Bambari

• Official Name — Bambari • Settlement Type — Town • Image Skyline — Bambari Downtown.jpg • Image Caption — View of Bambari • Pushpin Map — Central African Republic • Pushpin Label Position — top • Pushpin Map Caption — Location in Central African Republic • Pushpin Relief — yes • Subdivision Type — Country • Subdivision Name — Central African Republic • Subdivision Type1 — Prefecture • Subdivision Name1 — Ouaka • Subdivision Type2 — District • Leader Title — Sub-Prefect • Leader Name — Martin Kossi • Leader Title1 — Mayor • Leader Name1 — Abel Matchipata • Population As Of — 2012 • Population Total — 41486 • Population Blank1 Title — Ethnicities • Population Blank2 Title — Religions • Timezone — WAT • Utc Offset — +01:00 • Elevation M — 465 Bambari is a town in the Central African Republic, lying on the Ouaka River. It has a population of 41,356 (2003 census) and is the capital of Ouaka prefecture. Bambari is an important market town and home to Bambari Airport, and the Roman Catholic Diocese of Bambari.

• Illustration — Anti-balaka fighters in Bambari, 2014 Bambari was electrified in 1970. On 23 December 2012 Bambari was captured by rebels from Séléka coalition. On 24 June 2014 100 Anti-balaka fighters attacked Bambari. 46 people were killed and 28 wounded. In 2015 it was reported that Bambari was split with Anti-balaka controlling the part west of Oukana river and ex-Seleka controlling the eastern part of the city. On 22 February 2017 Ali Darassa and most rebels from Union for Peace in the Central African Republic withdrew from Bambari. Anti-balaka leader followed shortly after. On 10 January 2019 UPC rebels attacked Bambari. The attack was repelled after seven days of battle by government and international forces. More than 40 rebels were killed. On 8 December 2020 clashes erupted between FACA and UPC rebels in Bambari resulting in a few rebels being killed. On 22 December UPC took control of Bambari. They withdrew a day after, but later returned. Government forces finally fully recaptured Bambari on 18 February 2021.

Köppen-Geiger climate classification system classifies its climate as tropical wet and dry (Aw).

Large deposits of iron ore have been discovered in the vicinity of Bambari, though the considerable distance to the sea—1500 km—probably makes exploitatation of these reserves doubtful in the near future. A heavy duty railway and a deepwater port in a neighbouring country would be required. The mining resource also includes iron deposits at Bakala.