Central African Republic Country Overview
Where is Central African Republic located? The Central African Republic, as the name suggests, is located in the center of Africa and is a landlocked country. The Central African Republic is located on the time zone map in “West Africa Time” and there is a time difference of +1 hour to Coordinated Universal Time (UTC). There it is 1 hour later than on the world clock. Even in the summer months, this difference to world time remains, since there is no time changeover to summer time.
Bordering Countries of Central African Republic
According to abbreviationfinder, Central African Republic is bordered by six countries: Chad to the north, Sudan to the northeast, South Sudan to the east, Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) to the south, Cameroon to the southwest and Nigeria to the west. The total length of its borders is 5,203 km (3,231 mi).
The border between Central African Republic and Chad stretches for 1,197 km (744 mi), running from Lake Fitri in the north through mountains and deserts until it reaches Lake Iro in the south. This border was established in 1972 when both countries signed an agreement recognizing their respective rights & obligations over this area.
The border between Central African Republic and Sudan is 956 km (594 mi) long and runs from Darfur region in Sudan’s west all the way to Kafia Kingi enclave at its eastern end near South Sudan’s border. This boundary has been subject to several disputes since it was established but has remained largely unchanged since 2008 when both countries signed a treaty confirming their respective rights & obligations over this area.
The Central African Republic-South Sudan boundary stretches for 897 km (556 mi) from Amadi State in South Sudan’s east all the way to Bouar region near Cameroon’s border. This boundary was established through an agreement between both countries during colonial era when French Equatorial Africa was divided into two separate regions.
The border between Central African Republic and Cameroon is 1,094 km (679 mi) long and runs from Adamawa region at its western end all the way until it reaches Bouar region at its eastern end near South Sudan’s border. This boundary has been subject to several disputes since it was established but has remained largely unchanged since 1975 when both countries signed a treaty confirming their respective rights & obligations over this area.
Finally, the Central African Republic-Nigeria boundary consists of a small maritime border that runs for 449 km (279 mi). It stretches from Bodo Creek in Nigeria’s southeast all the way until it reaches Cross River at its western end near Cameroon’s coast. This boundary was established through an agreement between both countries during colonial era when British West Africa was divided into two separate regions.
Overall, Central African Republic has a total of six international borders which have helped shape its identity throughout history and have allowed it to develop strong ties with its neighboring countries while maintaining its own unique culture & traditions.
Population Distribution
As of 2023, the latest population of Central African Republic is 5,990,855, based on our calculation of the current data from UN (United Nations).
| Total population | 5,990,855 |
| Population growth rate | 2.09% |
| Birth rate | 34.30 births per 1,000 people |
| Life expectancy | |
| Overall life expectancy | 50.90 years |
| Men life expectancy | 49.64 years |
| Women life expectancy | 52.20 years |
| Age structure | |
| 0-14 years | 39.89% |
| 15-64 years | 56.72% |
| 65 years and above | 3.39% |
| Median age | 19.50 years |
| Gender ratio (Male to Female) | 0.98 |
| Population density | 9.62 residents per km² |
| Urbanization | 42.70% |
| Ethnicities | |
| Central Africans – last census 2003: 3,895,139 residents – mainly Ubangi groups: 34% Banda, 27% Gbaya, 11% Ngbandi, 10% Azande, Yakoma and others; Bantu; French people | |
| Religions | |
| Indigenous religions 35%, Protestants 25%, Catholics (Roman Catholic) 25%, Muslims 15%, Note: Animism and animistic practices have a great influence on the Christian majority | |
| Human Development Index (HDI) | 0.381 |
| HDI ranking | 188th out of 194 |
People in Central African Republic
Almost 5 million people live in the Central African Republic. The population is growing by 2 percent annually. The birth rate is 4.7 children per woman. As a result, the population is very young: 40 percent are under 15 years old, and a total of 60 percent are under 25 years old. The average age is 20 years.
However, life expectancy is low. For men it is 52 years, for women 55 years. Many babies die at birth, 41 out of 1,000. That is one of the worst values in the world. Poverty, hunger and disease make life difficult.
While the rainforests in the southwest and the dry savannas in the north are sparsely populated, most of the people live in the area of the capital Bangui as well as on the rivers. 41 percent of the population live in urban areas, so the majority still live in rural areas.
Pygmies, who were among the first residents of the country, now only make up a very small proportion of the population. They live secluded in the rainforests of the southwest. Bantu people also live here, who also form a minority in the Central African Republic. They include the Yakoma and the G’bakka, each with 4 percent of the population.
The Baya (also spelled Gbaya) are the largest ethnic group with 33 percent today. You live in the north of the country. The second largest group are the Banda with 27 percent. This is followed by the Manschia (13 percent), the Sara (10 percent) and the Mboum (7 percent). The Azande live in the southeast and Fula in the northwest. There are around 80 peoples in total.
Languages in Central African Republic
The Central African Republic has two official languages: French and Sango. Sango originated from the Ngbandi language, which was spoken by the people of the same name on the Ubangi River. It developed into a lingua franca with which the different peoples could communicate. Sango is spoken far more than French.
However, a total of 72 languages are spoken in the country. After all, every ethnic group has its own language. Most of these languages belong to the Niger-Congo languages and here again to the Ubangic languages (on the left in turquoise on the map). Sango is also an Ubangic language. Most of the residents are at least bilingual.
Religions in Central African Republic
80 percent of the population are Christians, with Catholics and Protestants each making up half. Most of the Christians live in the south of the country. Traditional faith is still practiced by many people, sometimes mixed with Christian elements. 10 percent are attached to Islam. The Muslims live more in the north, east and north-west.