Central African Republic Country & Tourist Information

Location
Central Africa.

Area
622,984 sq km (240,535 sq miles).

Population
3.9 million (UN estimate 2005).

Population Density
6.2 per sq km.

Capital
Bangui.
Population: 690,000.

Government
Republic.

Language
The national language is Sango, but French is the official administrative language and is essential for business. Another 68 languages and dialects have been identified in addition to these.

Religion
25% of the population is Protestant. 25% is Roman Catholic. There is a small Islamic minority of 15% and 35% of the population have indigeneous beliefs.

Time
GMT + 1.

Electricity
220 volts AC, 50Hz.

Head of Government
Prime Minister Elie Doté since June 2005.

Head of State
President François Bozizé since 2003.

Recent History
The two dominant figures in the country’s recent history have been André Kolingba, a former army commander who took over in 1981’s military coup, and Ange-Félix Patassé, who later emerged as Kolingba’s principal opponent. During the 1980s, Kolingba consolidated his rule as leader of the country’s sole legal political party, Rassemblement Démocratique Centrafricain (RDC). In the early 1990s, as democracy swept through Francophone Africa, violent domestic protests and heavy French pressure forced Kolingba to concede the introduction of a multi-party system.

Patassé won the first election held under the new democratic constitution in 1993, defeating both Kolingba and Dacko. In December 1998, elections to the National Assembly returned the MLPC as the largest party but short of an absolute majority. In September the following year, Patassé and Kolingba once again competed for the presidency, and again Patassé won a comfortable victory. The last few years have seen a series of attempted coups by Kolingba and his principal supporter, army chief Francois Bozizé: first in May 2001, then in October 2002, and finally in March 2003. On the third occasion, Patassé was out of the country and, despite the intervention of French troops, the coup was successful and Bozizé proclaimed himself president.

Following a transitional period which led to presidential and parliamentary elections in May 2005, François Bozizé was elected as president. He chose Elie Doté as prime minister.

The government is a republic comprised of a strong executive branch (president, vice president, prime minister and council of ministers) and weak legislative and judicial branches. The National Assembly is made up of 109 members elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms.

Telephone
Country code: 236.

Mobile Telephone
Roaming agreements exist with a few international mobile phone companies. Coverage is limited to the capital, Bangui.

Internet
Available in some towns.

Media
There is journalistic freedom in the Central African Republic to the extent that private newspapers criticize Government policies and allegations of corruption, but these are likely permitted because most of the populace both cannot afford them and cannot read them (there is a high rate of illiteracy in the country). Those radio and TV stations that are are state-run provide little to no coverage of the political opposition. It was only until 2004 that prison terms for press offences were abolished.


Post
There is a post office in each prefecture. Local postal services are unreliable. Both postal and telecommunications services are in the course of development. Airmail services to Europe take approximately one week, although it is often much longer; surface mail can take up to three months.

Post office hours: Mon-Fri 0730-1130 and 1430-1630; Sat 1430-1830; Sun 0800-1100, open for stamps and telegrams only.

Press
• There are several daily newspapers, including Le Citoyen (an independent publication), Le Confident (an independent publication) and L’Hirondelle (an independent publication).
• The weekly publications have limited distribution and are in French.
• Centrafrique-Presse is a state-owned bi-monthly publication.

Radio
• The national state-run broadcaster is Radio Centrafrique.
• Radio Notre Dame is a Roman Catholic broadcaster based in Bangui.
• The UN-sponsored Radio Ndeke Luka can be relied upon for a balanced viewpoint.

Below are listed Public Holidays for the January 2009-December 2010 period.

2009
1 Jan New Year's Day. 
29 Mar Anniversary of the Death of Barthélemy Boganda.
13 Apr Easter Monday/Independence Day.
15 Aug Assumption.
1 Nov All Saint's Day.
1 Dec National Day.
25 Dec Christmas.

2010
1 Jan New Year's Day.
29 Mar Anniversary of the Death of Barthélemy Boganda. 
5 Apr Easter Monday.
13 Aug Independence Day.
15 Aug Assumption.
1 Nov All Saint's Day.
1 Dec National Day.
25 Dec Christmas.

Contact Information:

Office National Centrafricain du Tourisme (OCATOUR)
rue Roger Guérillot, BP 645, Bangui, Central African Republic
Tel: 614 566.

Embassy of the Central African Republic in France
30 rue des Perchamps, 75116 Paris, France
Tel: (01) 4224 4256.

Embassy of the Central African Republic in the USA
1618 22nd Street, NW, Washington, DC 20008, USA
Tel: (202) 483 7800.


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