Bossangoa

History

From 1901 to 1905 Bossangoa and the surrounding area was in rebellion against French colonial authorities. Bossangoa became a center of Protestant missionary activity during the 1920s. In 1959, the city was made the seat of the Apostolic Prefecture of Bossangoa from the Diocese of Berbérati. In 1964, it was promoted as the Diocese of Bossangoa. Bossangoa received electricity in 1970. In June 1980, the city was the scene of clashes between police and farmers over government food policies. The next year French troops were called in to suppress rioting in the aftermath of elections.

2012-2014 Conflict

In March 2013, rebels of the Séléka Alliance overtook the town, as part of the 2012-13 Central African Republic conflict. The rebels are seeking to overthrow the government of President of the Central African Republic François Bozizé.

In January 2014, Bossangoa was described as a ghost town, "strangely empty" with "no people, only charred houses and storefronts, block after block of blackened roofless dwellings, an abandoned bank, a gas station stripped down to the metal frames of its pumps, and an emptied city hall." The population, which once numbered 50,000, has mostly fled the city to escape communal violence between Muslims and Christians in the aftermath of the civil war. The population was living in two separate camps – one for Muslims and one for Christians.

In April 2014, Chadian troops escorting a convoy of "the last 540 Muslim residents of the northwestern town of Bossangoa to Goré, Chad," were attacked by local militia as they passed through Boguila." Three people were wounded. On 24 February 2021 government forces captured Bossangoa.

Climate

Bossangoa has a tropical savanna climate (Köppen climate classification Aw).

Economy

The main agricultural products are cotton and coffee.

Transport

There is a small local airport that serves light planes.

References

References

1. "Centrafrique : Décrets portant nomination des Gouverneurs, des Préfets et des Sous-Préfets". Oubangui Medias.
2. (24 May 2022). "UN MATCH DE FOOTBALL POUR LA COHÉSION SOCIALE À BOSSANGOA".
4. (2016). "Historical Dictionary of the Central African Republic". Rowman & Littlefield.
5. "UN warns CAR rebels".
6. Nossiter, Adam. (19 January 2014). "Central African Town Is Left Charred, Empty and Hopeless Amid Violence". [[The New York Times]].
7. "BOGUILA: Thousands flee gun battle as Chad withdraws from CAR". Voxafrica. (2014-04-16). link
8. (24 February 2021). "CAR gov't captures ex-President Bozize's stronghold, PM says".
9. "Normales et records pour la période 2000-2016 à Bossangoa". Infoclimat.
10. "Climate Bossangoa - Central African Republic for rainfall totals". Infoclimat.
11. "Étude méthodologique pour l'utilisation des données climatologiques de l'Afrique tropicale for sunshine hours". Infoclimat.