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The overwhelming majority of the population is engaged in subsistence agriculture, although only about 3% of the land is under cultivation. Manioc, yams, millet, corn, and bananas are the main food crops. The principal cash crops and important exports are cotton, tobacco, and coffee; cocoa, rubber, and palm products are raised in the southwest. Timber is also an important export product. Cattle are raised in the western portion of the country.
Diamonds (the leading export), uranium, and gold are mined. Industry is limited to food, timber, and mineral processing and to the production of light consumer goods. Inadequate transportation has been a major obstacle to the country's economic development. The Central African Republic belongs to the Franc Zone and trades chiefly with France, Belgium, and Japan. Most exports are shipped via Pointe-Noire, in Congo (Brazzaville), more than 1,100 mi (1,770 km) away.
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