 4,665,212 0.10% 9,439,639,668 99
2050 10,616,753 2.14% 213,172 −15,524 19.2 3.36 17 50.2% 5,329,336 0.11% 9,664,378,587 96

Source: Worldometer (www.Worldometers.info)

Elaboration of data by United Nations, Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Population Division. World Population Prospects: The 2024 Revision. (Medium-fertility variant).

Central African Republic Demographics (2026)

Life Expectancy
58.2 years

(life expectancy at birth, both sexes)

View by sex and historical chart

Infant Mortality Rate
64.8

(infant deaths per 1,000 live births)

View historical chart

Deaths under age 5
89.7

(per 1,000 live births)

View historical chart

Main Cities by Population in the Central African Republic

(includes boroughs, districts, urban agglomerations, etc.)

Rank Urban Area Population Estimate (2025)
1 Bangui 1,056,949
2 Carnot 78,387
3 Bouar 62,698
4 Badokwa 60,959
5 Bambari 56,913
6 Nola 53,625
More info

See also


Notes

The Central African Republic Population (Live) counter shows a continuously updated estimate of the current population of Central African Republic delivered by Worldometer's RTS algorithm, which processes data collected from the United Nations Population Division.

The Population of Central African Republic (1950 - 2026) chart plots the total population count as of July 1 of each year, from 1950 to 2026.

The Yearly Population Growth Rate chart plots the annual percentage changes in population registered on July 1 of each year, from 1951 to 2026. This value can differ from the Yearly % Change shown in the historical table, which shows the last year equivalent percentage change assuming homogeneous change in the preceding five year period.

Definitions

Year: as of July 1 of the year indicated.

Population: Overall total population (both sexes and all ages) in the country as of July 1 of the year indicated, as estimated by the United Nations, Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Population Division. World Population Prospects: The 2024 Revision. For forecasted years, the U.N. medium-fertility variant is used.

Yearly % Change: For 2026: percentage change in total population over the last year (from July 1, 2025 to June 30, 2026). For all other years: latest year annual percentage change equivalent assuming homogeneous change in the preceding five year period, calculated through reverse compounding.

Yearly Change: For 2026: absolute change in total population (increase or decrease in number of people) over the last year (from July 1, 2025 to June 30, 2026). For all other years: average annual numerical change over the preceding five year period.

Migrants (net): The average annual number of immigrants minus the number of emigrants over the preceding five year period (running from July 1 to June 30 of the initial and final years), or subsequent five year period (for 2016 data). A negative number means that there are more emigrants than immigrants.

Median Age: age that divides the population into two numerically equal groups: half of the people are older than the median age indicated and half are younger. This parameter provides an indication of age distribution.

Fertility Rate: (Total Fertility Rate, or TFR), it is expressed as children per woman. It is calculated as the average number of children an average woman will have during her reproductive period (15 to 49 years old) based on the current fertility rates of every age group in the country, and assuming she is not subject to mortality.

Density (P/Km²): (Population Density) Population per square Kilometer (Km²).

Urban Pop % : Urban population as a percentage of total population.

Urban Population: Population living in areas classified as urban according to the criteria used by each country.

Country's Share of World Pop: Total population in the country as a percentage of total World Population as of July 1 of the year indicated.

World Population: Total World Population as of July 1 of the year indicated.

Global Rank: Position held by the Central African Republic in the list of all countries worldwide ranked by population (from the highest population to the lowest population) as of July 1 of the year indicated.