Forest Elephant
Smaller and darker than savanna elephants, forest elephants push through the dense rainforests of southwestern Central African Republic, using their straighter tusks to dig for minerals in the soil.
Flag of Central African Republic
Field Report
Central African Republic is a landlocked country right in the heart of Africa, surrounded by six other nations and covered by a mix of tropical rainforest in the south and open grasslands in the north. About five million people live there, belonging to dozens of different ethnic groups who speak many different languages. It is one of the least-reached countries in the world, which means many people there have never had a real chance to hear about Jesus.
From the Field Notebook
Forest Elephant
Smaller and darker than savanna elephants, forest elephants push through the dense rainforests of southwestern Central African Republic, using their straighter tusks to dig for minerals in the soil.
Western Lowland Gorilla
These great apes live in the thick jungle of the Dzanga-Sangha reserve and spend most of their day quietly foraging for fruit, leaves, and bark.
Bongo
The bongo is a large, chestnut-colored forest antelope with striking white stripes that help it blend into the dappled light filtering through the rainforest canopy.
Fufu
Fufu is a dense, doughy staple made from pounded cassava that most families eat every day, scooping it by hand into stews and sauces.
Gozo
Gozo is a thick porridge made from cassava flour and water, often served alongside leafy green sauces and smoked fish for a filling, earthy meal.
Makemba (Plantains)
Plantains are roasted or fried and eaten as a side dish throughout the country, with a starchy sweetness that deepens the longer they cook over an open fire.
Central African Republic sits almost exactly in the middle of the African continent, which is how it got its name.
The country is home to the Bayaka people, who are renowned for a style of polyphonic singing — where many voices layer together in complex patterns — that UNESCO has recognized as a unique world heritage.
Despite covering an area nearly the size of the state of Texas, Central African Republic has fewer paved roads than many small cities, making river travel one of the main ways people move goods across the country.
The Sangha River in the southwest forms part of a tri-national park shared with Congo and Cameroon, making it one of the largest protected forest areas on Earth.
Sango, the national trade language of Central African Republic, is spoken by nearly everyone in the country even though it was originally the language of just one small river-trading community.
Daily Life
57
Years life expectancy
42%
Can read and write
66%
Kids go to school
Missions Field Report
Central African Republic is home to 80 distinct people groups — 7 of them haven’t yet heard about Jesus.
A majority of Central African Republic's people follow Christianity (71.0%). Evangelical Christians make up about 32.2% of the population.
What People Believe
Unreached People Groups
These are communities of people who haven’t had the chance to hear about Jesus yet. They need missionaries — and they need kids like you to pray for them.
Fulani, Bagirmi
240,000 people
Baggara, Shuwa Arab
122,000 people
Hausa
39,000 people
Runga
34,000 people
Baggara, Fertit
27,000 people
Prayer Journal
Tick each one as you pray. God hears every word.