CAR: one of the most dangerous countries in the world. Government and politics

Country information:

Capital: Bangui. Currency: CFA franc.

The Central African Republic, with a rich but very tragic history, is, without exaggeration, one of the most beautiful countries in central Africa. However, being the owner of untold wealth in the form of natural resources and minerals, such as diamonds, gold, oil, uranium, etc., it remains below the line of one of the poorest countries in the world. The lack of qualified labor, due to the almost complete lack of education, as well as constant internal conflicts between numerous gangs, reduce the country's development to a minimum and leave little chance of leaving the list of disadvantaged countries. In fact, the people of this country are the bearers of a very interesting culture. These are the rituals and traditions of the tribes that inhabited the republic. Unfortunately, tourism is practically not developed here.

CAR. Basic information.
Currency CFA franc

Visa Visa to the Central African Republic
Entry with a foreign passport > 6 months. actions. Children: Power of attorney from parent(s) for children under 18 years of age. Visa issuance time: up to 3 days. A yellow fever vaccination certificate is required.

Time Current time in Central African Republic
The time is 2 hours behind Moscow.

Geography of the Central African Republic on an interactive world map
The Central African Republic (CAR) is a landlocked state in Central Africa. It is bordered to the east by Sudan, to the south by the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), to the southwest by the Republic of Congo (ROC), to the west by Cameroon, and to the north by Chad.

Main partners of the country The main strategic partners are South Africa and the countries of the European Union

Sights Excursions and attractions of the Central African Republic
The Arc de Triomphe is a monument to the short-lived “empire” of the cannibal Bokassa. Near the capital's river port are the Presidential Palace in a pompous pseudo-classical style and the Marché Central (Central Market). The National Museum of Boganda presents magnificent examples of African art, as well as a unique collection of folk musical instruments and the most comprehensive exhibition in the region describing the life and culture of the Pygmies. 99 km. To the north-west of the capital there are picturesque Buali waterfalls, especially deep during the rainy season. From the waterfalls you can go on an excursion to the country residence of Emperor Bokassa. M'Baiki is the main area of residence for the pygmy tribes, a short (no taller than 120 cm) people - the best hunters in central Africa. Here are located numerous villages of this people, who still live in the same rhythm as a thousand years ago. Of particular interest to tourists are the M'Baiki waterfalls, areas where hevea and precious ebony are harvested, magnificent products from which can be purchased right there for a ridiculously low fee.

History of the country The ancient history of the peoples of the Central African Republic has been little studied. Due to its remoteness from the oceans and the presence of inaccessible areas, this country until the 19th century. remained a blank spot on European maps. Stone Age tools discovered during diamond mining in the Ubangi River basin give reason to believe that many of the Central African plains were inhabited in ancient times. Found in the early 60s of the 20th century by anthropologist Pierre Vidal in the southwest of the country, near Lobaye, the 3 m high stones date back to the megalithic era. Among the Gbaya people they are known as "tajunu", or standing stones.

For a long time, numerous migration routes of African peoples passed through the country, and this significantly influenced its settlement. The first inhabitants of this territory, apparently, were pygmies. The existence of lands to the west of the sources of the Nile, inhabited by dark-skinned peoples, was known to the ancient Egyptians. Deciphered inscriptions on Egyptian monuments tell about the country of Uam (in the area of the Mobai and Kembe rivers), inhabited by “black dwarfs - pygmies.” On ancient Egyptian maps, the Ubangi and Uele rivers were called the Black Nile and were connected to the White Nile into one river. The ancient history of the peoples of the Central African Republic has been little studied.

The area of the current territory of the Central African Republic found itself between the strong feudal state of Kanem-Borno in the north (formed in the 15th century on the western shore of Lake Chad) and the Christian kingdom of Congo in the south (formed in the 14th century in the lower reaches of the Congo River), which had close trade ties.

The state of Gaoga was located on the territory of the Central African Republic. It was formed by rebel slaves. The main occupation of the population was cattle breeding. Haog's horse army had weapons traded with Egyptian traders. The found remains of household utensils have Christian symbols, which tell us that Christians lived in Gaoga.

The territory of the Central African Republic was inhabited by local Ubangi tribes: Gbanziri, Buraka, Sango, Yakoma and Nzakara. At the same time, new feudal states were formed near the northeastern borders of the country: Bagirmi, Wadai and Darfur. The population of these states was dependent on the Arabs and subjected to forced Islamization. The Sudanese peoples who resisted the imposition of Islam were forced to go into the interior of the territory. This is how the Sara, Gbaya (Baya), and Banda tribes appeared in the Central African savannah. The Gbayas headed west and settled in northeastern Cameroon, the Democratic Republic of the Congo and the western part of the Central African Republic. The banda settled throughout the territory from the Kotto River in the east to the Sanga River in the west. Sarah stayed in the Lagone and Shari river basin in the north of the Central African Republic. With the arrival of the Sudanese peoples, local tribes were forced to make room and concentrated on the banks of Ubangi. The Azande tribes came to the upper reaches of this river from the Lake Chad region. The extraction of slaves in the territory of the Central African Republic was the main source of wealth for the states of Darfur and Wadai. An ancient caravan route passed through the territory of the Central African Republic through Darfur to Egypt, along which ivory and slaves were transported to the Middle East. By the middle of the 18th century. slave hunters practically devastated these places.

Vast areas in the area of the tributaries of the Shari - Auk and Azum were occupied by the Gula tribes, who were engaged in fishing and trade. The Gula language was widespread in the upper Shari basin. A little later, at the beginning of the 19th century, agricultural tribes came to the Ubangi plateau from the east. The Sabang tribes occupied the area of a huge quadrangle between Shari and Ubangi, as well as in the middle reaches of the Kotto. The Kreish tribes inhabited the upper Kotto and Shinko basin. In the areas from the Kotto River to Darfur lived numerous tribes of the Yulu, Kara, Binga, Shalla, Bongo and others, who almost completely disappeared. At the same time, part of the Gbaya people, who had previously settled in Zaire and called themselves “Manja,” that is, farmers, settled in the center of the Ubangi-Shari basin.

Europeans (French and Belgians) began to appear in 1884-85, in 1889 the expedition of Colonel M. Dolisi reached the rapids and established themselves in the place of modern Bangui. In 1894 and 1897, respectively, the French authorities concluded treaties with Germany and England to delineate the boundaries between the colonial possessions, as a result of which the modern eastern and western borders of the CAR were drawn up. The conquest of the territory was finally completed after bloody battles at the beginning of the 20th century; in 1903, the formation of the colonial territory of Ubangi-Shari was officially formalized. In 1907, 1919-21, 1924-27, 1928-1931, uprisings of the indigenous population were observed on the territory of the modern Central African Republic, which were suppressed extremely brutally; in a number of areas, the population decreased by 60-80%.

In the post-war period, the first party was created and the first deputy from Ubangi-Shari was elected to the French parliament; it was Barthelemy Boganda, who is considered the founding father of the Central African Republic. Shortly before the Central African Republic gained independence, Boganda died in a plane crash.

Independence period

On August 13, 1960, the Central African Republic was declared an independent state. David Dako became the first president. A one-party system was established in the CAR: the MESAN party (Movement for the Social Evolution of Black Africa) was declared the only political party in the country.

On January 1, 1966, a military coup was carried out. The chief of staff of the CAR army, Colonel Jean-Bedel Bokassa, became the president of the country, head of government and chairman of MESAN. The CAR parliament was dissolved and the constitution was abolished.

The period of Bokassa's reign was marked by catastrophic corruption and various extravagant enterprises - for example, in December 1976, Bokassa crowned himself emperor and renamed the country the Central African Empire. The coronation ceremony cost half the country's annual budget.

At the end of the 1970s, the economic situation in CAI deteriorated sharply. In April 1979, anti-government demonstrations began and clashes with the police occurred.

In September 1979, Bokassa was overthrown by French paratroopers, after which the country was again led by David Dako, at whose invitation the action was formally carried out. The republic was restored.

Daco was, in turn, removed two years later by General Kolingba, who, under pressure from the West, ceded power to democratically elected authorities in the early 90s. This did not bring stability to the country; a series of coups and counter-coups followed, taking place against the backdrop of social instability and a deteriorating economic situation.

Currently in power is the leader of the faction that won the 2001-2003 civil war, Francois Bozizé.

How to get there Flight schedule to CAR
Only air travel is available. There are no direct flights from Moscow.

Climate The climate and vegetation vary from north to south. Only the southwest retains dense tropical rainforests; towards the northeast, the forests along the river valleys are replaced by savanna woodlands and grasslands. In the north, the average annual precipitation is 1250 mm per year, falling mainly from July to September, as well as in December-January. The average annual temperature is 27°C, and in the south - 25°C. The average annual precipitation exceeds 1900 mm; the wet season lasts from July to October; December and January are dry months.

Credit cards are accepted only in two branches of the National Bank

Medicines - a rather meager assortment

Museums National Museum of Boganda

Voltage 220 V
50 Hz
C/E

Population: About 3.3 million people, the majority belong to the Bantu group, the largest of them are Baya (34%), Banda (27%), Mandya (21%), Sara (10%), Mboum (4%), Mbaka (4%) etc.

Regions Regions and resorts of the Central African Republic
The territory of the Central African Republic is divided into 17 prefectures.

The capital city of Bangui is allocated to a special administrative unit, equivalent to a prefecture.

Clothes - the best clothes are shorts and short-sleeved shirts

Authorities Republican form of government, the head of state is the president. The head of government is the Prime Minister, legislative power belongs to the bicameral Congress, consisting of the Economic and Regional Council and the National Assembly.

Area 622,984 km²

Minerals The Central African Republic has significant natural resources - deposits of diamonds, uranium, gold, oil, forestry and hydropower resources.

Nature and Animals The surface of the country is an undulating plateau with a height of 600 to 900 meters, separating the basins of the Congo River and Lake Chad. Within its boundaries there are eastern and western parts. The eastern part has a general slope to the south, towards the Mbomu (Boma) and Ubangi rivers. In the north is the Fertit massif, consisting of groups of isolated mountains and ridges (over 900 meters high) Aburasain, Dar Shalla and Mongo (over 1370 m). In the south, in some places there are rocky outcrops (locally called “kagas”). The main rivers in the east of the country - Shinko and Mbari - are navigable in the lower reaches; higher up, the passage of ships is hampered by rapids. In the west of the plateau there are the Yade massif, which continues into Cameroon, individual kagas remnants and latitudinally oriented horsts bounded by faults. A gently undulating plateau of white sandstones stretches between Berberati, Bouar and Boda.

The climate and vegetation change from north to south. Only in the southwest are dense and humid tropical forests preserved; towards the northeast, the forests along the river valleys are replaced by savanna woodlands and grasslands.

Industry Gold, diamond, uranium, oil mining, logging

Religion Adherents of local beliefs - 60%, Christians and Muslims are also present.

Health risks danger of contracting HIV infection

Communication Internet
Russian operators do not have GPRS roaming. There are several providers throughout the country that provide Internet access. Internet cafes are popping up.

cellular
Communication standard is GSM 900. Roaming is available to Megafon and Beeline subscribers. Local operators are not yet able to provide reliable reception throughout the entire territory. MTS subscribers are offered the use of Thuraya satellite communications.

Agriculture Agriculture is the basis of the economy. This includes agriculture and cattle breeding.

Capital city Bangui

Telephone code +8-10-236 (city code + tel.)

Tourism Tours to the Central African Republic
tourism is poorly developed due to the unstable situation in the republic

Flag
The national flag of the Central African Republic was adopted on December 1, 1958. Its design was developed by Barthelemy Boganda, a prominent figure in the independence movement of the Central African Republic, who nevertheless believed that “France and Africa must go together.” Therefore, he combined the red, white and blue colors of the French tricolor and the Pan-African colors: red, green and yellow. The red color symbolizes the blood of the people of the country, the blood that was shed in the struggle for independence, and the blood that the people will shed if necessary to defend the country. The color blue symbolizes the sky and freedom. White - peace and dignity. Green - hope and faith. The color yellow symbolizes tolerance. The golden five-pointed star is a symbol of independence and a guide to future progress.
Tip 10% of the check amount

The Central African Republic (CAR) is a landlocked state in Central Africa. It is bordered to the east by Sudan, to the south by the Democratic Republic of the Congo, to the southwest by the Republic of the Congo, to the west by Cameroon, and to the north by Chad.

The surface of the country is an undulating plateau with an altitude of 600 to 900 meters, separating the basins of the Congo River and Lake Chad.

State

State structure

The Central African Republic is a presidential republic. The head of state is the president. The head of government is the prime minister. Legislative power belongs to the bicameral Congress, consisting of the Economic and Regional Council and the National Assembly.

Language

Official language: French, Sango

Religion

20% of the population are Protestants, 20% are Catholics, 10% are Muslims, the rest are adherents of local traditional beliefs.

Currency

International name: KFA

Currency can only be exchanged in banks. The use of traveler's checks is limited (accepted only by two capital banks).

Tourism in the Central African Republic

Holidays in the Central African Republic at the best price

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Popular hotels

Tips

Tips are 10% in restaurants (in cafes and street bars they are practically not used, but rewarding staff other than the bill is not prohibited). In a taxi, you should round the amount up or agree on the amount in advance with the taxi driver.

Purchases

It is customary to bargain in markets and private stores, and sometimes it is possible to significantly reduce the price (this does not apply to the purchase of silver and gold, where excessively active bargaining is not encouraged).

Russian soldiers and mercenaries arrive in the CAR April 26th, 2018

I just read some interesting information. Of course, the article is colored by certain emotions aimed at creating a certain effect, but this is not important. In such articles, it is not the general essence that is important, but the details.

Here's what Rémy Ourdan writes:

In Bangui, they are talked about almost as much as about the rebels who are gathering in the provinces and threatening to attack the capital of the Central African Republic. They create the basis for a variety of speculations and fantasies, and the scale of their influence raises serious questions.

We are talking about Russians: military personnel, mercenaries, businessmen and shadow advisers.

The facts are well known to everyone. Following a meeting between Central African Republic President Faustin-Archange Touadéra and Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov in Sochi in October 2017, Moscow asked the UN Security Council for an exception to the arms embargo on the CAR in order to transfer military equipment to the government and launch a training program for local armed forces. In December, permission was received, and the Russian army's Il-76 made its first flight to Bangui airport on January 26.

The agreement between the two countries involves the supply of grenade launchers, machine guns, machine guns and pistols, as well as training in the use of these weapons for two battalions, that is, 1,300 people. A ceremony marking the completion of the training of the first group of 200 people took place on March 31 in the presence of President Touadera. This is the official story. Only now it was accompanied by a number of surprises.

Bokassa "cannot rest in peace"

First of all, this concerns the provision of the Berengo Palace at the disposal of Moscow envoys. This abandoned building 60 kilometers west of Bangui was the home of Jean-Bedel Bokassa (in power from 1966 to 1979), who is buried on its grounds. This news gave rise to heated disputes between the government and the Bokassa family, which no one warned about the transformation of the palace and 40 hectares of land into a military camp.

Bokassa's heirs said in a press release that they were "dismayed and surprised to learn of the presence of Russian soldiers on the ancestral lands of Berengo" and demanded that the military move away from the grave of the leader, who proclaimed himself "emperor" in 1976. His son Jean-Serge Bokassa, a former presidential candidate and interior minister, condemned the decision on Twitter: “Complete surprise. (...) Our father rests there, no longer in peace." A government spokesman tried to quell the controversy with a statement that “Berengo is state property.” Although the situation with Berengo was not the only reason for Jean-Serge Bokassa’s disagreements with the president, he recently decided to leave the government. Today he claims that "the arrival of Russians in the country" was a "key element" of his departure.

The second surprise was that the Russians did not sit in Berengo at all, but scattered like antelopes on the savannah. Although they try not to attract too much attention to themselves, white-skinned, but not French-speaking people with a military bearing (albeit without a uniform) are easy to spot in Bangui. Over the course of several weeks, they were seen in the presidential administration, in some ministries, with CAR soldiers in their care, with patrols on the streets and even in Lebanese supermarkets on Boganda Avenue. Some of them were noticed even in the provinces.

Unlimited access to the President

From their presence and appearance, the capital's residents concluded that, contrary to their initial assumption, the Moscow envoys were not officers of the regular army at all. When it comes to interventions abroad (for example, in Syria), Russia has become completely “Americanized”: apart from five military intelligence officers, almost all other Russians in the CAR work for two private companies, Seva Security Services and Lobae Limited.
Their first official appearance took place on March 30 at Bangui's football stadium on the occasion of the second anniversary of Touadera's election. These fighters quickly displaced the Rwandan soldiers of the UN mission in the CAR, who had previously provided security for the head of state. They are now standing in parking lots and at closed doors, while the Russians are directly with the president, and also have unlimited access to his schedule and surroundings. The administration confirms the appearance of “a detachment of Russian special forces to enhance the president’s security” without further clarification.

A Russian “adviser” also appeared under the head of state. This “security director” coordinates the work of the bodyguards, notes a local source. A Western expert with connections in the country, in turn, considers him “a key intermediary for contacts between the Central African Republic and Russia in the defense and economic spheres.”

The fact is that in addition to relaxations from the UN Security Council and military agreements, contracts for mineral exploration were also signed. The country has rich resources of diamonds, gold and uranium, but its potential is underutilized due to war and chaos. By the way, it was these deposits that became one of the reasons for the split of the country after the civil war between Christians and Muslims in 2013, as well as further internal squabbles among the rebels who seek to develop the mines.

"They shamelessly bribe everyone"

“Russian activities in the region along the axis through Sudan and Angola worry the Americans,” admits the European diplomat. “As far as the Central African Republic is concerned, they are waiting for France’s reaction.” Bangui is also wondering whether the former colonial power will allow Moscow to establish itself in the center of Africa. “This is the CAR’s choice,” sighs the French diplomat. “Besides, the Russians do not use the same methods as we do. They shamelessly bribe everyone who opens the right doors for them.”

Be that as it may, the European Union continues its own training program for the Central African army. Washington, in turn, provided it with $12.7 million for the purchase of American equipment and communications equipment, as well as training with the participation of American officers.

If the goal of all these initiatives was to limit Russian influence, the only noticeable result looks simply paradoxical: Russian special forces are now driving around in the brand new Fords that the Americans gave to Central African soldiers, under the surprised but pleased looks of local residents. The fact is that after the departure of the French military, most of them do not believe that the UN forces will be able to protect them from the rebels.

It is worth noting that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs officially announced the dispatch of Russian military personnel to the CAR back in February. The Central African Republic (CAR) will receive military-technical assistance from Russia free of charge, including that provided by Russian military and civilian specialists sent to this country. It is noted that the reason for providing support to the African state was the request of President Faustin-Archange Touadera. The mission was agreed upon by the UN Security Council.

The Central African Republic, one of the poorest countries in Africa and the whole world, a former French colony, even after gaining independence in 1960, still always remained a traditional area of interest for Paris, a state that followed in the wake of French politics and previously had almost no ties with the Soviet Union, nor with modern Russia. It was in the CAR that France maintained one of its largest military contingents abroad for decades. However, since the beginning of the 21st century, the situation began to change radically.

In the CAR, a complex ethnic-religious conflict between Christians and Muslims began around 2003-2004, leading to several coups, mass bloodshed, atrocities and the loss of control by the central government in Bangui over most of the state's territory. In fact, the country is divided between various armed gangs, the main ones being the Christian Anti-Balaka group and the Islamist Seleka alliance.

Journalists from the Conflict Intelligence Team (CIT), citing the French newspaper Libération, write that militants of all groups are engaged in ethnic cleansing, as well as racketeering and extortion on the roads, thereby ruining the already dying mining industry of this very rich in diamonds, gold, uranium and other minerals of the country. UN peacekeeping forces from several African states have been present in the CAR in recent years, as well as, since 2013, a seventh French military mission. However, in 2016, French soldiers, who were repeatedly accused of various crimes, primarily mass rape, were withdrawn from the Central African Republic - after which there was virtually no one to fight the numerous armed rebels. Before the Russians arrived here - both in official uniform and without it.

The Central African Republic (CAR) is a state in the very center of the continent, without access to the sea. The country is located on a predominantly flat, flat plateau, with individual hills - rocky outcrops (kagas) located in the northeast and southwest. Large rivers flow here, and their full flow, combined with the flatness of the territory, leads to frequent floods.
The climate of the country is dry and hot. An important role in its formation is played by the hot, dry and dusty Harmattan wind - the West African trade wind, blowing from the desert towards the Gulf of Guinea between late November and early March.

Story

There is no exact data about the peoples of the Central African Republic who lived here before European colonization. It is believed that the first inhabitants of these territories were pygmies, and later other Negroid tribes settled here. The oldest archaeological finds in the Central African Republic are “tajunu”, or “standing stones”, 3 m high, dating back to the Neolithic era. In the 15th century feudal states appeared here: Kanem-Borno in the north, the Kingdom of Kongo in the south, Gaoga - the state of fugitive slaves. The main occupation of the local population was pastoralism, so wars for pastures in the territory of the future Central African Republic were not uncommon.
B XIX century The territory of modern Central African Republic was repeatedly invaded by Arabs from Eastern Sudan, who enslaved local residents. Due to the penetration of a more developed culture, the system of the primitive communal system began to disintegrate, and Muslim sultanates appeared in the region (Dar Runga, Dar el-Kuti).
Europeans - mainly the French and Belgians - appeared here only in 1884-1885: previously they did not see the point in developing places so far from the coast, where epidemics of tropical diseases raged. But rumors about the local wealth played a role, and the colonial division of Africa was nearing its end.
In 1889, a French detachment reached the rapids of the river and founded Fort Bangui. A few years later, France entered into treaties with Germany and England to draw boundaries between the colonial possessions. At the same time, the modern borders of the Central African Republic appeared. Then it was a colony of France and, under the name Ubangi-Shari, was part of French Equatorial Africa. The population resisted the colonialists, the uprisings were drowned in blood.
In some areas of the future Central African Republic, the population has decreased by 60-80%.
After the Second World War, Ubangi-Shari witnessed the rise of the national liberation movement, and the first political organizations began to appear here. The independence of the Central African Republic was proclaimed in 1960, and in 1966 a military coup took place and Colonel Jean-Bedel Bokassa (1921-1996) came to power. He dissolved parliament, abolished the constitution and proclaimed himself emperor, in 1976 renaming the CAR to CAI - Central African Empire.
The policies of Bokassa, whose reputation was damaged by rumors of cannibalism and the harsh suppression of opposition protests, led to a sharp drop in the standard of living in the country. In September 1979, French special forces carried out Operation Barracuda and overthrew Bokassa. The Republic was restored, but the situation in the country only became more complicated, and subsequently several more coups took place.
The current internal political situation in the CAR is characterized by extreme instability, complicated by the fighting of armed groups in the north of the country.
The Central African Republic was named after the geographical location of the country, which is located almost in the center of the continent. Most of the territory is occupied by the Azande plateau with domed mountains and flat swampy plains. The main rivers of the Central African Republic are navigable in their lower reaches, but upstream, ships are hampered by rapids.
The Central African Republic has valuable natural resources, but remains one of the poorest countries in the world.
The subsoil of the CAR is rich even by African standards: there are large deposits of diamonds, uranium, gold, oil, forests are full of valuable wood, and rivers are a potentially limitless source of hydroelectricity. Nevertheless, almost the entire population of the country lives in poverty. Rural settlements are located along the banks of rivers; the villages are dominated by adobe or frame huts, round or quadrangular in plan, with noticeably pointed roofs.
The basis of the state's economy is subsistence agriculture and forestry (together they account for more than half of the country's GDP), as well as mining. Subsoil development is complicated by the fact that the Central African Republic has no access to the sea and a practically undeveloped transport network. So, there are no railways here at all. That is why - and also for safety reasons - gold production is being reduced, and the uranium deposit near Bakuma is not being developed at all.
The main transport routes remain rivers, mainly the Ubangi, which has direct access to the Congo-Ocean Railway in Brazzaville (Republic of the Congo). The safer but less convenient route through Cameroon is often used.
The economic development of the state has stalled due to the tense political situation: the authorities have focused on the fight against the opposition. The situation is aggravated by ongoing conflicts among the rural population over drinking water sources and pastures along the border with South Sudan.
The country receives large subsidies from the former metropolis - France and international organizations, but the distribution of the funds received is unequal.
The problems of the Central African Republic are typical for African countries: acute shortage of drinking water, massive deforestation for firewood and for sale, which causes progressive desertification. The tsetse fly remains the real scourge of these places.

Nature

International environmental organizations are making efforts to preserve the unique nature of the CAR. There is very rich vegetation here, represented mainly by tall grass savannas, deciduous and evergreen trees grow here: cheese tree, shea butter, tamarind, barassa palm. There is a lot of food in the savanna, and therefore elephant, buffalo, antelope, giraffe, white and black rhinoceros, ostrich, cheetah, civet and lion live here. Due to the abundance of reservoirs, there are many birds here, including flamingos and herons, and large four-legged animals - hippos and crocodiles.
Nature reserves and national parks have been established in the CAR, occupying almost a third of the country's territory. Large reserves (Bamingui-Bangoran, Andre-Felix) and the Manovo-Gounda-Saint-Floris National Park are located near the city of Birao in the northeast, in the north there is the Ndele “hunting zone”, in the southeast - Haute Mbomou. However, the presence of nature reserves does not reduce the level of poaching, which threatens the fauna of the Central African Republic and seriously undermines the country's reputation as one of the largest natural wildlife reserves.

general information

Location: Central Africa, north of the Democratic Republic of Congo.

Official name: Central African Republic.
Administrative division: 14 prefectures, 2 economic prefectures (Nana-Grebisi and Sanga-Mbaere) and the capital city of Bangui (a special administrative unit equivalent to a prefecture).

Administrative center: city - 622,771 people. (2003).
Languages: French (official), Sango - the language of international communication, tribal languages.

Ethnic composition: gbaya, banda, mandija, sera, mburn, mbaka, yakoma.

Religions: Christianity, traditional beliefs, Islam.
Currency unit: CFA franc.
Largest rivers: Ubangi, Mbomu.
The most important ports: Bangui, Nola, Salo, Nzinga.

Major airport: Bangui M'Poko International Airport.

Numbers

Area: 622,984 km2.

Population: 5,166,510 people
Population density: 8.3 people/km 2 .

Urban population: 39% (2010).
Length of borders: 5203 km.
Lowest point: Ubangi River (335 m).

Highest point: Mount Ngaoui (Ngui), 1410 m.

Climate and weather

Tropical.
Very humid and warm summers, hot and dry winters.
Average annual temperature: +26°С.

Average annual precipitation: from 760 mm in the east to 1780 mm in the Ubangi River valley.
Rainy season: April to November.

Relative humidity: over 80%.

Economy

GDP: $3.847 billion (2012), per capita - $800 (2012).

Minerals: diamonds, gold, uranium, oil, copper.
Agriculture: coffee, cotton, cassava, peanuts, corn, sorghum, millet, sesame, bananas, rice, tobacco, yams.

Industry: mining, food (sugar).
Forestry: valuable wood species.

Traditional crafts: wood carving (household utensils with complex patterns, ritual masks), metal inlay of weapons, pottery, raffia weaving, making ivory jewelry, leather goods.

Service sector: tourism, trade.

Attractions

■ Historical: tajunu (“standing stones”), the country residence of Emperor Bokassa in the M'Baiki area.
■ Natural: Ubangi River, Shari River, Bamingui-Bangoran, Andre-Felix, Manovo-Gounda-Saint-Floris national parks, Ndele “hunting zone”, Upper Mbomou reserve, Boali waterfalls, M'Baiki waterfalls, Dzanga-Ndoki national park, national Dzanga-Sanga park.
■ Bangui city: Arc de Triomphe (a monument to the era of Emperor Bokassa), Presidential Palace in pseudo-classical style, Central Market (Marche Central), Boganda National Museum, Republic Square, Freedom Obelisk, Avenue. B. Boganda.

Curious facts

■ The pygmies of the Central African Republic, living in the M'Baiqi region, are no higher than 120 cm tall and are the best hunters in Africa.
■ The Central African Republic is where the deadly Ebola virus emerged. The mystery of its origin remains unsolved.

■ The Saharan harmattan wind brings a lot of dust and sand to the Atlantic Ocean, sometimes even reaching the shores of North America. And in West African countries, haze caused by harmattan significantly reduces visibility and even obscures the sun for several days, like fog.
■ Emperor Bokassa's coronation ceremony cost the treasury approximately $25 million, which amounted to almost a quarter of the country's annual budget. The best European companies produced a crown decorated with two thousand diamonds. The cost of all royal attributes was $5 million. The ceremony copied in many details the coronation of Emperor Napoleon I, whom Bokassa considered a role model. Bokassa had 18 wives and 77 children recognized by him.
■ In 1973, President Bokassa was welcomed at the Soviet pioneer camp “Artek”. He performed songs of his country, and was also awarded a guest pioneer tie and the title “Honorary Artek Member”.
■ The Catholic Cathedral in Bangui, built at the beginning of the 20th century, is called Notre Dame, and its outline resembles the Parisian cathedral of the same name.
■ Among the musical instruments of the pygmies from the Central African Republic there is even a bow that makes unique sounds.
■ Life expectancy of the population of the Central African Republic is one of the lowest in the world: 47 years for men and 52 years for women.
■ The most numerous tribes in the CAR are the Bandas: they make up about 60% of the population.