The economy has been devastated by widespread political instability, mismanagement, and civil war since independence in 1962.
Coffee is the major export crop and accounts for the bulk of export revenues.
Since 1986 the government has acted to rehabilitate and stabilize the economy by undertaking currency reform, raising producer prices on export crops, increasing prices of petroleum products, and improving civil service wages. In 1990-93, the economy has turned in a solid performance based on continued investment in the rehabilitation of infrastructure, improved incentives for production and exports, and gradually improving domestic security.