Central African Republic Flag

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Brief History. Though this African region has been open to development since the 1800s, it was not until 1889 that a European settlement was set up by the French. Five years later, the region became the territory of Ubangi-Shari and in 1910, became part of French Equatorial Africa. Self-governing since 1958, the country was granted independence two years later. Originally a republic, the army overthrew the elected government in 1966 and the coup leader, Jean-Bedel Bokassa, was given the title of president-for-life in 1972 but four years later, declared himself an emperor and the country the Central African Empire. Since elections in 1993, the government led by Ange Felix Patisse has attempted to limit the powers of the army but the military has not been quelled.