The Central African Republic, sometimes Central Africa, is a
landlocked state in Central Africa. It borders Sudan in the
northeast, South Sudan in the east, the Democratic Republic of the
Congo in the south, the Republic of the Congo in the southwest,
Cameroon in the west, and Chad in the north. One of the most
sparsely populated countries in Africa, one of the poorest countries
in the world.
The country is actively fighting Islamic
terrorism, which since 2012 has turned into an open war between
Christians and Muslims.
Formalities
Entry requirements
Most people need to apply for a
visa to enter the Central African Republic. Central African visas are
very expensive to obtain and it can be difficult to apply for them
because there are very few Central African embassies in the world.
Citizens of the following countries can visit the country without a
visa: Benin, Burkina Faso , Burundi , Cameroon , Chad , Republic of the
Congo , Democratic Republic of the Congo , Ivory Coast , Equatorial
Guinea , Gabon , Israel , Liberia , Niger . , Rwanda , Senegal and the
United States.
The Central African Embassy in the United States
charges US$150 for a short-stay visa (0-1 month) and the Central African
embassy in France charges €80 for a short-stay visa. The longer you plan
to stay, the more expensive the visa will be. Long-term visas (6 months
to a year) are rarely issued, unless you have a good reason.
You
can obtain a visa on arrival if your country does not have a Central
African embassy, but you must obtain permission from the authorities to
take advantage of this opportunity. Entering the country without a visa
will entail a hefty fine.
Visa application conditions
Although
visa requirements vary from embassy to embassy, you are usually asked to
submit the following :
A copy of your passport.
Two
passport-size photographs on a white background.
Two visa application
forms.
A copy of your travel itinerary.
A letter from your
employer stating that you will return after your visit. (Note: only
required if you are applying for a CAR visa in the USA)
A copy of an
invitation letter (a hotel reservation will suffice).
Proof that you
have been vaccinated against yellow fever.
By plane
There is
only one direct flight per week from Paris (CDG) served by Air France.
The only international airport in the country (and the only airport
offering scheduled flights) is Bangui M'Poko International Airport (BGF
IATA). There is no Central African airline to provide regional
connections or transfers to domestic flights. Air France provides the
only service to Europe, with flights to Paris. Ethiopian Airlines flies
to Addis Ababa. Kenya Airways serves Bangui on its three-city route
Nairobi - Bangui - Douala. Royal Air Maroc provides the connection
between three cities Casablanca -Douala-Bangui. TAAG Angola Airlines
operates two routes to three cities connecting Luanda - Brazzaville
-Bangui and Luanda-Douala-Bangui.
Other airlines flying to Bangui
include: Camairco (to Douala) and Toumai Air Chad (to Brazzaville,
Cotonou, Douala, Libreville, Lomé and N'Djamena).
By coach
There are a few companies that offer intercity bus services in the
country, mainly between the capital Bangui and other major cities.
Due to the difficult security situation in certain regions of the
Central African Republic, traveling by bus can be risky, especially for
foreigners. Banditry, theft and other criminal activities can occur
along the roads, and roadblocks set up by armed groups can disrupt
transport.
By car
The Central African Republic is one of the
least developed countries in Africa and its road network is in poor
condition and services are almost non-existent outside the largest
cities. The police and the army are extremely corrupt and checkpoints
(set up for bribes more than for any other reason) are frequent. There
are no roads through the dense jungle between the CAR and
Congo-Brazzaville. It is relatively easy to travel from Cameroon to
Bangui, and then to the Dzanga-Sangha Reserve, but bribe checkpoints are
common.
In the north and east of the country, local rebels and
soldiers apparently controlled by the government pose a great threat.
Kidnapping and banditry are serious dangers in these regions and trips
to the northern or eastern regions of the CAR (especially if you plan to
drive your own vehicle) should only be done in consultation with local
experts. This includes all routes to/from Chad, Sudan, South Sudan and
crossings to the DRC east of Bangui.
The borders with Chad,
Sudan, South Sudan and the Democratic Republic of the Congo (at least
east of Bangui) are very insecure and any attempt to cross them by land
is not recommended. There is no land route between the CAR and
Congo-Brazzaville (Republic of the Congo).
Getting around the capital is easy thanks to taxis, which make a
large part of the city accessible. The fare must be negotiated before
departure, there are no taximeters. To get to the provinces, you have to
stick to the buses that offer adapted circuits. You will have to plan a
lot of time and some difficulties, especially during the rainy season.
It is advisable to have an all-terrain vehicle and an experienced
tourist guide.
You must organize the minibus rides yourself and
negotiate the prices.
By train
There is no railway in the
Central African Republic. However, a project has existed since the
beginning of the century: a railway that should extend the
trans-Cameroonian to Bangui, as well as a connection of the Sudanese
railway with Birao in the north of the country. Unfortunately, the
realization of these lines has become more and more unlikely over time.
By boat
Traditional trade is carried out by means of
shallow-draft canoes. The Oubangui is the most important river,
navigable all year round for boats with a draft of 0.6 m or less. There
are 282 km (175 mi) of waterways that allow boats to draw up to 1.8 m.
The country has two official languages, French and Sango.A former
French colony, the usual and official language spoken within the
government is French.In fact, everyone speaks Sango until the day the
children return to school.Except for the isolated villages further north
where there are different dialects spoken.
The main language is
French with a dialect called Central African French, easily
understandable by French speakers. There are also many indigenous
languages. If French is the official language of the Central African
Republic, only a few people in the country know more than a few words.
Sängö (also called Sangro or Sangho) is the lingua franca and is
spoken by most of the inhabitants of the Central African Republic (about
2,000 people have it as their mother tongue while 80% of the country
have it as a second language). To find out if someone speaks Sängö, just
say Balâo (which means Hello), if he answers with Balâo mïngï then you
have found a Sango speaker.
English is spoken by almost no one,
even in the capital.
The Barthélémy Boganda Ethnographic Museum in Bangui is the country's
national museum and has a decent collection of instruments, weapons,
tools and local exhibits on local traditions, religion and architecture.
Prehistoric cave paintings can be found in several places, but some of
the best are in Bambari.
The "Boali Falls", a possible day trip from
the capital, are a series of fairly picturesque waterfalls, even more
impressive in the rainy season.
The megaliths near the city of Bouar
are arranged in concentric circles and are remnants of the ancient
peoples of the CAR.
As in most African countries, the local markets
can be a feast for the eyes, offering a wide range of crafts. Just be
vigilant, because the Central African markets are full of minor and
violent robberies.
The country is made up of vast expanses of
tropical rainforest that make it popular for exploration.
Do
Visits and stays with Pygmy communities are probably the biggest
attraction for the few tourists in the country. Possible activities
include: hunting with traditional weapons/devices, gathering medicinal
plants with the village women, participation in an evening of music and
dance.
Visit the Dzanga Sangha Special Reserve to roam the jungle
in search of gorillas, elusive forest elephants, chimpanzees and much
more. The visit of the reserve is often combined with a stay in a Pygmy
village. The reserve is part of a larger protected area, with the
Dzanga-Ndoki National Park (which consists of two discontinuous parts:
"Dzanga Park" and "Ndoki Park") flanking the Dzanga-Sangha Special
reserve on two sides and which in turn is part of a larger protected
area. a larger trinational protected area including the Lobéké National
Park in Cameroon and the Nouabalé-Ndoki National Park in
Congo-Brazzaville.
If the CAR were to one day emerge from the
grip of a conflict and a dysfunctional government, the country would be
an attractive ecotourism destination, similar to Gabon. The
Bamingui-Bangoran National Park and the Manovo-Gounda St Floris National
Park are promising wildlife reserves located in unsafe regions and
without facilities.
The official currency of the countries forming the Economic and
Monetary Community of Central Africa (CEMAC) is the CFA franc. The
issuing institution is the Bank of Central African States (BEAC).
The CFA franc is written abbreviated as FCFA or F CFA, and its ISO
code is XAF. The exchange rate of the CFA franc was 1 XAF (~€0 - price
of 05/26/2024) = 0.01 FRF which gives a fixed parity with the euro of €
1 = 655.957 XAF (~ € 1 - price of 05/26/2024) but banks and exchange
offices can apply a commission on the transaction.
The member
countries of the West African Economic and Monetary Union use another
CFA franc whose code is XOF.
There are Ecobank ATMs in Chad where you can withdraw cash with a Mastercard or Visa card.
The costs in the Central African Republic are exorbitant for foreigners who plan to maintain a lifestyle similar to that of their country of origin. A large part of the trade and goods must be transported by plane or shipped to the country, which explains the high costs of many products. "Local" products imported into CAR from countries in the region such as the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Cameroon are slightly cheaper (rice, beans, water, etc.). Finally, many supermarkets in Bangui and other cities are owned by foreign companies, so there is an abundance of food products from the Middle East imported into the country, even if these products are also very expensive.
There is a great diversity of food products in Bangui, including Chinese, Lebanese, French, local dishes, etc. Food in foreign-owned restaurants is very expensive and can cost between 10 and 20 dollars per dish (or more). However, local food can also be expensive depending on the restaurant and its location. There are many French bakeries in Bangui city center, offering moderate prices for bakery products and meals. Food in supermarkets is very expensive, although cheaper food can be bought at local markets and from street vendors.
Local beer ("33", Mocaf, Crystal) and soft drinks (Mocaf is a major producer) have prices similar to those of products in Europe and the United States. The wine is available in some French wine shops but can be very expensive. Palm wine is common. The water is produced in Cameroon and the Central African Republic and can be purchased at all local supermarkets. Imported products such as Coca-Cola and Fanta are also available.
Outside the capital and the Dzanga-Sangha Nature Reserve, there is almost no tourist infrastructure.
Although public education in the Central African Republic is free,
years of conflict and instability have damaged the country's education
system.
Most Central Africans cannot access education and
literacy rates in the country are incredibly low.
It is unlikely
that the country's educational scene will be attractive to most
Wikivoyage readers.
There are a myriad of opportunities to work by teaching English or for one of the many humanitarian or religious organizations in the Central African Republic. Many streets of Bangui are lined with organizations such as MSF (Doctors Without Borders), UNICEF, the International Red Cross, the European Union, WHO, the Pasteur Institute, Catholic Relief Serices, COOPI and many others. Most organizations are involved in health and development programs, although others deal with education, religion, etc. Speaking French is essential for someone who wants to get involved effectively in working with these organizations, because English is rarely spoken, even in Bangui.
The Central African Republic is an unstable country. Since the early
2000s, recurrent civil conflicts and political unrest have adversely
affected the general state of security in the country.
The hot,
dry and dusty harmattan winds affect the northern regions. Flooding is
common.
The police at the checkpoints will demand bribes; expect
no less than US$5. Numerous reports indicate that a trip from the
Cameroonian border to Bangui will cost hundreds of US dollars or euros
in bribes. The police often confiscate an object (passport, camera,
watch) and demand money in exchange. Armed robberies on the country's
roads are frequent. Violent crimes in the capital are common even in
broad daylight, especially around the "kilometer 5" bus station.
Alcoholism is a major problem among city dwellers, so beware of drunks
and don't even think about drinking with the locals (you will be
completely drunk).
The Central African Republic has the distinction of being one of the
most anarchic countries in the world. Most Central Africans consider
their government to be unfortunate, corrupt and ineffective in
maintaining peace, order and stability.
Demonstrations and
protests take place from time to time and can be violent. Regular
monitoring of local media is advised.
As one of the most anarchic countries in the world, the authorities
of the Central African Republic are incredibly corrupt and are only
there to do two things: deprive you of your personal property and harass
you. Don't trust them at all and don't expect them to solve your
problems; they won't help you.
Members of the police and the army
often set up makeshift checkpoints to extort unpretentious travelers.
They are poorly signposted and you may be forced to hand over all the
goods you have on you at these checkpoints.
Be aware of your
surroundings at all times and be smart in what you say or do openly;
getting into a quarrel with corrupt officials or the wrong person in a
country far from home is not something you (or anyone else) would want
to do.
In accordance with Central African law, you must carry an
identity document with you at all times. What it means: to be
accompanied by a certified copy of your passport or your national
identity card.
In theory, visitors can obtain a filming permit from the Bangui
Ministry of Tourism within a few days.
Photography is generally
viewed with suspicion and dislike, not only by law enforcement agencies
or military personnel around sensitive places such as government
buildings, infrastructure and checkpoints, but also by ordinary people
almost everywhere. Taking photos clearly guarantees the permission of
anyone you intend to photograph, even in public places.
Some areas of Bangui have clean and filtered drinking water, so it is safe to drink the water served in some restaurants and bars. However, the purity of the water is unreliable, and therefore it is safer to buy bottled water, boil it or filter it. Outside the capital, there is no guarantee of water purity. All food must be cooked or peeled before being served, especially food purchased at local markets, where hygiene is a concern. In case of illness, it is preferable to seek advice from one of the doctors at an embassy (the French Embassy and the US embassy both have excellent doctors) or at a clinic of an organization such as the Institut Pasteur. Local clinics and hospitals sometimes have a limited supply of necessary resources such as syringes, medicines, etc.
Locals often eat with their hands. If you eat with them and also use your hands, eat with your right hand. The left is usually used for the toilet and therefore it is rude or unattractive for them to eat with the left hand.
During the colonial period from 1903 to 1960. possession of France was called Ubangi-Shari (fr. Oubangui-Chari) from the hydronyms of the rivers Ubangi, which flows into the Congo River, and Shari, which flows into Lake Chad. After declaring independence in 1960, the country received the name "Central African Republic" due to its geographical location.
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
limits, the eastern and western parts are distinguished. The eastern
part has a general slope towards the south, towards the Mbomu (Bomou)
and Ubangi rivers. In the north is the Fertit massif, consisting of
groups of isolated mountains and ranges (over 900 meters high)
Aburasein, Dar Shalla and Mongo (over 1370 m). Rocky remnants rise in
places in the south (the local name is “kagas”). The main rivers in the
east of the country, the Shinko and the Mbari, are navigable in their
lower reaches; above the passage of ships prevent rapids. In the west of
the plateau there are the Yade massif, which continues in Cameroon,
separate remnants-kagas and sublatitudinally oriented horsts, limited by
faults. A gently undulating plateau composed of white sandstones
stretches between Berbérati, Bouar and Boda.
The climate and
vegetation change from north to south. Only in the southwest are dense
tropical rainforests preserved; towards the northeast, the forests along
the river valleys give way to savanna woodlands and grasslands. In the
north, the average annual rainfall is 1250 mm per year, they fall mainly
from July to September, and also in December-January. The average annual
temperature is +27°C, and in the south - +25°C. The average annual
rainfall exceeds 1900 mm; the wet season lasts from July to October;
December and January are dry months.
Antiquity
The ancient history of the peoples of the Central
African Republic is little studied. Due to its remoteness from the
oceans and the presence of hard-to-reach areas, this country remained a
white spot on European maps until the 19th century. Stone age tools
found during diamond mining in the Ubangi River basin give reason to
believe that many of the Central African plains were inhabited in
antiquity. Found in the early 1960s by anthropologist Pierre Vidal in
the southwest of the country, near Lobaye, the 3 m high stones date back
to the Neolithic era. Among the Gbaya people they are known under the
name "tajunu", that is, "standing stones".
Since ancient times,
numerous migration routes of African peoples passed through the country,
and this largely 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.
15th century
The region of the modern territory of the Central African Republic was
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 the Congo in the south (formed in the 14th century in the
lower reaches of the Congo River), which had close trade ties.
15th-16th centuries
On the territory of the Central African Republic
was the state of Gaoga. It was formed by rebellious slaves. The main
occupation of the population was cattle breeding. Gaogi's cavalry army
had weapons bartered from Egyptian merchants. The found remains of
household utensils have Christian symbols that tell us that Christians
lived in Gaoge.
17th century
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
was subjected to violent Islamization. The Sudanese peoples, who
resisted the imposition of Islam, were forced to leave for the
hinterland. So the tribes of Sarah, Gbaya (Baya), Banda appeared in the
Central African savannah. The Gbaya headed west and settled in
northeastern Cameroon, the DRC, and in the west of the CAR. The gang
settled throughout the territory from the Kotto River in the east to the
Sanga River in the west. Sarah stopped in the basin of the Lagone and
Shari rivers in the north of the Central African Republic. With the
arrival of the Sudanese peoples, the local tribes were forced to make
room and concentrated on the banks of the Ubangi. Azande tribes came to
the upper reaches of this river from the region of Lake Chad. 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 had practically devastated these places.
18th
century
Vast areas in the region 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 widely spoken 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 the Shinko basin. Numerous Yulu, Kara,
Binga, Shalla, Bongo, and other tribes lived in the areas from the Kotto
River to Darfur, but have 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.
XIX-XX centuries (before independence)
Europeans (French and Belgians) began to appear here in 1884-1885. In
1889, the expedition of Colonel M. Dolizi reached the rapids of the
Ubangi River and founded Fort Bangui. In 1893, the first Catholic
mission settled near the fort.
In 1894 and 1897, the French
authorities concluded agreements with Germany and Great Britain,
respectively, on the delineation of boundaries between colonial
possessions. As a result, the modern eastern and western borders of the
current CAR were formalized. The conquest of the territory was completed
after bloody battles at the beginning of the 20th century. In 1903, the
formation of the colonial territory of Ubangi-Shari was formalized. In
1907, 1919-1921, 1924-1927, 1928-1931, uprisings of the indigenous
population were noted on the territory of the modern Central African
Republic, which were extremely brutally suppressed, in a number of areas
the population decreased by 60-80%.
Since the early 1920s, the
French colonialists introduced new crops in the country - cotton and
coffee. Deposits of gold and diamonds were discovered. A bourgeoisie
emerged from local Africans.
In the post-war period, the first
party was created and the first deputy from Oubangi-Shari was elected to
the French parliament. They became Barthelemy Boganda, who is considered
the founding father of the Central African Republic. He was also the
author of the modern flag of the Central African Republic and the words
of the Anthem of the Central African Republic. just 8 days before the
last elections of the colonial era and before independence, Boganda died
in a plane crash.
period of independence
On August 13, 1960,
the Central African Republic was proclaimed an independent state. David
Dacko became the first president. In the Central African Republic, a
one-party system was established: the MESAN party (Movement for the
Social Evolution of Black Africa) was declared the only political party
in the country.
Bokassa and his Empire (1965-1979)
On January
1, 1966, a military coup took place. Colonel Jean-Bedel Bokassa, Chief
of Staff of the Army of the Central African Republic, became President
of the country, Head of Government and Chairman of MESAN. The Parliament
of the Central African Republic was dissolved and the Constitution
repealed.
The period of Bokassa's rule was marked by catastrophic
corruption and various extravagant enterprises - for example, in
December 1976, Bokassa crowned himself as emperor, renamed the country
the Central African Empire (CAI). The coronation ceremony cost $25
million.
In the late 1970s, the economic situation in the Central
African Republic deteriorated sharply. In April 1979, anti-government
demonstrations began, and there were clashes with the police.
In
September 1979, during Operation Barracuda, Bokassa was overthrown by
French paratroopers, after which the country was again headed by David
Dako, at whose invitation the action was formally held. The republic was
restored.
Kolingba's reign
Dako, in turn, was removed during a
bloodless coup on September 1, 1981 by the Chief of the General Staff of
the Armed Forces of the Central African Republic, General Andre
Kolingba, who, under pressure from the West, ceded power in the early
1990s to the "democratically" elected authorities. This did not bring
stability to the country; since November 1984, there have been reports
of armed clashes with the opposition in the north of the country. A
series of coups and counter-coups followed, taking place against the
backdrop of social instability and deteriorating economic conditions.
Government of Patasse (1993-2003)
Civil wars
Until March 2013,
the leader of the faction that won the Civil War of 2001-2003, François
Bozize, was in power. The greatest danger to the stability of the
country is the banditry of various groups claiming political
registration in the north of the country.
In 2012-2013, the rebel
Seleka coalition operated on the territory of the country. The group
carried out military operations against the official authorities and the
army of the Central African Republic. Support for the CAR troops is
provided by international forces (FOMUK). On the evening of March 24,
2013, the rebels entered the capital of the Central African Republic,
and their leader Michel Djotodia proclaimed himself president of the
country, promising to organize elections soon, and on April 1 announced
the formation of an interim government. In January 2014, he resigned.
On December 5, 2013, the UN Security Council, taking into account
the situation in the country, at its 7072nd meeting, adopted resolution
2127 (2013) and imposed UN sanctions against the CAR, including a travel
ban on persons designated by the Security Council committee established
by resolution 2127 (2013) , arms embargo, mandatory disposal of seized
items subject to sanctions, freezing of all funds, other financial
assets and economic resources that are available on their territory and
are directly or indirectly owned or controlled by individuals or legal
entities included by the Committee in the sanctions scroll.
In
February 2016, the rector of the capital's university, Faustin-Archange
Touadéra, won the presidential election. Since the beginning of 2018,
special forces from Russia have been guarding the president. At the same
time, the rearmament of the army with Russian weapons and uniforms
began.
In mid-March 2021, according to local deputy Rosny Dekalve
Chengaba, militants from Sudan arrive on the territory of the Central
African Republic. Armed men from Sudanese Darfur have occupied the town
of Thiringula in the northern region of Wakaga.
The Wagner Group
and relations with Russia
In March 2018, five Russian military and
170 Russian civilian instructors were sent to the CAR to train local
military personnel. Russia has also started implementing prospecting
mining concessions in the Central African Republic. In addition to the
official military, mercenaries from Russia participate in the CAR, the
so-called Wagner group, controlled by Yevgeny Prigozhin.
On
August 21, 2018, within the framework of the Army-2018 International
Military-Technical Forum, Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu and CAR
Minister of National Defense and Army Reconstruction Marie-Noel Koyara
signed an Agreement on military cooperation between Russia and the CAR.
The Minister of Defense of the Central African Republic, Ms. Marie-Noel
Koyara, emphasized Russia's "special role" in the political settlement
of the conflict in the country and did not rule out the possibility of
deploying a Russian military base in the Central African Republic.
At the end of December 2020, in connection with the activation of
illegal armed groups on the eve of the presidential and parliamentary
elections, at the request of the government of the Central African
Republic, 300 Russian instructors arrived in the country to train the
military personnel of the national army. The corresponding notification
was submitted by the Russian side to the UN Security Council Committee
2127 on sanctions against the Central African Republic.
By the
end of March 2021, the CAR army, with the support of Russian instructors
and allies from Rwanda, was able to liberate more than 30 cities.
According to the Russian Foreign Ministry on April 19, 2021, there were
more than 500 Russian instructors in the CAR. In mid-April of the same
year, Russia announced its plans to invest about $11 billion in the CAR
economy.
At the end of 2021, the UN Security Council extended and
changed the terms of the sanctions against the CAR, lifting the arms
embargo on the armed forces of the CAR, but leaving in place the ban on
the supply of weapons to other parties to the conflict, changing the
conditions for mandatory disposal, an asset freeze and a travel ban for
certain persons.