Bangui is the largest city of the Central African Republic and also the capital city. As of 2020, it had an estimated population of 889,231. It was established as a French outpost in 1889 and named after its location on the northern bank of the Ubangi River. The Ubangi was named from the Bobangi word for the “rapids” beside the settlement, marking the end of navigable water north of Brazzaville. The majority of the population of the Central African Republic lives in the western parts of the country, in Bangui and the surrounding area.

The city forms an autonomous commune of the Central African Republic surrounded by the Ombella-M’Poko prefecture. With an area of 67 square kilometres (26 sq mi), the commune is the smallest high-level administrative division in the country but the highest in population.

Bossangoa (one of the 14% of the Central African Republic) is the capital of Ouham. According to the 2003 census, 36,478 people are living in this town. It is located 303 km (189 miles) north of Bangui, the country’s capital. Bossangoa is crossed by the Ouham River, which then turns north to join the Chari River in Chad.

Bossangoa is home to the Mandjia, the third largest ethnic group in the Central African Republic. The historical significance of the Mandjia is shared with the Baya, another closely related group. Bossangoa, and the rest of the area, rebelled against French colonial authorities between 1901-1905. They were able to resist invasions by various Muslim powers to their north.

Berbérati is the second-largest city in the Central African Republic, with a population of 105,155. Located in the south-west of the country near the border with Cameroon, it serves as the capital of the Mambéré-Kadéï Prefecture and gives its name to the main Sub-prefecture.

Bambari, a town located in the Central Africa Republic on the Ouaka River, is called “Bambari”. It is home to 41,356 people and is the capital city of Ouaka Prefecture. Bambari, a major market town, is also home to Bambari Airport and the Roman Catholic Diocese in Bambari.

Bouar, a market town in central Africa’s western Republic, is located on the main road between Bangui and the border with Cameroon (210km). The capital of Nana Mabere prefecture is here, with a population of 40,353. Meanwhile, the entire sous-prefecture has an estimated population of 96.595. Bouar is located on a plateau almost 1000m above sea level. It is also home to Camp Leclerc, a French military base.

There are approximately seventy megalithic groups located in the town, as well as to the north and east. The Bouar Megaliths are a group of megaliths that date back to the Neolithic Era (3500-2700 BC) and were added to the UNESCO World Heritage Tentative List in the Cultural category on April 11, 2006.