Republic Day in Central African Republic
Republic Day is a national holiday that’s celebrated annually on December 1st in the Central African Republic. As the name suggests, it’s a holiday that commemorates the anniversary of when this country became an autonomous territory in 1958 after being a French colony for many years.
Central African Republic (Public holiday)It became known as Ubangi-Shari before having its name changed to the Central African Republic. This is a day for everyone in this country to consider their independence and spend time with friends and family members. Since it’s a public holiday, most schools and businesses are closed on this holiday.
The History Of Republic Day
In 1894, France would invade and colonize this Central African territory. The French would eventually incorporate it into French Equatorial Africa in 1920 and introduce a policy of mandatory cotton cultivation. They also used a system of forced labor to build a road network through central Africa, and this alone would result in thousands of construction workers’ deaths.
When the French Fourth Republic collapsed, French Equatorial Africa was dissolved in 1958. The states that made it up all became autonomous members within the French community on December 1, 1958. Two years later, on August 13, 1960, the Central African Republic gained its full independence from France.
Quick Facts About The Central African Republic
Since many people may not have even heard about the Central African Republic before learning about Republic Day, we thought that we’d lay down some facts about this country that will give people a head start on expanding their knowledge about it.
- The Central African Republic has been settled for over 8,000 years.
- During the 17th, 18th, and 19th centuries, slave traders exploited the region and removed tens of thousands of people to be sent to slave camps around the world.
- David Dacko was the first president of the Central African Republic.
Observing Republic Day
Republic Day is observed all over the Central African Republic with special events, political speeches, and parades. People also take the time to learn more about this country’s independence. It’s a day of national pride in the Central African Republic, and as such, people all across the country take great pride in it.
Central African Republic (Public holiday)
