Central Africa
Name Family Language Region Country Population ( million )
Sara Nilo-Saharan , Central Sudanic Sara Chad Basin Chad , Cameroon , Central African Republic 3.5
Gbaya Niger-Congo , Ubangian Gbaya language Chad Basin Central African Republic 1.5
Zande Niger-Congo , Ubangian Zande Chad Basin South Sudan , Central African Republic , Democratic Republic of Congo 1-4
Kanuri Nilo-Saharan , Western Saharan Kanuri Chad Basin Eastern Nigeria , Niger , Cameroon , Chad 10
Banda Niger-Congo , Ubangian Banda language Chad Basin Central African Republic 1.5
Luba Niger-Congo , Bantu Luba language Sub-Equatorial Democratic Republic of Congo 10-15
Mongo Niger-Congo , Bantu Mongo language Sub-Equatorial Democratic Republic of Congo 10-15
Kongo Niger-Congo , Bantu Kongo language Sub-Equatorial Democratic Republic of Congo , Angola , Republic of Congo 10
Demographics
Further information : Demographics of Africa , List of African countries by population , and List of ethnic groups of Africa § Central Africa UN Macroregion of Central Africa Following the Bantu Migration , Central Africa is primarily inhabited by Bantu peoples and Bantu languages predominate . These include the Mongo , Kongo and Luba peoples . Central Africa also includes many Nilo-Saharan and Niger-Congo Ubangian communities : in north western Central Africa the Nilo-Saharan Kanuri [ 36 ] [ 37 ] predominate . Most of the Ubangian speakers in Africa ( often grouped with Niger-Congo ) are also found in Central Africa , such as the Gbaya , [ 38 ] Banda [ 38 ] and Zande , [ 39 ] [ 38 ] in northern Central Africa . Notable Central African supra-regional organizations include the Lake Chad Basin Commission and the Economic Community of Central African States . The predominant religions of Central Africa and Christianity and traditional faiths . Islam is also practiced in some areas in Chad and the Central African Republic . Name Capital Currency Official languages Area ( km ) Population ( 2018 ) Angola Luanda Kwanza Portuguese 1,246,700 30,809,787 Cameroon Yaoundé Central African CFA franc French , English 475,442 25,216,267 Central African Republic Bangui Central African CFA franc Sango , French 622,984 4,666,368 Chad N'Djamena Central African CFA franc French , Arabic 1,284,000 15,477,729 Democratic Republic of the Congo Kinshasa Congolese franc French 2,344,858 84,068,091 Republic of the Congo Brazzaville Central African CFA franc French 342,000 5,244,359 Equatorial Guinea Malabo Central African CFA franc Spanish , Portuguese , French 28,051 1,308,975 Gabon Libreville Central African CFA franc French 267,668 2,119,275 São Tomé and Príncipe São Tomé São Tomé and Príncipe Dobra Portuguese 964 211,028 Due to common historical processes and widespread demographic movements between the countries of Central Africa before the Bantu Migration into much of southern Central Africa , the cultures of the region evidence many similarities and interrelationships . Similar cultural practices stemming from common origins as largely Nilo-Saharan or Bantu peoples is also evident in Central Africa including in music , dance , art , body adornment , initiation and marriage rituals . Some major ethnic groups in Central Africa are as follows :
Central Africa is a region of the African continent comprising various countries according to different definitions. Angola, Burundi, Cameroon, the Central African Republic, Chad, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, the Republic of the Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, Rwanda, and São Tomé and Príncipe are members of the Economic Community of Central African States (ECCAS). Six of those states (Cameroon, the Central African Republic, Chad, the Republic of the Congo, Equatorial Guinea, and Gabon) are also members of the Economic and Monetary Community of Central Africa (CEMAC) and share a common currency, the Central African CFA franc. The African Development Bank defines Central Africa as Cameroon, the Central African Republic, Chad, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, the Republic of the Congo, Equatorial Guinea, and Gabon. Middle Africa is an analogous term used by the United Nations in its geoscheme for Africa. It includes the same countries as the African Development Bank's definition, along with Angola, and São Tomé and Príncipe.