Bangassou

Bangassou
Bangassou
	Central market in Bangassou
	Bangassou Location in Central African Republic
	Coordinates: 4°44′15″N 22°49′10″E / 4.737425°N 22.819462°E
Country	Central African Republic
Prefecture	Mbomou
Elevation	457 m (1,499 ft)
Population (2012)
• Total	35,305

Bangassou is a city in the south eastern Central African Republic, lying on the north bank of the Mbomou River. It has a population of 24,447^[1] (2003 census) and is the capital of the Mbomou prefecture. It is known for its wildlife, market, and nearby Bangassou Airport and is linked by ferry to the Democratic Republic of Congo on the south bank. The city is also home to the Roman Catholic Diocese of Bangassou.

Axmin Mining Camp and Kembe Falls are located in the area.

History

During the French colonial occupation of Congo Free State, the French military established a base at Bangassou. In 1922 the Spiritains established a Catholic mission in the town. In 1931 the société cotonnière Comouna built a cotton processing plant in the town. In 1935 the town became the capital of the Department of Mbomou. On 11 March 2013 Seleka rebels occupied the town. In 2017 violent clashes took place in the city resulting in more than 100 deaths.

Climate

Bangassou has a tropical savanna climate (Köppen climate classification Aw).

Climate data for Bangassou
Month	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec	Year
Mean daily maximum °C (°F)	34 (94)	35 (95)	34 (94)	33 (92)	33 (91)	32 (89)	31 (88)	31 (88)	32 (89)	32 (89)	33 (91)	33 (91)	33 (91)
Mean daily minimum °C (°F)	18 (65)	19 (66)	20 (68)	21 (69)	21 (69)	21 (69)	20 (68)	19 (67)	19 (67)	20 (68)	19 (67)	18 (65)	19 (67)
Average precipitation mm (inches)	23 (0.9)	43 (1.7)	120 (4.7)	140 (5.4)	230 (9)	180 (7.2)	180 (7.2)	210 (8.1)	190 (7.6)	260 (10.4)	97 (3.8)	38 (1.5)	1,710 (67.5)
Source: Weatherbase ^[2]