The Central African Republic is a landlocked country in Central Africa. It borders Chad in the north, Sudan in the east, the Republic of the Congo and the Democratic Republic of the Congo in the south, and Cameroon in the west.
While French is the official language and Sango is the national language, English is taught in all secondary schools, is used as the medium of instruction in the University English department and for teacher training classes, and is becoming increasingly popular.
The CAR is heavily dependent upon multilateral foreign aid and the presence of numerous NGO's which provide numerous services which the government fails to provide. As one UNDP official put it, the CAR is a country "sous serum," or a country hooked up to an IV. (Mehler 2005:150) The very presence of numerous foreign personnel and organizations in the country, including peacekeepers and even refugee camps, provides an important source of revenue for many Central Africans. All ESL/EFL/TEFL English teaching position in C.A.R. are though one of these organisations (i.e. Peace Corps).
