Bouar
{{Infobox settlement
|official_name = Bouar
|other_name = Buar{{GEOnet2|32FA883164E63774E0440003BA962ED3|Buar (Variant)}}, United States National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency
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|image_skyline = Bouar (29191093166).jpg
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|pushpin_map = Central African Republic
|pushpin_label_position =bottom
|pushpin_map_caption =Location in Central African Republic
|subdivision_type = Country
|subdivision_name = Central African Republic
|subdivision_type1 = Prefecture
|subdivision_name1 = Nana-Mambéré
|subdivision_type2 = District
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|leader_title = Sub-prefect
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Bouar is a market town in the western Central African Republic, lying on the main road from Bangui (437 km) to the frontier with Cameroon (210 km). The city is the capital of Nana-Mambéré prefecture, has a population of 40,353, while the whole sous-préfecture has a population of 96,595 (2003 census). Bouar lies on a plateau almost 1000m above sea level and is known as the site of Camp Leclerc, a French military base.
About seventy groups of megaliths lie in the town and to its north and east. The Bouar Megaliths, dating back to the very late Neolithic Era (c. 3500–2700 BC) were added to the UNESCO World Heritage Tentative List on April 11, 2006 in the Cultural category.[https://whc.unesco.org/en/tentativelists/4003/ Les mégalithes de Bouar - UNESCO World Heritage Centre]
The town's name comes from the Gbaya word for bean, hbouar.{{cite book |last1=Degras |first1=Alain |title=Akotara: Un triptyque consacré aux Gbayas du Nord-Ouest Centrafricain |date=2012 |publisher=Order of Friars Minor Capuchin |location=Bouar |pages=20, 62 |url=http://www.benabe.org/Tengbi/Tengbi_o_Storia_Ufficiosa.pdf |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220721082122/http://www.benabe.org/Tengbi/Tengbi_o_Storia_Ufficiosa.pdf |archive-date=21 July 2022 |language=French}}
History
Hundreds of granite megaliths around Bouar were erected during the Late Stone Age by an ancient farming society. These stone megaliths are nowadays known as tanzunu in Gbaya.{{cite journal |last1=David |first1=Nicholas |title=Tazunu: Megalithic Monuments of Central Africa |journal=Azania: Archaeological Research in Africa |date=1982 |volume=17 |issue=1 |pages=43-77 |doi=10.1080/00672708209511299}}
The Gbaya people settled in the region around the 1500s. The settlement of Bouar itself was founded circa 1840 by chief Bogbafeï on the site of a bean field. His grandson, Mbarta, served as the chief between 1904 and 1916 and nowadays is remembered as a local hero.{{cite news |title=Marie-Noëlle Koyara célèbre la fête de noël en différé avec les enfants de Bouar |url=https://www.acap.cf/Marie-Noelle-Koyara-celebre-la-fete-de-noel-en-differe-avec-les-enfants-de-Bouar_a10166.html |access-date=21 July 2022 |agency=Agence Centrafricaine de Presse |date=31 December 2019 |language=French}}
In 1882, France invaded Central Africa and 1894, the borders of French Congo encompassed Bouar. In 1911, the area around Bouar was ceded by France to Germany under the terms of the Morocco-Congo Treaty, becoming part of the German colony of Neukamerun until it was reconquered by the French during World War I.{{cite book |last1=Bradshaw |first1=Richard |last2=Fandos-Rius |first2=Juan |date=2016 |title=Historical Dictionary of the Central African Republic |edition=New |publisher=Rowman & Littlefield |location=Lanham, Maryland |isbn=9780810879911 |page=137}} The Germans eventually settled in the town around Christmas of 1913, where they constructed a military post and a road. In 1928, the town became part of the French colony of Ubangi-Shari.
The colonial town centre was occupied and burned down in the late 1920s by Gbaya rebels during the Kongo-Wara rebellion. This was the most significant period in which the Gbaya population and others resisted French colonial rule in Ubangi-Shari.
In 1948, the administrative centre of Ouham-Pendé prefecture was moved from Bozoum to Bouar. Later, the western part of the prefecture would become Nana-Mambéré prefecture with Bouar as its capital, while Bozoum would become the capital of the remaining Ouham-Pendé prefecture. Electricity was installed in Bouar in 1952.{{cite book |last1=Rius |first1=Juan Fandos |last2=Bradshaw |first2=Richard |title=Historical Dictionary of the Central African Republic |date=2016 |publisher=Rowman & Littlefield |location=Maryland |isbn=9780810879928 |page=251}} In 1960 the colony became independent as the Central African Republic.
File:Bouar Megaliths stamp.jpg | The ancient stone megaliths of Bouar depicted on a 1967 stamp.
File:Mbarta (28602311794).jpg | A portrait of chief Mbarta as a "Hero of Bouar" in the town's museum.
File:Bouar (28936991490).jpg | A view of Bouar in 2015.
File:Fillettes (28604153443).jpg | Children celebrating International Women's Day in 2016.
= Civil war =
On 28 March 2013 Bouar was captured by Séléka rebels.{{cite web|url=https://reliefweb.int/report/central-african-republic/central-african-republic-situation-report-no-9-28-march-2013|title=Central African Republic Situation Report No. 9 (as of 28 March 2013)|date=28 March 2013}} On 26 October 2013 Bouar was attacked and captured by Anti-balaka militias resulting in more than 20 deaths.{{cite web|url=https://www.ecoi.net/en/document/1354866.html|title=Pillay Warns Violence In Central African Republic May Spin Out Of Control|date=8 November 2013}} As of February 2014 the town and region around Bouar were experiencing ethnic cleansing, principally against Muslim civilians.MSF, Trapped By Violence in Bouar, Central African Republic, (video) February 2014, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LfQuJnpVZvE A French journalist, Camille Lepage, was also killed and her body found in the car of Anti-balaka troops in the Bouar region in May, 2014.Camerpost, Centrafrique : une journaliste française « assassinée » dans la région de Bouar – 13/05/2014, http://www.camerpost.com/centrafrique-une-journaliste-francaise-assassinee-dans-la-region-de-bouar-13052014/ {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140606212814/http://www.camerpost.com/centrafrique-une-journaliste-francaise-assassinee-dans-la-region-de-bouar-13052014/ |date=2014-06-06 }}Paris confirms French journalist murdered in CAR, DW, Date 13.05.2014, http://www.dw.de/paris-confirms-french-journalist-murdered-in-car/a-17633357
On 18 September 2017 city was recaptured by FACA from Anti-balaka.{{cite web|url=http://news.abangui.com/h/59738.html|title=Centrafrique : panique à Bouar, les Faca font des tirs|date=19 September 2017}} On 20 December 2020 parts of city were captured by rebels from Coalition of Patriots for Change.{{cite web|url=https://corbeaunews-centrafrique.com/rca-bouar-la-barriere-de-yole-occupee-par-les-rebelles/|title=RCA : Bouar, la barrière de Yolé occupée par les rebelles|date=20 December 2020}} On 27 December entire city was captured by rebels.{{cite web|url=https://corbeaunews-centrafrique.com/rca-la-ville-de-bouar-tombee-aux-mains-des-rebelles-le-jour-de-vote-est-toujours-sous-le-choc/|title=RCA : la ville de Bouar, tombée aux mains des rebelles le jour de vote, est toujours sous le choc|date=30 December 2020}} After many clashes it was recaptured by government forces on 8 February 2021.{{cite web|url=https://corbeaunews-centrafrique.com/rca-bouar-la-ville-est-desormais-sans-rebelles/|title=RCA : Bouar, la ville est désormais sans rebelles|date=8 February 2021}}
Places of worship
File:Église évangélique baptiste christ sauveur Bouar (28604455343).jpg
Among the places of worship, they are predominantly Christian churches and temples : Evangelical Lutheran Church of the Central African Republic (Lutheran World Federation), Evangelical Baptist Church of the Central African Republic (Baptist World Alliance), Roman Catholic Diocese of Bouar (Catholic Church).J. Gordon Melton, Martin Baumann, ‘‘Religions of the World: A Comprehensive Encyclopedia of Beliefs and Practices’’, ABC-CLIO, USA, 2010, p. 531-532 There are also Muslim mosques.
Climate
Köppen-Geiger climate classification system classifies Bouar’s climate as tropical wet and dry (Aw).{{cite web|title=Climate: Bouar - Climate graph, Temperature graph, Climate table|url=http://en.climate-data.org/location/34549/|publisher=Climate-Data.org|access-date=9 October 2013}}
{{Weather box
| width = auto
| metric first = yes
| single line = yes
| location = Bouar (1991–2020)
| Jan high C = 31.4
| Feb high C = 32.6
| Mar high C = 31.9
| Apr high C = 30.1
| May high C = 28.3
| Jun high C = 27.2
| Jul high C = 26.2
| Aug high C = 26.0
| Sep high C = 27.0
| Oct high C = 27.8
| Nov high C = 29.9
| Dec high C = 30.7
| year high C = 29.1
| Jan mean C = 24.4
| Feb mean C = 26.0
| Mar mean C = 26.3
| Apr mean C = 24.9
| May mean C = 23.8
| Jun mean C = 22.8
| Jul mean C = 22.2
| Aug mean C = 22.1
| Sep mean C = 22.4
| Oct mean C = 22.9
| Nov mean C = 24.0
| Dec mean C = 24.5
| year mean C = 23.9
| Jan low C = 17.8
| Feb low C = 19.4
| Mar low C = 20.3
| Apr low C = 19.9
| May low C = 19.3
| Jun low C = 18.8
| Jul low C = 18.4
| Aug low C = 18.4
| Sep low C = 18.3
| Oct low C = 18.5
| Nov low C = 18.5
| Dec low C = 17.9
| year low C = 18.8
| precipitation colour = green
| Jan precipitation mm = 1.9
| Feb precipitation mm = 13.0
| Mar precipitation mm = 43.5
| Apr precipitation mm = 109.9
| May precipitation mm = 144.2
| Jun precipitation mm = 165.2
| Jul precipitation mm = 223.5
| Aug precipitation mm = 277.5
| Sep precipitation mm = 266.4
| Oct precipitation mm = 196.1
| Nov precipitation mm = 18.3
| Dec precipitation mm = 2.1
| year precipitation mm = 1461.7
| unit precipitation days = 1.0 mm
| Jan precipitation days = 0.1
| Feb precipitation days = 1.5
| Mar precipitation days = 4.9
| Apr precipitation days = 9.2
| May precipitation days = 12.0
| Jun precipitation days = 13.0
| Jul precipitation days = 16.4
| Aug precipitation days = 18.0
| Sep precipitation days = 18.2
| Oct precipitation days = 15.0
| Nov precipitation days = 2.0
| Dec precipitation days = 0.3
| year precipitation days = 110.7
| daily = Y
| Jan humidity = 34.4
| Feb humidity = 39.6
| Mar humidity = 57.0
| Apr humidity = 71.6
| May humidity = 77.8
| Jun humidity = 80.8
| Jul humidity = 82.4
| Aug humidity = 82.9
| Sep humidity = 80.4
| Oct humidity = 77.5
| Nov humidity = 61.7
| Dec humidity = 41.1
| year humidity =
| source 1 = NOAA{{cite web
| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20230926015353/https://www.nodc.noaa.gov/archive/arc0216/0253808/1.1/data/0-data/Region-1-WMO-Normals-9120/CentralAfricanRepublic/CSV/Bouar_64601.csv
| archive-date = 26 September 2023
| url = https://www.nodc.noaa.gov/archive/arc0216/0253808/1.1/data/0-data/Region-1-WMO-Normals-9120/CentralAfricanRepublic/CSV/Bouar_64601.csv
| title = Bouar Climate Normals 1991–2020
| work = World Meteorological Organization Climatological Standard Normals (1991–2020)
| publisher = National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
| access-date = 26 September 2023}}
}}
See also
References
{{Reflist}}
{{coord|5|57|N|15|36|E|region:CF_type:city|display=title}}
{{Sub-prefectures of the Central African Republic}}
{{Nana-Mambéré}}
{{Authority control}}