Prefectures of the Central African Republic
| Prefectures and the commune of the Central African Republic Préfectures et la commune de la République centrafricaine (French) | |
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| Category | Unitary state |
| Location | Central African Republic |
| Number | 16 Preectures 1 Commune |
| Populations | (Prefectures only): 43,229 (Bamingui-Bangoran) – 430,506 (Ouham-Pendé) |
| Areas | (Prefectures only): 17,210 km2 (6,643 sq mi) (Kémo) – 86,700 km2 (33,460 sq mi) (Haute-Kotto) |
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| Subdivisions | |
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 Central African Republic portal |
The Central African Republic is administratively divided into 16 prefectures (French: préfectures, Sango: kodoro kômanda-kôta) and the capital city of Bangui, which is an autonomous commune (French: commune autonome, Sango: kôta-gbata).
Each prefecture is governed by a local assembly called General Council (Conseil Général), presided by a Prefect (Préfet). The prefectures are further subdivided into 71 sub-prefectures.
Prefectures are all named after major rivers passing through their areas:
- Ubangi, Nana, Mambéré, Kadeï, Lobaye, M'Poko, Ombella, Sangha, Kémo, Ouaka, Kotto, and Mbomou all flow into the Congo River.
- Pendé, Ouham, Gribingui, Bamingui, Bangoran, and Vakaga all flow into the Chari River, and then into Lake Chad.
(Basse ("Lower") means downstream, and Haut or Haute ("Upper") means upstream.)
| No. | Prefecture | ISO code | Capital | Population (2003 census) |
Area (km2) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| — | Bangui (AC) | CF-BGF | Bangui | 622,771 | 67 |
| 1. | Mbomou | CF-MB | Bangassou | 164,008 | 61,150 |
| 2. | Basse-Kotto | CF-BK | Mobaye | 249,150 | 17,604 |
| 3. | Kémo | CF-KG | Sibut | 118,420 | 17,204 |
| 4. | Nana-Mambéré | CF-NM | Bouar | 233,666 | 26,600 |
| 5. | Ouham | CF-AC | Bossangoa | 369,220 | 50,250 |
| 6. | Sangha-Mbaéré | CF-SE | Nola | 101,074 | 19,412 |
| 7. | Lobaye | CF-LB | Mbaïki | 246,875 | 19,235 |
| 8. | Ombella-M'Poko | CF-MP | Bimbo | 356,725 | 31,835 |
| 9. | Ouham-Pendé | CF-OP | Bozoum | 430,506 | 32,100 |
| 10. | Haut-Mbomou | CF-HM | Obo | 57,602 | 55,530 |
| 11. | Ouaka | CF-UK | Bambari | 276,710 | 49,900 |
| 12. | Haute-Kotto | CF-HK | Bria | 90,316 | 86,650 |
| 13. | Bamingui-Bangoran | CF-BB | Ndélé | 43,229 | 58,200 |
| 14. | Vakaga | CF-VK | Birao | 52,255 | 46,500 |
| 15. | Nana-Grébizi | CF-KB | Kaga Bandoro | 117,816 | 19,996 |
| 16. | Mambéré-Kadéï | CF-HS | Berbérati | 364,795 | 30,203 |
