I started a Travel the World Series last year. (It should be noted that I did a similar thing in 2018, only it was the 50 states.) For 50 weeks in 2019, I visited a different country (virtually) and shared facts about that country. I then selected one tidbit of information about that week's country as inspiration for a card. Fifty weeks; fifty countries... BUT there are 195 countries in the world so that was just a little over 25% of them. Of course I couldn't stop, so this year I'm continuing with fifty more countries, one per week.
This week's country is...
Central African Republic
Central African Republic (CAR) is etched in the heartland of Africa and is encapsulated by six other countries in the middle of Africa - Chad, Sudan, South Sudan, Democratic Republic of Congo, and Cameroon.
The Central African Republic is the 43rd largest country in the world in terms of land area. It is just slightly smaller than Texas and almost equivalent to the size of Ukraine.
Any visit to the Central African Republic is truly an adventure since it is remote and not very developed. One of the great beauties of the country is its people. Despite their rocky history and political situations, they are all brimming with hope and warmth.
Much of the country consists of flat, or rolling plateau savanna, typically about 500 meters (1,640 feet) above sea level.
About three-fifths of the population is rural.
Many of the people of the Central African Republic are farmers. They survive by growing what they need.
Bouar’s upright monoliths which are called Tajunu, mark the grounds of ancient burial mounds. The burial mounds date back as far back as the Neolith times – which makes them around the same age as England’s Stonehenge.
The climate of the Central African Republic is generally tropical, with a wet season that lasts from June to September in the north of the country, and from May to October in the south.
Agriculture is dominated by the cultivation and sale of food crops such as cassava, peanuts, maize, sorghum, millet, sesame, and plantain.
The earliest period of settlement in the Central African Republic began around 10,000 years ago, when nomadic people first began to settle, farm and fish in the region.
Despite its significant mineral deposits and other resources, such as uranium reserves, crude oil, gold, diamonds, cobalt, lumber, and hydropower, as well as significant quantities of arable land, the Central African Republic is among the ten poorest countries in the world.
Boali Falls is one of the best known landmarks in Central African Republic. This impressive waterfall is 165 feet high and 820 feet wide.
Mong Ngaoui is the highest mountain in the Central African Republic. It’s located in the Karre Mountains on the border with Cameroon and has a summit elevation of 4,626 feet.
The music of the Central African Republic includes many different forms. Western rock and pop music, as well as Afrobeat, soukous and other genres have become popular nation-wide.
The Central African Republic is divided into over 80 ethnic groups, each having its own language.
Bangui, or Bangî in Sango is the capital and largest city of the Central African Republic. It was established as a French outpost in 1889 and named after its location on the northern bank of the Ubangi River.
The Central African Republic has 5 national parks and 33 other protected areas. Most of the prominent African wildlife animals are in the national parks. These include the famous BIG 5 (African Elephant, African Rhino, African Buffalo, African Lion, and African Leopard), among others.
The Central African Republic is home to about 3,600 species of plants, 663 birds, 131 mammals, 187 reptiles, and 29 amphibians.
The Oubangui Mouse is a species of rodent in the family Muridae. It is found only in Central African Republic. Its natural habitat is dry savanna.
Graphium abriis a butterfly in the Papilionidae It is found in the Central African Republic.
Skinks are endemic to CAR and look roughly like true lizards, but most species have no pronounced neck and their legs are relatively small; several genera have no limbs at all. In such species, their locomotion resembles that of snakes more than that of lizards with well-developed limbs.
Public education in the Central African Republic is free and compulsory from ages 6 to 14. However, about half the adult population in the country is illiterate.
Violence against children and women in relation to accusations of witchcraft have been cited as a serious problem in the Central African Republic. Witchcraft is even a criminal offense under the panel code.
About 68% of girls from the Central African Republic are married before they turn 18.
I decided to let this Central African Republic fact be the inspiration for this week's card... Basketball is the country’s most popular sport. Its national team won the African Championship twice and was the first Sub-Saharan African team to qualify for the Basketball World Cup.
Thanks for stopping by my blog today!
Stamps: SU Perfect Pairings and Your Next Stamp Lisa stamped with Memento Tuxedo Black Ink and colored with Copic Markers
Papers: Recollections Black, 110# Blue and 110# White CS and DP from the Paper Studio Boys Will Be Boys Paper Pad
Die: MFT Starburst Sentiment Strip
Embellishments: Gina Marie Designs Glitter Enamel Dots and Eyelet Outlet Bling Strip
The Central African Republic is the 43rd largest country in the world in terms of land area. It is just slightly smaller than Texas and almost equivalent to the size of Ukraine.
Any visit to the Central African Republic is truly an adventure since it is remote and not very developed. One of the great beauties of the country is its people. Despite their rocky history and political situations, they are all brimming with hope and warmth.
Much of the country consists of flat, or rolling plateau savanna, typically about 500 meters (1,640 feet) above sea level.
Many of the people of the Central African Republic are farmers. They survive by growing what they need.
The climate of the Central African Republic is generally tropical, with a wet season that lasts from June to September in the north of the country, and from May to October in the south.
Agriculture is dominated by the cultivation and sale of food crops such as cassava, peanuts, maize, sorghum, millet, sesame, and plantain.
The earliest period of settlement in the Central African Republic began around 10,000 years ago, when nomadic people first began to settle, farm and fish in the region.
Despite its significant mineral deposits and other resources, such as uranium reserves, crude oil, gold, diamonds, cobalt, lumber, and hydropower, as well as significant quantities of arable land, the Central African Republic is among the ten poorest countries in the world.
Mong Ngaoui is the highest mountain in the Central African Republic. It’s located in the Karre Mountains on the border with Cameroon and has a summit elevation of 4,626 feet.
The music of the Central African Republic includes many different forms. Western rock and pop music, as well as Afrobeat, soukous and other genres have become popular nation-wide.
The Central African Republic is divided into over 80 ethnic groups, each having its own language.
The Central African Republic has 5 national parks and 33 other protected areas. Most of the prominent African wildlife animals are in the national parks. These include the famous BIG 5 (African Elephant, African Rhino, African Buffalo, African Lion, and African Leopard), among others.
The Central African Republic is home to about 3,600 species of plants, 663 birds, 131 mammals, 187 reptiles, and 29 amphibians.
The Oubangui Mouse is a species of rodent in the family Muridae. It is found only in Central African Republic. Its natural habitat is dry savanna.
Skinks are endemic to CAR and look roughly like true lizards, but most species have no pronounced neck and their legs are relatively small; several genera have no limbs at all. In such species, their locomotion resembles that of snakes more than that of lizards with well-developed limbs.
Public education in the Central African Republic is free and compulsory from ages 6 to 14. However, about half the adult population in the country is illiterate.
Violence against children and women in relation to accusations of witchcraft have been cited as a serious problem in the Central African Republic. Witchcraft is even a criminal offense under the panel code.
About 68% of girls from the Central African Republic are married before they turn 18.
Thanks for stopping by my blog today!
Papers: Recollections Black, 110# Blue and 110# White CS and DP from the Paper Studio Boys Will Be Boys Paper Pad
Die: MFT Starburst Sentiment Strip
Embellishments: Gina Marie Designs Glitter Enamel Dots and Eyelet Outlet Bling Strip
Loving that fabulous designer paper with your slam-dunking bear!! What a fun card, Jeanetgte!!
ReplyDeleteOoopps! Sorry, Jeanette!
ReplyDeleteAdorable card. I would have never guessed that Africa had basketball! Perfect card for your research.
ReplyDeleteA wonderful card Jeanette, and even more wonderful is your collection of facts about CAR - thank you. I am so enjoying these posts
ReplyDeleteBlessings
Maxine