The public face of the Central African Republic is one that is both politically brutal and environmentally savage, troubled by recurrent Harmattan winds. Yet the private face of this country is one with an attractive countenance of forests, waterfalls and magnificent national parks that teem with wildlife.

Despite the dangers that lurk in a city such as Bangui, the country's capital is friendly, with a strong emphasis on arts and crafts.

The Central African Republic is bordered to the north by Chad, to the east by Sudan, to the south by the Democratic Republic of Congo and the Republic of Congo, and to the west by Cameroon. It is a large, landlocked territory of mostly uninhabited forest, bush and game reserves.

The Chari River cuts through the center from east to north; towards the Cameroon border the landscape rises to 2,000m (6,560ft) west of Bocaranga in the northwest corner, while the southwest has dense tropical rainforest.

Most of the country is rolling or flat plateau covered with dry deciduous forest, except where it has been reduced to grass savannah or destroyed by bush fire. The northeast becomes desert scrubland and mountainous in parts.

From the Word Travels destination guide to Central African Republic copyright Globe Media 2011