Special Report on Central African Republic - Issued by OIC - Information Department
OIC Journal Supplement Central Africa...Massacres & Displacement Special Report on Central African Republic - Issued by OIC - Information Department Political and humanitarian actions of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation on the ground Location, population, and recent history The Central African Republic (CAR) is bordered by Chad in the north, Sudan in the northeast, South Sudan in the east, the Democratic Republic of the Congo and the Republic of the Congo in the south and Cameroon in the west. The CAR covers a land area of about 620,000 square kilometers (240,000 sq mi) and has an estimated population of around 4.4 million. The capital is Bangui. According to official estimates, Muslims represent 15 per cent of the population, but according to informed diplomatic sources operating in the Central African Republic, the percentage of Muslims is about 20 to 25 per cent of the popula- tion, and the largest percentage of them live in the north of the country near the borders of Chad and Sudan, while the percentage of Christians is around 45 to 50 per cent, and the rest of the population maintain indigenous beliefs. The Central African Republic is a former French colony from 1889 until 1959. David Dacko (1959-1966) presided over the state after independence, then overthrown by self-named “Emperor” Jean-Bedel Bokassa (1966-1979), and then David Dacko again (1979-1981), overthrown by Andre Kolingba ( 1981-1993), then Ange-Felix Patassé (1993 2003) was elected, then François Bozizé (2003 2013) took power, then Michel Djotodia (the first Muslim president) took over from April 2013 until December 2013, and finally the head of the transitional government, Catherine Samba- Panza as of December 2013 until now.
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