Central African Republic, Africa

The Central African Republic, is one of the poorest countries in the world and among the ten poorest countries in Africa. The Human Development Index for Central African Republic is 0.352, which gives the country a rank of 178th out of 179 countries with data. For over three decades after independence, the CAR was ruled by presidents who were not chosen in multi-party democratic elections or who took power by force. Local discontent with this system was eventually reinforced by international pressure, following the end of the Cold War.
Lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) persons in the Central African Republic: both male and female same-sex sexual activity are legal in the Central African Republic, but same-sex couples and households headed by same-sex couples are not eligible for the same legal protections available to opposite-sex couples. There is no law against homosexuality. Homosexual behaviour is not mentioned as a criminal offence in the penal code. The age of consent is equalized. C.A.R. is a signator of the UN Declaration of Human Rights.