2014 Central African Republic

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CultureGrams
World Edition

inland to escape the coastal slave trade. The French

BACKGROUND established the area as the Ubangi-Shari territory in 1894 and
united it with Chad in 1906 as the Ubangi-Shari-Chad colony.
Land and Climate In 1910, the colony was united with the Congo and Gabon as
Area (sq. mi.): 240,536
the Federation of French Equatorial Africa. Ubangi-Shari
Area (sq. km.): 622,984
became autonomous in 1958 and independent in 1960.
     Dacko Coup and Republic Restored
The Central African Republic is a little smaller than France or
At independence, the name was changed to Central African
the U.S. state of Texas. Dense rain forests grow in the south,
Republic. The country's first postindependence president,
which forms part of the Congo River Basin. Farther north, the
David Dacko, was overthrown in a 1966 coup led by his
land becomes drier and rises in elevation, but most of the
cousin, Colonel Jean-Bédel Bokassa. In 1976, the brutal
country is covered by savanna. The Central African Republic
Bokassa created a monarchy and crowned himself Emperor
is landlocked. Only the Oubangui River can be used by large
Bokassa I. Dacko staged a coup in 1979 while Bokassa was
boats during the rainy season. The weather is almost always
out of the country and restored the republic. In 1987, Bokassa
humid. Daytime temperatures are usually hot, but nights cool
returned and was jailed for murder. Released in 1993, he died
off to 55°F (13°C) during November and December, when
in 1996.
cold winds blow off the northern desert. The rainy season
     Kolingba Coup and Elections
(May–November) is shorter in the north than in the south. A
General André Kolingba overthrew Dacko in 1981. The
second rainy season in late February or early March is called
military ran the government until 1985. Kolingba outlawed all
the “mango rains” because it allows growing mangoes to
other political parties and had his term in office extended. By
fatten before the harvest, and storms knock many ripening
the 1990s, however, in a climate of bleak economic
mangoes from the trees. The Central African Republic has
conditions, other parties became active. Ange-Félix Patassé
implemented a variety of conservation projects. Southwestern
was elected in 1993. An inability to meet government payrolls
reserves protect wildlife and rain forests. Although elephant
resulted in army mutinies in 1996, which were countered by
hunting is banned, poaching is still a problem.
French and UN-sponsored African peacekeeping forces. A
truce was reached in June 1997, but continued violence and
History instability prompted the UN to extend its peacekeeping
Early History to French Colony
mission. President Patassé retained his office in a contested
Central Africa has an ancient heritage, but little of it is
election in 1999. UN soldiers left the country in February
recorded. Just prior to French control of the region in 1887, it
2001, but political and social volatility increased in their
was inhabited by the Aka (Pygmy) and peoples migrating
wake.

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     Bozizé Coup and Rule
In March 2003, rebel troops under former army general
François Bozizé seized Bangui when Patassé was out of the
country, took over the presidency, and engineered new
elections to take place. In May 2005, Bozizé defeated 10
other presidential candidates to remain in office. Most
observers declared the elections to be fair, though several
losing candidates accused Bozizé of fraud.
     Beginning in mid-2005, rebel activity in northern Central
African Republic forced more than 300,000 people to flee
their homes, often for refugee camps in neighboring Chad and
Cameroon. Both rebel forces and government troops were
accused of targeting civilians. The spillover of conflicts in
Chad and Sudan worsened the instability in the region.
     The rebel group People's Democratic Front (FDPC) took
control of the town of Birao and other parts of the country's
north in October 2006, but a government counteroffensive
ended with a peace deal between the government and the
FDPC. In 2008, other rebel groups were brought into the
peace process. The negotiated agreements included plans for
a national unity government and fresh elections. After
numerous delays, elections were held in January 2011 and
awarded Bozizé another term in office.
     Seleka Coup
In March 2013, Michel Djotodia led a coalition of five rebel
groups, called Seleka, to overtake the capital, forcing
François Bozizé to flee the country. Djotodia suspended the
constitution, dissolved parliament, and stated his intention to
rule by decree, though he pledged to keep the sitting prime
minister in office as part of a power-sharing government.
Djotodia said he would head the interim government for three
years, until credible and transparent elections are held. The
Central African Republic faces many challenges, including a
weak healthcare system and economy and continued armed
conflict.
     Recent Events and Trends
• President disbands rebel group: In September 2013,
President Michel Djotodia dissolved the rebel group Seleka,
which overthrew the country's former leader and brought
Djotodia to power in the March 2013 coup. Seleka rebels
have become increasingly violent, and the United Nations
has called for the government to take urgent measures to halt
the group's crimes. The country's security situation remains
weak.
• UN approves resolution: In October 2013, the UN Security
Council approved a resolution supporting a new African
Union (AU) peacekeeping force in the Central African
Republic and calling for elections in less than 18 months.
• Increased fighting: In December 2013, sectarian fighting
between the mainly Muslim Seleka and the mostly Christian
armed group Anti-Balaka left some one thousand people
dead, and President Djotodia admitted he did not have full
control of his country. The AU and France are increasing
their numbers of troops in the area.
THE PEOPLE
Population
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Central African Republic
Population: 5,166,510
Population Growth Rate: 2.14%
Urban Population: 39%
More than 80 ethnic groups inhabit the Central African
Republic, but two form a majority: the Gbaya (33 percent)
and Banda (27 percent). Smaller groups include the Mandjia
(13), Sara (10), Mboum (7), M'Baka (4), Sango, and others. A
significant Aka population lives along the southwest border.
The Mbororo, descendants of the Fulbé (or Fulani), are
migratory herders who do not consider themselves Central
Africans. Others also recognize the Mbororo (Peul in French)
as distinctly different, even though they are active in society
and government. A number of Portuguese, Greek, and Arab
merchants live in urban areas. Tens of thousands of refugees
from Sudan, Chad, and the Democratic Republic of the
Congo also live in the Central African Republic.
     More than 700,000 people live in and around Bangui. Over
half of the nation's population lives in small towns and
villages, but urban areas are growing rapidly. About 41
percent of the population is younger than age 15.
Language
Sango and French are the two main languages, but each
ethnic group also has its own language. Sango (a Bantu
tongue) is the national language. It was spread years ago as a
trade language. French is the official language but is used
mostly in government. Most people are fluent in their own
tongue and Sango. French is spoken only by the more
educated.
     The government promotes Sango because the language
reinforces national identity. Many official speeches are made
in Sango rather than French, especially if the audience is
primarily Central African. The national radio, Radio
Centrafrique, broadcasts in both Sango and French.
Religion
Several religions are practiced in the Central African
Republic. Around half of the population is Christian, about
evenly split between Catholics and Protestants. About 15
percent of the population is Muslim. Other Central Africans
practice local religions. Even Christians and Muslims
maintain traditional beliefs or combine local practices with
Christianity or Islam. For example, funerals may be less
Catholic and more African. A belief in magic and witchcraft
is widespread. People also seek the services of local charmers
for guidance.
General Attitudes
Central Africans are friendly, gentle, and generous. Strangers
are greeted with smiles. There is a strong sense of community
among the people, including a deep commitment to the family
and loyalty to one's ethnic group. Young people attending
school away from home can expect to live with relatives, no
matter how distant the relationship.
     Central Africans tend to live in the present. With many
immediate daily concerns and limited resources, they spend
money when they get it. Those with money left over are
expected to share it; one employed family member often
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supports several unemployed ones. Saving money is
considered a sign of greed and is not common. Although the
future seems uncertain for many Central Africans, they feel
they have no control over it and so do not dwell on it. Instead,
they genuinely appreciate and enjoy the present.
     Though class divisions are strong, ethnic groups and clans
have strong internal bonds and often have identifying
characteristics such as specific trades, customs, or facial
features (which include tattoos, scars, and henna leaf
designs).
Personal Appearance
Central Africans take pride in being clean and well dressed.
Wealthier urban men may wear a shirt and slacks or a
Western-style suit. A complet, also popular, consists of pants
and a matching shirt jacket that buttons to the collar. A
common traditional outfit consists of pants and a matching
boubou made from bright fabric. A boubou may be cut as a
pullover-style shirt, but a grand boubou is more like a robe
that reaches the man's knees or feet. Embroidery on the front
is popular. Urban women commonly wear traditional styles.
One outfit is a tight-fitting, short-sleeved blouse with a
matching pagne (long wraparound skirt). Wealthier women
might wear a short and a long pagne at the same time. The
way a woman ties her pagne and allows the cloth to drape
over her body conveys a number of unspoken messages, such
as marital status. Women usually wear some sort of head
wrap; they must wear a scarf to enter a church. Gold jewelry
is a status symbol. Hairstyles can be elaborate, and wigs are
common. Central African girls learn at an early age to braid
and weave hair.
     Rural people and the urban poor dress modestly. They
often wear secondhand Western clothing or a combination of
local styles with Western T-shirts. Villagers often go barefoot
to save their shoes for special occasions.
CUSTOMS AND COURTESIES
Greetings
A handshake is used in formal and social settings, along with
verbal greetings. If close friends meet informally, they might
begin a greeting by slapping right hands together. Then, each
would grasp the other person's middle finger with the thumb
and middle finger and “snap.” Another common greeting
involves gently knocking the upper part of one's head against
another's head, once on the left side and twice on the right
while shaking hands or holding arms. Women sometimes kiss
each other on alternating cheeks. After these physical
gestures, inquiries about one's health, family, and crops
usually follow. This is true even when people meet by
chance; just a passing “Hello” to a friend or coworker is not
considered polite. A common Sango greeting is Bara ala or
Bala mo (Greetings to you), followed by Tonga na nyen?
(How is it going?) or Ala yeke senge? or Mo yeke? (Are you
okay?). French greetings include Bonjour (Good day) or Salut
(Greetings), followed by Ça va? (Everything okay?). French
is not used in villages.
     How one addresses a person depends on the situation.
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Central African Republic
Formally, one uses a title alone or with the last name.
Respected older men may be addressed as baba (Sango for
“father”) and women as mama (mother). Informally, one may
use first or last names, nicknames, or family affiliation
(brother, sister, cousin). A very close friend may be called ita
(“brother” or “sister”) or cousin (cousin). Each person in a
small group is greeted individually. To greet a larger group,
one might raise both hands, palms facing the group, and say
Bara ala kwé (Sango for “Greetings, everyone”).
Gestures
People beckon by extending the hand, fingers out and palm
down, and waving the fingers inward. During conversation,
one can indicate “yes” by raising the eyebrows. This gesture
is sometimes accompanied by a quick inhalation or a glottal
clicking sound. One might ask “What?” or even “How are
you?” by holding the hand out next to the body, palm open
and down with the fingers relaxed, and flipping the hand over.
Surprise or shock may be expressed by slapping the forehead
with an open hand, sometimes saying Aye! or Mama! A
hissing sound may be used to attract attention. Children often
cross their arms over their stomachs as a sign of respect when
speaking to a person of authority. Pointing with one finger is
impolite. Forming a circle with the thumb and index finger
means “zero.” One may show respect when shaking hands by
supporting the right wrist with the left hand and bowing
slightly. Young friends of the same age and sex often hold
hands while walking and talking.
Visiting
Visiting is a popular way for people to spend free time; it is
common for a person to “drop in” uninvited at a friend's
home. After greeting those present, the visitor is offered a
chair or a stool (barambo) and something to drink. Hosts may
ask visitors to sit inside the home, but it is more common to
sit outside on the porch or in the shade of a nearby tree. The
visitor usually is given the nicest place to sit. During the visit,
everyone might talk or listen to the radio. Sometimes very
little is said and everyone just relaxes. Visitors arriving at
mealtime are asked to share the meal. It is impolite to refuse
offers of food, drink, or a seat. Invited guests are not
necessarily expected to be prompt. Hosts are patient with late
guests and accommodating of those who arrive early. The
host will often accompany a departing guest for a short
distance.
Eating
At mealtime, people (especially children) may sit on the
ground or on low stools around the food, which may be on a
mat or a low table. Townspeople often have Western-style
tables and chairs. While people might use plates and utensils,
they generally use their hands to eat food from a common
bowl. The right hand is used unless the type of food requires
both hands. Before and after the meal, soap and water are
passed around to wash the hands. In villages, men and boys
eat together. Girls and young boys eat near their mother by
the cooking fire. The mother eats last because she usually is
still preparing food while others are eating. If guests are
present, they receive the best meat. It is impolite for children
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to eat a large portion of meat or to talk during the meal.
     Central Africans generally snack throughout the day.
Popular snack foods include peanuts, small pieces of grilled
meat, makala (fried dough), fried sweet potatoes, hard-boiled
eggs, kanda (meat, fish, fruit, or termites wrapped in a leaf
and steamed), and mangbele (cassava dough wrapped and
boiled in leaves). The average person rarely eats at a
restaurant. Among those who do eat out, hosts pay for anyone
they invite. Friends who decide together to eat out pay for
their own meals.
LIFESTYLE
Family
The extended family is the basic social unit; it includes the
mother, father, children, grandparents, aunts, uncles, and
cousins. They may live together in one home, and great
emphasis is placed on taking care of elderly relatives. Adults
often consider nieces and nephews as daughters and sons.
Families are relatively large and can seem larger because
men may have more than one wife (or girlfriend). Each wife
or girlfriend lives apart from the others. Women are
responsible for raising their children and providing the family
with food. The man provides money for school, clothing, and
the home.
     Special pride is taken in introducing someone as, for
example, mon frère, même mère, même père (my brother,
same mother, same father). Un frère (a brother) might be a
half brother or other relation. Un cousin (a cousin) could be a
very distant relative. Ita ti mbi (in Sango) can mean “brother,”
“sister,” “half brother,” “cousin,” or even “close friend.”
Housing
Homes may be made of mud or cement bricks, a dirt or
cement floor, and a thatched or tin roof. The kitchen may be a
thatched hut away from the home, where women cook over
an open fire; outhouses are also located away from the home.
The wealthy might have a kitchen and bathroom attached to
their homes. People spend little time at home because they are
busy with daily activities. Houses in Bangui have electricity
and running water, though these services are often
interrupted. Outside of the capital, there is no electricity.
Water sources may include a well or spring, which is
sometimes located far from the house. Contaminated water is
a problem.
Dating and Marriage
Rural inhabitants follow traditional courtship customs.
Parents sometimes arrange a marriage, and older men
sometimes take young women as wives. In larger urban areas,
men and women usually choose their own spouse. Although
illegal, the practice of paying a bride-price to the bride's
family is common. Depending on the groom's financial status
and reputation, the bride-price can be quite high. It consists of
money, clothing, animals, jewelry, household items, food for
the wedding party, and other items. According to tradition, if
a woman leaves her husband, all of her children (including
those fathered by another man) belong to her husband until
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Central African Republic
she has repaid him the amount of the bride-price. Wedding
parties can last for days.
     Because of ther expense, many couples live together as
husband and wife without formally marrying. Men are
allowed, by custom, to have relationships outside of marriage,
but women are not. Polygamy is common but less so than in
the past. The poorest can afford only one wife. A woman is
often considered part of her deceased husband's inheritance,
meaning she is given to her husband's father or brother as an
additional wife, though the practice is banned by law.
Life Cycle
Rituals related to the initiation into adulthood vary by ethnic
group. For young boys they often include a series of
(sometimes dangerous) tests and the transmission of
important knowledge. They may coincide with entrance into a
secret society. Among the Gbaya, the process usually starts at
age seven and may last several years. The Sara gather teenage
boys once every ten years to live in the forest for a month,
after which they are trusted with more responsibilities.
Though illegal, female circumcision still plays a role in most
initiation rituals for young girls. Discussion about pregnancy
is taboo. For example, asking when a baby is due is thought to
risk bringing bad luck to mother and child. Central Africans
will travel great distances to attend the funeral of a relative or
close friend. The family of the deceased must lodge, feed, and
pay the return trip for all such visitors. Funeral events can last
from a customary three days to a month depending on the
importance of the deceased. Newborns who die are buried as
soon as possible to encourage their quick “return” in the form
of another baby.
Diet
Lunch is the main meal of the day; dinner consists of
leftovers or fruit. A traditional meal is ngunza with gozo.
Ngunza is a thick sauce made from ground cassava leaves,
tomato paste, and peanut butter. A kpu (similar to a giant
mortar and pestle) is used to grind the leaves and prepare
many other foods. Gozo is a thick paste made by soaking
cassava root in water, drying it in the sun, grinding it into
flour, and boiling it. Gozo is then formed into concave balls to
scoop up ngunza. Meals may also include sauces with fish or
meat (beef, chicken, goat, sheep, gazelle, monkey, snake, and
even elephant).
     Catepillars are considered a gourmet dish, available only
during the rainy season. The country produces a variety of
fruits and vegetables, including sweet potatoes, tomatoes,
avocados, bananas, oranges, grapefruit, pineapples, guavas,
papaya and mangoes. Imports include powdered milk, flour,
rice, and noodles. Banana and palm wine are common drinks.
Recreation
Because girls and women do household work, tend the fields,
and do the shopping, recreation mostly applies to men and
boys. They enjoy playing and watching soccer and basketball.
Amateur teams compete in the capital and in each large town.
Older people enjoy playing awale, a strategy game for two.
Schools provide all students with some recreation. Basketball,
soccer, handball, and track-and-field are popular. Children
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also like to sing and play games at recess. Some schools have
other extracurricular activities, such as theater. Church groups
provide social activities, too.
The Arts
Music is important to Central Africans. Popular music such as
zokela blends traditional and Western music. Congolese
music is most popular for entertainment, but folk music
accompanies ceremonies and festivals. Traditional
instruments include banana tree xylophones and sanza, a
thumb piano. Each ethnic group has a distinct style and
ensemble of skin drums and log drums. Specific drumming
rhythms are used for certain events. Music is integral to most
religious events. Oral histories are performed by older
villagers through a call-and-response progression of songs
and chants.
     Fine artists often incorporate traditional themes, materials,
and images into modern compositions. Contemporary folk
arts include pottery, basket and mat weaving, and wood
carving. Artists carve stools, figurines, masks, and musical
instruments. Folk arts and historical artifacts are preserved in
the Boganda Museum in Bangui.
Holidays
Central Africans observe New Year's Day, Fête du Travail
(Labor Day, 1 May), Fête des Mères (Mother's Day, end of
May), Independence Day (13 Aug.), and last, the Declaration
of Independence from France (1 Dec.). The latter is the
biggest holiday, celebrated countrywide with parades and
festivities. Schoolchildren practice for months to perform on
this day. For Mother's Day in urban areas, men stay home to
cook and women get together to socialize, play sports, and
dance. Christians celebrate Easter and Christmas. Muslims
have a great feast at the end of Ramadan (the month during
which Muslims fast from sunup to sundown) and for Tabaski
(Feast of the Sacrifice, which honors Abraham's willingness
to sacrifice his son).
SOCIETY
Government
Head of State: Pres. Michel Djotodia
Head of Government: PM Nicolas Tiangaye
Capital: Bangui
In March 2013, Michel Djotodia took overtook the
government of the Central African Republic in a coup. He
suspended the constitution and dissolved parliament. Djotodia
has stated that he will head a transitional government (which
will include the sitting prime minister) for three years, after
which elections will be held.  enough clothing or food to stay in school. Books are scarce,
     Under the constitution in place when Djotodia took power,
the president is head of state and has most executive powers.
The prime minister is head of government. Members of the
105-seat National Assembly are elected to five-year terms.
There is a separate judicial branch that includes both a
Supreme Court and a Constitutional Court. The country's 14
prefectures are divided into sub-prefectures. Each town has a
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Central African Republic
mayor. A makunji (village chief) is elected in each village.
The responsibilities of the makunji depend on the strength of
the mayor. The voting age is 18.
Economy
GDP (PPP) in billions: $3.85
GDP (PPP) per capita: $800
The economy is based on agriculture, and most people are
subsistence farmers. Coffee, cotton, tobacco, bananas, and
timber are exported and used locally; food crops and livestock
are raised for domestic consumption. Industry usually centers
on food processing. Diamonds and timber account for most
export earnings, but corruption in these industries prevents
the profits from significantly improving the country's overall
economic well-being. France is an important trade partner. It
also provides loans and grants to the country. A highly
unequal distribution of wealth means that the Central African
Republic's gross domestic product per capita masks the great
poverty among the vast majority of people (e.g., subsistence
farmers) who do not earn an income or do not earn enough to
meet basic needs. The nation's currency is the CFA franc
(XAF).
Transportation and Communications
Internet Users (per 100 people): 2
Cellular Phone Subscriptions (per 100 people): 41
Paved Roads: NA
The main form of intercity transportation is a small pickup or
van called a taxi brousse (bush-taxi). They are affordable but
crowded and overloaded with luggage. People also hitchhike,
while some have mopeds or bicycles. Short trips (up to 30
miles, or 48 kilometers) are sometimes made on foot. Very
few roads are paved.
     A post office in Bangui handles mail to and from other
countries, but elsewhere in the country, postal service is
unavailable. People often send letters with travelers going in
the appropriate direction, or they transmit messages via
national radio. Telephone service is nationalized but very
limited; several private companies provide cellular
connections, which are increasing in number despite
relatively limited coverage areas.
Education
Adult Literacy: 56%
Mean Years of Schooling: 3.5
Children begin primary school at age seven. Attendance is
mandatory, but fewer than half of the eligible students are
enrolled. Some cannot afford registration fees or do not have
so teachers write lessons on the board and students copy them
in their notebooks. About 43 percent of boys and 45 percent
of girls go on to secondary school. Successful graduates may
go to the university in Bangui or to a technical school. Some
study abroad.
Health
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The Central African Republic lacks adequate health care.
Healthcare professionals are often dedicated but underpaid.
Public clinics exist in cities, but equipment is usually
outdated and patients are required to provide their own
anesthetics and medicine (available at pharmacies). Public
facilities are virtually nonexistent in villages. Private clinics
operate in the capital. Missionaries run rural clinics.
Traditional healers in rural areas treat illness with organic
medicine and rituals. If children survive to age six, they have
a good chance of living to adulthood. Women often have
children in their late teens, and many die in childbirth.
Malaria, hepatitis, AIDS, polio, intestinal parasites, and river
blindness are common.

AT A GLANCE
Contact Information
Embassy of the Central African Republic, 1618 22nd Street
NW, Washington, DC 20008; phone (202) 483-7800.

Country and Development Data

Capital Bangui
Population 5,166,510 (rank=117)
Area (sq. mi.) 240,536 (rank=46)
Area (sq. km.) 622,984
Human Development Index 180 of 187 countries
Gender Inequality Index 142 of 148 countries
GDP (PPP) per capita $800
Adult Literacy 69% (male); 43% (female)
Infant Mortality 95.04 per 1,000 births
Life Expectancy 47 (male); 50 (female)
Currency CFA franc

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