GEOGRAPHY
The Central African Republic is located in the center of Africa. It is bordered by Chad in the north, Sudan in the northeast, South Sudan in the east, the Democratic Republic of the Congo to the south, the Republic of Congo to the southwest, and Cameroon to the west. The capital of Bangui located on the southern border of CAR with Democratic Republic of the Congo. The climate is tropical with hot, dry winters and hot, wet summers; dry, dusty winds and flooding are common. The terrain is mostly flat with rolling hills in the northeast.
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HISTORY
A French colony for nearly two centuries, Ubangi-Shari gained its independence and changed its name to the Central African Republic on August 13, 1960. The CAR faced about 30 years of militaristic misrule; the following 10 years of civilian rule was interrupted by a military coup which installed a transitional government under General Francois Bozize. The newest President Touadera, elected in 2016, is striving to make peace between the government and the armed forces. Conflict remains in western CAR’s diamond mining region, along with reduced health funding, weak educational system, low literacy rates, high poverty and unemployment, poor infrastructure. The political unrest starting in Dec. 2012 has led to approximately 370,000 people fleeing to Chad, the DRC, and other bordering countries with an estimated 600,000 people displaced internally.
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CURRENT POLITICSThe CAR is currently a presidential republic with Faustin-Archange Touadera serving as president since March 2016. The legal system is modeled on France’s civil law system. The Executive branch consists of the Chief of State (President), the head of government (Prime Minister), and the cabinet (Counsel of Ministers). The government also features a unicameral legislative branch along with the judicial branch consisting of the Supreme Court and Constitutional Court.
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POPULATION
Located primarily in the capital city of Bangui, the CAR’s population is 5,745,062 as of 2012. The population is comprised of indigenous African tribes, the top three being Baya (33 percent), Banda (27 percent), and Mandija (13 percent). CAR has a high mortality rate and a low life expectancy due to high levels of preventable and treatable diseases (such as malaria and malnutrition), inadequate health care, and armed conflict.
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RELIGIONS |
French (official), Sangho (lingua franca and official language), indigenous languages.
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Indigenous beliefs (35 percent); Protestant (25 percent); Roman Catholic (25 percent); Muslim (15 percent).
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