97-672: Célestin Leroy Gaombalet (1 January 1942 – 19 December 2017) was a Central African politician who was Prime Minister of the Central African Republic from 2003 to 2005. He was President of the National Assembly of the Central African Republic from 2005 to 2013. Gaombalet was born in the village of Grimari in 1942. He began working for the Customs and Economic Union of Central Africa (UDEAC) in
194-422: A wet season that lasts from June to September in the northern regions of the country, and from May to October in the south. During the wet season, rainstorms are an almost daily occurrence, and early morning fog is commonplace. Maximum annual precipitation is approximately 1,800 millimetres (71 in) in the upper Ubangi region. The northern areas are hot and humid from February to May, but can be subject to
291-494: A 2018 Forest Landscape Integrity Index mean score of 9.28/10, ranking it seventh globally out of 172 countries. In 2008, Central African Republic was the world's least light pollution affected country. The Central African Republic is the focal point of the Bangui Magnetic Anomaly , one of the largest magnetic anomalies on Earth. The climate of the Central African Republic is generally tropical , with
388-739: A U.N. peacekeeping force (MINURCA) . Since 1997, the country has hosted almost a dozen peacekeeping interventions, earning it the title of "world champion of peacekeeping". In 1998, parliamentary elections resulted in Kolingba's RDC winning 20 out of 109 seats. The next year, however, in spite of widespread public anger in urban centers over his corrupt rule, Patassé won a second term in the presidential election. On 28 May 2001, rebels stormed strategic buildings in Bangui in an unsuccessful coup attempt . The army chief of staff, Abel Abrou, and General François N'Djadder Bedaya were killed, but Patassé regained
485-478: A company owned by one of his wives. The government violently suppressed the protests, killing 100 children and teenagers. Bokassa might have been personally involved in some of the killings. In September 1979, France overthrew Bokassa and restored Dacko to power (subsequently restoring the official name of the country and the original government to the Central African Republic). Dacko, in turn,
582-575: A great deal of autonomy. The larger Sahelian kingdoms emerged from 750 AD and erected several large cities in the Niger valley region, including Timbuktu , Gao and Djenné . Due to the wooded areas to their south, the Sahelian states were hindered from expanding into the north Akan state of the Bonoman and Yoruba peoples , as mounted warriors were all but useless in the forests. In addition,
679-485: A network of roads were built, attempts were made to combat sleeping sickness , and Protestant missions were established to spread Christianity. New forms of forced labour were also introduced and a large number of Ubangians were sent to work on the Congo-Ocean Railway . Through the period of construction until 1934 there was a continual heavy cost in human lives, with total deaths among all workers along
776-605: A new constitution, and announced that he would step down and run for office once the new constitution was approved. In 2004, the Central African Republic Bush War began as forces opposed to Bozizé took up arms against his government. In May 2005, Bozizé won the presidential election, which excluded Patassé, and in 2006 fighting continued between the government and the rebels. In November 2006, Bozizé's government requested French military support to help them repel rebels who had taken control of towns in
873-559: A peace treaty in 2007 and another in 2011, civil war resumed in 2012. The civil war perpetuated the country's poor human rights record : it was characterized by widespread and increasing abuses by various participating armed groups, such as arbitrary imprisonment, torture, and restrictions on freedom of the press and freedom of movement. Despite its significant mineral deposits and other resources, such as uranium reserves, crude oil , gold , diamonds , cobalt , lumber , and hydropower , as well as significant quantities of arable land ,
970-481: A percentage of their profits into the French treasury. The concessionary companies forced local people to harvest rubber, coffee, and other commodities without pay and held their families hostage until they met their quotas. In 1920, French Equatorial Africa was established and Ubangi-Shari was administered from Brazzaville . During the 1920s and 1930s the French introduced a policy of mandatory cotton cultivation,
1067-636: A plane crash on 29 March 1959, his cousin, David Dacko , took control of MESAN. Dacko became the country's first president when the Central African Republic formally received independence from France at midnight on 13 August 1960, a date celebrated by the country's Independence Day holiday. Dacko threw out his political rivals, including Abel Goumba , former Prime Minister and leader of Mouvement d'évolution démocratique de l'Afrique centrale (MEDAC), whom he forced into exile in France. With all opposition parties suppressed by November 1962, Dacko declared MESAN as
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#17327906844901164-439: A population of 5,357,744, and is in the scene of a civil war , which has been ongoing since 2012. As a former French colony , French is the official language, with Sango, a Ngbandi based-creole language as the national and co- official language . The Central African Republic mainly consists of Sudano-Guinean savannas , but the country also includes a Sahelo - Sudanian zone in the north and an equatorial forest zone in
1261-523: A power-sharing government. The deal later broke down, and the rebels seized the capital in March 2013 and Bozizé fled the country. Michel Djotodia took over as president. Prime Minister Nicolas Tiangaye requested a UN peacekeeping force from the UN Security Council and on 31 May former President Bozizé was indicted for crimes against humanity and incitement to genocide. By the end of
1358-448: A relative humidity under 35%. The Sahel is characterized by constant, intense heat, with an unvarying temperature. The Sahel rarely experiences cold temperatures. During the hottest period, the average high temperatures are generally between 36 and 42 °C (97 and 108 °F) (and even more in the hottest regions), often for more than three months, while the average low temperatures are around 25 to 31 °C (77 to 88 °F). During
1455-741: A second round of elections were finally held in 1993, again with the help of the international community coordinated by GIBAFOR, Ange-Félix Patassé won in the second round of voting with 53% of the vote while Goumba won 45.6%. Patassé's party, the Mouvement pour la Libération du Peuple Centrafricain (MLPC) or Movement for the Liberation of the Central African People, gained a plurality (relative majority) but not an absolute majority of seats in parliament, which meant Patassé's party required coalition partners. Patassé purged many of
1552-623: A series of monarchies centered in the Sahel between the 9th and 18th centuries. The wealth of the states, like the legendary Mali Empire at the time of Mansa Musa , came from controlling the trans-Saharan trade routes across the desert, especially with the Maghreb . Their power came from having large pack animals like camels and horses that were fast enough to keep a large empire under central control and were also useful in battle. All of these empires were quite decentralized with member cities having
1649-444: A surprise attack against Patassé, who was out of the country. Libyan troops and some 1,000 soldiers of Bemba's Congolese rebel organization failed to stop the rebels and Bozizé's forces succeeded in overthrowing Patassé. François Bozizé suspended the constitution and named a new cabinet, which included most opposition parties. Abel Goumba was named vice-president. Bozizé established a broad-based National Transition Council to draft
1746-560: A system of transhumance . The difference between the dry North with higher levels of soil nutrients and the wetter South with more vegetation, is utilized by having the herds graze on high-quality feed in the North during the wet season, and trek several hundred kilometers to the South to graze on more abundant, but less nutritious feed during the dry period. In Western Sahel, polygamy and child marriage are common. Female genital mutilation
1843-794: A warmer Atlantic Ocean. Warming of the Mediterranean Sea may also be a factor. Protected areas in the Sahel include Ferlo Nord Wildlife Reserve in Senegal, Sylvo-Pastoral and Partial Faunal Reserve of the Sahel in Burkina Faso, Ansonga-Ménake Faunal Reserve in Mali, Tadres Reserve in Niger, and Waza National Park in Cameroon. Traditionally, most of the people in the Sahel have been semi- nomads , farming and raising livestock in
1940-598: Is a biogeographical region in Africa . It is the transition zone between the more humid Sudanian savannas to its south and the drier Sahara to the north. The Sahel has a hot semi-arid climate and stretches across the southernmost latitudes of North Africa between the Atlantic Ocean and the Red Sea . Although geographically located in the tropics, the Sahel does not have a tropical climate . Especially in
2037-608: Is a common area for dust storms, occurring on average on 100 days every year. On 23 March 2010, a major sandstorm hit Mauritania, Senegal, The Gambia , Guinea-Bissau , Guinea , and inland Sierra Leone . Another struck in southern Algeria , inland Mauritania, Mali and northern Ivory Coast at the same time. Following the drought period of the 1970s and 1980, however, the Sahel began to experience increased rainfall. This may be due to global warming , which can cause changes that may result in changes in large-scale weather patterns, such as increased stronger monsoons, in turn caused by
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#17327906844902134-751: Is also estimated to be the unhealthiest country as well as the worst country in which to be young. The Central African Republic is a member of the United Nations , the African Union , the Economic Community of Central African States , the Organisation internationale de la Francophonie and the Non-Aligned Movement . The name of the Central African Republic is derived from the country's geographical location in
2231-525: Is also practiced across the Sahel. The term "Sahel" is borrowed from the Arabic name for the region, الساحل al-sāḥil . Sāḥil literally means "coast, shore", which has been explained as a figurative reference to the southern edge of the vast Sahara. However, such use is unattested in Classical Arabic , and it has been suggested that the word may originally have been derived from
2328-476: Is argued that the focus of the initial disarmament efforts exclusively on the Seleka inadvertently handed the anti-Balaka the upper hand, leading to the forced displacement of Muslim civilians by anti-Balaka in Bangui and western Central African Republic. On 11 January 2014, Michael Djotodia and Nicolas Tiengaye resigned as part of a deal negotiated at a regional summit in neighboring Chad . Catherine Samba-Panza
2425-704: Is bordered by Chad to the north , Sudan to the northeast , South Sudan to the east , the Democratic Republic of the Congo to the south , the Republic of the Congo to the southwest , and Cameroon to the west . Bangui is the country's capital and largest city, bordering the Democratic Republic of the Congo. The Central African Republic covers a land area of about 620,000 square kilometres (240,000 sq mi). As of 2024, it has
2522-413: Is only a matter of time before countries like Niger lose their entire landmass to desert due to unchecked unsustainable human practices. Over-farming , over-grazing, over-population of marginal lands, and natural soil erosion , have caused serious desertification of the region. This has affected shelter construction, making it necessary to change the used materials. The Woodless Construction project
2619-590: Is probably extinct in the wild , and both Pelorovis and the Bubal hartebeest are now extinct). The seasonal wetlands of the Sahel are important for migratory birds moving within Africa and on the African-Eurasian flyways . The Sahel has a tropical semi-arid climate ( Köppen climate classification BSh ). The climate is typically hot, sunny, dry and somewhat windy all year long. The Sahel's climate
2716-461: Is similar to, but less extreme than, the climate of the Sahara desert located just to the north. The Sahel mainly receives a low to very low amount of precipitation annually. The steppe has a very long, prevailing dry season and a short rainy season. The precipitation is also extremely irregular, and varies considerably from season to season. Most of the rain usually falls during four to six months in
2813-418: The 2005 parliamentary election , Gaombalet was elected to the National Assembly as a Deputy from Bambari . At the opening of the National Assembly, he was elected as President of the National Assembly on June 7, 2005, receiving 78 votes against 18 for Luc Apollinaire Dondon Konamabaye , who had previously held the position under President Ange-Félix Patassé . Gaombalet resigned as prime minister on June 11 and
2910-425: The Atlantic Ocean in the west to the Red Sea in the east, in a belt several hundred to a thousand kilometers (c. 600 miles) wide. It covers an area of 3,053,200 square kilometers (1,178,850 sq mi). Representing a climatic and ecological transition zone with hot semi-desert and steppe conditions , the Sahel region borders the more humid Sudanian savannas to its south and the dry Sahara desert to
3007-621: The Free French Forces in Bangui . In 1946 Barthélemy Boganda was elected with 9,000 votes to the French National Assembly , becoming the first representative of the Central African Republic in the French government. Boganda maintained a political stance against racism and the colonial regime but gradually became disheartened with the French political system and returned to the Central African Republic to establish
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3104-572: The G5 Sahel , an anti-terrorism alliance, after the military regimes in Burkina Faso, Niger, and Mali withdrew. On 9 July 2020, the United States raised concerns over growing number of allegations of human rights violations and abuses by state security forces in Sahel. The US response came after Human Rights Watch released documents regarding the same on 1 July. Reports in March 2022 show militants are expanding and spreading out south of
3201-672: The Movement for the Social Evolution of Black Africa ( Mouvement pour l'évolution sociale de l'Afrique noire , MESAN) in 1950. In the Ubangi-Shari Territorial Assembly election in 1957, MESAN captured 347,000 out of the total 356,000 votes and won every legislative seat, which led to Boganda being elected president of the Grand Council of French Equatorial Africa and vice-president of
3298-590: The Peace Corps evacuated all its volunteers to neighboring Cameroon. To date, the Peace Corps has not returned to the Central African Republic. The Bangui Agreements , signed in January 1997, provided for the deployment of an inter-African military mission, to the Central African Republic and re-entry of ex-mutineers into the government on 7 April 1997. The inter-African military mission was later replaced by
3395-601: The Treaty of Fez , France ceded a nearly 300,000 km portion of the Sangha and Lobaye basins to the German Empire which ceded a smaller area (in present-day Chad ) to France. After World War I France again annexed the territory. Modeled on King Leopold 's Congo Free State , concessions were doled out to private companies that endeavored to strip the region's assets as quickly and cheaply as possible before depositing
3492-802: The fall of the Berlin Wall , a pro-democracy movement arose. Pressure from the United States, France, and from a group of locally represented countries and agencies called GIBAFOR (France, the US, Germany, Japan, the EU, the World Bank , and the United Nations ) finally led Kolingba to agree, in principle, to hold free elections in October 1992 with help from the UN Office of Electoral Affairs. After using
3589-429: The "coldest period", the average high temperatures are between 27 and 33 °C (81 and 91 °F) and the average low temperatures are between 15 and 21 °C (59 and 70 °F). Everywhere in the Sahel, the average mean temperature is over 18 °C (64 °F). The Sahel has a high to very high sunshine duration year-round, between 2,400 hours (about 55% of the daylight hours) and 3,600 hours (more than 80% of
3686-823: The 1970s, then became Director-General of the Union Bank in Central Africa, located in Bangui , before being dismissed from that post by President André Kolingba in 1981. Kolingba moved Gaombalet to a position at the Development Bank of Central African States in Brazzaville . In the early 1990s, Gaombalet returned to the Central African Republic, becoming head of the Moroccan-Central African People's Bank and later retiring. Despite having no political experience, Gaombalet
3783-566: The Arabic word سهل sahl "plain" instead. Around 4000 BC, the climate of the Sahara and the Sahel started to become drier at an exceedingly fast pace. This climate change caused lakes and rivers to shrink significantly and caused increasing desertification . This, in turn, decreased the amount of land conducive to settlements and caused migrations of farming communities to the more humid climate of West Africa . The Sahelian kingdoms were
3880-550: The Central African Republic is among the ten poorest countries in the world, with the lowest GDP per capita at purchasing power parity in the world as of 2017. As of 2022 , according to the Human Development Index (HDI), the country had the third-lowest level of human development, ranking 191 out of 193 countries. The country had the second lowest inequality-adjusted Human Development Index (IHDI), ranking 164th out of 165 countries. The Central African Republic
3977-639: The Central African Republic is the world's 44th-largest country . Much of the southern border is formed by tributaries of the Congo River ; the Mbomou River in the east merges with the Uele River to form the Ubangi River , which also comprises portions of the southern border. The Sangha River flows through some of the western regions of the country, while the eastern border lies along
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4074-433: The Central African Republic was ruled by a series of autocratic leaders, including an abortive attempt at a monarchy under the regime of Jean-Bedel Bokassa . By the 1990s, calls for democracy led to the first multi-party democratic elections in 1993. Ange-Félix Patassé became president, but was later removed by General François Bozizé in a 2003 coup . The Central African Republic Bush War began in 2004 and, despite
4171-683: The Central African Republic...a 'vassal state' of the Kremlin." The Central African Republic is a landlocked nation within the interior of the African continent. It is bordered by Cameroon, Chad, Sudan, South Sudan, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and the Republic of the Congo. The country lies between latitudes 2° and 11°N , and longitudes 14° and 28°E . Much of the country consists of flat or rolling plateau savanna approximately 500 metres (1,640 ft) above sea level . In addition to
4268-688: The Fertit Hills in the northeast of the Central African Republic, there are scattered hills in the southwest regions. In the northwest is the Yade Massif, a granite plateau with an altitude of 348 metres (1,143 ft). The Central African Republic contains six terrestrial ecoregions: Northeastern Congolian lowland forests , Northwestern Congolian lowland forests , Western Congolian swamp forests , East Sudanian savanna , Northern Congolian forest-savanna mosaic , and Sahelian Acacia savanna . At 622,984 square kilometres (240,535 sq mi),
4365-561: The Kolingba elements from the government and Kolingba supporters accused Patassé's government of conducting a " witch hunt " against the Yakoma. A new constitution was approved on 28 December 1994 but had little impact on the country's politics. In 1996–1997, reflecting steadily decreasing public confidence in the government's erratic behavior, three mutinies against Patassé's administration were accompanied by widespread destruction of property and heightened ethnic tension. During this time (1996),
4462-410: The Sahel region has experienced frequent droughts and megadroughts . One megadrought lasted from 1450 to 1700, 250 years. There was a major drought in the Sahel in 1914 caused by annual rains far below average, leading to large-scale famine. From 1951 to 2004, the Sahel experienced some of the most consistent and severe droughts in Africa. The 1960s saw a large increase in rainfall in the region, making
4559-473: The Sahel. The area has also seen a high prevalence of coups d'état , with military juntas currently ruling in Mali, Burkina Faso, Niger, Chad, and Sudan. The violent herder–farmer conflicts in Nigeria , Mali , Sudan and other countries in the Sahel region have been exacerbated by climate change , land degradation , and rapid population growth . Droughts and food shortages have been also linked to
4656-534: The U.S. ambassador to the United Nations, said 417 of the country's 436 mosques had been destroyed, and Muslim women were so scared of going out in public they were giving birth in their homes instead of going to the hospital. On 14 December 2015, Séléka rebel leaders declared an independent Republic of Logone . Presidential elections were held in December 2015. As no candidate received more than 50% of
4753-642: The Ubangi-Shari Government Council. Within a year, he declared the establishment of the Central African Republic and served as the country's first prime minister. MESAN continued to exist, but its role was limited. The Central African Republic was granted autonomy within the French Community on 1 December 1958, a status which meant it was still counted as part of the French Empire in Africa. After Boganda's death in
4850-807: The Western Hemisphere, or to the slave ports and factories along the West and North Africa or South along the Ubangui and Congo rivers. During the 18th century Bandia-Nzakara Azande peoples established the Bangassou Kingdom along the Ubangi River . In the mid 19th century, the Bobangi people became major slave traders and sold their captives to the Americas using the Ubangi river to reach
4947-399: The central region of Africa and its republican form of government. From 1976 to 1979, the country was known as the Central African Empire . During the colonial era, the country's name was Ubangi-Shari ( French : Oubangui-Chari ), a name derived from two major rivers and Central African waterways – Ubangi and Chari . Barthélemy Boganda , the country's first prime minister , favored
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#17327906844905044-420: The coast. In 1875, the Sudanese sultan Rabih az-Zubayr governed Upper-Oubangui, which included present-day Central African Republic. The European invasion of Central African territory began in the late 19th century during the Scramble for Africa . Europeans, primarily the French, Germans , and Belgians , arrived in the area in 1885. France seized and colonized Ubangi-Shari territory in 1894. In 1911 at
5141-423: The country's northern regions. Though the initial public details of the agreement pertained to logistics and intelligence, by December the French assistance included airstrikes by Dassault Mirage 2000 fighters against rebel positions. The Syrte Agreement in February and the Birao Peace Agreement in April 2007 called for a cessation of hostilities, the billeting of FDPC fighters and their integration with FACA,
5238-426: The country. Some 800 of the country's polling stations, or 14% of the total, were closed due to violence. Three Burundian peacekeepers were killed and an additional two were wounded during the run-up to the election. President Faustin-Archange Touadéra was reelected in the first round of the election in December 2020. Russian mercenaries from the Wagner Group have supported President Faustin-Archange Touadéra in
5335-538: The country. On 18 February 2014, United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon called on the UN Security Council to immediately deploy 3,000 troops to the country, bolstering the 6,000 African Union soldiers and 2,000 French troops already in the country, to combat civilians being murdered in large numbers. The Séléka government was said to be divided, and in September 2013, Djotodia officially disbanded Seleka, but many rebels refused to disarm, becoming known as ex-Seleka, and veered further out of government control. It
5432-471: The daylight hours). The sunshine duration in the Sahel approaches desert levels, and is comparable to that in the Arabian Desert , for example, even though the Sahel is only a steppe and not a desert. The cloud cover is low to very low. For example, Niamey , Niger has 3,082 hours of bright sunshine; Gao , Mali has near 3,385 hours of sunshine; Timbuktu , Mali has 3,409 sunny hours, and N'Djamena , Chad has 3,205 hours of sunlight. For hundreds of years,
5529-424: The diet; they were also used in the production of alcoholic beverages . Production of copper , salt , dried fish , and textiles dominated the economic trade in the Central African region. In the 16th and 17th centuries, slave traders began to raid the region as part of the expansion of the Saharan and Nile River slave routes. Their captives were enslaved and shipped to the Mediterranean coast, Europe, Arabia,
5626-456: The domestication of African oil palm improved the groups' nutrition and allowed for expansion of the local populations. This agricultural revolution, combined with a "Fish-stew Revolution", in which fishing began to take place and the use of boats, allowed for the transportation of goods. Products were often moved in ceramic pots. The Bouar Megaliths in the western region of the country indicate an advanced level of habitation dating back to
5723-625: The dominant trees, with Acacia tortilis the most common, along with Senegalia senegal and Senegalia laeta . Other tree species include Adansonia digitata , Commiphora africana , Balanites aegyptiaca , Faidherbia albida , Borassus aethiopum , Vitellaria paradoxa , Olea europaea , Arbutus unedo , Phoenix canariensis , Hyphaene compressa , Cupressus sempervirens , Quercus coccifera , Quercus suber , Pinus nigra , Populus nigra , Ceratonia siliqua , Salix alba , Afzelia africana , Kigelia africana , Sclerocarya birrea , and Boscia senegalensis . In
5820-413: The edge of the Nile River watershed . It has been estimated that up to 8% of the country is covered by forest, with the densest parts generally located in the southern regions. The forests are highly diverse and include commercially important species of Ayous , Sapelli , and Sipo . The deforestation rate is about 0.4% per annum, and lumber poaching is commonplace. The Central African Republic had
5917-407: The excuse of alleged irregularities to suspend the results of the elections as a pretext for holding on to power, President Kolingba came under intense pressure from GIBAFOR to establish a "Conseil National Politique Provisoire de la République" (Provisional National Political Council, CNPPR) and to set up a "Mixed Electoral Commission", which included representatives from all political parties. When
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#17327906844906014-529: The fears of widespread violence were ultimately unfounded, and the African Union regarded the elections as successful. Touadéra was sworn in on 30 March 2016. No representatives of the Seleka rebel group or the "anti-balaka" militias were included in the subsequently formed government. After the end of Touadéra's first term, presidential elections were held on 27 December 2020 with a possible second round planned for 14 February 2021. Former president François Bozizé announced his candidacy on 25 July 2020 but
6111-410: The fight against rebels. Russia's Wagner group has been accused of harassing and intimidating civilians. In December 2022, Roger Cohen wrote in The New York Times , " Wagner shock troops form a Praetorian Guard for Mr. Touadéra, who is also protected by Rwandan forces, in return for an untaxed license to exploit and export the Central African Republic's resources" and "one Western ambassador called
6208-492: The founding of the International Fund for Agricultural Development . Between June and August 2010, famine struck the Sahel. Niger's crops failed to mature in the heat, 350,000 faced starvation, and 1,200,000 were at risk of famine. In Chad the temperature reached 47.6 °C (117.7 °F) on 22 June in Faya-Largeau , breaking a record set in 1961 at the same location. Niger tied its highest temperature record set in 1998, also on 22 June, at 47.1 °C in Bilma . That record
6305-635: The giant prehistoric buffalo ( Pelorovis ) , and Bubal hartebeest (Alcelaphus buselaphus buselaphus) , along with large predators, such as the African wild dog (Lycaon pictus) , the Northwest African cheetah (Acinonyx jubatus hecki) , the Northeast African cheetah (Acinonyx jubatus soemmeringii) , and the lion (Panthera leo) . The larger species have been greatly reduced in number by over-hunting and competition with livestock, and several species are vulnerable (Dorcas gazelle, cheetah, lion and red-fronted gazelle), endangered ( Dama gazelle and African wild dog ), or extinct (the Scimitar-horned oryx
6402-399: The heat reached near-record levels over Chad and Niger, and in northern Niger about 20 people reportedly died of dehydration by 27 July. The Sahel region faces environmental issues that are contributing to global warming . If the change in climate in the Sahel region "is not slowed-down and desertification possibly reversed through sustainable practices and any form of reforestation , it
6499-418: The horses and camels were susceptible to the humidity and diseases of the tropics. The Western Sahel fell to France in the late 19th century as part of French West Africa . Chad was added in 1900 as part of French Equatorial Africa . The French territories in the Sahel were decolonized in 1960. The Sahel's easternmost region did not fall to the European powers but to the Khedivate of Egypt when it
6596-409: The hot, dry, and dusty trade wind known as the Harmattan . The southern regions have a more equatorial climate, but they are subject to desertification , while the extreme northeast regions of the country are a steppe . In the southwest, the Dzanga-Sangha National Park is located in a rain forest area. The country is noted for its population of forest elephants and western lowland gorillas . In
6693-430: The interwar years, was carefully hidden from the French public because it provided evidence of strong opposition to French colonial rule and forced labour. French colonization in Oubangui-Chari is considered to be the most brutal of the French colonial Empire. In September 1940, during the Second World War , pro-Gaullist French officers took control of Ubangi-Shari and General Leclerc established his headquarters for
6790-406: The liberation of political prisoners, the integration of FDPC into government, an amnesty for the UFDR , its recognition as a political party, and the integration of its fighters into the national army. Several groups continued to fight but other groups signed on to the agreement or similar agreements with the government (e.g., UFR on 15 December 2008). The only major group not to sign an agreement at
6887-406: The middle of the year, while the other months may remain absolutely dry. The interior of the Sahel region generally receives between 200 mm and 700 mm of rain yearly. A system of subdivisions often adopted for the Sahelian climate based on annual rainfall is as follows: the Saharan-Sahelian climate, with mean annual precipitation between around 100 and 200 mm (such as Khartoum , Sudan),
6984-597: The name "Central African Republic" over Ubangi-Shari, reportedly because he envisioned a larger union of countries in Central Africa . Approximately 10,000 years ago, desertification forced hunter-gatherer societies south into the Sahel regions of northern Central Africa, where some groups settled. Farming began as part of the Neolithic Revolution . Initial farming of white yam progressed into millet and sorghum , and before 3000 BCE
7081-743: The north, the Manovo-Gounda St Floris National Park is well-populated with wildlife, including leopards , lions , cheetahs and rhinos , and the Bamingui-Bangoran National Park is located in the northeast of the Central African Republic. The parks have been seriously affected by the activities of poachers, particularly those from Sudan , over the past two decades. Sahel The Sahel region ( / s ə ˈ h ɛ l / ; from Arabic ساحل ( sāḥil [ˈsaːħil] ) 'coast, shore'), or Sahelian acacia savanna ,
7178-570: The north. This ecoregion is also called the Sahelian Acacia savanna in honour of its most prominent and very drought tolerant genus of tree. The topography of the Sahel is mainly flat; most of the region lies between 200 and 400 meters (660 and 1,310 ft) in elevation. Several isolated plateaus and mountain ranges rise from the Sahel (e.g. Marrah Mountains , Aïr Mountains , Ennedi Plateau ), but are designated as separate ecoregions because their flora and fauna are distinct from
7275-433: The northern drier region more accessible. There was a push, supported by governments, for people to move northwards. When the long drought period from 1968 through 1974 began, grazing quickly became unsustainable and large-scale denuding of the terrain followed. Like the drought in 1914, this led to a large-scale famine, but this time somewhat tempered by international visibility and an outpouring of aid. This catastrophe led to
7372-500: The northern part of the Sahel, areas of desert shrub, including Panicum turgidum and Aristida sieberiana , alternate with areas of grassland and savanna. During the long dry season, many trees lose their leaves and the predominantly annual grasses die. The Sahel was formerly home to large populations of grazing mammals, including the scimitar-horned oryx (Oryx dammah) , dama gazelle (Gazella dama) , Dorcas gazelle (Gazella dorcas) , red-fronted gazelle (Gazella rufifrons) ,
7469-730: The official party of the state. On 31 December 1965, Dacko was overthrown in the Saint-Sylvestre coup d'état by Colonel Jean-Bédel Bokassa , who suspended the constitution and dissolved the National Assembly. President Bokassa declared himself President for Life in 1972 and named himself Emperor Bokassa I of the Central African Empire (as the country was renamed) on 4 December 1976. A year later, Emperor Bokassa crowned himself in an expensive ceremony. In April 1979, young students protested against Bokassa's decree that all school pupils were required to buy uniforms from
7566-540: The railway estimated in excess of 17,000 of the construction workers, from a combination of both industrial accidents and diseases including malaria . In 1928, a major insurrection, the Kongo-Wara rebellion or 'war of the hoe handle', broke out in Western Ubangi-Shari and continued for several years. The extent of this insurrection, which was perhaps the largest anti-colonial rebellion in Africa during
7663-554: The south. Two-thirds of the country is within the Ubangi River basin (which flows into the Congo ), while the remaining third lies in the basin of the Chari , which flows into Lake Chad . What is today the Central African Republic has been inhabited since at least 8,000 BCE. The country's borders were established by France, which ruled the country as a colony starting in the late 19th century. After gaining independence from France in 1960,
7760-511: The strict Sahelian climate, with mean annual precipitation between around 200 and 700 mm (such as Niamey , Niger) and the Sahelian-Sudanese climate, with mean annual precipitation between around 700 and 900 mm (such as Ouagadougou , Burkina Faso). The relative humidity in the steppe is low to very low, often between 10% and 25% during the dry season and between 25% and 75% during the rainy season. The least humid places have
7857-495: The surrounding lowlands (e.g. East Saharan woodlands ). Annual rainfall varies from around 100–200 mm (4–8 in) in the north of the Sahel to around 700–1,000 mm (28–39 in) in the south. The Sahel is mostly covered in grassland and savanna, with areas of woodland and shrubland. Grass cover is fairly continuous across the region, dominated by annual grass species such as Cenchrus biflorus , Schoenefeldia gracilis and Aristida stipoides . Species of acacia are
7954-486: The time was the CPJP , which continued its activities and signed a peace agreement with the government on 25 August 2012. In 2011, Bozizé was reelected in an election which was widely considered fraudulent. In November 2012, Séléka , a coalition of rebel groups, took over towns in the northern and central regions of the country. These groups eventually reached a peace deal with Bozizé's government in January 2013, involving
8051-579: The upper hand by bringing in at least 300 troops of the Congolese rebel leader Jean-Pierre Bemba and Libyan soldiers. In the aftermath of the failed coup , militias loyal to Patassé sought revenge against rebels in many neighborhoods of Bangui and incited unrest including the murder of many political opponents. Eventually, Patassé came to suspect that General François Bozizé was involved in another coup attempt against him, which led Bozizé to flee with loyal troops to Chad. In March 2003, Bozizé launched
8148-485: The very late Neolithic Era ( c. 3500–2700 BCE ). Ironwork developed in the region around 1000 BCE. The Ubangian people settled along the Ubangi River in what is today the Central and East Central African Republic while some Bantu people migrated from the southwest of Cameroon . Bananas arrived in the region during the first millennium BCE and added an important source of carbohydrates to
8245-646: The violence, extremism and instability of the region. In March 2020, the United States sent a special envoy for the Sahel region to combat the rising violence from terrorist groups. The Catholic charity Aid to the Church in Need has highlighted the fact that the Sahel has become one of the most dangerous regions in the world for Christians. As of 2024, a wave of new military juntas in Africa, favoring Russian mercenaries over Western forces and UN peacekeepers, has intensified violence. This led Mauritania and Chad to disband
8342-457: The vote, a second round of elections was held on 14 February 2016 with run-offs on 31 March 2016. In the second round of voting, former Prime Minister Faustin-Archange Touadéra was declared the winner with 63% of the vote, defeating Union for Central African Renewal candidate Anicet-Georges Dologuélé , another former Prime Minister. While the elections suffered from many potential voters being absent as they had taken refuge in other countries,
8439-481: The western Sahel, there are frequent shortages of food and water due to its very high government corruption and the semi-arid climate . This is exacerbated by very high birthrates across the region, resulting in a rapid increase in population. In recent times, various coups , insurgencies , terrorism and foreign interventions have taken place in many Sahel countries, especially across former Françafrique . The Sahel spans 5,900 km (3,670 mi) from
8536-562: The world's fastest-growing terrorist organization. In 2023, fatalities from conflict in the central Sahel rose by 38%, according to data from the research organization Armed Conflict Location and Event Data Project. In the wake of the Libyan Crisis beginning in 2011, terrorist organizations operating in the Sahel, including Boko Haram , Islamic State and al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM), have greatly exacerbated
8633-438: The year, there were international warnings of a "genocide" and fighting was largely reprisal attacks on civilians by Seleka's predominantly Muslim fighters and Christian militias called " anti-balaka ". By August 2013, there were reports of over 200,000 internally displaced persons (IDPs). French President François Hollande called on the UN Security Council and the African Union to increase their efforts to stabilize
8730-407: Was conquered by Muhammad Ali in the 1820s. By 1899 it came under British rule until granted independence at Egypt's behest in 1956. According to The Economist , in recent years the Sahel has become the epicenter of terrorist violence , contributing to 35% of all global deaths from terrorism by 2021, with Jama’at Nasr al-Islam wal Muslimin , an al-Qaeda-affiliated group, identified as
8827-655: Was again overthrown in a coup by General André Kolingba on 1 September 1981. Kolingba suspended the constitution and ruled with a military junta until 1985. He introduced a new constitution in 1986 which was adopted by a nationwide referendum. Membership in his new party, the Rassemblement Démocratique Centrafricain (RDC), was voluntary. In 1987 and 1988, semi-free elections to parliament were held, but Kolingba's two major political opponents, Abel Goumba and Ange-Félix Patassé , were not allowed to participate. By 1990, inspired by
8924-418: Was appointed as prime minister by President François Bozizé on December 12, 2003, replacing Abel Goumba , who in turn became Bozizé's vice-president. In a reshuffle of the government on September 2, 2004, Gaombalet remained prime minister while the number of ministers was reduced to 24 from the previous 28; Gaombalet said that this did not affect the political balance and that it was necessary to save money. In
9021-597: Was broken the next day, when Bilma hit 48.2 °C (118.8 °F). The hottest temperature recorded in Sudan was reached on 25 June, at 49.6 °C (121.3 °F) in Dongola , breaking a record set in 1987. Niger reported on 14 July that diarrhoea , starvation, gastroenteritis , malnutrition and respiratory diseases had sickened or killed many children. The new military junta appealed for international food aid and took serious steps to call on overseas help. On 26 July,
9118-514: Was elected interim president by the National Transitional Council, becoming the first ever female Central African president. On 23 July 2014, following Congolese mediation efforts, Séléka and anti-balaka representatives signed a ceasefire agreement in Brazzaville . By the end of 2014, the country was de facto partitioned with the anti-Balaka in the southwest and ex-Seleka in the northeast. In March 2015, Samantha Power ,
9215-624: Was introduced in Sahel in 1980 by the Development Workshop, achieving since then a high social impact in the region. A major initiative to combat desertification in the Sahel region via reforestation and other interventions is the Great Green Wall . Major dust storms are a frequent occurrence as well. During November 2004, a number of major dust storms hit Chad , originating in the Bodélé Depression . This
9312-478: Was rejected by the Constitutional Court of the country, which held that Bozizé did not satisfy the "good morality" requirement for candidates because of an international warrant and United Nations sanctions against him for alleged assassinations, torture and other crimes. As large parts of the country were at the time controlled by armed groups, the election could not be conducted in many areas of
9409-487: Was replaced by Élie Doté on June 13. In the January–;March 2011 parliamentary election , Gaombalet was re-elected to the National Assembly; when the legislature began sitting for its new term, he was re-elected as President of the National Assembly. Central African Republic The Central African Republic ( CAR ), formerly known as Ubangi-Shari , is a landlocked country in Central Africa . It
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