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The first settlers came from Cameroon to Sudan. During the first decades of the 19th century, Muslim traders began to penetrate the region. Slave traders followed about 1850. The former French colony of Ubangi-Shari became the Central African Republic upon independence in 1960. The Central African Republic is one of the most underdeveloped areas in Africa. The economy of the CAR is dominated by the cultivation and sale of foodcrops. Two thirds of the country lies in the basins of the Ubangi river. Exports are shipped on the Ubangi and Congo rivers to Brazzaville, Congo, and then by rail to the seaport of Pointe-Noire.
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CENTRAL AFRICAN REPUBLIC - KÖDÖRÖSĘSE TÎ BĘAFRÎKA
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MAP
DETAILED MAP
MAP OF AFRICA
Capital: Bangui
Largest city: Bangui
Inland ports: Bangui, Nola, Salo, Nzinga. Major rivers: Bamingui, Ouham, Ubangi. The Shari river flows into Lake Chad.
Location: Central Africa, north of Democratic Republic of the Congo.
Geographic coordinates: 7 00 N, 21 00 E
Geography: The Central African Republic is situated on the northern edge of the Congo River Basin. Most of the country has a savanna vegetation. Dense rain forest covers the southwestern area. Estimates of the amount of the country covered by forest ranges up to 75%. Most of the land is a plateau. Two ranges of hills in the north and northeast.
Area: 622.984 km˛
Border countries: Cameroon 797 km, Chad 1.197 km, Democratic Republic of the Congo 1.577 km, Republic of the Congo 467 km, Sudan 1.165 km
Coastline: landlocked
Climate: tropical; hot, dry winters; mild to hot, wet summers. The northern areas are subject to harmattan winds, which are hot, dry, and carry dust.
Lowest point: Oubangui River 335 m
Highest point: Mont Ngaoui 1.420 m
Population: 4.303.356
Ethnic groups: Baya 33%, Banda 27%, Mandjia 13%, Sara 10%, Mboum 7%, M'Baka 4%, and Yakoma 4%, with 2% others, including Europeans.
Languages: French (official), Sangho (lingua franca and national language), tribal languages
Religions: indigenous beliefs 35%, Protestant 25%, Roman Catholic 25%, Muslim 15%. Animistic beliefs and practices strongly influence the Christian majority c
Currency: Communauté Financičre Africaine franc (XAF) - responsible authority is the Central Bank of the Central African States
Administrative divisions: The prefectures include: Bamingui-Bangoran, Basse-Kotto, Haute-Kotto, Haut-Mbomou, Kémo, Lobaye, Mambéré-Kadéď, Mbomou, Nana-Mambéré, Ombella-M'Poko, Ouaka, Ouham, Ouham-Pendé, and Vakaga; the two economic prefectures are Nana-Grébizi and Sangha-Mbaéré; the commune is Bangui.
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