# Geography of the Central African Republic

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. Much of the country consists of flat, or rolling plateau savanna, about 1,640 feet (500 m) above sea level. In the northeast are the Fertit Hills, and there are scattered hills in the southwestern part of the country. To the northwest is the Karre Mountains (also known as Yade Massif), a granite plateau with an altitude of 3,750 feet (1,143 m).
At 622,984 square kilometres (240,535 sq mi), the Central African Republic is the world's 45th-largest country (after Somalia). It is comparable in size to Ukraine.
Much of the southern border is formed by tributaries of the Congo River, with the Mbomou River in the east merging with the Uele River to form the Ubangi River. In the west, the Sangha River flows through part of the country. The eastern border lies along the edge of the Congo-Nile watershed.
In the Central African Republic forest cover is around 36% of the total land area, equivalent to 22,303,000 hectares (ha) of forest in 2020, down from 23,203,000 hectares (ha) in 1990. In 2020, naturally regenerating forest covered 22,301,000 hectares (ha) and planted forest covered 2,000 hectares (ha). Of the naturally regenerating forest 9% was reported to be primary forest (consisting of native tree species with no clearly visible indications of human activity). For the year 2015, 91% of the forest area was reported to be under public ownership and 9% private ownership. In 2021, the rate of deforestation in the Central African Republic increased by 71%. The forest is highly diverse and includes commercially important species of Ayous, Sapele and Sipo.

## Climate

The climate of the Central African Republic is generally a tropical savanna climate (Köppen Aw), although there are areas with a tropical monsoon climate (Köppen Am) and in the north there is also a hot semi-arid climate (Köppen BSh). There is a wet season and a dry season, and the temperature is hot throughout the year. The northern areas are subject to harmattan winds, which are hot, dry, and carry dust. The tip of the northern regions have been subject to desertification. The remainder of the country is prone to flooding from nearby rivers. About one third of the Central African Republic's population do not have access to clean water.
Climate data for Bangui (381 m), Central African Republic (1931–1955) :
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Record high °C (°F) | 37.2 (99.0) | 38.8 (101.8) | 39.5 (103.1) | 38.0 (100.4) | 38.6 (101.5) | 35.8 (96.4) | 34.3 (93.7) | 34.4 (93.9) | 35.9 (96.6) | 35.7 (96.3) | 36.7 (98.1) | 36.2 (97.2) | 39.5 (103.1) |
| Mean daily maximum °C (°F) | 32.9 (91.2) | 33.9 (93.0) | 33.5 (92.3) | 32.9 (91.2) | 31.9 (89.4) | 30.9 (87.6) | 29.9 (85.8) | 29.9 (85.8) | 30.6 (87.1) | 30.7 (87.3) | 31.4 (88.5) | 31.8 (89.2) | 31.7 (89.1) |
| Daily mean °C (°F) | 26.0 (78.8) | 27.1 (80.8) | 27.4 (81.3) | 27.1 (80.8) | 26.5 (79.7) | 25.3 (77.5) | 25.1 (77.2) | 25.1 (77.2) | 25.4 (77.7) | 25.5 (77.9) | 25.7 (78.3) | 25.7 (78.3) | 26.0 (78.8) |
| Mean daily minimum °C (°F) | 19.5 (67.1) | 20.2 (68.4) | 21.3 (70.3) | 21.4 (70.5) | 21.1 (70.0) | 19.7 (67.5) | 20.3 (68.5) | 20.3 (68.5) | 20.2 (68.4) | 20.2 (68.4) | 20.0 (68.0) | 19.3 (66.7) | 20.3 (68.5) |
| Record low °C (°F) | 13.0 (55.4) | 13.1 (55.6) | 16.2 (61.2) | 14.4 (57.9) | 16.0 (60.8) | 16.5 (61.7) | 15.0 (59.0) | 17.0 (62.6) | 17.2 (63.0) | 17.3 (63.1) | 16.9 (62.4) | 13.8 (56.8) | 13.0 (55.4) |
| Average precipitation mm (inches) | 20 (0.8) | 39 (1.5) | 116 (4.6) | 142 (5.6) | 167 (6.6) | 134 (5.3) | 174 (6.9) | 240 (9.4) | 185 (7.3) | 190 (7.5) | 89 (3.5) | 24 (0.9) | 1,520 (59.9) |
| Average precipitation days (≥ 0.1 mm) | 2 | 5 | 10 | 12 | 14 | 13 | 14 | 17 | 16 | 17 | 11 | 4 | 135 |
| Average relative humidity (%) | 70 | 64 | 71 | 76 | 79 | 81 | 83 | 83 | 83 | 83 | 81 | 75 | 77 |
| Mean monthly sunshine hours | 203 | 201 | 191 | 184 | 193 | 158 | 138 | 138 | 143 | 158 | 171 | 220 | 2,098 |
| Source 1: Deutscher Wetterdienst ||||||||||||||
| Source 2: Danish Meteorological Institute (sun only) ||||||||||||||
Climate data for Bossangoa (2000-2016) :
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Mean daily maximum °C (°F) | 35.7 (96.3) | 37.5 (99.5) | 38.3 (100.9) | 36.3 (97.3) | 34.4 (93.9) | 32.4 (90.3) | 31.2 (88.2) | 30.9 (87.6) | 31.5 (88.7) | 32.7 (90.9) | 34.3 (93.7) | 34.9 (94.8) | 34.2 (93.5) |
| Daily mean °C (°F) | 25.1 (77.2) | 27.9 (82.2) | 29.8 (85.6) | 29.4 (84.9) | 28.5 (83.3) | 26.9 (80.4) | 26.1 (79.0) | 25.9 (78.6) | 26.2 (79.2) | 26.6 (79.9) | 26.7 (80.1) | 25.0 (77.0) | 27.0 (80.6) |
| Mean daily minimum °C (°F) | 14.3 (57.7) | 18.4 (65.1) | 21.3 (70.3) | 22.5 (72.5) | 22.0 (71.6) | 21.4 (70.5) | 20.9 (69.6) | 20.9 (69.6) | 20.7 (69.3) | 20.6 (69.1) | 19.0 (66.2) | 15.0 (59.0) | 19.8 (67.5) |
| Average rainfall mm (inches) | 1 (0.0) | 6 (0.2) | 47 (1.9) | 92 (3.6) | 141 (5.6) | 166 (6.5) | 234 (9.2) | 279 (11.0) | 240 (9.4) | 159 (6.3) | 22 (0.9) | 1 (0.0) | 1,388 (54.6) |
| Mean monthly sunshine hours | 265 | 242 | 211 | 211 | 227 | 188 | 165 | 155 | 172 | 198 | 248 | 266 | 2,548 |
| Source 1: Normales et records pour la période 2000-2016 à Bossangoa , ||||||||||||||
| Source 2: Climate Bossangoa - Central African Republic for rainfall totals , Étude méthodologique pour l'utilisation des données climatologiques de l'Afrique tropicale for sunshine hours ||||||||||||||
Climate data for N'Délé (2002-2013) :
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Mean daily maximum °C (°F) | 36.5 (97.7) | 37.8 (100.0) | 38.5 (101.3) | 37.0 (98.6) | 34.6 (94.3) | 31.8 (89.2) | 30.4 (86.7) | 29.4 (84.9) | 30.5 (86.9) | 31.7 (89.1) | 33.3 (91.9) | 34.7 (94.5) | 33.9 (92.9) |
| Daily mean °C (°F) | 27.2 (81.0) | 29.4 (84.9) | 30.1 (86.2) | 30.0 (86.0) | 28.6 (83.5) | 26.7 (80.1) | 25.4 (77.7) | 25.4 (77.7) | 25.4 (77.7) | 25.9 (78.6) | 25.8 (78.4) | 25.1 (77.2) | 27.1 (80.8) |
| Mean daily minimum °C (°F) | 18.0 (64.4) | 20.7 (69.3) | 21.3 (70.3) | 22.9 (73.2) | 22.6 (72.7) | 21.2 (70.2) | 20.7 (69.3) | 21.3 (70.3) | 20.4 (68.7) | 20.1 (68.2) | 18.5 (65.3) | 16.2 (61.2) | 20.3 (68.6) |
| Average rainfall mm (inches) | 0 (0) | 6 (0.2) | 24 (0.9) | 65 (2.6) | 122 (4.8) | 151 (5.9) | 205 (8.1) | 235 (9.3) | 231 (9.1) | 131 (5.2) | 9 (0.4) | 0 (0) | 1,179 (46.5) |
| Mean monthly sunshine hours | 279 | 263 | 250 | 209 | 222 | 189 | 160 | 151 | 157 | 201 | 277 | 268 | 2,626 |
| Source 1: Normales et records pour la période 2002-2013 à N'Dele, ||||||||||||||
| Source 2: Climate : N'Délé for rainfall totals, Étude méthodologique pour l'utilisation des données climatologiques de l'Afrique tropicale for sunshine hours ||||||||||||||
Climate data for Birao :
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Mean daily maximum °C (°F) | 34.7 (94.5) | 37.3 (99.1) | 39.4 (102.9) | 39.7 (103.5) | 37.9 (100.2) | 35 (95) | 31.4 (88.5) | 30.8 (87.4) | 32.1 (89.8) | 34.5 (94.1) | 35 (95) | 33.6 (92.5) | 35.1 (95.2) |
| Daily mean °C (°F) | 23.7 (74.7) | 26 (79) | 28.8 (83.8) | 30.4 (86.7) | 30.2 (86.4) | 28.3 (82.9) | 25.7 (78.3) | 25.3 (77.5) | 25.9 (78.6) | 26.5 (79.7) | 23.9 (75.0) | 22.5 (72.5) | 26.4 (79.6) |
| Mean daily minimum °C (°F) | 12.7 (54.9) | 14.8 (58.6) | 18.3 (64.9) | 21.1 (70.0) | 22.5 (72.5) | 21.6 (70.9) | 20.1 (68.2) | 19.8 (67.6) | 19.7 (67.5) | 18.6 (65.5) | 12.8 (55.0) | 11.4 (52.5) | 17.8 (64.0) |
| Average rainfall mm (inches) | 0 (0) | 0 (0) | 1 (0.0) | 20 (0.8) | 67 (2.6) | 107 (4.2) | 189 (7.4) | 193 (7.6) | 146 (5.7) | 38 (1.5) | 1 (0.0) | 0 (0) | 762 (29.8) |
| Source: Climate-Data.org ||||||||||||||