BanguiCapital
Central African Republic · Country profile
Bangui is the river capital of the Central African Republic, a sprawling frontier city that spreads along the northern bank of the great Ubangi River, with the green hills of the Congo on the far side of the water. It is the political and commercial heart of one of the least visited countries of the world, a place of wide avenues, tangled neighbourhoods, a great riverside market and a colonial mosque and cathedral that anchor the old centre. The museums and the palm groves of the city hold the culture of the many peoples of the region, while the river life, the pirogues and the beaches of the sand along the bank give the capital its daily calendar. A genuine African crossroads with a deep frontier spirit, Bangui is the rare, raw portal to the forests, the rivers and the people of the centre of the continent.
About Bangui
Bangui is the capital of Central African Republic. The city's documented population is around 889,000 people. For visitors from abroad, the local currency is the Central African CFA franc (XAF) and French is spoken; the dialling code is +236.
The Frontier Capital of the Long River of the Heart
Bangui is a raw, riverside frontier capital where the daily flow of the pirogues, the markets and the worn colonial avenues set a genuinely off-the-grid African rhythm. The visitor moves between the river, the central market, the cathedral quarter and the museum, always with a driver and the current security advice to hand. The city is the extremely uncommon base for the few travellers heading into the forests of the country, and the crossing by boat to the neighbouring Congo adds its own frontier adventure. Rugged, poor and strikingly sincere, Bangui suits the patient traveller who comes for the river, the people and the sheer strangeness of the Central African frontier.
The Dry Season, the CFA Franc and the Daylight Movement
The climate is warm and humid all year, with a clear dry season from November to April that makes the roads and the days easiest, and the travel there demands the very latest security advice and a firmly organized local support. The CFA franc is the currency and the French the official language, with the Sango of the streets. The hotel, the driver and the permits of the foreign office are arranged in advance, and movement is best kept to the daylight hours and to the main districts. The river trips, the central market and the modest museum form the essential circuit of the capital.
The Boganda Museum, the Cathedral and the River Trade of the Shore
The Boganda Museum, named for the father of the nation, preserves the masks, the harps and the everyday objects of the forest peoples of the country, while the old cathedral of the capital and the mosque of the centre show the two faiths of the region. The great riverside market, with its fish, its cassava, its palm oil and the noise of the frontier trade, is the great authentic scene of the city, and the pirogue ferries across the river to the Congo carry the trade of the two banks. The islands of the river, the rapids and the canoe trips of the nearby villages complete the picture of the proud, isolated capital of the heart of Africa.
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- Country
- Central African Republic
- Population
- 889,000
- Capital
- Bangui
- Region
- Africa
- Currency
- Central African CFA franc (XAF)
- Languages
- French
- Calling code
- +236
- Country code
- CF
Frequently asked questions
Is Bangui the capital of Central African Republic?
Yes — Bangui is the capital of Central African Republic.
What currency do I need in Bangui?
The local currency is the Central African CFA franc (XAF). Languages spoken in Central African Republic include French.
What is the dialling code for Central African Republic?
The international dialling code for Central African Republic is +236.
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