Central African Republic: Capital, Flag and Fun Facts

About Central African Republic

The Central African Republic is a landlocked country almost exactly in the middle of Africa. It is mostly a rolling plateau of savanna, with thick rainforest in the southwest. It is known for forest elephants, gorillas and rivers that flow into the Congo Basin.

About Bangui

Bangui sits on the north bank of the Ubangi River, across from the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Its name means 'rapids', after the first great rapids on the river beside the city.

Fun facts about Central African Republic

1. The Central African Republic lies close to the geographical centre of the African continent.
2. At Dzanga Bai, a forest clearing, large numbers of forest elephants gather to drink mineral-rich water.
3. Western lowland gorillas live in the rainforests of Dzanga-Sangha in the country's southwest.
4. Sango is used as a common language across the country and is official alongside French.
5. Manovo-Gounda St Floris National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, protects wide savannas and wetlands in the north.
6. The flag has four horizontal stripes crossed by a red vertical band, plus a yellow star.