Central African Republic
Africa · Capital: Bangui
How it is run: Central African Republic is a member of the United Nations, so it gets one vote in the General Assembly. Use the research links below to find out exactly who makes the laws there.
Central African Republic is home to 5.5 million people in Middle Africa, where people speak French, Sango.
Numbers that tell a story 🔢
👥 People
5.5 million people
That is about 681 people out of every million on Earth (counted in 2025).
🗺️ Land
622,984 km²
Bigger than Texas — a long road trip from one side to the other.
🏙️ How crowded
Only about 8.8 people per square kilometre — lots of wide open space between towns.
📊 Size in its region
38th most people in Africa
19th largest by land in Africa.
🗣️ Official languages
French, Sango
More than one language is used for official business.
💰 Money
Central African CFA franc (Fr)
Life here today 🩺
These come from World Bank open data — the same numbers governments use when they argue about budgets.
❤️ How long people live
57.7 years on average
Doctors, clean water and food supply all change this number over time.
💼 Money made per person each year
about US$556
A lower-income country: money for schools, clinics and roads has to stretch a very long way.
🏢 Living in cities
44.6% of people
Many people still live in villages and farming towns.
🎒 Kids under 15
48.7% of the population
A very young country — schools have to be built quickly.
Everyday details 🧭
📞 Phone code
+236
Dial this before the number to call from another country.
🌐 Websites end in
.cf
🧑 People here are called
Central African
🏷️ Name at home
République centrafricaine · Bêafrîka
Also written: Central African Republic, République centrafricaine.
🌊 Coast or inland
Landlocked — no coastline
🕊️ UN voting group
African Group
Countries in the same group often plan votes together.
Neighbours & borders 🤝
Central African Republic is landlocked — it has no coastline, so anything arriving by sea must cross a neighbour's border first.
Say its name around the world 🗣️
Countries have different names in different languages. Try these with a penpal.
Spanish
República Centroafricana
French
République centrafricaine
Arabic
جمهورية أفريقيا الوسطى
Chinese
中非共和国
Japanese
中央アフリカ
Russian
Центральноафриканская Республика
Portuguese
República Centro-Africana
German
Zentralafrikanische Republik
Put it in perspective 📏
- Nigeria — the most populated country in Africa — has about 43.1× as many people as Central African Republic.
- Central African Republic covers roughly 5,933 times the area of Hong Kong Island.
- If everyone in Central African Republic lined up shoulder to shoulder, the line would stretch about 2,757 km.
Fast facts 🧠
Fact of the day: Central African Republic is a full member of the United Nations, so it gets one vote in the General Assembly — the same as every other member, big or small.
🏷️ Official name
Central African Republic
🏙️ Capital
Bangui
🌍 Region
Africa · Middle Africa
🔤 Country code
CF
🕊️ UN status
UN member state
🚩 Independence
Independent country
More about Central African Republic 🔎
🧭 Where on the map
7.0° N, 21.0° E
🌐 Half of the world
Northern & Eastern hemisphere
🕰️ Clock check
Roughly UTC+1 — when it is noon in London it is about 13:00 in Bangui.
- The capital of Central African Republic is Bangui — that's where the country's big decisions get made.
- Central African Republic is close to the line of 0° longitude, so its clocks are near the world's reference time (UTC).
- Central African Republic is a full member of the United Nations, so it gets one vote in the General Assembly — the same as every other member, big or small.
- Central African Republic sits in Middle Africa, in the northern and eastern half of the globe.
- Central African Republic lies in the tropics, between the Tropic of Cancer and the Tropic of Capricorn, so the sun gets very high overhead.
Countries nearby 🤝
Talk about it 💬
- Central African Republic has 2 official languages. How would your school day change if lessons were taught in more than one language?
- Being landlocked means paying neighbours to move goods to the sea. What deal would you offer a neighbour if you led Central African Republic?
- If Central African Republic spoke at the General Assembly tomorrow, what one problem should its delegate ask the world to help fix?
Quick quiz 🧪
Guess first, then tap to check your answer.
What is the capital of Central African Republic?
Bangui
Which money do people spend in Central African Republic?
Central African CFA franc (Fr)
How many countries share a land border with Central African Republic?
6 — Cameroon, Chad, DR Congo, Republic of the Congo, South Sudan, Sudan.
Roughly how many people live in Central African Republic?
5.5 million people
Keep researching 🔍
Everything here is a starting point. These trusted sites, databases and libraries will take you further — and they are the kind of sources a teacher will accept in a report.
Start here — kid-friendly encyclopedias 📚
Short articles written for students, with maps and photos you can use in a report.
Official data & government sources 🏛️
Primary sources. Cite these when your teacher asks for real data.
News & current policy 📰
Use two different outlets before you decide what you think.
Your library card 🏫
Libraries give you books, databases and librarians — all free.
Library tip: Ask your school or public librarian for their online databases (like Gale in Context or EBSCO Explora). Your library card unlocks them for free at home, and they are already checked by adults for school use.