01
Physical geography
Vast, flat to rolling plateau; scattered hills in northeast and southwest.
Local timeBangui ·
Africa / Middle Africa · Card 010
Central African Republic
Central African Republic is a country in Middle Africa. Its capital is Bangui.
Find Central African Republic
● Capital · Gold highlights this card’s area.
Map: Natural Earth. Boundaries show geographic context, not a position on sovereignty. Small islands may use enlarged markers.
Map: Natural Earth. Boundaries show geographic context, not a position on sovereignty. Small islands may use enlarged markers.
At a glance
- Capital
- Bangui
- Languages
- French & Sango
- Currency
- Central African CFA franc (XAF)
- Population
- 5.5 million2025 · World Bank
- Area
- 622,984 km²240,535 square miles
- Independence
- 1960from France
Central African Republic in context
Africa and its surrounding islands. The dot marks Bangui; the mapped territory is highlighted in gold.
Natural Earth · locator mapGeography & languages
02
Languages
Languages used in public life include French, Sango.
03
Location
Central Africa, north of Democratic Republic of the Congo.
Flag
Four equal horizontal bands of blue (top), white, green, and yellow with a vertical red band in the center; a five-pointed yellow star sits in the top left corner of the flag, on the blue band
History & independence
The French territory of Ubangi-Shari became the Central African Republic at independence on 13 August 1960. Its subsequent history includes military rule, a short-lived empire and repeated conflict.
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Independence from France
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The republic is proclaimed an empire
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The republic is restored
Economy
Main activities
Agriculture, forestry and mining are important activities. Diamonds and timber generate exports, while subsistence farming supports many households. Conflict and limited transport infrastructure constrain production and trade.
Industry and production
gold and diamond mining, logging, brewing, sugar refining
Population & economic trends
Dated World Bank observations. Population uses selected years; real GDP uses all available annual observations.
Population, 1970–2025
Millions of people5.52025 · millions of people
Population estimates may be revised. Selected years are shown.
Sources: World Bank · Population
View data table
| Year | People | Millions of people |
|---|---|---|
| 1970 | 2,097,505 | 2.098 |
| 1980 | 2,450,535 | 2.451 |
| 1990 | 2,871,910 | 2.872 |
| 2000 | 3,833,416 | 3.833 |
| 2010 | 4,492,995 | 4.493 |
| 2020 | 5,026,628 | 5.027 |
| 2025 | 5,513,282 | 5.513 |
Real GDP, 1990–2025
Billions of constant 2015 US dollars2.22025 · billions of constant 2015 US dollars
Constant prices adjust for inflation. This is total economic output, not current-dollar GDP or income per person. Missing years are left as gaps.
Sources: World Bank · Real GDP
View data table
| Year | Constant 2015 US$ | Billions of constant 2015 US dollars |
|---|---|---|
| 1990 | 1,492,780,725 | 1.493 |
| 1991 | 1,484,532,469 | 1.485 |
| 1992 | 1,389,164,943 | 1.389 |
| 1993 | 1,393,822,475 | 1.394 |
| 1994 | 1,462,119,071 | 1.462 |
| 1995 | 1,567,392,310 | 1.567 |
| 1996 | 1,504,695,161 | 1.505 |
| 1997 | 1,584,443,042 | 1.584 |
| 1998 | 1,658,914,120 | 1.659 |
| 1999 | 1,718,634,612 | 1.719 |
| 2000 | 1,675,850,365 | 1.676 |
| 2001 | 1,750,672,710 | 1.751 |
| 2002 | 1,813,986,527 | 1.814 |
| 2003 | 1,716,076,873 | 1.716 |
| 2004 | 1,818,953,694 | 1.819 |
| 2005 | 1,835,473,623 | 1.835 |
| 2006 | 1,923,045,638 | 1.923 |
| 2007 | 2,011,650,636 | 2.012 |
| 2008 | 2,052,972,574 | 2.053 |
| 2009 | 2,229,266,676 | 2.229 |
| 2010 | 2,332,499,968 | 2.332 |
| 2011 | 2,430,339,369 | 2.430 |
| 2012 | 2,553,162,919 | 2.553 |
| 2013 | 1,624,016,454 | 1.624 |
| 2014 | 1,625,333,053 | 1.625 |
| 2015 | 1,695,825,714 | 1.696 |
| 2016 | 1,776,382,809 | 1.776 |
| 2017 | 1,856,804,601 | 1.857 |
| 2018 | 1,927,167,164 | 1.927 |
| 2019 | 1,986,909,346 | 1.987 |
| 2020 | 2,004,791,530 | 2.005 |
| 2021 | 2,024,497,026 | 2.024 |
| 2022 | 2,033,686,256 | 2.034 |
| 2023 | 2,047,921,418 | 2.048 |
| 2024 | 2,078,640,239 | 2.079 |
| 2025 | 2,172,168,657 | 2.172 |
Human development
The Human Development Index combines health, education and income. Scores range from 0 to 1.
HDI · 20230.414Low human developmentRank 191 of 193 · 2025 report
Human Development Index over time
19900.342
20000.333
20100.358
20200.386
20230.414
57.4 yearsLife expectancy at birth
4.0 yearsMean schooling, adults aged 25+
The latest values refer to 2023. All historical scores use the same report edition. HDI does not describe every aspect of inequality or quality of life.
Sources: UNDP · Human Development Report 2025
Government
Presidential republic. National Assembly (Assemblée nationale) has one chamber (a unicameral legislature). The president holds executive responsibilities; the legislature makes national laws.
Knowledge check
Three questions about Central African Republic.
QUESTION 1 OF 3
Which city is identified as the capital of Central African Republic?
Sources & notes
Sources: CIA World Factbook · archived country profile
Prepared 24 September 2026. World Bank series: SP.POP.TOTL (persons) and NY.GDP.MKTP.KD (constant 2015 US dollars); downloaded 24 September 2026, provider update 13 July 2026. UNDP values use the 2025 report and 2023 observation year. These are dated statistical snapshots, not live population or economic counters.
Maps use Natural Earth geographic data. Background geography, flag descriptions and selected historical facts use archived public-domain CIA World Factbook profiles, supplemented by the sources linked above. The Factbook is no longer updated; dated statistics here come from the separately named providers.