a landlocked country of central Africa: joined with Chad as a territory of French Equatorial Africa in 1910; became an independent republic in 1960; a parliamentary monarchy (1976–79); consists of a huge plateau, mostly savanna, with dense forests in the south; drained chiefly by the Shari and Ubangi Rivers. Official languages: French and Sango. Religion: Christian and animist. Currency: franc. Capital: Bangui. Pop: 4 659 080 (2017 est). Area: 622 577 sq km (240 376 sq miles)