Bangui, Capital city on Ubangi River, Central African Republic
Bangui is the capital of the Central African Republic, located along the northern bank of the Ubangi River near the border with the Democratic Republic of the Congo. The city is divided into eight districts containing 205 neighborhoods and spreads through a landscape of tropical savanna.
French colonial administrators Michel Dolisie and Alfred Uzac founded the settlement in 1889 as an administrative post. The outpost grew into a hub for French activities in the region and later became the seat of government.
The Boganda Museum displays regional objects such as musical instruments, weapons, village models, hunting tools, and ceremonial pieces from surrounding communities. This collection offers insight into the crafts and daily life of people who have lived in this area for centuries.
The river port with its 1,300-foot quay handles shipments of diamonds, cotton, timber, and coffee, linking the center to an 1,100-mile (1,800-kilometer) transport system to Pointe-Noire. When visiting, it helps to start early and carry plenty of drinking water, as the climate is hot and humid.
Archaeologists have discovered 26 Iron Age sites around the city, indicating advanced settlements with metalworking long before European arrival. These findings reshape understanding of early settlement in this region.
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