Country Summary
This page presents high-level information for Central African Republic's climate zones and its seasonal cycle for mean temperature and precipitation for the latest climatology, 1991-2020. Climate zone classifications are derived from the Köppen-Geiger climate classification system, which divides climates into five main climate groups divided based on seasonal precipitation and temperature patterns. The five main groups are A (tropical), B (dry), C (temperate), D (continental), and E (polar). All climates except for those in the E group are assigned a seasonal precipitation sub-group (second letter). Climate classifications are identified by hovering your mouse over the legend. A narrative overview of Central African Republic's country context and climate is provided following the visualizations.
The Central African Republic, herein CAR, is a landlocked country in Central Africa, located between 2º and 11º latitude north, and 13º and 27º longitude east. It has a total land area of 623,000 km2 and shares borders to the north with Chad, to the northeast with Sudan, to the east with South Sudan, in the south by the Congo and Democratic Republic of Congo, and to the west with Cameroon. The country’s terrain consists of a vast peneplain dominated by two mountain ranges at the eastern and western ends. These are joined by a central ‘spine’, which separates the two principle drainage sources for the country: the Chari-Longue Basin in the north, and Congo Basin in the south. Due to the country’s location, CAR has a relatively favorable climate conditions, that are primarily hot and humid, characterized by a dry and rainy season. CAR has a population of just over 4.7 million people (2019) with an annual population growth rate of 1.7%. Approximately 41.4% of the population currently lives in urban areas. This is projected to increase to 48% and 60% of the population by 2030 and 2050, respectively. Despite its relatively recent positive growth, poverty remains pervasive and elevated and as of 2017 it is estimated that approximately 71% of the population lives below the extreme poverty rate (