Religion in the Central African Republic

Estimates cite about 61 percent Protestants, 28 percent Catholics, and 9 percent Muslims; according to this estimate, other or non-religious people account for around 2 percent. No current official religious census is available, and Oxfam cites a Muslim population share of up to 15 percent. Christian and Muslim practice may contain syncretic elements, while Indigenous spirituality is sometimes practiced independently and sometimes combined with Christian or Muslim rites. Christian communities predominate in the central, western, and southern regions. Muslim communities live particularly in the northern border regions with Cameroon, Chad, and Sudan, as well as in Bangui's PK5 neighborhood, which is predominantly Muslim. Other parts of Bangui are predominantly Christian. Communities offer worship services, prayers, religious teaching, rites, and ceremonies. These include baptism, confirmation, an Islamic marriage ceremony (Nikah), weddings, prayers, and burials; no uniform nationwide denominational ceremony framework has been documented. A religious marriage does not replace civil registration. For a civil marriage, both partners must generally be at least 18 years old; the public prosecutor (Procureur) may authorize an exception for serious reasons. A birth certificate, a medical examination before marriage, and a declaration of dowry are usually required. According to the available information, the marriage certificate is issued immediately, while municipal fees vary. A death must be reported within one month; a death certificate takes approximately two to seven days and is needed, among other things, for burial, inheritance, and social assistance. The Boeing Islamic Cemetery in Bangui is a religiously sensitive burial site whose access may be affected by conflict and incorrect allocation of burial spaces. The Constitution of 30 August 2023 makes the Central African Republic a secular state. Article 22 protects freedom of thought, conscience, and religion, as well as religious practice individually or in community, publicly or privately, provided that laws, public order, good morals, and the rights of others are respected. Article 13 prohibits religious discrimination in education, access to public functions, and other matters. Public schools do not provide denominational religious instruction within the state curriculum; however, religious instruction is not generally prohibited in public or private schools. Private institutions require state authorization and oversight. In practice, access to education also depends on poverty, distance, conflict, and displacement, and there are reports that Muslim students are disadvantaged by teachers or fellow students. Religious groups can register with the Ministry of the Interior, Public Security and Territorial Administration (Ministère de l’Intérieur, de la Sécurité publique et de l’Administration du territoire). Most groups must have at least 1,000 members and leadership with sufficient religious training; registration is free of charge. An application may be rejected for violating good morals or social order, and a registration may be suspended because of subversive activities. According to the available information, the minimum number does not apply to animist or spiritual communities. Registration provides state recognition and customs advantages for vehicles or equipment, while no sanction for non-registration has been documented. Key points of contact include the responsible ministries, courts in cases of legal violations, and municipal authorities for civil-status records. The Religious Denominations Platform in the Central African Republic (Plateforme des Confessions Religieuses en Centrafrique (PCRC)) connects Catholic, Protestant, Orthodox, and Muslim leaders. Religious leaders mediate conflicts, support return, and promote tolerance and social cohesion. The United Nations Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in the Central African Republic (Mission multidimensionnelle intégrée des Nations Unies pour la stabilisation en Centrafrique (MINUSCA)) also works with religious leaders on dialogue and reconciliation processes; 43 religious leaders took part in a dialogue in Ndélé in 2026, including 32 Christian and 11 Muslim leaders. Conflicts are not caused by religion alone but overlap with political, economic, ethnic, and religious factors. Attacks, insecurity, displacement, negative media portrayals, the marginalization of Muslim people, and attacks against Muslim civilians can affect worship services, return, and access to religious sites. Christian holidays such as Christmas, Easter, Ascension Day, the Assumption of Mary, and All Saints' Day, as well as Muslim holidays such as Eid al-Fitr and Eid al-Adha, fall under the statutory public-holiday framework. Muslim dates follow the lunar calendar; the current calendar determines when a holiday applies and what entitlement to pay or leave it creates.