Ubangi-Shari

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Ubangi-Shari
Oubangui-Chari (French)
1903–1960
Flag
Coat of arms
(1958–1960)
Anthem: "La Marseillaise"
  •   Before 1916
  •   After 1916
StatusColony of France
Capital
Official languageFrench
Commonly spoken
Sango
DemonymUbangi-Sharian
Commissioner General 
• 1903
Charles Noufflard
• 1958–1960
Yvon Bourges
Prime Minister 
• 1958–1959
Barthélemy Boganda
• 1959
Abel Goumba
• 1959–1960
David Dacko
Establishment
• Established
29 December 1903
15 January 1910
12 April 1916
30 June 1934
31 December 1937
• Autonomy as CAR
1 December 1958
13 August 1960
Currency
Preceded by
Succeeded by
French Congo
Central African Republic
Today part ofCAR

Ubangi-Shari (French: Oubangui-Chari) was a French colony in central Africa, a part of French Equatorial Africa. It was named after the Ubangi and Chari rivers along which it was colonised.

Established on 29 December 1903 from the Upper Ubangi (Haut-Oubangui) and Upper Shari (Haut-Chari) territories of the French Congo, it was renamed the Central African Republic (CAR) on 1 December 1958, and gained independence on 13 August 1960.