Capital of Central African Republic: Bangui
The capital of Central African Republic is Bangui. Central African Republic sits in Africa, has a population of 5,579,144, and uses the XAF. Official languages include French, Sango.
Quick facts
- Capital: Bangui
- Continent: Africa
- Population: ~5,579,144
- Area: 622,984 km²
- Population density: 9.0 people per km²
- Official languages: French, Sango
- Currency: XAF
- ISO code: CF
How big is Central African Republic?
By population, Central African Republic ranks 116th in the world, holding roughly 0.07% of all people on Earth. By land area it ranks 44th.
Those two numbers rarely match, and the gap between them is the interesting part. Central African Republic has 9.0 people per square kilometre, which is about 6.6 times below the world average of 59.4. It is more spacious than its population alone would suggest.
Within Africa, Central African Republic is the 37th most populous country of 54.
Countries of a similar size
The two countries closest to Central African Republic in population are Finland (5,540,745) and Slovakia (5,643,453).
By land area, its closest counterparts are Somalia (637,657 km²) and Ukraine (603,500 km²).
Comparisons like these are worth more than raw figures when you are trying to remember them. A number on its own is hard to hold; a number next to a country you already have a feel for is much easier.
Language and currency
French is spoken officially in 30 countries in this dataset, including Belgium, Benin, Burkina Faso, Burundi and Cameroon, and 24 others.
The XAF is not unique to Central African Republic — it is also used by Cameroon, Chad, Congo and Equatorial Guinea, and 1 other. Shared currencies usually mark a monetary union or a long-standing peg, and they are a useful shortcut in quizzes: get one country's currency and you often get several.
Central African Republic in Africa
The largest countries by population sharing this continent are Nigeria, Ethiopia, Egypt and Democratic Republic of the Congo.
If you are learning capitals region by region — far more effective than working alphabetically — Africa is the block Central African Republic belongs to, and its neighbours are the ones worth learning alongside it.
Try the Country to Capital Quiz, or the harder reverse direction. There is also a full country profile for Central African Republic and a page on the flag of Central African Republic.
Frequently asked questions
What is the capital of Central African Republic?
The capital of Central African Republic is Bangui.
What is the population of Central African Republic?
About 5,579,144, making it the 116th most populous country in the world.
How big is Central African Republic?
622,984 square kilometres, ranking 44th by land area, at a density of 9.0 people per square kilometre.
What currency does Central African Republic use?
The XAF, shared with 5 other countries.