Central African Republic

Take a trip to Central Africa, to a land-locked country of grassy savannas and tropical forests, filled with an abundance of wildlife and natural resources. But despite these riches, the Central African Republic is one of the poorest nations on earth. Our printable activities below are the perfect way to test your knowledge.

Women of Central African Republic - by hdptcar on Flickr

A Little Geography…

• The Central African Republic is bordered by six countries – Chad, Sudan, South Sudan, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, the Republic of the Congo, and Cameroon. The capital is Bangui.
• The country has a population of about 4.5 million people, living in an area of about 620,000 square kilometres. The official languages are French and Sangho (a type of creole), although Arabic and many tribal languages are also spoken.
• The country is mostly flat with grassy savannas but there are tropical forests in the south, and hills in the northeast and southwest. The highest peak is Mount Ngaoui, on the border with Cameroon, at 1,410 metres.
• The Central African Republic is rich in natural resources such as uranium, oil, gold, diamonds, cobalt and wood. But it remains one of the poorest countries in the world. The main exports are diamonds, timber, cotton, coffee and tobacco. Most people are farmers growing what they need to survive.

A Little History…

• About 10,000 years ago, many tribes were forced to move south to Central Africa when their farming lands became too dry. They settled and began farming the fertile soil they found there.
• When the Europeans arrived in the Central African Republic in 1885, the French took it over as a colony in 1903.
• The country gained independence from France, however, in 1960. But since then, the government has been unstable. With over 80 ethnic groups and three major religions, it has proved difficult for people to agree on who should be in charge.
• Despite some periods of peace, fighting broke out again in 2012, and nearly a quarter of the population were forced to leave their homes to escape the violence. The United Nations is trying to bring stability to the region.

And Some Interesting Facts…

• The Central African Republic has five national parks, one of which has been granted UNESCO world heritage status for its diversity of wildlife. The country has one of the largest populations of forest elephants and lowland gorillas in Africa. Their national symbol is the elephant.
• Music and dance are important to the people of the Central African Republic. Different ethnic groups have brought their own musical styles and dance traditions to create a rich cultural blend for festivals, daily rituals, storytelling and entertainment.
• The country’s most popular sport is basketball. The national basketball team became the first Sub-Saharan African team to qualify for the Basketball World Cup, and have competed at the Olympic Games.

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The Central African Republic Flag

The Central African Republic Flag consists of four horizontal stripes in blue, white, green and yellow, one vertical red stripe, and a single yellow five-pointed star. The flag was officially adopted in 1958. The yellow star of independence represents a bright future. 

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Our Central African Republic Resources