Central African Republic

Capital: Bangui

Languages: French, Sango

Area: (km2) 622984

Population: (2009) 4,500,000

Currency: Central African CFA franc (XAF)

Time zone: +1

Calling code: 236

Drives: right

The Central African Republic (CAR) has been almost continuously unstable since independence from France in 1960.
It is rich in diamonds, gold, oil and uranium, but has one of the world's poorest populations.
It was plunged into turmoil in 2013 when Muslim rebels from the Seleka umbrella group seized power. A band of mostly Christian militias, called the anti-Balaka, rose up to counter the Seleka.
Seleka handed power to a transitional government in 2014 under international pressure, but the country remains in turmoil.
Critics say President Toudera's government is supported by Russian Wagner Group mercenaries and Rwandan forces in its fight against rebel groups, in exchange for exploiting CAR resources.

1880s - France annexes the area, partitions it among commercial concessionaires.
1894 - France sets up a dependency in the area called Ubangi-Chari and partitions it among commercial concessionaires.
1910 - Ubangi-Chari becomes part of the Federation of French Equatorial Africa.
1920-30 - Indigenous Africans stage violent protests against abuses by concessionaires.
1946 - The territory is given its own assembly and representation in the French parliament; Barthelemy Boganda, founder of the pro-independence Social Evolution Movement of Black Africa becomes the first central African to be elected to the French parliament.
1958 - The territory achieves self-government within French Equatorial Africa with Boganda as prime minister.

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