The former French colony of Ubangi-Shari became the Central African Republic upon independence in 1960. After three tumultuous decades of misrule - mostly by military governments - civilian rule was established in 1993 and lasted for one decade. President Ange-Felix PATASSE's civilian government was plagued by unrest, and in March 2003 he was deposed in a military coup led by General Francois BOZIZE, who established a transitional government. Though the government has the tacit support of civil society groups and the main parties, a wide field of candidates contested the municipal, legislative, and presidential elections held in March and May of 2005 in which General BOZIZE was affirmed as president. The government still does not fully control the countryside, where pockets of lawlessness persist.
Country profile: Central African Republic
The Central African Republic (CAR) has been unstable since its independence from France in 1960 and is one of the least-developed countries in the world.It has endured several coups and a notorious period under a self-declared emperor, Jean-Bedel Bokassa, who headed a brutal regime.
The Bokassa era ended in 1979, when he was overthrown in a coup led by David Dacko and backed by French commandos based in the country.
AT-A-GLANCE- Politics: Francois Bozize, president and former coup leader, faces instability from mercenaries who helped him to power and from rebels
- Economy: Decades of instability have undermined the economy. People here are among the poorest in the world. Government struggles to pay wages
- International: A pan-African military force has been in place since 2003 to restore order. Chadian rebels have made cross-border raids. Thousands or CAR refugees have fled to Chad
After just two years in office Mr Dacko was toppled by Andre Kolingba, who eventually allowed multi-party presidential elections and was duly rejected in the first round.
Mr Kolingba's successor, Ange-Felix Patasse, had to contend with serious unrest which culminated in riots and looting in 1997 by unpaid soldiers.
When in that year the French pulled out, there were fears of a power vacuum, so Paris financed a group of French-speaking African countries to create a peacekeeping force. That force was then transformed into the UN Mission to the Central African Republic, or Minurca.
In 1999 Mr Patasse beat nine other candidates to become president again, but there were allegations of electoral fraud. He was overthrown in a coup in 2003 and went into exile in Togo.
Illegal weapons proliferate across the CAR, the legacy of years of unrest. Armed groups are active in the volatile north. The unrest has displaced tens of thousands of Central Africans; many of them have crossed the border into Chad.
The CAR possesses considerable agricultural, water and mineral resources. But corruption is rife, according to the IMF, and affects the timber and diamond industries.
The country is endowed with virgin rainforests and has some of the highest densities of lowland gorillas and forest elephants in Africa.
- Full name: Central African Republic
- Population: 3.9 million (UN, 2005)
- Capital: Bangui
- Area: 622,984 sq km (240,535 sq miles)
- Major languages: French, Sangho (lingua franca)
- Major religions: Christianity, Islam, indigenous beliefs
- Life expectancy: 38 years (men), 40 years (women) (UN)
- Monetary unit: 1 CFA (Communaute Financiere Africaine) franc = 100 centimes
- Main exports: Diamonds, timber, cotton, coffee, tobacco
- GNI per capita: US $350 (World Bank, 2006)
- Internet domain: .cf
- International dialling code: +236
President: Francois Bozize
Former coup leader Francois Bozize took more than 64% of the vote in the second round of presidential elections in May 2005, ending two years of military rule. His rival was Martin Ziguele, a former prime minister.
The newly-elected president called for national unity. He had pledged in his campaign to bring security to the coup-prone country.
In 2003 Mr Bozize ousted the unpopular Ange-Felix Patasse - who was out of the country at the time - and declared himself president. He promised to return the CAR to democratic rule and ran as an independent in the 2005 poll.
Mr Bozize is no stranger to politics, or to coups. He stood for president in the republic's first democratic elections in 1993, but lost to Mr Patasse.
He led an unsuccessful coup in 1983 against military ruler Andre Kolingba and was suspected of being involved in a coup attempt against President Patasse in 2001, which was thwarted with the help of Libyan troops.
Private newspapers criticise government policies and alleged corruption, but have a limited impact because of their cost and the high level of illiteracy.
In the capital, UN-sponsored Radio Ndeke Luka ("bird of luck") provides balanced output, and rebroadcasts international news programmes.
Other radio and TV stations are run by the state-run Radiodiffusion-Television Centrafricaine and provide little coverage of the political opposition.
A media law passed in 2004 abolished prison terms for press offences.
BBC World Service and Radio France Internationale are available on FM in Bangui.
The press
Television
Radio
Subsistence agriculture, together with forestry, remains the backbone of the economy of the Central African Republic (CAR), with more than 70% of the population living in outlying areas. The agricultural sector generates half of GDP. Timber has accounted for about 16% of export earnings and the diamond industry, for 40%. Important constraints to economic development include the CAR's landlocked position, a poor transportation system, a largely unskilled work force, and a legacy of misdirected macroeconomic policies. Factional fighting between the government and its opponents remains a drag on economic revitalization, with GDP growth at only 0.5% in 2004 and 2.5% in 2005. Distribution of income is extraordinarily unequal. Grants from France and the international community can only partially meet humanitarian needs.
Central African natural resources include diamonds, uranium, timber, gold, oil, hydropower
landlocked; almost the precise center of Africa
Central African religion is indigenous beliefs 35%, Protestant 25%, Roman Catholic 25%, Muslim 15%.
Natural hazards in Central African Republic include hot, dry, dusty harmattan winds affect northern areas; floods are common.
Travel Advice on Central African Republic
SUMMARY
- We advise against all but essential travel to the Central African Republic (CAR). The north and west of the country, especially the areas bordering Cameroon and Chad, is particularly dangerous and should be avoided. It is no longer safe to travel by any of the road routes between CAR and Cameroon even with a military/police escort. Rebel forces are currently active in the north east of the country, particularly in the Vakaga province and around the town of Birao; and the area remains volatile. The border with Sudan is closed.
- Although elections were held successfully in May 2005, order has yet to be restored to much of the country outside Bangui, particularly in the north of the country. If you must travel outside Bangui, we strongly recommend that you check first on the current situation in the areas through which you plan to travel.
- There is no British Embassy in the CAR.
- The threat from terrorism is low but you should be aware of the global risk of indiscriminate terrorist attacks, which could be against civilian targets, including places frequented by foreigners.
- We are not aware of any British nationals who have required consular assistance in the CAR in the past year.
- We strongly recommend that you obtain comprehensive travel and medical insurance before travelling. You should check any exclusions, and that your policy covers you for the activities you want to undertake. Please see: Travel Insurance.
SAFETY AND SECURITY
Incidents of theft and robbery occur regularly and armed gangs are known to operate in the outlying areas of Bangui. Two World Health Organisation physicians were murdered by unidentified assailants approximately 250km (or three hours drive) from Bangui in April 2006. Take sensible personal security precautions and maintain a high level of vigilance in public places. We recommend that you avoid carrying valuables or wearing jewellery in public. You should avoid isolated or poorer areas of towns and walking alone at night.
Political Situation
Central African Republic Country Profile.
Following two years of internal conflict, there was a military coup on 15 March 2003, when forces loyal to General Bozize took over the capital Bangui and ousted the incumbent President Patasse.
In May 2005, General Bozize was elected as President, in elections that have been widely accepted as representative of the will of the people.
There have been a number of strikes and demonstrations linked to the non-payment of salaries to government workers. We recommend that you avoid all political rallies, demonstrations and large public gatherings.
Outside Bangui, the situation remains especially unstable and potentially dangerous. Order has yet to be restored to much of the country and armed groups are present.
Local Travel
We advise against all but essential travel to the CAR. Although peaceful elections were carried out in May 2005, order has yet to be restored to much of the country outside Bangui following the 2003 coup d’etat. If you must travel outside Bangui we strongly recommend that you check first on the current situation in the areas through which you plan to travel, with your local contacts, the local authorities and diplomatic missions in country.
The north and west of the country, especially the areas bordering Cameroon and Chad, is particularly dangerous and should be avoided. Armed gangs have ambushed and attacked villages for the purpose of robbery and kidnap for ransom. Road convoys have not been exempt from these attacks. The instability in this region has intensified in the first quarter of 2006 and appears to be spreading further south than in the past; the Mayor of Bossangoa was killed in one of these attacks in mid-March 2006. It is no longer safe to travel by any of the road routes between CAR and Cameroon even with a military/police escort. A convoy was attacked near Bouar in north western CAR during the weekend of 16/17 September 2006, and civilian workers and the military escorts killed or seriously wounded. CAR closed its border with Sudan in April 06.
Air Safety
The EU has published a list of air carriers that are subject to an operating ban or restrictions within the community. You should check the following link to see whether this will affect your travel: http://europa.eu.int/comm/transport/air/safety/flywell_en.htm
LOCAL LAWS AND CUSTOMS
Penalties for the use and possession of drugs are severe.
The purchase of diamonds or precious stones is prohibited except through those agents authorised by the Government. All cultural artefacts are subject to an export tax.
Caution and discretion must be used in the taking of photographs in public places, as permission is often required. Taking photos of Government property, uniformed Law and Enforcement Officers, Military installations and personnel, may lead to detention, subsequent fines and the impounding of cameras. The taking ofany photographs which the CAR authorities deem as damaging the imageof CAR(such as street urchins,people with handicaps/deformities) is also not permitted. The situation is more relaxed outside of the capital, where people are generally open to having their picture taken, but it is always advisable to ask first. A permit may be obtained for the more serious photographer from the Ministry of Tourism.
Homosexuality is not widely accepted in Central African society and some sexual acts between members of the same sex are illegal.
ENTRY REQUIREMENTS
HEALTH
GENERAL
There is no British Embassy in the CAR. However, there is an Acting Honorary Consul who may be able to assist in emergencies. His name is Mark Pearson and he can be contacted on mobile phone number + 236 05 73 93 or at fax number + 236 61 66 97. He can also be reached via SMS messages sent to Thuraya tel no 00 8821 650 650 415. His e-mail is: markmarkmlp@uuplus.com or markbangui@yahoo.fr.