14 August 2012 Last updated at 07:04 ET

Central African Republic profile

• Overview
• Facts
• Leaders
• Media
• Timeline

Radio is the most-popular medium. The media consist largely of low-circulation newspapers and "often-isolated" radio stations, says Reporters Without Borders (RSF).

Private papers criticise government policies and report on corruption, but have a limited impact because of their cost and the high level of illiteracy. Self-censorship is commonplace, says RSF.

In Bangui, UN-sponsored Radio Ndeke Luka ("bird of luck") provides balanced output, and rebroadcasts international news programming.

Other radio and TV stations are run by the state-run Radiodiffusion-Television Centrafricaine and provide little coverage of the political opposition.

BBC World Service (90.2 FM), Radio France Internationale and the Voice of America are available via local relays in Bangui.

There were 123,800 internet users by December 2011 (Internetworldstats.com).

Press

• Le Citoyen - private, daily
• Le Confident - private, daily
• L'Hirondelle - private, daily
• Le Démocrate - private, daily
• L'Evenementiel - private, daily
• Centrafrique-Presse - state-owned, bi-weekly

Television

• Television Centrafricaine (TVCA) - state-run
• Tropic RTV - private

Radio

• Radio Centrafrique - state-run
• Radio Notre Dame - Catholic
• Radio Ndeke Luka - backed by UN and Swiss NGO

News agency/internet

• Agence Centrafrique Presse
• Centrafrique-presse.com - private, news portal