Bouar

Bouar is the capital of Nana-Mambéré prefecture in western Central African Republic, set on a highland plateau nearly 1,000 metres above sea level along the main road between Bangui and the Cameroon border. It is a regional market and administrative centre with a cooler climate than much of the country.

The town is best known for the Bouar Megaliths, around seventy groups of standing stones known as tazunu that date to the late Neolithic period, roughly 3500–2700 BC, and were added to UNESCO's World Heritage Tentative List in 2006. St. Joseph's Cathedral is another notable landmark, while the surrounding hills offer waterfalls and walking routes.

Bouar grew around colonial-era trade and administration and was for decades associated with Camp Leclerc, a French military base. Its position near Cameroon made it an important stopping point on cross-border routes, and cattle trading remains part of local life.

The town is compact and largely walkable, with a central market, small shops, churches, simple restaurants and guesthouses. Motorcycle taxis and four-wheel-drive vehicles are common for getting around town and reaching the megalith sites and wider countryside.

For travellers, Bouar serves mainly as a gateway and rest point between Bangui and Cameroon and as a base for exploring the region's archaeology and landscapes. It is relevant for business, humanitarian and cultural visitors to western Central African Republic, though services remain limited.