| FishBase | Complete | Literature | Reference | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Species | Families | Species | Families | |||
| Marine | No | |||||
| Freshwater | 203 | 26 | No | Daget, J., J.-P. Gosse and D.F.E. Thys van den Audenaerde, 1984 | ||
| Total | 196 | 26 | No | |||
| Conservation | The following information is to be sought: - Status of knowledge of the freshwater fauna; - Existence of conservation plans; - Information on major aquatic habitats or sites within the country; - Current major threats to species; - Future potential threats to species; - Contact(s) for further information. |
| Geography and Climate |
Central African Republic has a surface area of 622,980 km2. Essentially a well-watered plateau, the uplands (circa 1,500 m altitude) serve as a watershed dividing the Chari Basin from that of the Oubangui/Zaire. Most of the country is open savanna tending to become more arid toward the north. There is some rain forest in the extreme southwest and semi-desert in the northeast.
The climate is fairly consistent over most of the country with rains well dispersed throughout the year. There is, however, a drier period from December through April and a wetter period from May through December.
The Central African Republic has an entirely agricultural economy with a largely rural population, most of which is concentrated in the south of the country. There are large tracts of wild and uninhabited land. Ref. Vanden Bossche, J.-P. and G.M. Bernacsek, 1990 |
| Hydrography |
Lakes: There is one medium-sized lake in the North (Lake Mamoun). Small lakes are abundant on the floodplains of the larger-rivers.
Rivers, floodplains and swamps: The Central African Republic is divided into two main watersheds: To the south, there is the Zaire Basin where the Oubangui (together with its headstream, the Mbomou) forms the southern border of the country for over 1,000 km, and is fed by numerous small rivers. The Mambere drains into the Sangha River, which also feeds the Zaire River; To the north, two main blocks of rivers flow toward the Chari River. In the northeast there is the Bahr Aouk and in the northwest the Bamingui and Ouham. Extensive floodplains (circa 30,000 km2) are developed in both blocks.
Reservoirs: there are several small dams in the country, some (i.e., Boukoko and Baoro) reaching an area of several hectares.
Coastal lagoons: there are no coastal lagoons; the country is landlocked. Ref. Vanden Bossche, J.-P. and G.M. Bernacsek, 1990 |