DESTINATION CENTRAL AFRICAN REPUBLIC

Facts at a Glance
Environment
History
Economy
Culture
Events
Facts for the Traveller
Money & Costs
When to Go
Warning

Attractions
Off the Beaten Track
Activities
Getting There & Away
Getting Around
Recommended Reading
Lonely Planet Guides
Travellers' Reports on CAR
On-line Info

Environment

Roughly the size of France, the CAR is surrounded on all sides by other nations, which, in a clockwise direction from the south read: Democratic Republic of the Congo (formerly Zaïre, capital: Kinshasa), Republic of the Congo (capital: Brazzaville), Cameroon, Chad and Sudan. The country is mostly undulating land or flat plateau at around 600m (1968ft) above sea level. Dense tropical forests grow in the south, but that gradually thins as you move north and withers into Sahelian scrub in the north-eastern corner. The Bongo Massif near the border with Sudan rises to 1330m (4362ft) and the Yadé Massif along the Cameroon border rises to 1420m (4576ft). The Oubangui River forms the southern boundary with the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

Those with the big bucks get to shoot the big bucks. Hunting safaris are still a huge business in the CAR, and have been ever since the French arrived a century ago and began parcelling up the land into hunting estates. If you've got US$30,000 to spare you can get your kicks shooting giant elands and bongos (types of spiral-horned antelopes), lions and leopards dead in their tracks. Until recently you could even contribute to the destruction of the elephant population. If you don't have the cash, or have a more live-and-let-live attitude to wildlife, there's always your camera, and the photo opportunities are dauntingly large. The CAR is renowned for its population of forest elephants, slightly smaller and with straighter tusks than their plains cousins. Parks include the Bamingui-Bangoran National Park in the north-east, the smaller St Floris National Park further east, and the recently created Dzanga-Ndoki Park and the surrounding Dzanga-Sangha Reserve in the south.

The rainy season lasts six months in the south of the country (May to October), diminishing progressively to four months (June to September) as you head north. The mercury can climb to 40°C (104°F) in the north between February and May, and the humidity can be oppressive.

History

Archaeological remains indicate that a civilisation existed in the region of modern day CAR before the rise of Egypt. Little is known of that, however, and of the CAR's present inhabitants, pygmies were the first to arrive. More than 1000 years ago people began migrating from Sudan in the east and Cameroon in the west. By 1600, slavery was the rage and villages were continually raided by Arab conquerors from Chad and Sudan, and via the coast by European slavers. Whole villages in the north were depopulated, and people were still being sold in Cairo slave markets until the late 19th century. The CAR today is one of the most lightly populated countries in Africa.

When the European powers carved up Africa, France was awarded most of the central area. The French government soon realised it did not have the savoir-faire to exploit the region to the full, so the government broke it down into 17 concessions and dished them out to European companies in exchange for around 15% of profits and a fixed annual payment. The companies weren't particularly enlightened employers; they conscripted the local population into slave-like servitude. Those who refused or deserted were killed or tortured, and thousands died.

During WWII, cotton and diamond exports reached record levels, and the colony had become a favourite ground for big game hunters. Resistance to French rule faded in the late 1920s under the combined weight of repression, famine, and smallpox epidemics, but the practice of corvée, or forced labour, provoked a further series of rebellions during the 1930s. But the region was proving too profitable for France to let go of it easily, and a nationalist movement in anything more than name re-emerged only after WWII.

In 1949 the charismatic leader Barthelemy Boganda founded the first political party, the Mouvement d'Evolution Sociale de l'Afrique Noire, calling for independence. Boganda died in a mysterious plane crash in 1959, however, and his successor, David Dacko, became the country's first president. Dacko's rule quickly became highly repressive and dictatorial, and in 1966, when the country was virtually on its knees, Jean-Bédel Bokassa, the army's commander in chief, led a successful coup.

Bokassa was a leader poured into virtually the same mould as Idi Amin of Uganda. He personally supervised and sometimes participated in the public clubbing to death of prisoners, took over the most important government portfolios, and attempted to wipe out all opposition. France, coveting the uranium deposits at Bakouma and the exclusive big-game hunting grounds near the Sudanese border (patronised by former French President Giscard d'Estaing) continued to indulge Bokassa and bail out his economy. Bokassa squandered foreign loans on prestige projects, and his most outrageous fantasy was to have himself crowned emperor in a renamed Central African Empire. The French picked up most of the tab for the 1977 event, about US$20 million, or nearly the equivalent of the CAR's annual GDP.

Bokassa's downfall came in 1979, when he flew to Libya with a request for aid. The French engineered a little musical chairs and flew former president Dacko back into the country. But he proved unpopular and General André Kolingba, head of the army, seized power in 1981. He promised to return to civilian rule, but progress toward that was excruciatingly slow. That year Bokassa flew back to the CAR, believing that Kolingba wouldn't dare impeach him. He was convicted of treason, murder and cannibalism and sentenced to death, which was later commuted to life imprisonment. His death in 1996 passed almost without comment from the local press.

Kolingba dragged his heels and postponed the elections until 1993, when he was finally defeated by civilian Ange-Félix Patassé elected in October. A new age could have been ushered in, but the light of the new dawn turned out to be cold and blue, as Patassé stacked the government with his fellow tribesmen. The harsh realities of a nation with its finances and much of its infrastructure in a shambles hit hard, and in 1996 dissident elements of the armed forces came out shooting no fewer than four times. Violence between the government and rebel military and civilian groups continued over pay issues, living conditions, and lack of political representation. This state of unrest has depleted government coffers, destroyed many local enterprises and partly unwound the CAR's social fabric. The government's expulsion of a journalist in January 1999 indicates that it is still struggling with the concept of a free press.

Economic Profile

GDP: US$2.5 billion
GDP per head: US$800
Annual growth: 4.8%%
Inflation: 19.4%%
Major industries: Diamond mining, timber, brewing, textiles and footwear, assembly of bicycles and motorcycles
Major trading partners: France, Belgium, Italy, Japan, Luxembourg, USA, Spain, Iran, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Republic of the Congo

Culture

You're likely to hear modern African music on the radio, most of which comes from the two Congos. Some of its exponents have become world famous, and while traditional African music influenced the music of the USA, the Caribbean and Latin America, modern African music has in turn been influenced by jazz, rock and Latin rhythms. Traditional African music is not generally particularly accessible to the Western ear, and although it's full of complex rhythms and harmonies, it is not melodic and may sound as if very little is going on. The log xylophone is one of the most common instruments, and it consists of two long banana tree trunks supporting about five logs that are struck with sticks. The tiny sanza or thumb piano consists of a soundbox of wood with bamboo or metal keys played with the thumbs. If you encounter any pygmies you will probably hear some of their music, because they accompany all of their daily activities with music.

Africans generally place great emphasis on clothing, and a trip to the CAR is a treat to see the quality of people's dress. Women often wear a loose top and a length of cloth (pagne) around the waist as a skirt. Men's casual clothes - that look like pyjamas - are in the same distinctively `African' designs, but most of the cloth is imported from the Netherlands. The most authentic cloths are the handmade, designed fabrics, such as woodblock prints and batiks and tie-dyed cloths. Dress is normally conservative and shorts are frowned upon, and the standards are usually tougher for women than men.

French is the official language, but Sango is the national language and is widely used on radio and in official situations. Sango is related to Lingala, one of the Democratic Republic of the Congo's main languages. There are pockets of Islam in the north, and Christians and animists are in roughly equal numbers throughout the country. Many Christians still maintain at least some animist practices, and because every ethnic group has its own religion there are hundreds of religions in the country. Good and bad magic and spirits play a significant role in local religions, and religious men can read fortunes, give advice on avoiding danger and hand out charms. Much of the life in CAR centres around special events like baptisms, weddings, village celebrations (fêtes), funerals and holidays. There will usually be dancing at all of them except funerals.

In the villages and in African-style homes in the larger towns, people eat with their hands, although visitors will normally be offered a spoon. Always use your right hand, as the left is reserved for the toilet; you will cause significant offence if you do not observe this rule. The best African food you'll find will be in someone's home, but the second best is often on the streets. Generally, the more varied the ingredients the better, and variety is part of what makes the food so interesting. Many dishes are made with okra (gombo) which is very slimy, and because it's commonly used on the streets it's easy to get the impression that there's little else. Meals typically consist of a staple (rice, fermented cassava - another very sticky sensation - or bananas) with some kind of sauce.

Beer halls are everywhere, and beer is generally very good, although you may have to get used to drinking early in the day. Locals enjoy a drink, and alcoholism is a rising problem. Home made brew is popular, and two of the most common drinks are palm wine and banana wine, usually sold in jugs along the roadside. Ginger beer is also widespread, as it is throughout most of Africa, although you should be wary of it as the water it is made with is often contaminated.

Events

The CAR celebrates all the Christian festivals, and in the north, all the Muslim ones. Their dates vary according to the Muslim lunar calendar. Tabaski (Id al Kabir) is also known as the Great Feast, and is the most important celebration in northern central Africa. Muslims kill a sheep to commemorate the moment when Abraham was about to sacrifice his son in obedience to God's command. (God intervened at the last moment and suggested a ram instead.) It also coincides with the end of the pilgrimage to Mecca. New Year's Day is a holiday throughout the country as well.

Facts for the Traveller

Visas: Only nationals of France, Germany, Israel and Switzerland do not need visas. There is a CAR embassy in Washington, but none in the UK and only a few in Europe. In most African countries where there's no CAR representation the French embassy can issue CAR visas.
Health risks: Malaria, bilharzia (schistosomiasis, which makes swimming unsafe everywhere), AIDS (many adults, particularly prostitutes, are affected in Bangui).
Time: GMT/UTC +1 hour
Electricity: 220 volts.
Weights & measures: metric(see conversion table)

Money & Costs

Currency: Central African Franc (CFA)
Relative costs:

• Budget room: US$3-10
• Moderate hotel: US$50-60
• Top-end hotel: US$150 and upwards

• Budget meal: US$0.50-5
• Moderate restaurant meal: US$5-10
• Top-end restaurant meal: US$15 and upwards

The CAR will put a happy grin on the face of most budget travellers. It's cheap, and if you're careful, eat in the markets or on street stalls and stay in the cheapest accommodation (or camp in the bush for free) you could get by easily on US$15-20 a day. But if you're used to a few more creature comforts and like to splurge occasionally, expect to pay around US$50 a day, which will get you more restaurant meals and more of a choice with accommodation. It would be difficult to spend a lot more than US$100 a day, unless you are mugged often or constantly stay in the best hotels, eat out at the best restaurants, and go drinking and dancing every night.

The exchange rate for cash is much lower than for travellers cheques, but the two banks that change cheques charge commissions. The Banque Internationale pour l'Afrique Occidental (BIAO) charges about US$4.50 whatever the size of the transaction, and the Union Bancaire en Afrique Centrale charges a 1% commission. Bangui and Berbérati are the only places where you can change money, so you'll have to organise your trip and your finances around the banks there.

Tipping is a problem because there are few clear rules that can be applied to everyone. Africans generally don't tip, but a small amount is expected from wealthier Africans. It is related to the idea of a cadeau (gift) - and the wealthy are expected to leave them. Most foreigners are assumed to be rich, unless they obviously look like a backpacker. Travellers at expensive hotels would be expected to tip as well, but not at cheaper hostels. Expect to tip 10% of the bill at better restaurants, but at African restaurants with all-African customers no one is expected to tip, nor would you tip at street stalls. Where there are few other travellers, try and follow local custom as closely as possible.

Bargaining, on the other hand, is normal. Most travellers should expect the initial price to be three or more times the `real' price. This is not always true; with African cloth sold by the metre and with gold and silver, don't expect to bargain. If you try, the seller is likely to refuse to deal with you any more.

When to Go

Rain is the most important point to consider when planning a trip to the CAR, because a wet season downpour can strand you for days. In most of the CAR the best time to travel is from November to April, but the rains come by late February in the south and around Bangui. Most of the national parks are open year-round, but St Floris in the north-east is open only from 1 December to 15 May.

Off the Beaten Track

Activities

There are plenty of opportunities for hiking and bushwhacking through rainforest, as well as mountain climbing and rock climbing if you look hard enough around the Bongo and the Yadé Massifs. You can cycle in the CAR, and it is a great way to make contact with locals. If you bring a football or soccer ball you'll make a splash with locals keen for a kick, and after soccer, basketball is Africa's most popular sport. Taking a wildlife safari is the best way to see the wildlife in some of the more remote parts of the country.

Getting There & Away

There are direct flights to Bangui from Paris and New York, and from other cities in Africa. In October 1997 the CAR government officially closed all points of entry for tourists into the CAR other than Bangui Airport, because it could not guarantee security for tourists entering overland.

Getting Around

The only place with regular flights scheduled to Bangui is Berbérati, but you can charter five-seater passenger planes in Bangui. Roads are poor throughout the country, and the only sealed ones lead out from Bangui, 157km (97mi) north-west to Bossembélé, 188km (116.5mi) north-east to Sibut, and 107km (66mi) south-west to M'Baïki. Dirt roads can be closed for hours or days during the wet season. Buses, trucks and minibuses are the normal means of getting around, but you can do some trips by dugout canoe, such as downriver from Bangassou to Bangui on the Oubangui River.

Recommended Reading

• Modern Africa by Basil Davidson looks at African history since 1900.
• Blaine Garden's Africa: Dispatches From a Fragile Continent examines why African political leadership has failed its people.
• Africa since 1800 by Roland Oliver and Anthony Atmore describes the colonial period right through to various African countries' roads to independence, as well as the post independence era to the early 80s.
• Central African Republic in Pictures by Thomas O'Toole, introduces the geography, history, society, economy, and government of the CAR.
• The Washington Post described Congolese Henri Lopes' book The Laughing Cry as `satirical, tender, bawdy, savage and filled with love and hope'.
• Chris Stapleton and Chris May's book African Rock is a great introduction to African music of all kinds.
• African Music, A People's Art by Cameroonian Francis Bebey, is an excellent work on the music of French-speaking Africa.

• Central Africa
• Africa

Travellers' Reports

• Click here for the latest (but unverified) travellers' reports on CAR

On-line Info

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