The former French colony
of Ubangi-Shari became the Central African Republic upon independence
in 1960. After three tumultuous decades of misrule - mostly by military
governments - civilian rule was established in 1993 and lasted for one
decade. President Ange-Felix Patasse's civilian government was plagued
by unrest, and in March 2003 he was deposed in a military coup led by
General Francois Bozize, who established a transitional government.
French,
Sangho, and tribal languages are spoken.
