World Factbook
Central African Republic
République centrafricaine
Last updated: 2026-03-28 (today)
Flag
description: 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 meaning: combines the pan-African and French flag colors; red stands for blood spilled in the struggle for independence, blue for the sky and freedom, white for peace and dignity, green for hope and faith, and yellow for tolerance; the star represents aspiring to a vibrant future
Capital
name
Bangui
etymology
established as a French military post in 1889; the name means "rapids" in the local Bobangui language, because of the city's location above the first great rapid on the Ubangi River
time difference
UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)
geographic coordinates
4 22 N, 18 35 E
Suffrage
18 years of age; universal
Citizenship
citizenship by birth
no
citizenship by descent only
least one parent must be a citizen of the Central African Republic
dual citizenship recognized
yes
residency requirement for naturalization
35 years
Constitution
history
several previous; latest constitution passed by a national referendum on 30 July 2023 and validated by the Constitutional Court on 30 August 2023
amendment process
proposals require support of the government, two thirds of the National Council of Transition, and assent by the "Mediator of the Central African" crisis; passage requires at least three-fourths majority vote by the National Council membership; non-amendable constitutional provisions include those on the secular and republican form of government, fundamental rights and freedoms, amendment procedures, or changes to the authorities of various high-level executive, parliamentary, and judicial officials
Country name
former
Ubangi-Shari, Central African Empire
etymology
self-descriptive name specifying the country's location on the continent; "Africa" is derived from the Roman designation of the area corresponding to present-day Tunisia, "Africa terra," which meant "Land of the Afri" (the tribe resident in that area), but which eventually came to mean the entire continent
abbreviation
CAR
local long form
République centrafricaine
local short form
none
conventional long form
Central African Republic
conventional short form
none
Independence
13 August 1960 (from France)
Legal system
civil law system based on the French model
Government type
presidential republic
Judicial branch
highest court(s)
Supreme Court or Cour Supreme (number of judges unknown); Constitutional Court (consists of 9 judges, at least 3 of whom are women)
subordinate courts
high courts; magistrates' courts
judge selection and term of office
Supreme Court judges appointed by the president; Constitutional Court judge appointments - 2 by the president, 1 by the speaker of the National Assembly, 2 elected by their peers, 2 are advocates elected by their peers, and 2 are law professors elected by their peers; judges serve 7-year non-renewable terms
Executive branch
cabinet
Council of Ministers appointed by the president
chief of state
President Faustin-Archange TOUADÉRA (since 30 March 2016)
election results
2025: Faustin-Archange TOUADÉRA reelected president in first round; percent of vote - Faustin-Archange TOUADÉRA (independent) 76.2%, Anicet Georges DOLOGUELE (URCA) 14.7%, other 9.1%
head of government
Prime Minister Félix MOLOUA (since 7 February 2022)
most recent election date
28 December 2025
election/appointment process
current president was directly elected for 5-year term; constitutional referendum in July 2023 removed term limits and instituted 7-year terms
expected date of next election
December 2032
National holiday
Republic Day, 1 December (1958)
National color(s)
blue, white, green, yellow, red
National heritage
total World Heritage Sites
2 (natural)
selected World Heritage Site locales
Manovo-Gounda St. Floris National Park; Sangha Trinational Forest
Political parties
Action Party for Development or PAD African Party for Radical Transformation and Integration of States or PATRIE Alliance for Democracy and Progress or ADP Be Africa ti e Kwe (also known as Central Africa for Us All or BTK) Central African Democratic Rally or RDC Central African Party for Integrated Development or PCDI Democratic Movement for the Renewal and Evolution of Central Africa or MDREC Kodro Ti Mo Kozo Si Movement or MKMKS Movement for Democracy and Development or MDD Movement for the Liberation of the Central African People or MLPC National Convergence (also known as Kwa Na Kwa or KNK) National Movement of Independents or MOUNI National Union for Democracy and Progress or UNDP National Union of Republican Democrats or UNADER New Impetus for Central Africa or CANE Party for Democracy and Solidarity - Kélémba or KPDS Party for Democratic Governance or PGD Path of Hope or CDE Renaissance for Sustainable Development or RDD Socialist Party or PS Transformation Through Action Initiative or ITA Union for Central African Renewal or URCA Union for Renaissance and Development or URD United Hearts Movement or MCU
Legislative branch
note
note 1: on 27 December 2020, the day of first round elections, voting in many electoral areas was disrupted by armed groups; on 13 February 2021, President TOUADERA announced that new first round elections would be held on 27 February 2021 for those areas controlled by armed groups and the second round on 6 March 2021; ultimately, two additional rounds were held on 23 May and 25 July 2021 in areas that continued to suffer from election security problems note 2: in accordance with article 98 of the constitution published in August 2023, the parliamentary term has increased from five to seven years and will be first applied to the legislature due to be elected in late 2025
term in office
5 years
number of seats
140 (all directly elected)
electoral system
plurality/majority
legislature name
National Assembly (Assemblée nationale)
scope of elections
full renewal
legislative structure
unicameral
most recent election date
12/27/2020 to 7/25/2021
expected date of next election
28 December 2025
percentage of women in chamber
11.4%
parties elected and seats per party
United Hearts Movement (MCU) (63); National Movement of Independents (MOUNI) (9); Union for Central African Renewal (URCA) (7); Movement for the Liberation of the Central African People (MLPC) (7); Other (34); Independents (20)
National anthem(s)
title
"La Renaissance" (The Renaissance)
history
adopted 1960; BOGANDA wrote the anthem's lyrics and was the first prime minister of the autonomous French territory
lyrics/music
Barthelemy BOGANDA/Herbert PEPPER
National symbol(s)
elephant
Administrative divisions
14 prefectures ( préfectures , singular - préfecture ), 2 economic prefectures* ( préfectures économiques , singular - préfecture économique ), and 1 commune**; Bamingui-Bangoran, Bangui**, Basse-Kotto, Haute-Kotto, Haut-Mbomou, Kemo, Lobaye, Mambere-Kadei, Mbomou, Nana-Grebizi*, Nana-Mambere, Ombella-Mpoko, Ouaka, Ouham, Ouham-Pende, Sangha-Mbaere*, Vakaga
Diplomatic representation in the US
FAX
[1] (202) 332-9893
chancery
2704 Ontario Road NW, Washington, DC 20009
telephone
[1] (202) 483-7800
chief of mission
Ambassador Martial NDOUBOU (since 17 September 2018)
email address and website
centrafricwashington@yahoo.com https://www.usrcaembassy.org/
Diplomatic representation from the US
FAX
[236] 2161-4494
embassy
Avenue David Dacko, Bangui
telephone
[236] 2161-0200
mailing address
2060 Bangui Place, Washington DC 20521-2060
chief of mission
Ambassador (vacant); Chargé d’Affaires Melanie Anne ZIMMERMAN (since July 2025)
email address and website
https://cf.usembassy.gov/
International organization participation
ACP, AfDB, AU, BDEAC, CEMAC, EITI (compliant country) (suspended), FAO, FZ, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), LCBC, MIGA, NAM, OIC (observer), OIF, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
International law organization participation
has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; accepts ICCt jurisdiction