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Central African Republic
Africa
A landlocked country with vast natural resources including diamonds, gold, and timber, but affected by political instability and poverty.
6,000,000
Population
622,984
Area (km²)
Bangui
Capital
30
Historical Events
Historical Timeline
Cities
30 Events
September 16, 2025 - A UN armored personnel carrier plunges into the Ombella M'Poko River outside Bangui, killing 5 Congolese police officers.
September 01, 2025 - Civilian deaths surge due to inter-communal violence; presidential and legislative elections expected later in the year, with Touadéra favored.
August 06, 2025 - Russia demands CAR replace Wagner with the state-run Africa Corps and pay for protection services.
July 01, 2025 - Government signs disarmament agreements with major armed groups under the Union for Peace in CAR; local elections held amid boycott calls.
June 26, 2025 - A crowd crush in Bangui, triggered by an exploding electricity transformer at a high school exam center, kills 29.
June 24, 2025 - Rival 3R factions clash in Bozoum, killing at least 6 civilians and displacing 5,000–6,000.
June 20, 2025 - A Zambian UN peacekeeper is killed in an ambush near the Sudan border in Am-Sissia 1.
June 01, 2025 - Security Council briefing on MINUSCA report highlights election preparations and resource shortages ($411.5 million in unpaid contributions).
April 01, 2025 - Protests erupt against Touadéra's potential third-term bid; President addresses UN on Sudan conflict spillover risks. Independent Human Rights Expert Yao Agbetse visits, praising commitments but warning of AAKG/WTA threats. Local elections rescheduled to July.
March 01, 2025 - Voter registration completes across all 20 prefectures for upcoming elections; OHCHR-MINUSCA report documents sexual violence and killings by Wagner-linked Ti Azandé in Mbomou and Haut-Mbomou (October 2024–January 2025). Assistant Secretary-General Elizabeth Spehar visits to discuss security reform and elections.
February 25, 2025 - 3R militia kills 9 in Nzoroh.
February 03, 2025 - Rebels attack Kouki in Ouham, killing 5 soldiers.
December 31, 2024 - Ongoing CPC fighting displaces 2.8 million (half the population), with Wagner implicated in abuses; fiscal deficit widens to 4.9% of GDP amid non-priority spending.
October 01, 2024 - The National Assembly debates a draft "foreign agents" law to restrict NGOs, modeled on Russia's; it is sent back for revision after civil society backlash.
September 01, 2024 - The SCC arrests former Seleka leader Abakar Zakaria Hamid ("SG") for the 2014 Notre-Dame church attack in Bangui and extends pretrial detention for Abdoulaye Hissène. Over 29,000 Sudanese refugees arrive since April 2023, straining resources.
August 01, 2024 - The National Elections Authority postpones local elections (first in 36 years) from October 2024 to April 2025 due to funding shortages; opposition parties announce a boycott, demanding electoral reforms and constitution annulment. Anti-US protests erupt in Bangui over foreign influence.
July 01, 2024 - The 3R group attacks civilians near Bocaranga, killing at least 12; the SCC arrests three suspects for 2017 crimes in Mboumou. Clashes intensify between Azande Ani Kpi Gbe (AAKG) and UPC in the southeast, targeting civilians.
June 01, 2024 - The SCC arrests anti-balaka leader Edmond Beïna for 2014 crimes against humanity and begins its third trial against FPRC members for 2020 abuses in Ndélé.
May 01, 2024 - President Touadéra dissolves the dormant Truth, Justice, Reparation, and Reconciliation Commission (CVJRR).
April 01, 2024 - A civil society protest against rising living costs sees low turnout due to police intimidation.
April 01, 2024 - The Special Criminal Court (SCC) issues an arrest warrant for former President François Bozizé on crimes against humanity charges from 2009–2013; anti-balaka leader Dieudonné Ndomaté is arrested in Cameroon and extradited. The 3R militia executes at least 16 farmers near Bohong.
March 01, 2024 - Opposition leader Crépin Mboli-Goumba is arrested at Bangui airport, detained, and later sentenced to a one-year suspended term plus fines for criticizing judicial corruption.
February 01, 2024 - Russian forces open fire on inmates at Bambari prison, killing 2 and injuring 2, as reported by the National Commission on Human Rights.
January 01, 2024 - At least 33 improvised explosive device (IED) incidents kill 14 people, including 7 civilians, primarily targeting civilians and humanitarian access.
November 01, 2023 - The UN Security Council extends the MINUSCA peacekeeping mandate for another year amid persistent violence.
October 01, 2023 - Wagner Group mercenaries attack a gold mine in Koki, killing at least 12 artisanal miners; the incident remains uninvestigated, highlighting mercenary involvement in resource exploitation.
September 01, 2023 - Abdoulaye Hissène, a former militia leader, is arrested on charges of crimes against humanity and war crimes from 2017 in Mboumou province.
August 01, 2023 - The new constitution is officially adopted, further restricting political freedoms and drawing international criticism for entrenching authoritarianism.
July 30, 2023 - Constitutional referendum approves a new charter removing presidential term limits, extending the term from 5 to 7 years, and strengthening executive powers, paving the way for President Faustin-Archange Touadéra to seek a third term; turnout is low amid opposition boycotts and crackdowns on dissent.
January 01, 2023 - Multiple clashes between government forces, Russian mercenaries, and rebel groups (CPC, 3R, UPC) in northern and western regions, including ambushes in Yenga (2 soldiers killed), Digui (4 soldiers, 3 Russians killed), and Ndah (16 soldiers killed by CPC); mine explosions injure several in Ouham-Pendé.
Frequently Asked Questions About Central African Republic
100 Questions
It is in Central Africa, bordered by Chad, Sudan, South Sudan, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, the Republic of the Congo, and Cameroon.
The capital is Bangui.
Around 6 million people as of 2025 estimates.
French and Sango are official languages; over 70 local languages are also spoken.
Tropical, with a wet season (May–October) and a dry season (November–April).
The Central African CFA franc (XAF).
Blue, white, green, yellow horizontal stripes with a vertical red stripe and a yellow star.
Bangui, Bimbo, Mbaïki, Bambari, and Berbérati.
On August 13, 1960, from France.
David Dacko.
Faustin-Archange Touadéra (as of 2025).
A unitary presidential republic, though heavily impacted by conflict.
A former president and self-declared “Emperor” (1976–1979).
The name used by Bokassa when he declared himself Emperor.
Over 80 groups, including Gbaya, Banda, Mandjia, Sara, Mboum, and M’baka.
Christianity (Protestant and Catholic), Islam, and traditional beliefs.
Around $2.8 billion in 2025 estimates.
Around $450, among the lowest globally.
Around 37%, very low compared to regional averages.
About 54 years.
About 6 children per woman, one of the highest in the world.
Around 70%.
Diamonds, gold, timber, cotton, and coffee.
Food, machinery, vehicles, and petroleum products.
Diamonds, gold, uranium, timber, and fertile land.
Diamonds account for up to 40–50% of export revenue.
Ubangi, Sangha, Kotto, and Mbomou.
Mont Ngaoui (1,410 m).
The Ubangi River valley.
West Africa Time (WAT), UTC +1.
Cassava, millet, sorghum, maize, rice, and plantains.
A staple cassava porridge eaten with sauces.
Kanda (meatball stew with peanut sauce).
Palm wine and local millet beer.
Football, basketball, and athletics.
Not yet, though its team is improving.
Geoffrey Kondogbia, a midfielder with international experience.
Yes, mostly in athletics and boxing.
Traditional drumming, pop, and Congolese soukous.
Important in ceremonies, rituals, and celebrations.
Colorful wax-print fabrics, with western clothes in cities.
Around 30%, lower than men.
Around 45%.
Central in farming, trade, and families, but underrepresented politically.
Very high, with underemployment widespread.
Around 75%.
Cassava, maize, sorghum, millet, and cotton.
Cattle, goats, sheep, and poultry.
Moderate, tied to CFA franc but worsened by instability.
Previously Air Centrafrique (now defunct); air travel is limited.
Bangui M’Poko International Airport.
Around 15%, very low.
Widespread, even in rural areas.
Around 40%.
The political, economic, and cultural center of the country.
University of Bangui and smaller institutions.
Underdeveloped, heavily reliant on aid.
Malaria, HIV/AIDS, TB, and waterborne illnesses.
Very high, among the world’s worst.
Also among the highest globally.
“La Renaissance” (“The Renaissance”).
“Unity, Dignity, Work.”
The elephant.
The African grey parrot.
Christianity (about 75%), Islam (about 15%), traditional beliefs.
Still influential, especially in rural communities.
Independence Day, religious festivals, and music celebrations.
Wood carvings, masks, baskets, and beadwork.
Used for storytelling, rituals, and entertainment.
Oral historians and musicians preserving tradition.
Higher than adults, around 55%.
Much higher literacy in cities than in villages.
Ongoing armed conflict and weak governance.
A coalition of armed groups that overthrew the government in 2013.
Christian militias formed in response to Seleka.
Several, including the 2019 Khartoum Peace Agreement.
The UN has a peacekeeping mission (MINUSCA).
Increased military and political influence through Wagner Group.
Former colonial power, still engaged economically and militarily.
Severe, with millions displaced and dependent on aid.
Low schooling rates and poor infrastructure.
Reliance on diamonds and weak governance.
Remaining very high.
Around $450 annually.
Backbone of the economy, mostly subsistence farming.
Important export product.
A growing but poorly regulated sector.
Dzanga-Sangha Reserve, Manovo-Gounda St Floris National Park.
A rainforest reserve known for elephants and gorillas.
A UNESCO World Heritage site, though threatened by conflict.
Elephants, gorillas, hippos, leopards, and antelopes.
Poaching and conflict.
Very low, often below 25%.
Common in agriculture and mining.
Mostly biomass (firewood), with some hydropower.
High in solar and hydropower.
Strong influence, especially in peace and reconciliation.
Dependent on peace, governance reforms, and regional cooperation.
Weak state institutions, ethnic divides, and competition for resources.
Despite poverty and conflict, it is rich in resources and biodiversity, with potential for stability and growth.