The duel
- 5.6× The median country fits inside the Central African Republic 5.6 times
- +34% The median country has 34% more people than the Central African Republic
- +17 years People in the median country live 17 years longer than in the Central African Republic
- 16× The median country produces 16 times as much per person as the Central African Republic
World median is the middle country on each statistic: half of all countries with data are above it, half below. It is not an average, so it is never pulled up or down by giants or microstates.
Land
Size, shape and altitude
How big is it, really?
The median country fits inside the Central African Republic 5.6 times.
Central African Republic: 622,980 km² (2023) · World median: 111,370 km² (2023)
How much coast is there?
Central African Republic: 0 km (2026 edition) · World median: 440 km (2026 edition)
How high can you climb?
The median country’s highest peak towers 925 m above the Central African Republic’s.
Central African Republic: 1,410 m (2026 edition) · World median: 2,335 m (2026 edition)
People
Who lives there, and how closely
How many people live there?
The median country has 34% more people than the Central African Republic.
Central African Republic: 5.51 million (2025) · World median: 7.4 million (2025)
How crowded is it?
The median country is 11 times as densely populated as the Central African Republic.
Central African Republic: 9 per km² (2025) · World median: 98 per km² (2025)
How tall are the men?
Men in the median country are 4.5 cm taller than in the Central African Republic.
Central African Republic: 169 cm (2019) · World median: 173.5 cm (2019)
How tall are the women?
Women in the median country are 0.9 cm taller than in the Central African Republic.
Central African Republic: 159.7 cm (2019) · World median: 160.6 cm (2019)
How old is the typical person?
The typical person in the median country is 17 years older than in the Central African Republic.
Central African Republic: 14.3 years (2023) · World median: 31.1 years (2023)
How many children per woman?
Women in the Central African Republic have 4.1 more children on average than in the median country.
Central African Republic: 5.95 children per woman (2024) · World median: 1.9 children per woman (2024)
How many people are 65 or older?
8.6% of people in the median country are 65 or older, versus 2.2% in the Central African Republic.
Central African Republic: 2.2% (2025) · World median: 8.6% (2025)
How many Nobel laureates were born there?
The Central African Republic and the median country are practically level.
Central African Republic: 0 (2025) · World median: 0 (2025)
How many official languages?
The Central African Republic has 2 official languages, the median country 1.
Central African Republic: 2 (2026) · World median: 1 (2026)
Money
What an economy looks like per person
How big is the economy?
The median country’s economy is 15 times the size of the Central African Republic’s.
Central African Republic: $3.07 billion (2025) · World median: $45.5 billion (2025)
How much is produced per person?
The median country produces 16 times as much per person as the Central African Republic.
Central African Republic: Int$1,314 (2025) · World median: Int$21,072 (2025)
How evenly is income shared?
Income is more unequally shared in the Central African Republic than in the median country (Gini 8.6 points higher).
Central African Republic: 43 (2021) · World median: 34.4 (2023)
How many people are looking for work?
Unemployment is 6.3% in the Central African Republic, versus 5.1% in the median country.
Central African Republic: 6.3% (2025) · World median: 5.1% (2025)
How much goes to the military?
The Central African Republic spends 2.5% of its GDP on the military, the median country 1.7%.
Central African Republic: 2.5% (2024) · World median: 1.7% (2024)
How expensive is it?
The median country’s price level (US = 100) is 1.1× the Central African Republic’s.
Central African Republic: 42% (2025) · World median: 45% (2025)
Health
Long lives, small beginnings
How much is spent on health?
The median country spends 8.7 times as much on health per person as the Central African Republic.
Central African Republic: $54 (2023) · World median: $470 (2023)
How long do people live?
People in the median country live 17 years longer than in the Central African Republic.
Central African Republic: 57.7 years (2024) · World median: 74.6 years (2024)
How many babies don’t reach their first birthday?
A baby in the Central African Republic is 4.6 times as likely to die before turning one as in the median country.
Central African Republic: 58.8 per 1,000 (2024) · World median: 12.7 per 1,000 (2024)
How many doctors are there?
The median country has 23 times as many doctors per person as the Central African Republic.
Central African Republic: 0.1 per 1,000 (2023) · World median: 1.7 per 1,000 (2022)
How common is obesity?
24% of adults in the median country are obese, versus 8.9% in the Central African Republic.
Central African Republic: 8.9% (2024) · World median: 24% (2024)
How many adults smoke?
Central African Republic: no data · World median: 19% (2024)
Everyday life
Plates, glasses and happiness
How do people rate their lives?
People in the median country rate their lives 2.36 points higher than in the Central African Republic.
Central African Republic: 3.48 (2019) · World median: 5.83 (2025)
How much do people drink?
Adults in the median country drink 2.4 times as much alcohol as in the Central African Republic.
Central African Republic: 1.8 litres (2023) · World median: 4.3 litres (2023)
How much meat is on the menu?
The median country has 44% more meat per person than the Central African Republic.
Central African Republic: 39.1 kg (2022) · World median: 56.2 kg (2023)
How much food is there per day?
The median country has 519 kcal more food per person per day than the Central African Republic.
Central African Republic: 2,419 kcal (2022) · World median: 2,938 kcal (2023)
How long do people work?
Central African Republic: no data · World median: 1,974 hours (2023)
How long do people go to school?
Adults in the median country went to school 5.9 years longer than in the Central African Republic.
Central African Republic: 4 years (2023) · World median: 9.9 years (2023)
How many tourists visit?
The median country welcomed 20 times as many tourists per resident as the Central African Republic (2019).
Central African Republic: 0.02 (2019) · World median: 0.34 (2024)
Connected
Online, electrified, urban
How many people are online?
82% of people in the median country are online, versus 14% in the Central African Republic.
Central African Republic: 14% (2024) · World median: 82% (2024)
Who has electricity at home?
100% of people in the median country have electricity, versus 18% in the Central African Republic.
Central African Republic: 18.2% (2024) · World median: 100% (2024)
How many live in cities?
64% of people in the median country live in cities, versus 45% in the Central African Republic.
Central African Republic: 45% (2025) · World median: 64% (2025)
How many phones per person?
The median country has 115 mobile subscriptions per 100 people, the Central African Republic 39.
Central African Republic: 39 (2022) · World median: 115 (2024)
How much railway is there?
Central African Republic: no data · World median: 2,141 km (2021)
How much do they fly?
Central African Republic: no data · World median: 0.24 (2023)
Planet
Air, forests and energy
How much of the land is forest?
Forest covers 36% of the Central African Republic, but only 31% of the median country.
Central African Republic: 35.7% (2023) · World median: 31.2% (2023)
How much CO₂ does each person emit?
The average person in the median country emits 40 times as much CO₂ as someone in the Central African Republic.
Central African Republic: 0.1 t (2024) · World median: 3 t (2024)
How green is the power grid?
100% of the Central African Republic’s electricity is renewable, versus 31% in the median country.
Central African Republic: 100% (2023) · World median: 30.8% (2024)
How clean is the air?
The air in the Central African Republic carries 95% more fine dust than in the median country.
Central African Republic: 32.3 µg/m³ (2024) · World median: 16.6 µg/m³ (2024)
Safety
Measured risk, not vibes
How common is murder?
Central African Republic: no data · World median: 2.3 per 100k (2023)
How dangerous are the roads?
Roads in the Central African Republic are 2.1 times as deadly as in the median country.
Central African Republic: 25.9 per 100k (2021) · World median: 12.3 per 100k (2021)
Climate
What the year feels like
How warm is it?
The Central African Republic is on average 3.6 °C warmer than the median country.
Central African Republic: 26.6°C (2016–2025 avg) · World median: 23°C (2016–2025 avg)
How much rain falls?
The Central African Republic gets 6% more rain than the median country.
Central African Republic: 1,072 mm (2016–2025 avg) · World median: 1,014 mm (2016–2025 avg)
Quick answers
Is the Central African Republic bigger than the median country?
The Central African Republic is larger. The median country fits inside the Central African Republic 5.6 times.
Which has more people, the Central African Republic or the median country?
The median country has 34% more people than the Central African Republic (2025 estimates).
Where do people live longer, the Central African Republic or the median country?
People in the median country live 17 years longer than in the Central African Republic. Life expectancy at birth is 57.7 years in the Central African Republic and 74.6 in the median country.
Are people taller in the Central African Republic or the median country?
Men in the median country are 4.5 cm taller than in the Central African Republic (NCD-RisC, cohort born 2019).
