Discover
The identity of the nation
The Central African Republic lies at the heart of the continent, landlocked, bordered to the south by the Ubangi River and surrounded by six neighbors. About 5 million people are spread across a vast, sparsely populated territory, most of them living in the countryside and along the riverbanks. The capital, Bangui, concentrates the country’s administrative, economic and cultural life.
It is a majority Christian nation: Christians make up about 71% of the population, Muslims around 16%, and traditional ethnic religions remain present, often blended into everyday Christian practice. French is the official language, but it is Sango, spoken by nearly the entire population, that unites the peoples in daily life. It was through Sango that the gospel spread into the interior during the 20th century.
Behind the professed faith, however, lies a wounded land. Since independence in 1960, the Central African Republic has lived through coups, dictatorships and, from 2013 onward, a civil war with ethnic and religious roots that displaced hundreds of thousands of people. Much of the territory still escapes state control, dominated by armed groups.
Despite all the wealth of its soil, in diamonds, gold, timber and fertile land, the Central African Republic ranks among the poorest nations in the world, with high rates of hunger and very low access to clean water, health care and schooling. Poverty here does not come from a lack of resources, but from the instability and exploitation that have marked its history.
Even so, it is a nation where God is at work. The church, though weakened by violence, remains standing and has been a voice of reconciliation between Christian and Muslim communities. The great missionary challenge lies with the peoples of the north and northeast, nomadic and Muslim, still little reached, and in healing the spiritual wounds left by decades of war.
- For millennia, peoples speaking Banda, Gbaya and Sango have inhabited the region; its central position makes the land a route for traders and slave hunters.
- 1894 France occupies the territory, which becomes known as Ubangi-Shari.
- 1928 The Kongo-Wara revolt breaks out against forced labor on colonial concessions; it is harshly suppressed.
- 1958 Barthélemy Boganda leads the drive for autonomy and gives the country the name Central African Republic; he dies in a plane crash in 1959.
- 1960 Independence from France, on August 13, with David Dacko as first president.
- 1966 Jean-Bédel Bokassa seizes power in a coup; in 1976 he proclaims himself emperor, in a reign marked by violence and excess.
- 1979 Bokassa is deposed; decades of instability, coups and fragile governments follow.
- 2013 The Séléka coalition takes Bangui; the conflict with the anti-balaka militias plunges the country into civil war with ethnic and religious roots.
- 2016 Faustin-Archange Touadéra is elected president, amid attempts to rebuild the state.
- Today A majority Christian nation, marked by poverty and armed groups, in search of peace and reconciliation.
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Sangonational and lingua franca language, spoken by nearly the entire population
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Frenchofficial language, used in government, schools and business
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Gbaya, Banda, Mandjia, Saramain ethnic languages, among more than 80 spoken in the country
The Central African Republic covers about 620,000 km² in the center of the continent, with no coastline. It is a vast plateau covered by savanna in the north and tropical forest in the south, drained by the Ubangi River, which marks the southern border, and by the tributaries of the Chari in the north. The highest elevations lie to the west, near Bouar.
Major cities
- BanguiCapital and largest city, on the banks of the Ubangi River
- BimboSecond largest city, neighboring the capital
- BerbératiImportant center in the west, a diamond-mining region
- BouarCity in the west, in the highlands
Climate and temperature
Fufu
Thick paste made from cassava or plantain, the base of meals, eaten with sauces.
Kanda
Seasoned meatballs cooked in a peanut sauce thickened with okra.
Mbika (egusi)
Ground melon seeds with palm oil and greens, served with fufu or rice.
River fish
Fish from the Ubangi, a staple of the diet, grilled or stewed.
Fried plantain
Sliced and fried plantain, a common side dish.
Understand
Culture and spirituality
2a · The culture
Communal life
The extended family and clan sustain daily life; decisions and goods are shared.
Sango as a bond
The Sango language unites dozens of different peoples and carries the national identity.
Respect for elders
The word of elders carries weight and guides the community.
Music and dance
Drums, songs and dances mark celebrations, mourning and religious life.
Faith present in daily life
Religion permeates everyday life, with a strong blending of Christianity and traditional beliefs.
- Ignoring elders The hierarchy of age is respected; greeting and listening to elders matters.
- Treating communities as if they were all the same Tensions between Christian and Muslim groups are real; sensitivity is essential.
- Treating poverty with pity Dignity and partnership matter more than handouts.
- Discussing politics and the conflicts carelessly The subject is sensitive and can put people at risk.
- Haste and impersonal manner Relationship comes before task; time and presence build trust.
2b · The field
Areas of spiritual battle and cultural captivity to cover in prayer. Tap each point to understand:
Decades of coups and civil war have wounded the nation and sown hatred among communities.
Armed groups exploit differences between Christians and Muslims.
Traditional beliefs and witchcraft keep many bound to fear of the spirit world.
The Christian faith blends with ancestral practices, diluting the gospel.
Mismanagement of resources perpetuates poverty and distrust.
The absence of the state leaves crimes without justice and fuels revenge.
Persistent misery opens the door to despair and exploitation.
Diamonds, gold and timber fund conflicts instead of benefiting the people.
Hundreds of thousands of displaced people carry deep wounds.
Girls are given away early into marriage, losing childhood and schooling.
The nomadic peoples of the north remain distant from the gospel.
Years of betrayal make it hard to believe in lasting peace.
The Central African Republic is a majority Christian country, but one where following Jesus can come at a high cost. Persecution here does not come so much from hostile laws, but from the collapse of the state: for more than a decade, armed groups have fought over the territory, and Christians are caught in the crossfire.
In regions outside government control, militias attack churches, threaten and at times kill leaders who speak out against the violence. Church buildings have been burned and entire communities have had to flee, swelling the number of displaced people.
There are also those who come from Muslim families, especially among the peoples of the north and northeast: when they decide to follow Christ, they face rejection, isolation and attacks from their own relatives. Amid all this, the Central African church has sought to be an instrument of reconciliation between Christian and Muslim communities, paying the price of bearing witness to peace in a country still wounded by war.
The persecution score runs from 0 to 100: the higher it is, the greater the pressure on Christians.
The Central African Republic is home to more than 80 ethnic groups, notably the Gbaya, Banda, Mandjia, Sara and Mboum, who make up the country's Christian majority. The still little-reached peoples are found mainly in the north and northeast: nomadic Muslim communities, such as the Mbororo (Peul/Fulani) and the Runga, who herd cattle and remain distant from the gospel. Dozens of local languages still have no translation of the Bible.
- 491K Unreached 9%
- 0 Minimally reached 0%
- 25K Superficially reached 0,5%
- 463K Partially reached 8,5%
- 4.5M Significantly reached 82%
- 7 Unreached 8,8%
- 0 Minimally reached 0%
- 1 Superficially reached 1,2%
- 13 Partially reached 16,2%
- 59 Significantly reached 73,8%
Source of people group data: Joshua Project (joshuaproject.net). Estimates, may vary.
Fula baguirmi Frontier
Baggara Fertit Frontier
Runga Frontier
Árabe Shuwa
Árabe Turku Frontier
Hausa
Deaf Frontier
Source: Joshua Project. Estimates, may vary.
Pray
Intercede for this nation
Every nation carries a redemptive purpose. Marks that seem woven into the identity God desires to restore:
Go
Practical details for those who want to go
Local time
Cost of living
but with scarcity of goods and services
Cost by city
Reference values (source: Numbeo). Confirm before traveling.
Practical points for those who go
- Learn Sango: it is the language that opens doors in daily life; French is useful in government and in the cities.
- Pay extra attention to safety: many regions have armed groups; find out about which areas are safe.
- Get the yellow fever vaccine and take precautions against malaria; the health system is precarious.
- Carry cash: cards and ATMs barely work outside Bangui.
- Build relationships slowly: trust comes from time and presence, not haste.
Send and sustain
Not everyone goes, everyone takes part
Not everyone goes. Everyone takes part.
Behind every worker among these peoples stands a network of people who pray without ceasing, care for the family left behind, and faithfully sustain the work. Sending is mission too.
Start with your church: introduce this nation, adopt it in ongoing prayer, and walk alongside those God is raising up to go.