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
On the evening of July 30, in the Central African Republic, three Russian citizens - journalist Orkhan Dzhemal, director Alexander Rastorguev and cameraman Kirill Radchenko. They went to the Central African Republic to film material about the work of the Wagner PMC in Africa, but did not have time to do this: 23 kilometers from the city of Sibut, the film crew was shot by unknown armed people. The journalists died on the spot. The driver (local) remained alive, ran away and reported the attack to the police. Sibut administration official Marcelin Yoyo said that the journalists were attacked by about 10 people in turbans. The attackers spoke to each other in Arabic.
What is a country like where such savagery is happening? I was there in 2013 as part of an African expedition and put together a post about the Central African Republic:
The Central African Republic is located in the heart of Africa (surprise!), and is one of the most sparsely populated and poorest countries (surprise!) on the continent. The history of the Central African Republic is not much different from the history of other African countries. Independence from the French in 1960, coup, dictator (cannibal Bokassa), coup, civil war, coup, famine, civil war.
When I flew to the CAR in 2013, another war was going on there: rebels from the Seleka group (mostly Muslims) fought with the government army, which was supported by international forces, and at the same time rebels from the Anti-Balaka group (mostly Christians and pagans). As a result, Seleka won. The rebels overthrew President Francois Bozize, who fled to Cameroon, and their leader Michel Djotodia became the new head of state (by the way, he lived and studied in the USSR for a long time). He was unable to restore order in the country and less than a year later he fled to Benin.
Currently, the CAR is headed by Faustin-Archange Touadera, who was prime minister under Bozize. He won the elections at the end of 2015, and he has not yet been overthrown, which in itself is surprising. The main point of his program was to ensure order and security, but the clashes show no sign of abating.
There are currently UN peacekeeping forces operating in the country. In addition, troops from France and the African Union tried to maintain order in the CAR, but they were not very successful. Every month, soldiers of the coalition forces and UN peacekeepers are killed by some rebels or simply bandits (the border between these concepts in the CAR is too vague). The UN expresses indignation every time, but cannot do anything about it. But he is not withdrawing troops from the country either. The French seem to have completed their operation in 2016, leaving the UN contingent to deal with the problems on their own.
Various Central African groups also fight with pleasure among themselves. As a result of all these battles (or rather raids), tens of thousands of residents of the country turned into refugees. For example, a huge tent camp is set up right at Bangui airport.
But in 2013, I didn’t know about all this and didn’t immediately understand why there were so many military men in the city.
The rebels controlled the capital. They looked very funny: some kind of uniform, rubber slippers and ancient machine guns. They look like packs of gopniks with weapons. The worst thing you can do is take a photograph of a rebel. My driver was terribly afraid that someone would notice the camera. It's all the fault of the UN, which issued reports on the atrocities of local gopniks and threatened to send its troops to the CAR. In the event of an invasion by international troops, the Gopniks planned to pretend to be civilians (now we can say that many succeeded in this). So a white man with a camera was perceived as a UN spy who compiled hit lists. Of course, I tried to film something on my phone, but it was almost impossible. Everyone watched me closely, and a couple of times it came to scandals. It's good that I run fast.
Overall Bangui looked like a peaceful city. There is even one very good five-star hotel here, which was built by Muammar Gaddafi a few years ago. Since the hotel turned out to be the best building in the city, the government immediately moved there and no one else was allowed in. Only after the rebels occupied the capital and the government and the former president fled did it become possible to rent a room there. They say the price tag now is $150 per night in a standard room. This is more a payment for security than for service.
We fly to Bangui, the capital of the Central African Republic. This is the Ubangi River. Convenient: capital Bangui, Ubangi River. 
The capital of the Central African Republic is located directly on the border with the DRC (formerly Zaire). On the left is the CAR, on the right is the DRC. 
750,000 people live in Bangui. The city is poor, there is almost no asphalt anywhere. 
This is what the capital looks like. The guidebook writes: “Bangi is a very beautiful green city. Locals call their city Bangui the Beauty.” I would argue with this) 
The airport is small and old. Soldiers sat on the roof. The French military took control of the airport after the 2013 coup. They wore big black hats, very beautiful. 
Most roads in Bangui are unpaved. In 2018, the capital of the Central African Republic was ranked 230th in the Mercer Quality of Living ranking. Things are worse only in Baghdad. 
The very center of the city 
Beauty! 
I went to the disco. 
Everyone is dancing! 
This is parliament. 
Since the rebels kicked out the government, the parliament was guarded by gopniks with guns. Under no circumstances should you remove them, as usual. Well, only if it happens to be on your phone ;) 
Old French buildings from the middle of the last century 
Court 
Ministry of Foreign Affairs 
Typical African hospital 
Church 
Market 
Buy it! 
Beautiful women 
Everyone's hair is sewn on. 
Beauty requires sacrifice. 
What are we selling here? 
Some dried caterpillars. Yum! 
Rotten monkey - they say it tastes great with beer. 
And this is an antelope. Pieces straight with fur. The stench is terrible. 
The traders sit on the counters because there is dirt and all sorts of slop on the ground. 
Fresh fish 
Steaks 
The only fruits are bananas. 
Cattle traders 
In the evening, peasants go from the fields to the city. 
Village Ferry 
Fishermen 
They are pulling the net. 
The catch is funny. A couple of inedible fish were caught in the net. 
Let's swim... 
You wake up in the morning in the best five-star hotel in the city... While you are checking your email, a black man in a snow-white suit is serving breakfast. You eat a crispy croissant, wash it down with aromatic espresso... Freshly squeezed juice, shower, swimming pool, massage... It's time to go out into the city for a walk and collect material for the next post. You go down to the first floor.. WHAT IS THIS?! The hotel has been taken over!
The lobby is full of military men, everyone is sleeping, the doors are locked... What to do? Right. If one exit is blocked, you have to go through another! The second exit was open. Freedom! 
In 2013, the rebels were running the show in Bangui. 
They kicked out the president, seized the buildings they liked in the center, and plundered the city. Then they set about the villages, began to destroy churches and do all sorts of dirty tricks. Until the UN sent in troops, the country was in complete chaos. The biggest problem is no power, no police, no court. Any gopnik with a machine gun at any checkpoint can do anything to you, and there will be no one to even complain to. On the left is the head of the post, who spent 10 minutes checking documents and arguing with my driver. 
Hello! I need your clothes and motorcycle. 
Verification of documents. A funny reaction from the rebels to the question: “Can I take a picture of you?” Try to approach a riot policeman in Moscow and say: “I will rape your wife, your daughter, your dog, and then you, you dirty bitch!” The reaction will be approximately the same. I don't know what caused this. So the photos with the military are still frames from the video that I secretly filmed. 
Someone was unlucky (All that was left was a stick, a helmet and a puddle. By the way, local warriors have a funny fashion - instead of a belt, they wrap themselves in bright colored climbing ropes. It’s a pity that we haven’t been able to take it off yet.
I went to the village of Yombo to see the life of the pygmies. Their life sucks. There used to be forests here, but over the past 20 years they have all been cut down. Now there are swamps instead of forests.
Pygmies are very sad without forests. Previously, they could sell wood, but now there is nothing to sell. 
Pygmy house 
The miner returns without any spoils. 
Home interior. 
Look what a beautiful girl! 
By the way, I noticed that I haven’t seen children have toys here yet. At all. Children play with stones, sticks, machetes, but not with toys. There are no toy stores here either. 
Richer house
Bedroom 
Living room 
This is the diet of an ordinary village family in the Central African Republic. Bananas (prepared like potatoes in our country), cassava roots (this is cassava; it is ground into flour, cooked into porridge and eaten with sauces), corn, some kind of palm fruit and a caterpillar. Maggots are also very tasty, but now is not the season. 
But there were mushrooms. Something like our honey mushrooms.
Pygmy. Those famous “forest pygmies” are almost gone in the CAR (as indeed throughout Africa). The culture and traditions of the Pygmies are gradually disappearing. New life slowly penetrates into their everyday life, dissolving the way of life of the smallest people on the planet. Now the real life of the pygmies is more of a tourist attraction. 
Pygmies are considered the most non-bloodthirsty hunters. They never hunt for the sake of hunting, they never kill animals for the sake of the desire to kill, they never store meat for future use. They do not even bring a killed animal to the village, but cut it up, cook it and eat it right on the spot, calling all the village residents for a meal. In fishing, pygmies often use poisons, “putting the fish to sleep” with special herbs. The fish floats to the surface of the reservoir, after which it can be collected by hand. Pygmies usually take only the required amount of fish, and after a while all the “excess” comes to its senses and swims away. 
These are the pygmies showing their dances.
After the performance they receive cigarettes and cookies. 
People in the Central African Republic live very poorly. There are almost no cars on the roads, and if there are, the car is loaded to the maximum with people and cargo.
The usual thing. It's still going somehow. Marvelous. 
Sometimes cars break down. 
Cars are also loaded. 
The military rides in pickup trucks.
City center. Beauty! 
A local feature is a cart with a tree. Such carts are on all roads. A small cart is loaded with logs and rolled to the wood processing plants. Then the tree is sold. I have never seen timber trucks in the country; everything is done manually. 
And this is the best restaurant in the city, they served snails with beer. The snails cost $15 and for some reason were without shells. 
I went to a local orphanage. This is where they live. 
This is a school.
Children immediately surrounded me, grabbed me by the hands, started hugging me and saying that I was their dad, and asked me to pick them up. I am a kind person, I immediately went to get gifts. Unfortunately, toys were not sold anywhere; we had to buy sweets, cookies and chocolate. 
When I arrived, the girls had already changed into their best dresses. Look what a cutie! Again she immediately grabbed my hand and said that she wouldn’t let me go anywhere. I already wanted to burst into tears and began to think about how I would bring her home. But the girl saw the chocolate, took it, waved her hand and went to eat it. She no longer needed dad. 
“It’s hard to imagine this in the 21st century”
Life in the Central African Republic through the eyes of Russians
Anastasia Gnedinskaya
The Central African Republic, where Russian journalists Orhan Dzhemal, Alexander Rastorguev and Kirill Radchenko were shot a few days ago, is considered one of the poorest and most dangerous countries in the world. Even in a relatively calm capital, Europeans try not to navigate the streets on foot and alone. Here, in exchange offices and cafes, there are signs “No weapons allowed,” and a camera can become a serious obstacle to establishing friendships with the locals. Russian-speaking residents of the Central African Republic, a helicopter pilot and a traveler told RIA Novosti in detail about the situation in the African country.
“Europeans do not travel unaccompanied”
Elena Smolnaya (name and surname changed at her request) has been living in the Central African Republic for several months. She came here as part of one of the humanitarian missions and works as a doctor. The country's capital, Bangui, is relatively safe, she assures. But he clarifies: “There is one block where it is better for a foreigner not to enter. It's called "The Fifth Kilometer". Representatives of one militant group live there, so “blue helmets” are constantly present in the quarter.
UN soldiers during Pope Francis' visit to the central mosque of the Muslim enclave PK5. Bangui, Central African Republic
© AP Photo/Jerome Delay
True, shots had not been heard in this ghetto for a long time. And a white person won’t just walk in there. In the CAR, says Elena, Europeans try not to travel alone on foot. “If foreigners come here, it is not for the purpose of tourism, but for work. They are met at the airport by representatives of the company or organization and taken to the hotel. Then they accompany you to work,” she says.
Smolnaya itself lives according to the same scheme. “I can walk alone during the day, and I’ve never experienced any particular discomfort. Unless at the market they shout something offensive after you or they whistle.”
In many humanitarian missions operating in countries where there is a terrorist threat, employees fill out what is called proof of life. These are answers to questions that only one person can know. If he is captured, the negotiator will understand from his answers whether he is alive or killed. But Elena claims that she didn’t fill out anything like that: “It’s not as dangerous here as, for example, in South Sudan, where a similar rule applies for employees of humanitarian missions.”
At 23:00 there is a curfew in the capital. “The military stops everyone on the street and checks where they are going and why at night. Here, in principle, people try not to travel late at night. Therefore, it is very strange that journalists went somewhere at night,” Elena is surprised.
“No one will ever attack you in the center of the capital, but it’s still better to travel by car with a local driver,” another Russian in Bangui, Sergei, enters the conversation. — I can’t say how much such a service costs, since I’ve been here for a long time, using my car. I’m guessing no more than $200 a month.”
In the province, according to Sergei, robberies are not uncommon. “They can stop a car right on the road and point a gun at the driver’s face. But this does not happen on highways, but on peripheral roads in wooded areas. It happens that Europeans are taken hostage. Then they demand a ransom or the release of previously arrested bandits.”
“I wouldn’t risk going into the jungle at night.”
Mi-8 pilot Alexander (he asked not to indicate his last name) worked in the Central African Republic for two missions of three and four months. He ensured the movement of the UN mission and flew across the length and breadth of the country. And he cannot call the CAR one of the most dangerous places on the African continent.
“I have something to compare with. For example, in Sudan, where I also worked, bandits could stop the car right on the road, throw the driver out of the passenger compartment and drive away,” says RIA Novosti’s interlocutor. “Two of my colleagues were captured there and held for almost four months, until UN representatives managed to rescue them. In Sudan, all helipads were fenced off. Otherwise, local residents would simply dismantle the car piece by piece. In the CAR we limited ourselves to armed guards around the landing site. But the most they did was drive away curious children and teenagers with sticks.”
For a resident of Tyumen, it was with the CAR that his acquaintance with Africa began.
“Naturally, upon arrival we were immediately warned that the country was in a permanent conflict, that it was forbidden to go outside in the evening, and that it was undesirable to communicate with locals. In fact, in the evening I calmly walked alone from our villa to the gym, and the locals treated us to fruit.”
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According to Alexander, the worst thing that can happen to an unwary European on the streets of Bangui is robbery. “It’s better not to walk with an open bag or an expensive phone; the car doors should always be kept closed, especially at stops. Almost on the go, they can climb into the cabin and pull out a backpack or equipment.”
He himself was never robbed, but his colleagues had their phones and wallets stolen. “As they explained to us, it is not even citizens of the republic who make a living in theft, but refugees from Chad, of whom there are a lot in Bangui.”
However, these descriptions apply more to the capital. In the provinces the situation is more tense. “If there are a lot of military personnel in Bangui, there are fortified posts at every major intersection, then on the periphery security is ensured only by a contingent of UN bases. I admit, I would not risk going into the jungle by car in the dark. After all, one of the bandit groups may be settling in this area at the moment. Locals know about it, strangers don’t.”
Alexander recalls how, during one of the flights, his colleagues agreed with the locals to go fishing. But in the morning, the guide said that it was better not to go into the jungle for now, since representatives of a local Muslim terrorist group had come to the area. “They asked what might happen if they decided to go fishing. “Do you need problems? “No to me,” answered the aborigine.”
During the months of work in the CAR, the pilot several times encountered the consequences of war between factions.
“One day we flew to a village that had been burned to the ground. It was a terrorist act by one of the gangs. People from this village lived in a tent camp next to the UN base. It’s hard to imagine that this is possible in the 21st century.”
If we ignore all these nuances, the Central African Republic is a country with its own flavor.
The pilot Alexander really remembered the local markets. True, these memories are shocking. “They sell dried monkeys there, from which the locals make soup. Their carcasses look like dead babies. Very unpleasant. In general, in the capital's stores you can find all European products: blue cheeses and expensive sausages. All this is sold based on Europeans, of whom there are quite a lot in the country. Food prices, by the way, are three times higher than in Russia. And housing costs astronomical amounts of money. Naturally, for locals there is one price everywhere, for whites it is different.”
“They tried to rob me three times in five minutes.”
Extreme traveler Vadim, author of the Dusk Rider blog, visited the Central African Republic in March 2018. Immediately upon arrival, he and his comrades went to a meeting with the Russian consul, including to discuss the possibility of security. The fact is that finding an escort in the Central African Republic is problematic.
“There are no companies in the country that provide bodyguard services. Only the army or police have legal weapons. But you won’t go up to the first military man you come across and offer to guard you? - explains Vadim. “In the end, we moved on our own.”
Vadim traveled to the CAR in the company of four other friends and one girl; they walked around the city only in a large group. Perhaps this is what helped them avoid serious trouble.
“One day my friend and girlfriend went for a walk together. And almost immediately the locals attacked them, shouting “Take the camera away!” In addition, they tried to rob them three times in five minutes. They brazenly went into their bags and pockets, without hiding. In general, robbing a foreigner is a local sport. Even the consul warned us about this. The easiest way is to drop clonidine into a glass of beer.”
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The former French colony, which gained independence in 1960, has been in a state of armed conflict for decades. In 2012, Islamist groups united to overthrow Christian President Francois Bozizé. The unstable alliance was called Seleka (meaning “coalition” in the Sango language).
In the early years of Seleka's existence, Michel Djotodia was considered its leader. In 2013, he proclaimed himself president, but soon lost control over his more radical associates. After the final collapse of the coalition, Djotodia was forced to flee the CAR.
And in the republic, a war broke out with renewed vigor between Islamist militants and Christian self-defense forces. In addition, they began to divide natural resources. The groups “Popular Front for the Revival of the Central African Republic” and the “Union for Peace in Central Africa” also started a fierce struggle. The Russian journalists were most likely attacked by one of them.
In February 2016, democratic elections were held in the republic. However, they did not bring reconciliation to the country. During his two and a half years in office, President Faustin-Archange Touadera has not changed the situation. Hundreds of thousands of refugees who fled the country during the conflict have not returned home. Various criminal groups, predominantly Islamist, continue to control the territory. The army is in decline. The legitimate authorities rely mainly on the contingent of UN peacekeepers.
Most of the country is occupied by the Azande hill (600–900 m above sea level), above which rise individual higher granite massifs of Yade (in the west, the highest point is Mount Gau - 1420 m) and Fertit (in the east). In the north of the country, the Azande elevation gradually decreases and turns into a swampy plain of the southern edge of the Chad basin. The main rivers are the Ubangi (a tributary of the Congo) in the south and tributaries of the Shari River, which flows into Lake Chad, in the north. Numerous waterfalls on the rivers give the landscape a special charm; the most beautiful of them, Boali on the Mbali River, is located in a wooded area 70 km from the capital and is not inferior in height to Niagara.
The climate is subequatorial, hot: the average temperature in January is 21 °C, in July - 31 °C. Precipitation (1000–1200 mm in the north and 1500–1600 mm in the south) falls mainly in summer due to the invasion of wet monsoons. In the south, the dry period is very short - from December to February. The country's vegetation is rich and is represented mainly by tall-grass savannas, in which, in addition to grasses, individual deciduous and evergreen trees grow, including cheese tree, shea butter, tamarind, and barassa palm. The forest savannah gradually turns into tropical rainforests, located first along the rivers, and in the extreme south merging into a single massif. The abundance of food in the savannah creates favorable conditions for the life of elephants, buffalos, and antelopes; giraffes, white and black rhinoceroses, and ostriches have been preserved. Common predators are cheetah, civet, and lion. There are many birds near the ponds (including flamingos, herons), as well as hippos and crocodiles. Monkeys are especially numerous in the forests. “Hunting zones,” including nature reserves and national parks, occupy almost a third of the country’s territory. Three large reserves and the Saint-Flory National Park are located near the city of Birao in the northeast, in the north - the Ndele “hunting zone”, in the southeast - Haute Mbomou.
The peoples inhabiting the CAR (about 4.5 million people in total) mainly belong to the Bantu group, the largest of them are the Banda, Baya, Manjia, Bubangi, Azande, Sara. The main occupation is agriculture, but pygmies remain in the forests, still living mainly by hunting. Two thirds of the inhabitants profess African religions.
The capital Bangui (734 thousand people), founded in 1889, is very picturesque and resembles a huge park. The National Museum displays magnificent examples of African art.
Story
In the 16th–18th centuries. There were no strong centralized states on the territory of the Central African Republic. This region was often visited by slave traders from the Atlantic coast and from the Muslim states that existed in the lake area. Chad. By 1800, due to the slave trade, the local population had sharply declined, and many areas were literally depopulated. In 1805–1830, thousands of Gbay, fleeing the Fulani conquerors who invaded Northern Cameroon, settled on the plateau in the upper reaches of the Sanga and Lobaye rivers. In the 1860s, Bantu-speaking peoples from the northeastern regions of the Congo (modern DRC) often fled from Arab slave traders on the northern bank of the Ubangi River. Later, the gang and a number of other peoples, hiding from Arab-Muslim slave traders, fled from the Bahr el-Ghazal region to the sparsely populated savannas in the upper reaches of the Kotto River.
The French explored and occupied the territory of the Central African Republic in 1889–1900. Small French detachments penetrated there from the Congo and concluded treaties with local leaders. In 1894, the current territory of the Central African Republic received the name Ubangi-Shari. In 1899, France granted private companies monopoly concessions to develop the natural resources of Gabon, Middle Congo and Oubangui-Chari. The scandals that erupted in 1905–1906, caused by the merciless exploitation of Africans, forced the French government in 1910 to limit the powers of concession companies and begin to combat abuses. Nevertheless, the Compagnie Forestier du Sanga-Oubangui continued to mistreat the Africans forcibly recruited from the southwestern regions of Oubangi-Shari. Even the revelations made in the pages of the Parisian press in 1927 by the famous writer Andre Gide did not influence the company's management. In 1928, the uprising of the Gbaya people against concession companies and forced labor on the construction of the railway connecting the Congo with the ocean coast spread to neighboring Cameroon and was suppressed only in 1930.
During the period between the two world wars, under the leadership of General Lamblin, the best road network in French Equatorial Africa was created in Ubangi-Shari. At the same time, the activities of Catholic and Protestant missions intensified there, which paid great attention to the development of the education system for Africans. In 1947–1958, Ubangi-Shari, as an “overseas territory” of France, was represented in the French parliament and had its own Territorial Assembly. In 1958, Ubangi-Shari, under the name Central African Republic (CAR), became an autonomous state within the French Community, and on August 13, 1960 it declared independence. In 1966, Colonel Jean-Bedel Bokassa seized power in the country. In 1976 he proclaimed himself emperor. His rule was despotic and cruel. In 1979, Bokassa was overthrown in a coup d'etat with the support of France, and the republican system was restored in the country.
After the overthrow of Bokassa and his flight to France, President David Dako tried to establish governance of the devastated country. At the beginning of 1981, a new constitution was adopted and presidential elections were held. Having received 50% of the votes, D. Dako won the elections. Four political organizations created on an ethnic basis refused to recognize Dako's victory, and parliamentary elections scheduled for the same 1981 were cancelled. The commander-in-chief of the armed forces, General Andre Kolingba, seized power in the country.
The period of President A. Kolingba's rule lasted until 1993, when Ange-Felix Patasse, a former member of Bokassa's cabinet, won the presidential election with 52% of the votes against 45% received by his main rival Abel Goumba. Patassé's opponents accused France of aiding and abetting election fraud. In parliament, representatives of the Patassé party received 34 seats (out of 85), supporters of Kolingba - 14 and Gumba - 7. Although in general the Patassé regime acted within the framework of the rule of law, the president was intolerant of the opposition and the uncontrolled press. In 1995, Patassé created his personal presidential guard.
Faced with the constant abuses of the CAR government in the financial sector, the World Bank, IMF and other Western financial institutions began to curtail assistance since 1995. The World Bank insisted on the need to reduce administrative costs and privatize state-owned enterprises, but this did not meet with Patassé's understanding. Unlike other French-speaking African states, the CAR did not benefit significantly from the 1994 devaluation of the CFA franc by 50% relative to the French franc.
Due to persistent financial difficulties in the mid-1990s, the Patasse government frequently failed to pay the salaries of military personnel and government officials. In April 1996, amid growing mass discontent, a coalition of opposition parties, known as CODEPO, held an anti-government rally. Shortly after this action, the first of several government mutinies occurred. The French government, trying to normalize the situation, in June 1996 decided to provide assistance in paying salaries to officials and military personnel.
With the support of French peacekeeping forces, the Patass government managed to maintain relative order in the country. However, the growing confrontation between the army and armed opponents of the government resulted in bloody clashes.
Through the mediation of a delegation of leaders of neighboring countries that arrived in the CAR, a truce agreement was concluded between the government and the opposition in January 1997 in Bangui. It provided for an amnesty for the rebels, broad representation of opposition parties in the new government of national unity, and the replacement of French peacekeeping forces with military contingents from neighboring states.
In the new government, formed in February 1997, part of the ministerial portfolios was distributed among representatives of opposition parties. The French contingent was replaced by an African peacekeeping mission of 700 troops from neighboring Burkina Faso, Chad, Gabon, Mali, Senegal and Togo. In March–June, clashes between the African peacekeeping contingent and the CAR security forces, dissatisfied with foreign interference, became more frequent. As a result, the rebels were forced to sign a permanent ceasefire agreement. In November 1997, the UN Security Council adopted a resolution authorizing the continued monitoring of compliance with the Bangui agreements under its auspices. In February-March 1998, a Conference on Interethnic Reconciliation was held in Bangui, which ended with the conclusion of an agreement.
Economy
The Central African Republic is one of the least economically developed countries in Africa. 66% of the country's amateur population is engaged in consumer agriculture and livestock farming. In the north, sorghum and millet are cultivated, in the south - corn, cassava, peanuts, yams and rice. About 80 thousand people are hired workers who work mainly in the public sector, on agricultural plantations and transport. There is an acute shortage of qualified specialists in the country. In 1996, GDP was estimated at $1 billion, or $300 per capita. In 1992–1993, GDP declined by 2% per year, in 1994 it grew by 7.7%, and in 1995 by 2.4%. The share of agricultural products in GDP is approx. 50%, industrial – 14%, transport and services – 36%.
In the 1960s, the role of individual miners in diamond mining increased, especially after the removal of several French diamond mining companies from the country in 1969. In 1994, 429 thousand carats of diamonds were mined, in 1997 - 540 thousand. Gold mining, on the contrary, is declining: in 1994 – 191 kg, in 1997 – 100 kg. Mainly due to a lack of transport means, the uranium ore deposit near Bakuma is not being developed. The coffee tree is mainly grown on plantations owned mainly by whites. Foreign companies exploit a small portion of the country's rich forest resources. The manufacturing industry is poorly developed and is mainly represented by enterprises producing food, beer, textiles, clothing, bricks, dyes and household utensils. The share of industrial production (mining, construction, manufacturing, energy) in GDP in 1980–1993 increased by an average of 2.4% per year.
The total length of roads suitable for use in any weather is 8.2 thousand km. Of greatest importance is the highway connecting Bangui with the capital of Chad, N'Djamena. The length of navigable sections of the rivers is 1600 km. The railway connects Bangui with the port of Pointe-Noire (Republic of the Congo).
The main export items are diamonds, timber and coffee. In 1994, for the first time since independence, the Central African Republic achieved a positive trade balance; the value of imports amounted to 130 million dollars, exports - 145 million. The main trading partners are France, Japan and Cameroon. The CAR is a member of the Central Bank of Central African States, which issues the CFA franc, which is a convertible currency against the French franc.
Policy
Until 1976, the country was a republic, briefly parliamentary, then presidential. The president, elected for a seven-year term, had broad powers, while parliament had very limited power. In 1979, the republican form of government was restored.
From 1950 to 1979, the leading political force in the country was the Movement for the Social Development of Black Africa, which was created and led by the former Catholic priest Barthelemy Boganda, who was ethnically gay. Until his death in 1959, he was the first prime minister of the Central African Republic. His place was taken by David Dako, Boganda's cousin and associate. In 1966, Boganda's nephew, Colonel Jean-Bedel Bokassa, carried out a coup d'état and seized power in the country.
In 1976, the Central African Republic became a monarchy and was renamed the Central African Empire (CAI). Bokassa proclaimed himself emperor and concentrated all power in his hands. In 1979, a coup took place in the Central Academy of Arts, as a result of which Bokassa was overthrown and the republic was restored; D. Dako returned to power.
At the beginning of 1981, after a wave of demonstrations swept through Bangui, D. Dako approved a new constitution for the country, which proclaimed a multi-party system and human rights. The constitution provided for the introduction of the post of president, elected for a six-year term by universal suffrage. An independent judicial system was created. The president had the right to appoint the prime minister and members of the government.
Later that year, at the suggestion of D. Dako, presidential elections were held, in which he won. This did not lead to a reduction in tension in the country. D. Dako opposed the trade unions and canceled the parliamentary elections. In September 1981, the army under the command of General Andre Kolingba, with the tacit support of France, carried out a bloodless coup. The authoritarian rule of the new head of the Central African Republic continued until 1993, when, under pressure from the opposition after mass protests, A. Kolingba was forced to hold presidential elections in accordance with the procedure provided for by the 1981 constitution. Ange-Felix Patasse won these elections.
The CAR maintains close ties with France. The country is part of the French franc zone and the Association of Francophone States. The Central African Republic is a member of the Organization of African Unity and the UN.
Population
In 1997, the population of the Central African Republic was 3,350 thousand people. The main ethnic groups are Gbaya (34%), Banda (27%), Manja (21%), Sara (10%), Mbum (4%), Mbaka (4%). Often traditional power is limited to the local leader, but some tribes have retained a more complex and centralized hierarchy of power: leaders of tribes, districts, and the supreme leader. The institution of slavery has long existed in this region, but the slave trade as a profitable trade spread thanks to the Arabs. Before the establishment of the French colonial regime, slave traders captured hundreds of thousands of slaves.
The official languages are French and Sango. 20% of the population are Protestants, 20% are Catholics, 10% are Muslims, the rest are adherents of local traditional beliefs. The capital and largest city is Bangui (600 thousand inhabitants).
In the early 1990s, about 324 thousand children were studying in primary schools, and 49 thousand in secondary schools and technical schools. Most of the teachers in secondary schools are French. There is a university in Bangui. In 1995, adult literacy reached 40%.
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 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 concluded 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 Ngaui (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, Bamingi-Bangoran, Andre-Felix, Manovo-Gounda-Saint-Floris national parks, Ndele “hunting zone”, Upper Mbomu Nature Reserve, Boali Falls, M'Baiki Falls, 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.