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Introduction
BANGUI: At the beginning of the century, the present-day capital, Bangui, was a modest village beside the River Ubangi; it now extends over 15 sq km (5 sq miles). Built on a rock, it is shaded by tropical greenery and features many modern buildings. Places of interest include the colourful Central Market (renowned for its malachite necklaces), the Boganda Museum, the Arts and Crafts School, the cathedral and the Saint Paul Mission, whose small brick church overlooks the river, and the Hausa quarter. The Grande Corniche leads to the banks of the Ubangi and provides a picturesque view of the fishermen’s round huts and canoes.
ELSEWHERE: The Lobaye Region, 100km (60 miles) from the capital, is inhabited by indigenous forest tribes living in encampments of small, low huts made of lianas and roofed with leaves. There are coffee plantations on the fringe of the forest. A number of similar villages can also be found in the M’Baiki Region, 100km (60 miles) southwest of Bangui. The Boali Waterfalls are 90km (55 miles) northwest of Bangui, near the charming and picturesque village of Boali. They are 250m (820ft) wide and 50m (165ft) high, with a stunning view from the restaurant at the top. The nearby hydroelectric power plant can also be visited. At Bouar, in the east of the country, there is an area of burial mounds with many upright megaliths (tanjunu) thought to be thousands of years old. In Bangassou, near the Ubangi River on the border with the Democratic Republic of Congo, are the extraordinary Kembe Falls on the River Kotto.
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