Posts Tagged ‘Central’

Central African Republic

History

Main article: History of the Central African Republic

Pre-history

Between about 1000 BC and 1000 AD, Adamawa-Eastern-speaking peoples spread eastward from Cameroon to Sudan and settled in most of the territory of the CAR. During the same period, a much smaller number of Bantu-speaking immigrants settled in Southwestern CAR and some Central Sudanic-speaking populations settled along the Oubangi.

The majority of the CAR’s inhabitants thus speak Adamawa-Eastern languages or Bantu languages belonging to the Niger-Congo family. A minority speak Central Sudanic languages of the Nilo-Saharan family. More recent immigrants include many Muslim merchants who most often speak Arabic or Hausa.

Exposure to the outside world

Until the early 1800s, the peoples of the CAR lived beyond the expanding Islamic frontier in the Sudanic zone of Africa and thus had relatively little contact with Abrahamic religions or northern economies. During the first decades of the nineteenth century, however, Muslim traders began increasingly to penetrate the region of the CAR and to cultivate special relations with local leaders in order 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. Between c. 1860 and 1910, slave traders from Sudan, Chad, Cameroon, Dar al-Kuti in Northern CAR and Nzakara and Zande states in Southeastern CAR exported much of the population of Eastern CAR, a region with very few inhabitants today.

French colonialism

Main article: Ubangi-Shari

Oubangui-Chari in 1910

European penetration of Central African territory began in the late nineteenth century during the so-called Scramble for Africa (c. 18751900). Count Savorgnan de Brazza took the lead in establishing the French Congo with headquarters in the city named after him, Brazzaville, and sent expeditions up the Ubangi River in an effort to expand France’s claims to territory in Central Africa. King Leopold II of Belgium, Germany and the United Kingdom also 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 Ubangi-Shari and the CAR. De Brazza then sent expeditions in 189091 up the Sangha River in what is now Southwestern CAR, up the center of the Ubangi basin toward Lake Chad, and eastward along the Ubangi River toward the Nile. De Brazza and the procolonial in France wished to expand the borders of the French Congo to link up with French territories in West Africa, North Africa and East Africa.

In 1894, the French Congo’s borders with Leopold II’s Congo Free State and German Cameroon were fixed by diplomatic agreements. Then, in 1899, the French Congo’s border with Sudan was fixed along the Congo-Nile watershed, leaving France without her much coveted outlet on the Nile and turning Southeastern Ubangi-Shari into a cul-de-sac.

Once European negotiators agreed upon the borders of the French Congo, France had to decide how to pay for the costly occupation, administration, and development of the territory. The reported financial successes of Leopold II’s concessionary companies in the Congo Free State convinced the French government in 1899 to grant 17 private companies large concessions in the Ubangi-Shari region. In return for the right to exploit these lands by buying local products and selling European goods, the companies promised to pay rent to the colonial state and to promote the development of their concessions. The companies employed European and African agents who frequently used extremely brutal and atrocious methods to force Central Africans to work for them. At the same time, the French colonial administration began to force Central Africans to pay taxes and to provide the state with free labor. The companies and French administration often collaborated in their efforts to force Central Africans to work for their benefit, but they also often found themselves at odds.

Some French officials reported abuses committed by private company militias and even by their own colonial colleagues and troops, but efforts to bring these criminals to justice almost always failed. When news of atrocities committed against Central Africans by concessionary company employees and colonial officials or troops reached France and caused an outcry, there were investigations and some feeble attempts at reform, but the situation on the ground in Ubangi-Shari remained essentially the same.

Stamp from 1924

In the meantime, during the first decade of French colonial rule (c. 19001910), the rulers of African states in the Ubangi-Shari region increased their slave raiding activities and also their sale of local products to European companies and the colonial state. They took advantage of their treaties with the French to procure more weapons which were used to capture more slaves and so much of the eastern half of Ubangi-Shari was depopulated as a result of the export of Central Africans by local rulers during the first decade of colonial rule. Those who had power, Africans and Europeans, often made life miserable for those who did not have the power to resist.

During the second decade of colonial rule (c. 19101920), armed employees of private companies and the colonial state continued to use brutal methods to deal with local populations who resisted forced labor but the power of local African rulers was destroyed and so slave raiding was greatly diminished. In 1911, the Sangha and Lobaye basins were ceded to Germany as part of an agreement which gave France a free-hand in Morocco and so Western Ubangi-Shari came under German rule until World War I, during which France reconquered this territory by using Central African troops.

The third decade of colonial rule (19201930) was a period of transition during which a network of roads was built, cash crops were promoted, mobile health services were formed to combat sleeping sickness, and Protestant missions established stations in different parts of the country. New forms of forced labor were also introduced, however, as the French conscripted large numbers of Ubangians to work on the Congo-Ocean Railway and many of these recruits died of exhaustion and illness.

In 1925 the French writer Andr Gide published Voyage au Congo in which he described the alarming consequences of conscription for the Congo-Ocean railroad and exposed the continuing atrocities committed against Central Africans in Western Ubangi-Shari by employees of the Forestry Company of Sangha-Ubangi, for example. In 1928 a major insurrection, the Kongo-Wara ‘war of the hoe handle’ broke out in Western Ubangi-Shari and continued for several years. The extent of this insurrection, perhaps the largest anticolonial rebellion in Africa during the interwar years, was carefully hidden from the French public because it provided evidence, once again, of strong opposition to French colonial rule and forced labor.

During the fourth decade of colonial rule (c. 19301940), cotton, tea, and coffee emerged as important cash crops in Ubangi-Shari and the mining of diamonds and gold began in earnest. Several cotton companies were granted purchasing monopolies over large areas of cotton production and were thus able to fix the prices paid to cultivators in order to assure profits for their shareholders. Europeans established coffee plantations and Central Africans also began to cultivate coffee.

The fifth decade of colonial rule (c. 19401950) was shaped by the Second World War and the political reforms which followed in its wake. In September 1940 pro-Gaullist French officers took control of Ubangi-Shari.

Independence

On 1 December 1958 the colony of Ubangi-Shari became an autonomous territory within the French Community and took the name Central African Republic. The founding father and president of the Conseil de Gouvernement, Barthlmy 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, Abel Goumba and David Dacko, became involved in a power struggle. With the backing of the French, Dacko took power and soon had Goumba arrested. By 1962 President Dacko had established a one-party state.

On 31 December 1965 Dacko was overthrown in the Saint-Sylvestre coup d’tat by Colonel Jean-Bdel Bokassa, who suspended the constitution and dissolved the National Assembly. President Bokassa declared himself President for life in 1972, and named himself Emperor Bokassa I of the Central African Empire on 4 December 1976. A year later, Emperor Bokassa crowned himself in a lavish and expensive ceremony that was ridiculed by much of the world. In 1979 France carried out a coup against Bokassa and “restored” Dacko to power. Dacko, in turn, was overthrown in a coup by General Andr Kolingba on 1 September 1981.

Kolingba suspended the constitution and ruled with a military junta until 1985. He introduced a new constitution in 1986 which was adopted by a nationwide referendum. Membership in his new party, the Rassemblement Dmocratique Centrafricain (RDC) was voluntary. In 1987, semi-competitive elections to parliament were held and municipal elections were held in 1988. Kolingba’s two major political opponents, Abel Goumba and Ange-Flix Patass, boycotted these elections because their parties were not allowed to compete.

By 1990, after the fall of the Berlin Wall, a pro-democracy movement became very active. In May 1990 a letter signed by 253 prominent citizens asked for the convocation of a National Conference but Kolingba refused this request and detained several opponents. Pressure from the United States, more reluctantly from France, and from a group of locally represented countries and agencies called GIBAFOR (France, USA, Germany, Japan, EU, World Bank and UN) finally led Kolingba to agree, in principle, to hold free elections in October 1992, with help from the UN Office of Electoral Affairs. After using the excuse of alleged irregularities to suspend the results of the elections as a pretext for holding on to power, President Kolingba came under intense pressure from GIBAFOR to establish a “Conseil National Politique Provisoire de la Rpublique” (Provisional National Political Council) (CNPPR) and to set up a “Mixed Electoral Commission” which included representatives from all political parties.

When elections were finally held in 1993, again with the help of the international community, Ange-Flix Patass came in first in the first round and Kolingba came in fourth after Abel Goumba and David Dacko. In the second round, Patass won 53 percent of the vote while Goumba won 45.6 percent. Most of Patass’s support came from Gbaya, Kare and Kaba voters in seven heavily populated prefectures in the northwest while Goumba’s support came largely from ten less-populated prefectures in the south and east. Furthermore, Patass’s party, the Mouvement pour la Libration du Peuple Centrafricain (MLPC) or Movement for the Liberation of the Central African People gained a simple but not an absolute majority of seats in parliament, which meant Patass needed coalition partners.

Patass relieved former President Kolingba of his military rank of general in March 1994 and then charged several former ministers with various crimes. Patass also removed many Yakoma from important, lucrative posts in the government. Two hundred mostly Yakoma members of the presidential guard were also dismissed or reassigned to the army. Kolingba’s RDC loudly proclaimed that Patass’s government was conducting a “witch hunt” against the Yakoma.

A new constitution was approved on 28 December 1994 and promulgated on 14 January 1995, but this constitution, like those before it, did not have much impact on the practice of politics. In 19961997, reflecting steadily decreasing public confidence in its erratic behaviour, three mutinies against Patass’s government were accompanied by widespread destruction of property and heightened ethnic tension. On 25 January 1997, the Bangui Peace Accords were signed which provided for the deployment of an inter-African military mission, the Mission Interafricaine de Surveillance des Accords de Bangui (MISAB). Mali’s former president, Amadou Tour, served as chief mediator and brokered the entry of ex-mutineers into the government on 7 April 1997. The MISAB mission was later replaced by a U.N. peacekeeping force, the Mission des Nations Unies en RCA (MINURCA).

In 1998 parliamentary elections resulted in Kolingba’ RDC winning 20 out of 109 seats, which constituted a comeback, but in 1999, notwithstanding widespread public anger in urban centers with his corrupt rule, Patass won free elections to become president for a second term. On 28 May 2001 rebels stormed strategic buildings in Bangui in an unsuccessful coup attempt. The army chief of staff, Abel Abrou, and General Francois N’Djadder Bedaya were shot, but Patass regained the upper hand by bringing in at least 300 troops of the rebel leader Jean-Pierre Bemba from over the river in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and by Libyan soldiers.

In the aftermath of this failed coup, militias loyal to Patass sought revenge against rebels in many neighborhoods of the capital, Bangui, that resulted in the destruction of many homes as well as the torture and murder of many opponents. Eventually Patass came to suspect that General Franois Boziz was involved in another coup attempt against him and so Boziz fled with loyal troops to Chad. In March 2003, Boziz launched a surprise attack against Patass, who was out of the country. Libyan troops and some 1,000 soldiers of Bemba’s Congolese rebel organization failed to stop the rebels, who took control of the country and thus succeeded in overthrowing Patass.

Franois Boziz suspended the constitution and named a new cabinet which included most opposition parties. Abel Goumba, “Mr. Clean”, was named vice-president, which gave Boziz’s new government a positive image. Boziz established a broad-based National Transition Council to draft a new constitution and announced that he would step down and run for office once the new constitution was approved. A national dialogue was held from 15 September to 27 October 2003, and Boziz won a fair election that excluded Patass, to be elected president on a second ballot, in May 2005.

Humanitarian situation, peacebuilding, and development

The Central African Republic is heavily dependent upon multilateral foreign aid and the presence of numerous NGOs which provide services which the government fails to provide. As one UNDP official put it, the CAR is a country “sous serum,” or a country metaphorically hooked up to an IV. (Mehler 2005:150). The very presence of numerous foreign personnel and organizations in the country, including peacekeepers and even refugee camps, provides an important source of revenue for many Central Africans.

The country is self-sufficient in food crops, but much of the population lives at a subsistence level. Livestock development is hindered by the presence of the tsetse fly.

In 2006 due to ongoing violence, over 50,000 in the country’s north-west were at risk of starvation, and this was only averted thanks to United Nations support.[citation needed]

Peacebuilding Commission places Central African Republic on agenda On 12 June 2008, the Central African Republic became the fourth country to be placed on the agenda of the UN Peacebuilding Commission, which was set up in 2005 to help countries emerging from conflict avoid the slide back into war or chaos. The 31-member body agreed to take up the situation after a request from the government.

Peacebuilding Fund The Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon declared on 8 January 2008 that the Central African Republic was eligible to receive assistance from the Peacebuilding Fund. Three priority areas were identified: 1) Security sector reform 2) Promotion of good governance and the rule of law and 3) Revitalization of communities affected by conflicts.

Politics

Main article: Politics of the Central African Republic

Franois Boziz is President of the country. A new constitution was approved by voters in a referendum held on December 5, 2004. Full multiparty presidential and parliamentary elections were held in March 2005, with a second round in May. Boziz was declared the winner after a run-off vote.

In February 2006, there were reports of widespread violence in the northern part of the CAR. Thousands of refugees fled their homes, caught in the crossfire of battles between government troops and rebel forces. More than 7,000 people fled to neighboring Chad. Those who remained in the CAR told of government troops systematically killing men and boys suspected of cooperating with rebels.

Prefectures and sub-prefectures

Prefectures of the Central African Republic

Main articles: Prefectures of the Central African Republic and Sub-prefectures of the Central African Republic

The Central African Republic is divided into 14 administrative prefectures (prfectures), along with 2 economic prefectures (prfectures economiques) and one autonomous commune. The prefectures are further divided into 71 sub-prefectures (sous-prfectures).

The prefectures include:

Bamingui-Bangoran

Basse-Kotto

Haute-Kotto

Haut-Mbomou

Kmo

Lobaye

Mambr-Kad

Mbomou

Nana-Mambr

Ombella-M’Poko

Ouaka

Ouham

Ouham-Pend

Vakaga

the two economic prefectures are Nana-Grbizi and Sangha-Mbar; the commune is Bangui.

Geography

Main article: Geography of the Central African Republic

Satellite image of Central African Republic, generated from raster graphics data supplied by The Map Library

Map of the Central African Republic

Ubangi River on the outskirts of Bangui.

The Central African Republic is a land-locked nation within the interior of the African continent. It is bordered by the countries of Cameroon, Chad, Sudan, the Democratic Republic of the Congo and the Republic of the Congo.

Much of the country consists of flat, or rolling plateau savanna, typically about 1,640 feet (500 m) above sea level, of which most of the northern half lies within the World Wildlife Fund’s East Sudanian savanna ecoregion. In the northeast are the Fertit Hills, and there are scattered hills in southwest part of the country. To the northwest is the Yade Massif, a granite plateau with an altitude of 3,750 feet (1,143 m).

At 240,519 square miles (622,941 km2), the Central African Republic is the world’s 42nd-largest country. It is comparable in size to the Ukraine, and is somewhat smaller than the US state of Texas.

Much of the southern border is formed by tributaries of the Congo River, with the Mbomou River in the east merging with the Uele River to form the Ubangi River. In the west, the Sangha River flows through part of the country. The eastern border lies along the edge of the Nile river watershed.

Estimates of the amount of the country covered by forest ranges up to 8%, with the densest parts in the south. The forest is highly diverse, and includes commercially important species of Ayous, Sapelli and Sipo. The deforestation rate is 0.4% per annum, and lumber poaching is commonplace.

The climate of the C.A.R. 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 desert. The remainder of the country is prone to flooding from nearby rivers.

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

Economy

Main article: Economy of the Central African Republic

A boy playing with a burnt kerosene lamp in the city of Birao, Central African Republic. The town was almost completely burnt down in March 2007 during fighting between rebels and government troops.

The economy of the CAR is dominated by the cultivation and sale of food crops such as cassava, peanuts, maize, sorghum, millet, sesame, plantain and sara[disambiguation needed]. The annual real GDP growth rate is just above 3%. The importance of foodcrops over exported cash crops is indicated by the fact that the total production of cassava, the staple food of most Central Africans, ranges between 200,000 and 300,000 tons a year, while the production of cotton, the principal exported cash crop, ranges from 25,000 to 45,000 tons a year. Foodcrops are not exported in large quantities but they still constitute the principal cash crops of the country because Central Africans derive far more income from the periodic sale of surplus foodcrops than from exported cash crops such as cotton or coffee.

The CAR’s largest import partner is South Korea (20.2%), followed by France (13.6%) and Cameroon (7.7%), while its largest export partner is Japan (40.4%), followed by Belgium (9.8%) and China (8.2%).

Many rural and urban women also transform foodcrops into alcoholic drinks such as sorghum beer or hard liquor and derive considerable income from the sale of these drinks. Much of the income derived from the sale of foods and alcohol is not “on the books” and thus is not considered in calculating per capita income, which is one reason why official figures for per capita income are not accurate in the case of the CAR.

The per capita income of the CAR is often listed as being around $300 a year, said to be one of the lowest in the world, but this figure is based mostly on reported sales of exports and largely ignores the more important but unregistered sale of foods, locally produced alcohol, diamonds, ivory, bushmeat, and traditional medicine, for example. The informal economy of the CAR is more important than the formal economy for most Central Africans.

Diamonds constitute the most important export of the CAR, accounting for 4055% of export revenues, but an estimated 3050% of the diamonds produced each year leave the country clandestinely. Export trade is hindered by poor economic development, and the location of this country far from the coast.

The wilderness regions of this country have potential as ecotourist destinations. The country is noted for its population of forest elephants. In the southwest, the Dzanga-Sangha National Park is a rain forest area. To the north, the Manovo-Gounda St Floris National Park has been well-populated with wildlife, including leopards, lions, and rhinos. To the northeast the Bamingui-Bangoran National Park. However the population of wildlife in these parks has severely diminished over the past 20 years due to poaching, particularly from the neighboring Sudan.

The CAR is a member of the Organization for the Harmonization of Business Law in Africa (OHADA).

The CAR is ranked 180 out of 181 on ‘ease of business’ in the 2009 Doing Business Report of the World Bank Group. The ‘ease of business’ ranking uses a composite index on regulations that enhance business activity and those that constrain it.

Demographics

Main article: Demographics of the Central African Republic

A village in the Central African Republic

The population has almost quadrupled since independence. In 1960 the population was 1,232,000. Now the population is 4,422,000. (2009 UN est.) Note: estimates for this country take into account the effects of excess mortality due to AIDS; this can result in lower life expectancy, higher infant mortality and death rates, lower population and growth rates, and changes in the distribution of population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected.

The United Nations estimates that approximately 11% of the population aged 15 49 is HIV positive. Only 3% of the country has antiretroviral therapy available, compared to 17% coverage in neighbouring countries of Chad and the Republic of the Congo.

The nation is divided into over 80 ethnic groups, each having its own language. The largest ethnic groups are the Baya 33%, Banda 27%, Mandjia 13%, Sara 10%, Mboum 7%, M’Baka 4%, and Yakoma 4%, with 2% others, including Europeans of mostly French descent.

Health

Main article: Health in the Central African Republic

Female life expectancy at birth was 48.2 and male life expectancy at birth was at 45.1 in 2007. The fertility rate is at about five births per woman. Government expenditure on health was at US$ 20 (PPP) per person in 2006. There were 8 physicians per 100,000 people in 2004. Government expenditure on health was at 10.9 % of total government expenditure in 2006.

Religion

Main article: Religion in the Central African Republic

Religion in the Central African Republic

religion

percent

Christian

 

50%

Indigenous

 

35%

Islam

 

15%

Christians form 50 percent of the population, while 35 percent of the population maintain Indigenous beliefs, and Islam is practiced by approximately 15 percent of the country’s population.

There are many missionary groups operating in the country, including Lutherans, Baptists, Catholics, Grace Brethren, and Jehovah’s Witnesses. While these missionaries are predominantly from the United States, France, Italy, and Spain, many are also from Nigeria, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and other African countries. Many missionaries left the country due to fighting between rebel and government forces in 2002 and 2003. Many have now returned to the country and resumed their activities.

Culture

Music

Main article: Music of the Central African Republic

Education

Main article: Education in the Central African Republic

Public education in the Central African Republic is free, and education is compulsory from ages 6 to 14. About half the adult population of the country is illiterate. The country has the University of Bangui.

See also

List of writers from the Central African Republic

See also

Africa portal

Main article: Outline of the Central African Republic

List of Central African Republic-related topics

Transport in the Central African Republic

References

^ Department of Economic and Social Affairs Population Division (2009) (.PDF). World Population Prospects, Table A.1. 2008 revision. United Nations. http://www.un.org/esa/population/publications/wpp2008/wpp2008_text_tables.pdf. Retrieved 2009-03-12. 

^ a b c d “Central African Republic”. International Monetary Fund. http://www.imf.org/external/pubs/ft/weo/2009/02/weodata/weorept.aspx?sy=2006&ey=2009&scsm=1&ssd=1&sort=country&ds=.&br=1&c=626&s=NGDPD,NGDPDPC,PPPGDP,PPPPC,LP&grp=0&a=&pr.x=53&pr.y=9. Retrieved 2009-10-01. 

^ Which side of the road do they drive on? Brian Lucas. August 2005. Retrieved 2009-01-28

^ List of countries by Human Development Index

^ HS Foreign 24.4.2001 Did the Central African Republic surpass Finland in environmental affairs?

^ “Thousands could die of starvation, says United Nations spokesperson Maurizio Giuliano”. http://www.irinnews.org/report.aspx?reportid=58581. 

^ http://www.un.org/News/Press/docs/2008/pbc39.doc.htm

^ http://www.unpbf.org/CAR.shtml

^ Reuters AlertNet CENTRAL AFRICAN REPUBLIC: Polls results to be announced on 22 May, official says

^ BBC NEWS World | Africa | Country profiles | Timeline: Central African Republic

^ BBC NEWS Africa | Thousands flee new CAR ‘rebels’

^ BBC NEWS Africa | Thousands flee from CAR violence

^ Sold Down the River (English) March 2001, Forests Monitor

^ The Forests of the Congo Basin: State of the Forest 2006. CARPE 13-Jul-07

^ https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/fields/2050.html?countryName=China&countryCode=ch&regionCode=eas&#ch

^ https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/fields/2061.html?countryName=China&countryCode=ch&regionCode=eas&#ch

^ OHADA.com: The business law portal in Africa, http://www.ohada.com/index.php, retrieved 2009-03-22 

^ http://www.doingbusiness.org/Documents/CountryProfiles/CAF.pdf

^ Countries

^ http://data.unaids.org/pub/GlobalReport/2006/2006_GR_ANN3_en.pdf

^ a b c d http://hdrstats.undp.org/en/countries/data_sheets/cty_ds_CAF.html

^ http://www.afro.who.int/home/countries/fact_sheets/car.pdf

^ the World Factbook

^ U.S. Department of State

^ “Central African Republic”. Findings on the Worst Forms of Child Labor (2001). Bureau of International Labor Affairs, U.S. Department of Labor (2002). ^ http://www.unicef.org/infobycountry/car_statistics.html

Further reading

Kalck, Pierre, Historical Dictionary of the Central African Republic, 2004

Petringa, Maria, Brazza, A Life for Africa (2006) ISBN 978-1-4259-1198-0

Titley, Brian, Dark Age: The Political Odyssey of Emperor Bokassa, 2002

External links

Find more about Central African Republic on Wikipedia’s sister projects:

Definitions from Wiktionary

Textbooks from Wikibooks

Quotations from Wikiquote

Source texts from Wikisource

Images and media from Commons

News stories from Wikinews

Learning resources from Wikiversity

Government

Central African Republic Online

Chief of State and Cabinet Members

Overviews

Country Profile from BBC News

Central African Republic entry at The World Factbook

Central African Republic from UCB Libraries GovPubs

Central African Republic at the Open Directory Project

Wikimedia Atlas of the Central African Republic

News

Humanitarian news and analysis from IRIN Central African Republic

Central African Republic news headline links from AllAfrica.com

(French) RCA Info

Cultural

Baka Pygmies Culture and music of the first inhabitants of the Central African Republic, with photos and ethnographic notes

Tourism

Central African Republic travel guide from Wikitravel

Other

Central African Republic Pictures

location of Central African Republic on a 3D globe (Java)

Central African Republic at Humanitarian and Development Partnership Team (HDPT)

Central African Republic reports from Coalition to Stop the Use of Child Soldiers

Johann Hari in Birao, Central African Republic Inside France’s Secret War from The Independent, October 5, 2007

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 Central African Republic topics

Politics and government

Coat of Arms  Constitution  Corruption  Elections  Flag  Foreign relations  Human rights (GLBT  Women)  Law enforcement  Military  Ministers  National Assembly  Political parties  Politics  President  Prime Minister

History

Precolonial history  Oubangui-Chari (part of French Equatorial Africa)  Central African Empire  Patass presidency  Boziz coup

Geography and environment

Cities  Ecoregions  National Parks  Prefectures  Rivers  Sub-prefectures  Wildlife

Economy and infrastructure

Agriculture  Airports  Banks  Communications  Companies  Mining  Tourism  Trade unions  Transport

Culture and society

Demographics  Education  Films  Football (National team)  Holidays  Languages  Literature  Music  Religion (Catholicism  Islam)

Miscellany

Personalities on stamps  Public Holidays  Scouting

See also: List of Central African Republic-related topics

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Former French colonies in Africa and the Indian Ocean

Mahgreb

Algeria  Morocco (Arguin Island)  Tunisia

French West Africa

Cte d’Ivoire  Dahomey  French Sudan  Guinea  Mauritania  Niger  Senegal  Upper Volta

 

French Togoland  James Island  Albreda

French Equatorial Africa

Chad  Gabon  Middle Congo  Oubangui-Chari

Comoros

Anjouan  Grande Comore  Mohli

 

French Somaliland (Djibouti)  Madagascar  Ile de France  Seychelles

 

Geographic locale

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Countries and territories of Africa

West Africa

Benin  Burkina Faso  Cape Verde  Cte d’Ivoire  The Gambia  Ghana  Guinea  Guinea-Bissau  Liberia  Mali  Mauritania  Niger  Nigeria  Senegal  Sierra Leone  Togo

North Africa

Algeria  Egypt  Libya  Mauritania  Morocco  Sudan  Tunisia

Central Africa

Angola  Burundi  Cameroon  Central African Republic  Chad  Democratic Republic of the Congo  Republic of the Congo  Equatorial Guinea  Gabon  Rwanda  So Tom and Prncipe

East Africa

Burundi  Comoros  Djibouti  Eritrea  Ethiopia  Kenya  Madagascar  Malawi  Mauritius  Mozambique  Seychelles  Somalia  Tanzania  Uganda  Zambia  Zimbabwe

Southern Africa

Botswana  Lesotho  Namibia  South Africa  Swaziland

 States with

limited recognition

Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic  Somaliland

 Partially in Africa

France (Runion)  Italy (Pantelleria)  Portugal (Madeira)  Spain (Canary Islands / Ceuta / Melilla / Plazas de soberana)  Yemen (Socotra)

 Dependencies

Iles Eparses (France)  Mayotte (France)  Saint Helena, Ascension and Tristan da Cunha (United Kingdom)

 Disputed areas

Western Sahara

 

International membership

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African Union (AU)

Algeria  Angola  Benin  Botswana  Burkina Faso  Burundi  Cameroon  Cape Verde  Central African Republic  Chad  Comoros  Democratic Republic of the Congo  Republic of the Congo  Cte d’Ivoire  Djibouti  Egypt  Eritrea  Ethiopia  Equatorial Guinea  Gabon  The Gambia  Ghana  Guinea  Guinea-Bissau  Kenya  Lesotho  Liberia  Libya  Madagascar  Malawi  Mali  Mauritania  Mauritius  Mozambique  Namibia  Niger  Nigeria  Rwanda  Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic  So Tom and Prncipe  Senegal  Seychelles  Sierra Leone  Somalia  South Africa  Sudan  Swaziland  Tanzania  Togo  Tunisia  Uganda  Zambia  Zimbabwe

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Community of Sahel-Saharan States

Benin  Burkina Faso  Central African Republic  Chad  Comoros  Cte d’Ivoire  Djibouti  Egypt  Eritrea  The Gambia  Ghana  Guinea  Guinea-Bissau  Liberia  Libya  Mali  Morocco  Niger  Nigeria  Senegal  Sierra Leone  Somalia  Sudan  Togo  Tunisia 

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Member states and observers of the Francophonie

Members

Albania  Andorra  Armenia  Belgium (French Community)  Benin  Bulgaria  Burkina Faso  Burundi  Cambodia  Cameroon  Canada (New Brunswick  Quebec)  Cape Verde  Central African Republic  Chad  Comoros  Cyprus1  Democratic Republic of the Congo  Republic of the Congo  Cte d’Ivoire  Djibouti  Dominica  Egypt  Equatorial Guinea  France (French Guiana  Guadeloupe  Martinique  St. Pierre and Miquelon)  Gabon  Ghana1  Greece  Guinea  Guinea-Bissau  Haiti  Laos  Luxembourg  Lebanon  Macedonia2  Madagascar  Mali  Mauritania  Mauritius  Moldova  Monaco  Morocco  Niger  Romania  Rwanda  St. Lucia  So Tom and Prncipe  Senegal  Seychelles  Switzerland  Togo  Tunisia  Vanuatu  Vietnam

Observers

Austria  Croatia  Czech Republic  Georgia  Hungary  Latvia  Lithuania  Mozambique  Poland  Serbia  Slovakia  Slovenia  Thailand  Ukraine

1 Associate member. 2 Provisionally referred to by the Francophonie as the “former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia”; see Macedonia naming dispute.

v  d  e

Organisation of the Islamic Conference (OIC)

Members

Afghanistan  Albania  Algeria  Azerbaijan  Bahrain  Bangladesh  Benin  Burkina Faso  Brunei  Cameroon  Chad  Comoros  Cte d’Ivoire  Djibouti  Egypt  Gabon  Gambia  Guinea  Guinea-Bissau  Guyana  Indonesia  Iran  Iraq  Jordan  Kuwait  Kazakhstan  Kyrgyzstan  Lebanon  Libya  Maldives  Malaysia  Mali  Mauritania  Morocco  Mozambique  Niger  Nigeria  Oman  Pakistan  Palestine  Qatar  Saudi Arabia  Senegal  Sierra Leone  Somalia  Sudan  Suriname  Syria  Tajikistan  Turkey  Tunisia  Togo  Turkmenistan  Uganda  Uzbekistan  United Arab Emirates  Yemen

Observers

Countries and territories

Bosnia and Herzegovina  Central African Republic  Russia  Thailand  Northern Cyprus (as Turkish Cypriot State)

Muslim communities

Moro National Liberation Front

International organizations

Economic Cooperation Organization  African Union  Arab League  Non-Aligned Movement  United Nations

 

Languages

v  d  e

Niger-Congo-speaking nations

 

Kordofanian

 Sudan

 

Mande

   

 Gambia

 Guinea

 Guinea-Bissau

 Mali

 Mauritania

 Senegal

 Sierra Leone

 Liberia

 Cte d’Ivoire

 Nigeria

 Burkina Faso

 Benin

 Togo

 

Atlantic-Congo

   

Atlantic

 Benin

 Burkina Faso

 Cameroon

 CAR

Ijoid

 Nigeria

 Chad

 Cte d’Ivoire

 Gambia

 Guinea

Dogon

 Mali

 Guinea-Bissau

 Liberia

 Mali

 Mauritania

 Niger

 Senegal

 Sierra Leone

 Sudan

 Togo

 

Volta-Congo

   

Senufo

 Benin

 Cte d’Ivoire

 Mali

Gur

 Benin

 Burkina Faso

 Cte d’Ivoire

 Ghana

 Mali

 Nigeria

 Togo

Adamawa-Ubangi

 Cameroon

 CAR

 Chad

 Nigeria

Kru

 Burkina Faso

 Cte d’Ivoire

 Liberia

Kwa

 Benin

 Cte d’Ivoire

 Ghana

 Nigeria

 Togo

 

Benue-Congo

   

Bantu

 Angola

 Botswana

 Burundi

 Cameroon

 DRC

Yoruba and Igbo

 Nigeria

 Rep. of the Congo

 Equatorial Guinea

 Gabon

 Kenya

 Lesotho

 Nigeria

 Malawi

 Mozambique

 Namibia

 Rwanda

 South Africa

 Swaziland

 Tanzania

 Uganda

 Zambia

 Zimbabwe

CAR = Central African Republic  DRC = Democratic Republic of the Congo

Categories: Central African Republic | African countries | African Union member states | Least Developed Countries | French-speaking countries | Landlocked countries | Member states of La Francophonie | States and territories established in 1960Hidden categories: Wikipedia pages move-protected due to vandalism | Articles containing French language text | All articles with unsourced statements | Articles with unsourced statements from December 2007 | Articles with links needing disambiguation

The Sky is the Limit at Hong Kong?s Captivating Central Business District

Spread across 1100 square metres of a prime trading hotspot, Hong Kong is a Westerner’s dream of an Asian city. Singular, independent and thriving, Hong Kong is at once associated and disassociated with its Chinese heritage. An eastern city with a decidedly western ambience and cultural preference, it enjoys a global reputation of being a financial and a tourist Mecca for the masses.

A food connoisseur’s dream come true, Hong Kong is not only the home of Lantau Island, Hong Kong Disneyland and the Ten Thousand Buddha’s Monastery, it has also one of the most vibrant central business districts in all of Asia.

As the political and economical epicentre of the island, the Hong Kong business district is also where Government Hill, Legislative Council Building and Far East’s oldest Anglican cathedral are also located. With a myriad of historical constructs in residence, the business district also plays hosts to some of the nation’s most recognizable landmarks such as the iconic Bank of China Tower, the International Finance Centre and the towering HSBC building.  Originally part of Victoria City, the central business hub is located on the northern shores of the island. Having served as a bustling capital since colonial rule the city is best viewed from the Central Pier or aboard the Star Ferry.

With its fair share of funky neighborhoods, visitors really should stroll down Hollywood Road , Cotton Tree Drive Street and Soho, Hong Kong to get a true feel for the colour and diversity this futuristic landscape has on offer. Other points of interest include the Peak, Tsim Sha Tsui, stunning Causeway Bay, Stanley Street Market and the Temple Street Night Market. Connaught Road Central with its neon lights and sky-piercing building is breathtaking sight while the Galleria, Prince’s Building, Citibank Tower, the  Entertainment Building and the AIG Tower also scamper for attention in this modern day metropolis.

The island nation’s best shopping centres are also situated along the city’s central business district and visitors will find luxury items and global brands galore at locales such as Pacific Place, the Landmark, Causeway Bay Shopping Area, the IFC Mall and Sogo. Lined with the town’s premier restaurants, cafes and bars, a food and wine connoisseur will hardly be disappointed at the choices available to them at the CBD.

Must-visit landmarks in the CBD include the Hutchison House, Alexandra House, Jardine House and The Centrium in addition to The Cenotaph and magnificent City Hall. Not just a hotbed of financial giants and skyscrapers, Hong Kong ‘s central business district also houses a number of stunning churches including the First Church, Church of Scientology and  the Union Church as well as several captivating Buddhist temples as a testament to the country’s all- inclusive approach to cultural identity.

Knee deep in MRTs, minibuses, trams and trains, the Hong Kong central business district is one of the most accessible areas in the entire island. Best explored on foot, the sights and sounds of its breathtaking landscape are just as intoxicating as its cultural diversity.

Eaton Hotel Hong Kong is perfect for travellers who are looking for hotels in Kowloon that gives easy access to the Central Business District of Hong Kong.  Comfortable and luxurious it enjoys a well-deserved reputation as one of the premier hotels in Hong Kong.

Charter Flights For Cargo & Passengers In Eastern & Central Africa

Eastern & Central  Africa  countries have had political conflicts especially South Sudan,Somalia,Central Africa Republic,Democratic Republic of Congo,Rwanda,Burundi for many years.Thanks to Non-Governmental Organizations,European Commission.African Union and United States of American who have provided  humanitarian assistance in terms of  education,medical assitsance,food,clothing and trying to bring together the warying groups to dialogue.Kenya has played an important role as a hub for United Nations Headquarters and  hosting regional offices for international organizations and Non-Governmental organizations who have volunteered to assist in different ways and not forgetting Uganda especially for Democratic Republic of Congo and South  Sudan and Tanzania  having the refugee camp at Ngara and  for flights to Rwanda and Burundi.Kenya has engaged in hosting the warrying groups from these countries  for peace negotiation and infact  even taken the initiative of being the Chair.Also Kenya lessened its regulations on V.A.T and any taxes on humanitarians goods by giving zero taxes.The stable East Africa countries even went as far as giving their police and army personnel for peace-keeping not only to the mentioned areas but for the entire world.

Flights Out Of Kenya,East Africa

Kenya being the headquarters for the United Nations it also plays an important role in refugee settlement where it has two camps namely,Kakuma in Northern and Daadab in North Eastern which  has refugees from Somalia,South Sudan,Ethiopia,Dr Congo,Central Africa Republic and many others.Through Kenyas  Mombasa Port  these countries are able to receive consignment which go by road transport,rail transport or air transport and this entirely depends on the donors budget.There are companies in Kenya which owns trucks which can carry upto 40 tonnes ready to transport these goods backed up with air tarnsport with aircrafts which can carry from 1 tone to 40 tonnes of cargo. The air transport does not restrict its operations on cargo alone but they have aircrafts which are convertable to both cargo and passengers thus giving you the choice whereby you can carry half cargo and half passengers .Some of these aircrafts have short take offs and landing perfomance due to the state of the airstrips especially in South Sudan and Somalia which have potholes andd requires an aircraft which this perfomance.The fleet includes,Cessna Caravan 208  1 tone or 12 passengers,Let 410  18 passengers or 1.7 tones,Dash-8  37 seater or 3.5 tonnes,DHC-8 Buffalo  5 tones or  40 passengers,Fokker 27-500 series  40 pax or 5 tonnes,Dc-9 Freighter  80 pax or 10 tonnes.The DC-9  can only land in international airports like,Khartoum,Mogadishu International,Juba International,Entebbe International,Kilimanjaro ,Mwanza and Daresalam International and the Fokker 27 in Somalia can only land  in Galgayo,Mogadishu K50,Mogadishu International,Berbera,Berdera,Belletuen,Bosaso,Garowe,Kismayu and not Marere,Dinsor,Jamame,Wajid,buale but the Let 410,Caravan,Buffalo,Dash-8 can land comfortably.Also there is Jomo Kenya International Airport,Moi Internationa Mombasa and Eldoret International which operates 24 hrs due to emergency evacuation.On the North Eastern Kenya there is Wajir airport which is fully equippped with immigration,customs ,security,health facilities,fire fighting and security screening machines and the law is any flights apart from UNITED NATIONS,INTERNATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS ,DDIPLOMATIC MISSIONS ,NON-GOVERNMENTAL ORGANIZATION haveto pass throught there for outward and inward flights for security screening due to the increased terrorism threats from Somalia where its believed the Alqaida are stationed.For the NGOS,UN,INTERNATIONAL ORGANIZATION FLIGHTS a letter from the organization addressed to the Kenyan Ministry of Foreign Affairs is needed and with the full dedtails of the flight that,aircraft registration,nationality of crew,names and nationality of passengers if any,nature of goods,name of organization,airport of departure,time of departure,name of the operator, and the flight will not dapart until a clearance is received in writing from these authority and it takes one working day notice.We have the ICAO office which monitors the flight at UN GIGIRI and for any latest security report in Somalia you can contact them.To south Sudan You can either go by road upto Lokichogio and connect acharter flight to the interior for example Kapotea,Yei,Malakal,Bentiu,Yambio,Yirol,Rumbek,Benashowa,Padak,Boma,Tambura,Wau,Akobo  among others.Infact it is not like before where  it was expensive to  fly to South Sudan by having to take a private charter either from Uganda or Kenya as there are commercial flights on daily basis from  Nairobi,Kenya to Rumbek,Juba,Khartoum and from Entebbe ,Uganda to South sudan and most interesting there are aircrafts based in Juba for your internal flights into South SUdan.From Kenya to Somalia you can get a commercial flight on Thursday and Sundays only upto Mogadishu Intermnational only and to DR Congo there is a scheduled flight to Kinshasha but you need to book one month in advance and there is a sheduled flight to Goma on Monday and friday every week and also space is scarce also bookings to be made in advance.In Kenya you can get all logistics solution be it for Bulky cargo or any kind of cargo including flying fresh products like,flowers,frozen meat,fish to anywhere in the world within a cuople of days.There are private executive jet flights also which can be used and they are faster cruising at 420 knots an hour for those executive whose schedule does not march with commercial flights on the CITATION BRAVO JET 7 seater with conference table and  with all the hot luches,breakfast,hot andd soft drinks without leaving out champagne and DVD with an air hostess to look after your stomach.There are also BEECHCRAFT 200 TEN SEATERAND BEECHCRAFT 1900 EIGHTEEN SEATER which can be converted into 7 and 14 seater V.I.P configuration to suit your need.These aircrafts are also good for MEDIVAC ,AIR AMBULANCE ,EMERGENCY EVACUATION as they can be fitted with astretcher for injured personnel and these aircrafts are pressurized and fly at over 25,000 ft above sea level.There options where you can provide your medical equipment ,nurse and doctor and you are charged normal charter and when situation is critical we have our air ambulance wing ICA which have qualified doctors,nurses who are always on 24 hrs stand-by who have all ythe sophicated medical equipments which can handle any kind of emergency.They have arrangements with hospitals for ground ambulance services all over Africa,France,USA,INDIA,RUSSIA among others.Kenya is abeautiful country where we have the Masai Mara which was declared the seven wonders of the world without forgetting,Amboseli,Tsavo East/West,Samburu,Lake Nakuru,Lake Naivasha,Lake Bogoria,Lake Baringo,Wasini and Funzi Island on theIndiani Ocean on Kenyan Coast and Rusinga and Mfangano Islands on Lake Victoria for your scenic safaris and sightseeing & aerial photography.Lokichogio which is on the boundary of Kenya and South Sudan used to be the hub for United Nations and Non-Governmental organization for both cargo and passengers to South Sudan and storage for cargo which was transported by road from Mombasa .The Operations Lifeline Sudan operated by Unicef had its logistic centre in Lokichogio and it used to be the regional cordinators headquarters for all organizations flying to South Sudan.Lokichogio airport operates from 630 pm to 630 pm and incase of late arrivals or earlier departures for emergencies the WFP used to line up vechilces to light the airport.Lokichogoi airport is fully equipped with immigrationand customs facilities,fire fighters,security to ensure it meets the international standards.

Flights out of Uganda,East Africa

In Uganda at Arua airport International committe of The Red Cross has been operating from there to South Sudan,Rwanda,Burundi,DR Congo and Central Africa Republic.Entebbe Airport has served as the major hub to these war torn areas and Uganda is the gateway for raod transport and rail to Rwanda,Burundi,South Sudan and Central Africa Republic.Uganda has played and importatnt role in ensuring their neighbouring countries have peace and volunteered to be the peace facilitators.In Uganda there are flights especially private charter to its neighbouring countries and its has also National Parks which toursits visit and earn them foreign exchange besides that there is fish from Lake Victoria and fresh food that they export .It is in Uganda and Wetern Congo that the famous mammal Gorilla is found .We have the mutchisson falls ,Karuma falls and Kabalega falls around Lake Albert which is on the boundary of Congo.There is also the stable food of Baganda called ‘Matoke’ Banana and it is largely planted in this country.There are several 5 star hotels like Kampala Serena ,Africana hotels,Nile Njinja which are worldly reowned by tourists and prominent people who stay their when visting .We have the Para lodge on the Kabalega Falls which attracts thousands of tourists every year with scenic safaris,aerial photography and sighseeing safaris.There both commercial flights and private flights departing and arriving in Entebbe,Soroti,Arua,Gulu for both social ,politicaland economic purposes.

Flights out of Tanzania, East Africa

This being one of  leading producer ot Tanzanite and diamond it also have National Parks and it attracts alot of tourists .We have the Ngorongoro Crater and Oldonyo Lengai which are historic features and many tourists wants to visit it.Besides these then  headquarters of the East Africa Community is based in Arusha,Tanzania and even the Rwanda Tribunal for the genocide has its headquarters there.It also has the Ngara refugee camp which United Nations For High Commission of refugees is running accomodating refugees from West Africa,Rwanda,Burundi and Democratic Republic Of Congo.We have Zanzibar where tourists visit  the historic sites and also do fishing safaris,boating safaris and scenic safaris.There are many  air transport companies flying within the region and private charter companies into the National Parks.For flights to Somalia,South Sudan you will have to use aircrafts from Kenya but For Rwanda,Burundi,DR Congo and Central African Republic you can get flights in Tanzania.Tanzania has played an outstanding role in ensuring war torn countries come on around table to find solutions to their political problems also being a member of Africa Union and East Africa Community .With its steadfast in ensuring peace is t maintained its has managed to be the country host  for the East Africa Community  headdquarters.Tanzania has several airports but with Kilimanjaro ,Mwanza and Daresaalam being the key with flights departing and landing every day for both commercial and private charters.

Types of Services Provided

There different types of services provided as below,

Commercial  Flights

Commercial flights are the cheapest as they serve on a seat basis opposed to private charter where you charter the entire aircrafts.There only one commercial flight from Kenya to Somalia ,Mogadishu International Airport and daily flights from Kenya,Jomo Kenyatta  to Juba and 3 times weekly from Wilson to Rumbek in south sudan.There also commercial flights to Kinshasha,Goma,Rwanda,Burundi,Central  Africa Republic but reservations has to be done amonth in advance.

Adhoc Flights(Private Charter Flights)

This is the most convinient and expensive mode of air transport but ideal for bussiness executive and project  owners  whose scheduled does not match  the commercial flights.It more expensive than lease as there is no incentive given irrespective of the flights that you do in any given month.It is advisable for emergency and one on ,one off  use but for bulky work use lease hire.The adhoc flight is advantageous us you need not to do any commitment like in lease or contract flying where you will have to committ a number of hours for a period  of time and whether you fly or not you will have to pay.

Contract  Flights ( Wet Lease or Dry Lease)

This is ideal for organization with bulk work of excess in 60 hours flying in amonth.You can decide to take dry lease on AI rate whereby you will employ your own crew,ddo your own maintenance,fuel,pay landing,navigation,parking and clearance fees  and the lessor charges you aircraft and insurance but based on the set operational procedure and with a close check by the lessor.Wet lease is when you take aircraft on ACMI rate(Aircraft,Crew,Maintenance,Insurance) and pay for fuel,landing,crew per diem,accommodation ,meals,laundry,crew change return ticket,validation and work permit for pilots and engineer.The way to go is lease as you have the control of the entire operations and when you fly beyond the guaranteed hours the rate per hour reduces thus giving you a cost reduction advantage opposed to adhoc when this is not considered.With lease you will have the aircraft at your discretion and even if the lessor has to use it,consultations has to be done and agreed upon.

The Fleet

There are aircrafts like C-130  20 toner    and the Buffallo 5 toner are suitable for air drops in  hunger and war stricken areas with poor transport infrastructure.The Let 410 ,Buffalo,Caravan 208 are suitable to airstrip which are tidy as they have shart take off and landing perfomance.The crew needs to have an extensive experience especially in Airforce and bush flying to be able to cope with this kind of flying as you flying in countries where bombs,shooting is the order of the day and you need to have extra courage.

With all this it has made air transport the key player in Humanitarian & Relief work to unaccesible areas especially remote easier and quicker.With the new technology having introduced and manufactured aircrafts with ddifferent perfomance depending on the area of operation has also put the aviation a step ahead in the bussiness world.Also with the introduction of convertable aircrafts from cargo to passenger has made lives easier and all you have to do plan according take cargo come back with passenger and vise versa.