Central African Republic

Until the early 1800s, the peoples of Central Africa lived beyond the expanding Islamic frontier in the Sudanic zone of Africa and thus had relatively little contact with outsiders. During the first decades of the 19th century, however, Muslim traders increasingly began to penetrate this region and to cultivate special relations with local leaders to facilitate their trade and settlement in the region. The initial arrival of Muslim traders in the early 1800s was relatively peaceful and depended upon the support of local peoples, but after about 1850, slave traders with well-armed soldiers began to penetrate the region.

European penetration of Central African territory began in the late 19th century during the so-called Scramble for Africa. The French, Belgians and Great British competed to establish their claims to territory in the Central African region.

In 1889 the French established a post on the Ubangi River at Bangui, the future capital of and the CAR and in 1894, the "French Congo's" borders with (Belgian) Congo Free State, now the Democratic Republic of the Congo and (German) Cameroon were fixed by diplomatic agreements. The French named their colony Ubang Shari.

On 1 December 1958 the colony of Ubangi-Shari became an autonomous territory and took the name Central African Republic. The founding father, Barthélémy Boganda, died in a mysterious plane accident in 1959, just eight days before the last elections of the colonial era. On 13 August 1960 the Central African Republic gained its independence and two of Boganda's closest aides became involved in a power struggle. David Dacko won and by 1962 had established a one-party state.

Since then a series of coups, including a tyranny under a self-declared emperor, Jean-Bedel Bokassa, and periodic violence from rebel groups, have dealt a very bad lot to the citizens of the Central African Republic. Today, it remains one of the most lawless, dangerous and unstable nations on earth, and is the world's poorest country as of 2019. The northeast of the country is the heart of the rebel movement and the CAR's most dangerous region.

The climate is generally tropical. The northern areas are subject to harmattan winds, which are hot, dry, and carry dust. The northern regions have been subject to desertification, and the northeast is a Sahel desert akin to neighboring Darfur. The remainder of the country is prone to flooding from nearby rivers.

In the November 2008 issue of National Geographic magazine, the Central African Republic was named the country least affected by light pollution.

Central African Republic is a melting pot of various cultures. There are more than 80 ethnic groups in the country, each having their own language.

Christianity is the largest religion in Central African Republic and is practiced by the majority of the population. Most Christians in the country are Protestants.

Islam is the second largest religion in the country. Most Muslims in the country are Sunni Muslims.

The Central African Republic has experienced longstanding tensions between its Christian and Muslim communities. The country's civil war, which began in 2012, was largely driven by these tensions.

The national holiday December 1st is Republic Day, whose main highlight of the celebration involves traditional dugout canoe racing.

Central African visas are very expensive to obtain and it can be difficult to apply for one since there are very few Central African embassies around 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, Côte d'Ivoire, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, Israel, Liberia, Niger, Rwanda, and Senegal.

The Central African Embassy in the United States charges US$150 for a short stay (0-1 month) visa and the Central African Embassy in France charges €80 for a short stay visa. The longer you intend 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 doesn't have a CAR embassy, but you must get permission from the authorities to take advantage of that opportunity. Entering the country without a visa will result in a heavy fine.

Although visa requirements vary from embassy to embassy, you're typically asked to submit the following:

A copy of your passport.

Two passport-sized photographs with 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're applying for a CAR visa in the US)

A copy of an invitation letter (a hotel reservation will suffice).

Proof you've been vaccinated against yellow fever.

The country's only international airport (and only airport with 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, flying to Paris. Ethiopian Airlines flies to Addis Ababa. Kenya Airways serves Bangui on its three-city route Nairobi-Bangui-Douala. Royal Air Maroc flies the three-city route Casablanca-Douala-Bangui. TAAG Angola Airlines flies two three-city routes connecting Luanda-Brazzaville-Bangui and Luanda-Douala-Bangui.

Other airlines serving Bangui include: Camairco (to Douala) and Toumai Air Chad (to Brazzaville, Cotonou, Douala, Libreville, Lomé, & N'Djamena).

Bus service is available from Cameroon and Chad, although the length and the dangerous countryside makes such bus trips infrequent. In terms of safety and ease of passing through checkpoints, however, traveling by bus is preferable to traveling by 4x4.

Other African cities and countries are accessible via boats and barges that travel infrequently along the Ubangui river. The Ubangui River flows into the Congo River, which is navigable all the way to Stanley Falls near Kinshasa/Brazzaville. Although slow, there are regular (although adhering to no set schedule) barges which travel from Bangui to Kinshasa/Brazzaville.

Boats also traverse the Bangui river from Bangui to Zongo, DRC, which is connected to the DRC's limited & rough road network, continuing onward to Uganda, Rwanda, and Burundi.

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 away from the largest cities and towns. The police/military are extremely corrupt and checkpoints (set up for bribes more than any other reason) are frequent. There are no roads through the dense jungle between the CAR & Congo-Brazzaville. Travel from Cameroon to Bangui and onwards to Dzanga-Sangha Reserve is relatively easy, but bribe checkpoints are common.

In the northern & eastern parts of the country, local rebels and nominally government-controlled soldiers pose a great threat. Kidnapping and banditry are grave dangers in these regions and travel in the northern or eastern regions of the CAR (especially if you plan on driving your own vehicle) should only be done in consultation with local experts. This includes all routes to/from Chad, Sudan, South Sudan, & crossings into the DRC east of Bangui.

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 travel across them by land is not recommended. There are no land routes between the CAR and Congo-Brazzaville (Republic of the Congo).

There are a few companies that offer intercity bus service in the country, primarily between the capital city of Bangui and other major cities.

Due to the challenging security situation in some parts of the Central African Republic, travel by bus can be risky, especially for foreigners. Banditry, theft, and other criminal activity can occur along the roads, and roadblocks set up by armed groups can disrupt transportation.

Taxis can be hailed on the street or found at taxi stands in busy areas. Most taxis in CAR do not use a meter. It is crucial to negotiate the fare before starting your journey.

You can flag down a taxi on the street, especially in busy areas. Look for designated taxi stands in commercial districts or near major hotels, or if you're unsure, ask locals or your hotel staff to recommend a reliable taxi service. Always discuss and agree on the fare before starting your journey to avoid misunderstandings. Taxi meters are not commonly used.

Shared taxis use large cars called "taxis-brousse". These vehicles typically carry multiple passengers along designated routes. Shared taxis operate on fixed routes, commonly between major locations within cities and to nearby towns, and stop at designated points to pick up and drop off passengers. It's common for drivers to make multiple stops along the way. The capacity of shared taxis can range from about 8 to 20 passengers, depending on the type of vehicle used. It can get quite crowded, especially during peak travel times.

Yango is a ride-hailing company based in the United Arab Emirates. You can check its availability in Bangui or other major cities.

Traditional trade is carried on by means of shallow-draft dugouts. Oubangui is the most important river, navigable all year to craft drawing 0.6 m or less. There are 282 km (175 mi) of waterways are navigable to craft drawing as much as 1.8 m.

The currency of the country is the Central African CFA franc, denoted FCFA (ISO currency code: XAF). It's also used by five other Central African countries. It is interchangeable at par with the West African CFA franc (XOF), which is used by six countries. Both currencies are fixed at a rate of 1 euro = 655.957 CFA francs.

Coins of the Central African CFA franc come in denominations of 1-, 2-, 5-, 10-, 25-, 50-, 100-, 200 and 500 francs CFA. Two series of circulation coins are in circulation for the Central African CFA franc, the 2002 series and the 2024 series. Banknotes of the Central African CFA franc come in denominations of 500-, 1,000-, 2,000-, 5,000 and 10,000 francs CFA. Central African franc CFA coins bear a common design on both the obverse and reverse sides and are valid across the six states that make up the Economic and Monetary Community of Central Africa (CEMAC; Communauté Économique et Monétaire de l'Afrique Centrale). Central African franc CFA banknotes share a common design on both the front and back sides and are valid for use across the six states that make up CEMAC.

There are Ecobank ATMs in Chad where you can get a cash withdrawal with a MasterCard or Visa card.

Costs in the Central African Republic are exorbitant for foreigners who plan to maintain a lifestyle similar to those in their origin country. Much of the commerce and goods must be flown or shipped in, explaining the high costs for many goods. "Local" goods that are imported into CAR from regional nations such as the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Cameroon are slightly less expensive (rice, beans, water, etc.) Finally, many of the supermarkets in Bangui and other cities are owned by Lebanese people and families, so there is abundant Middle Eastern food, although these products are also very expensive.

The Central African Republic has the distinction of being one of the most lawless countries in the world. Most Central Africans write their government off as hapless, corrupt, and ineffective at maintaining peace, order, and stability.

Demonstrations and protests occur from time to time and they can be violent. Regular monitoring of local media is advisable.

As one of the most lawless nations 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. Do not trust them at all and do not expect them to solve your problems; they will not help you.

Members of the police and army often set up makeshift checkpoints to extort travellers. They are poorly marked and you may be forced to hand over whatever possessions you have on you at such checkpoints.

Be aware of your surroundings at all times, and be smart about what you say or do openly; getting into a tiff with corrupt officials or the wrong person in a country far away from home is not something you (or anyone) would want to do.

In accordance with Central African law, you are required to have ID on you at all times. What this means: carrying a certified copy of your passport or your national identification card.

In theory, visitors can obtain a permis de filmer from the Ministry of Tourism in Bangui with a turnaround of a couple days.

Photography is generally regarded with suspicion and aversion, not only by law enforcement or military personnel around sensitive locations like government buildings, infrastructure, and checkpoints, but also by ordinary people almost everywhere. Taking photos conspicuously warrants permission from anyone you intend to photograph, even in public places.