Prefectures of the Central African Republic explained

Prefectures and the commune of the Central African Republic Préfectures et la commune de la République centrafricaine (French)
Category:	Unitary state
Territory:	Central African Republic
Current Number:	20 Prefectures
Population Range:	(Prefectures only): 43,229 (Bamingui-Bangoran) – 430,506 (Ouham-Pendé)
Area Range:	(Prefectures only): 6643order=flipNaNorder=flip (Kémo) – 33460order=flipNaNorder=flip (Haute-Kotto)
Government:	Prefecture government, National government
Subdivision:	Sub-Prefecture

Since 10 December 2020, The Central African Republic is administratively divided into 20 prefectures (French: préfectures, Sango: kodoro kômanda-kôta) and the capital city of Bangui, which is an autonomous commune (French: commune autonome, Sango: kôta-gbata).^[1]

Each prefecture is governed by a local assembly called General Council (Conseil Général), presided by a Prefect (Préfet). The prefectures are further subdivided into 71 sub-prefectures.

Prefectures are all named after major rivers passing through their areas:

Ubangi, Nana, Mambéré, Kadeï, Lobaye, M'Poko, Ombella, Sangha, Kémo, Ouaka, Kotto, and Mbomou all flow into the Congo River.
Pendé, Ouham, Gribingui, Bamingui, Bangoran, and Vakaga all flow into the Chari River, and then into Lake Chad.

(Basse ("Lower") means downstream, and Haut or Haute ("Upper") means upstream.)

scope=col	No.	scope=col	Prefecture	scope=col	ISO code	scope=col	Capital	scope=col	Population ^[2]	scope=col	Area (km²)	Density (km²in 2021)	Zone	scope=col	Sub-prefectures	scope=col	Communes
1.	Bangui		Bangui	1,425,276		437	South	10	10
2.	Mbomou		Bangassou	257,803		4.3	South-East	5	10
3.	Basse-Kotto		Mobaye	380,172		22.5	East	6	15
4.	Kémo		Sibut	183,742		11.1	Centre	4	8
5.	Nana-Mambéré		Bouar	341,796		12.6	West	4	16
6.	Ouham		Bossangoa	297,904		14.7	Centre	7	20
7.	Sangha-Mbaéré		Nola	138,770		7.5	West	3	5
8.	Lobaye		Mbaïki	345,108		18.6	South	5	12
9.	Ombella-M'Poko		Boali	269,809		9.4	South	6	8
10.	Ouham-Pendé		Bozoum	243,315		13.1	West	6	23
11.	Haut-Mbomou		Obo	52,314		0.9	South-East	4	5
12.	Ouaka		Bambari	446,354		9.0	East	5	16
13.	Haute-Kotto		Bria	128,342		1.5	East	3	6
14.	Bamingui-Bangoran		Ndélé	82,108		1.4	Centre	2	3
15.	Vakaga		Birao	83,188		1.8	East	2	3
16.	Nana-Grébizi		Kaga Bandoro	208,821		10.6	Centre	2	6
17.	Mambéré-Kadéï		Berbérati	273,166		19.9	West	7	12
18.	Mambéré	n/a	Carnot	265,479		16.9	West	4	5
19.	Lim-Pendé	n/a	Paoua	442,151		33.5	West	5	14
20.	Ouham-Fafa	n/a	Batangafo	225,479		6.9	North	4	11

Sources

Central African Republic

Notes and References

Web site: Oubangui Médias . Oubangui Médias . La Centrafrique dispose désormais de 20 préfectures et de 84 sous-préfectures . oubanguimedias.com . 11 December 2020 . Oubangi Medias . 10 March 2023.
Web site: Central African Republic: Administrative Division (Prefectures and Sub-Prefectures - Population Statistics, Charts and Map . citypopulation.de . 3 November 2023.