Central African Republic subdivisions in French and Sango: prefectures
The Central African Republic is divided into prefectures, in Sango sêse tî kömändâ-kötä, and these into sub-prefectures. This list gives the 17 units of ISO 3166-2:CF in French and Sango with their seats, every sub-prefecture under them, and the three prefectures added in 2020.
- Units
- 17
- Groups
- 1
Updated
Prefectures of the Central African Republic in French and Sango
The 14 prefectures, two economic prefectures and the commune of Bangui with the codes ISO 3166-2:CF gives them. Each name is in French with the Sango form beneath it; the seat follows the same pattern. Where ISO uses a different short name, it is added under the code.
- fra French
- sag Sango
Prefectures, economic prefectures and commune 17
| Prefecture | Seat | ISO 3166-2 | Divisions |
|---|---|---|---|
Préfecture du Bamingui-BangoranSêse tî kömändâ-kötä tî Bamïngï-Bangoran
|
NdéléNdëlë
|
CF-BB
|
2 sub-prefectures
|
Commune de BanguiKötä gbätä tî Bangî
|
BanguiBangî
|
CF-BGF
|
8 arrondissements
|
Préfecture de la Basse-KottoSêse tî kömändâ-kötä tî Do-Kötö
|
MobayeMobaye
|
CF-BK
|
6 sub-prefectures
|
Préfecture du Haut-MbomouSêse tî kömändâ-kötä tî Tö-Mbömü
|
OboObo
|
CF-HM
|
4 sub-prefectures
|
Préfecture de la Haute-KottoSêse tî kömändâ-kötä tî Tö-Kötö
|
BriaBria
|
CF-HK
|
3 sub-prefectures
|
Préfecture de la KémoSêse tî kömändâ-kötä tî Kemö
|
SibutSibîti
|
CF-KGISO: Kémo-Gribingui
|
4 sub-prefectures
|
Préfecture de la LobayeSêse tî kömändâ-kötä tî Lobâye
|
MbaïkiMbati
|
CF-LB
|
5 sub-prefectures
|
Préfecture de la Mambéré-Kadéï / Haute-SanghaSêse tî kömändâ-kötä tî Mambere-Kadei / Tö-Sangä
|
BerbératiBereberäti
|
CF-HSISO: Haute-Sangha / Mambéré-Kadéï
|
7 sub-prefectures
|
Préfecture du MbomouSêse tî kömändâ-kötä tî Mbömü
|
BangassouBängâsu
|
CF-MB
|
5 sub-prefectures
|
Préfecture de la Nana-GrébiziSêse tî kömändâ-kötä tî Nanä-Gïrïbïzï
|
Kaga-BandoroKaga-Bandoro
|
CF-KBISO: Gribingui
|
2 sub-prefectures
|
Préfecture de la Nana-MambéréSêse tî kömändâ-kötä tî Nanä-Mambere
|
BouarBuâra
|
CF-NM
|
4 sub-prefectures
|
Préfecture de l’Ombella-MpokoSêse tî kömändâ-kötä tî Ömbëlä-Pökö
|
BoaliBimbo until 2020
|
CF-MP
|
6 sub-prefectures
|
Préfecture de la OuakaSêse tî kömändâ-kötä tî Wäkä
|
BambariBämbärî
|
CF-UK
|
5 sub-prefectures
|
Préfecture de l’OuhamSêse tî kömändâ-kötä tî Wâmo
|
BossangoaBosangoa / Basango
|
CF-AC
|
7 sub-prefectures
|
Préfecture de l’Ouham-PendéSêse tî kömändâ-kötä tî Wâmo-Pendë
|
BozoumBozûmo / Buzûma
|
CF-OP
|
6 sub-prefectures
|
Préfecture de la Sangha-MbaéréSêse tî kömändâ-kötä tî Sangä-Mbaere
|
NolaNola
|
CF-SEISO: Sangha
|
3 sub-prefectures
|
Préfecture de la VakagaSêse tî kömändâ-kötä tî Vakaga
|
BiraoBiraö
|
CF-VK
|
2 sub-prefectures
|
How to read the Sango prefecture names
Every Sango prefecture name follows one frame: Sêse tî kömändâ-kötä tî followed by the name of the area. The phrase is the Sango for a prefecture, and tî links it to what follows, much like French de. Bangui is a commune, not a prefecture, and so takes a different frame, Kötä gbätä tî Bangî.
The names themselves are mostly rivers. Lobaye, Sangha, Ombella, Mpoko, Kémo, Kotto, Ouaka and Mbomou drain south into the Congo; Ouham, Pendé, Bamingui, Bangoran and Vakaga drain north to the Chari and Lake Chad. Where French adds Basse- or Haute-, lower or upper course, Sango puts Do- or Tö- in front: Basse-Kotto is Do-Kötö, Haute-Kotto Tö-Kötö, Haut-Mbomou Tö-Mbömü.
The marks over the vowels are tones. A circumflex stands for a high tone and a diaeresis for a mid tone, so Bambari is Bämbärî and Bangassou Bängâsu in Sango. Several seats also change shape: Sibut is Sibîti, Mbaïki is Mbati, Bouar is Buâra.
Sub-prefectures of the Central African Republic by prefecture
Every sub-prefecture (sous-préfecture) of the 17 units, and the eight arrondissements of Bangui. Sub-prefectures carry the name of their main town, so the seat of a prefecture appears again in its own list.
Sêse tî kömändâ-kötä tî Bamïngï-Bangoran Bamingui-Bangoran 2
| Sub-prefecture |
|---|
Bamingui
|
Ndélé
|
Kötä gbätä tî Bangî Bangui 8
| Sub-prefecture |
|---|
1er
|
2e
|
3e
|
4e
|
5e
|
6e
|
7e
|
8e
|
Sêse tî kömändâ-kötä tî Do-Kötö Basse-Kotto 6
| Sub-prefecture |
|---|
Alindao
|
Kembé
|
Mingala
|
Mobaye
|
Satéma
|
Zangba
|
Sêse tî kömändâ-kötä tî Tö-Mbömü Haut-Mbomou 4
| Sub-prefecture |
|---|
Bambouti
|
Djémah
|
Obo
|
Zémio
|
Sêse tî kömändâ-kötä tî Tö-Kötö Haute-Kotto 3
| Sub-prefecture |
|---|
Bria
|
Ouadda
|
Yalinga
|
Sêse tî kömändâ-kötä tî Kemö Kémo 4
| Sub-prefecture |
|---|
Dékoa
|
Mala
|
Ndjoukou
|
Sibut
|
Sêse tî kömändâ-kötä tî Lobâye Lobaye 5
| Sub-prefecture |
|---|
Boda
|
Boganangone
|
Boganda
|
Mbaïki
|
Mongoumba
|
Sêse tî kömändâ-kötä tî Mambere-Kadei / Tö-Sangä Mambéré-Kadéï 7
| Sub-prefecture |
|---|
Amada-Gaza
|
Berbérati
|
Carnot
|
Dédé-Mokouba
|
Gadzi
|
Gamboula
|
Sosso-Nakombo
|
Sêse tî kömändâ-kötä tî Mbömü Mbomou 5
| Sub-prefecture |
|---|
Bakouma
|
Bangassou
|
Gambo
|
Ouanga
|
Rafaï
|
Sêse tî kömändâ-kötä tî Nanä-Gïrïbïzï Nana-Grébizi 2
| Sub-prefecture |
|---|
Kaga-Bandoro
|
Mbrès
|
Sêse tî kömändâ-kötä tî Nanä-Mambere Nana-Mambéré 4
| Sub-prefecture |
|---|
Abba
|
Baboua
|
Baoro
|
Bouar
|
Sêse tî kömändâ-kötä tî Ömbëlä-Pökö Ombella-Mpoko 6
| Sub-prefecture |
|---|
Bimbo
|
Boali
|
Bogangolo
|
Bossembélé
|
Damara
|
Yaloké
|
Sêse tî kömändâ-kötä tî Wäkä Ouaka 5
| Sub-prefecture |
|---|
Bakala
|
Bambari
|
Grimari
|
Ippy
|
Kouango
|
Sêse tî kömändâ-kötä tî Wâmo Ouham 7
| Sub-prefecture |
|---|
Batangafo
|
Bossangoa
|
Bouca
|
Kabo
|
Markounda
|
Nana-Bakassa
|
Nanga-Boguila
|
Sêse tî kömändâ-kötä tî Wâmo-Pendë Ouham-Pendé 6
| Sub-prefecture |
|---|
Bocaranga
|
Bossemptélé
|
Bozoum
|
Koui
|
Ngaoundaye
|
Paoua
|
Sêse tî kömändâ-kötä tî Sangä-Mbaere Sangha-Mbaéré 3
| Sub-prefecture |
|---|
Bambio
|
Bayanga
|
Nola
|
Sêse tî kömändâ-kötä tî Vakaga Vakaga 2
| Sub-prefecture |
|---|
Birao
|
Ouanda-Djallé
|
The lists show the division before the reform of December 2020. Bimbo sub-prefecture now belongs to the prefecture of Bangui, and several sub-prefectures moved to the three new prefectures listed below.
Three prefectures without an ISO code
The territorial law of 10 December 2020 created three prefectures that ISO 3166-2:CF does not list yet.
| Prefecture | Seat | Taken from |
|---|---|---|
Mambéré | Carnot | Mambéré-Kadéï (CF-HS) |
Lim-Pendé | Paoua | Ouham-Pendé (CF-OP) |
Ouham-Fafa | Batangafo | Ouham (CF-AC) |
Source: Wikipedia, Prefectures of the Central African Republic, citing Oubangui Médias of 11 December 2020, checked 28 October 2026. Sango names for the three new units are not given here because no source for them was found.
From 17 to 20 prefectures
The list above shows the 17 units that ISO 3166-2:CF still codes, but the country has had 20 prefectures since the law of 10 December 2020. The new Mambéré was carved out of Mambéré-Kadéï, Lim-Pendé out of Ouham-Pendé and Ouham-Fafa out of Ouham. The 20-prefecture list counts Nana-Grébizi and Sangha-Mbaéré as ordinary prefectures, while ISO still files them as economic prefectures.
The reform also moved Bimbo. The town south-west of the capital had been the seat of Ombella-Mpoko since 1969; it was attached to the prefecture of Bangui, and Boali, the seat from 1966 to 1969, took over Ombella-Mpoko again.
Questions about the subdivisions of the Central African Republic
Which prefecture is Bimbo sub-prefecture in?
Bangui since December 2020. Before that Bimbo was a sub-prefecture of Ombella-Mpoko and the seat of that prefecture.
What is a prefecture called in Sango?
Sêse tî kömändâ-kötä. A prefecture name adds tî and the area, as in Sêse tî kömändâ-kötä tî Wäkä for Ouaka.
How many sub-prefectures are listed?
71 in the 16 prefectures, from two in Vakaga to seven in Ouham and Mambéré-Kadéï, plus the eight arrondissements of Bangui.