Religion in the Central African Republic
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Through Christianity, Islam and Secularity
The country is officially secular and freedom of religion is enshrined in its constitution. Christmas and Easter are recognized as public holidays. Conflicts are frequently split along religious lines in the CAR.
Overview
Christianity
Christianity is practiced by 75–89 percent of the population. According to a 2019 study Protestants outnumber Catholics in the Central African Republic. Accordingly, 61% of the population is Protestant and 28% is Catholic. Some Christians are influenced by animist beliefs and practices.
Islam
Islam is the second largest religion in the country, practiced by 9–15 percent of the population. The vast majority of Muslims are Malikite Sunni. It is believed that many of these followers incorporate traditional indigenous elements into their faith practices. In 2021, there were around 703,373 refugees from the Central African Republic in bordering countries, with most of them adhering to Islam.
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Demographics
Censuses
The last population and housing census in 2003 recorded a population of 3,895,139, of whom 80.3% were Christian, 10.1% Muslim, 4.5% practised other faiths, 3.6% had no religion, and 1.5% chose not to declare their religious affiliation.
Religious geography
Although the Central African Republic government did not release detailed official religious matrix data per prefecture in the last census, Reports from the United States Department of State and spatial studies of religion show consistent distribution patterns based on geographic location.
The following is an estimate of the percentage characteristics and distribution of religion at the prefecture level in the Central African Republic:
Freedom of religion
In 2026, the country scored 1 out of 4 for religious freedom according to Freedom House.