What is the terrain and geography like in Central African Republic?
The Central African Republic is a landlocked country on a broad plateau in the heart of the African Continent. With an area of 238,000 square miles. It is bordered on the north by Chad, on the east by Sudan, on the south by the Democratic Republic of Congo (formerly Zaire) and the Republic of Congo, and on the west by Cameroon. Most of the country is between 1,300 and 3,600 feet above sea level, with an average altitude of about 2,000 feet.
The country is a watershed for the Lake Chad/Chari River Basin to the north and the Congo River Basin to the south. Although rivers are numerous, they are small and do not lend themselves to heavy commerce. The Oubangui River is commercially navigable only downstream from Bangi, and usually only between the months of July and January.
Vegetation varies from tropical rain forest in the extreme southwest to semidesert in the northeast. The bulk of the country is wooded savanna.
Geographic Location | Africa |
Total Area |
240,534 Square Miles 622,984 Square Kilometers |
Land Area |
240,534 Square Miles 622,984 Square Kilometers |
Land Boundaries |
3,233 Miles 5,203 Kilometers |
Irrigated Land |
1 Square Miles 1 Square Kilometers |
Border Countries | Cameroon 797 km, Chad 1,197 km, Democratic Republic of the Congo 1,577 km, Republic of the Congo 467 km, Sudan 1,165 km |
Geographic Coordinates | 7 00 N, 21 00 E |
Terrain | vast, flat to rolling, monotonous plateau; scattered hills in northeast and southwest |
Highest Point | 1,420 Meters |
Highest Point Location | Mont Ngaoui 1,420 m |
Lowest Point | 335 Meters |
Lowest Point Location | Oubangui River 335 m |
Natural Resources | diamonds, uranium, timber, gold, oil, hydropower |
Time Zone | UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time) |