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Although things are getting better for the wildlife in the Central African Republic, they seem to be getting worse for the people.

The government's efforts to improve the country's parks and protect its dwindling wildlife have shown results: The animal population, which had declined steadily for years, has begun to stabilize, and additional wildlife has begun moving into the protected areas. (Poaching continues to be a major problem for wildlife outside protected parks.) It will take many years before the republic's animals are thriving, but it's good to see things, at least in one area, moving in the right direction.

For the people of the C.A.R., however, the direction of everyday affairs is steadily downhill. A series of attempted coups and army mutinies has kept the capital, Bangui, on edge and the rest of the country simply struggles against overwhelming poverty. (More than half the population lives below the poverty line.) Until the C.A.R. manages to turn the tide toward peace and prosperity, travelers will have to take considerable—and unacceptable—risks in order to view the C.A.R.'s wildlife parks.

Geography

History

The C.A.R. has a long and mostly unhappy history. Early Arab slave traders roamed the area and kidnapped entire village populations to sell in Egypt. The region was eventually colonized by France in the 19th century, and the territory became known as Oubangui-Chari, part of French Equatorial Africa. The colonial period was not one of France's prouder moments—the exploitation of both the land and its people took a terrible toll.

The C.A.R. gained its independence in 1960, and was initially ruled by a clique of relatives who shared governmental posts among themselves. Then, in 1979, Jean-Bedel Bokassa, the chief of the armed forces, took over in a coup that was supported by France. If you have heard of the Central African Republic at all, it is probably because of President-for-Life—and later Emperor—Bokassa. Brutally ambitious, possibly a cannibal and most certainly mad, this man robbed and terrorized an already unfortunate nation. The most widely publicized example of his bizarre rule occurred in 1977. Taking Napoleon as a model, Bokassa crowned himself "Emperor Bokassa I" of the newly minted "Central African Empire" in a US$25 million extravaganza that consumed the country's gross national product for the year.

Bokassa killed or exiled many of his subjects, but the atrocity that broke the back of his rule was the massacre of hundreds of schoolchildren, murdered because they couldn't afford to buy school uniforms from a factory owned by one of the Emperor's many wives. The French finally had enough—they flew in David Dacko, the same man that Bokassa replaced in the 1965 coup, and reinstalled him as the new leader of the troubled nation. Bokassa was sent to live in exile in the Cote d'Ivoire. (After attempting a triumphal return to the C.A.R., he was tried for murder and treason in the C.A.R. in 1986-87 and served seven years before being pardoned in 1993. Although he then volunteered to return to his position of emperor, the country did not accept his offer. He died in 1996.) Dacko's return to power did not last long as the army, headed by General Andre Kolingba, seized power in 1981.

Ange-Felix Patasse won the first election held under the new democratic constitution in 1993, defeating both Kolingba and Dacko. Even after independence, however, the C.A.R. continued to rely on France to pay the greater part of its governmental expenses (including salaries for the civil service). When France withdrew most of its monetary support in the 1990s, the C.A.R. became bankrupt. Strikes escalated into armed mutiny by a cadre of soldiers, and French troops intervened twice to quell the mutineers. Although a peace pact was signed between the mutineers and the government, resentment against the French intervention has lingered, and violence has erupted sporadically.

The last few years for the C.A.R have been nothing short of tumultuous, with the country being subjected to series of attempted coups led by army General Francois Bozize: first in May 2001, then in October 2002 and finally in March 2003. On the third occasion, Patasse was out of the country and, despite the intervention of French troops, Bozize finally seized power. Although Bozize has since been elected as president in May 2005, his rule has brought the country little respite from years of chaos. In recent months, more than 2,000 Central Africans have fled across the border to Chad to escape village raids.

Despite its problems, the C.A.R. has a real chance for prosperity: There are large deposits of diamonds, uranium, gold and manganese; good farmland; adequate rainfall; and a relatively small population.

Snapshot

The main attractions of the Central African Republic are waterfalls, jungles, art, gorillas, butterflies, and Pygmy and other tribal cultures.

Only travelers with lots of experience in developing countries should consider visiting the C.A.R. Better examples of its attractions can be found in other countries.

Potpourri

In a posthumous blow to his famous ego, Bokassa was buried in an unmarked grave in his hometown of Berengo, 50 mi/80 km from Bangui. His final resting place lies amid the crumbling walls of his uninhabited former compound, now almost completely overgrown with weeds. A 13-ft/4-m bronze statue is the only reminder of the legendary ruler's presence. Bokassa is survived by as many as 60 children.

The Pygmies of the C.A.R. are known for their distinctive, intricate harmonies. A great introduction to the music is a French CD titled The Polyphonous Vocals of the Mbenzele Pygmies of CAR (Inedit).

Reportedly, more than half the diamonds produced in the C.A.R. are smuggled out.

To see some of the largest elephants in the world, head to the southeastern corner of the country, along the Oubangui River. It's not an easy or short trip, but elephant lovers will enjoy it.

Near the town of Bouar (230 mi/370 km northwest of Bangui) are the Megaliths, granite monuments built thousands of years ago by an unknown culture.