Overview
The Central African Republic is a landlocked country in central Africa. It gained independence from France in 1960. Since that time the country has suffered periods of instability, including a civil war from 2004-2007 and a longer-lasting conflict which began in 2012. The country has been criticised for its human rights record and levels of corruption.
What it means to be a Christian in Central African Republic
Between 70% and 80% of the population would identify as Christians and the country enjoys freedom of religion. However, the situation on the ground is complicated by the on-going civil war. Because some of the rebel groups involved in the conflict would identify themselves as Muslim, distinguishing between political violence and religious persecution is not always easy. But there have been attacks targeting churches, Christian families and pastors, because of their faith and witness.
