Islam in the Central African Republic

Islam accounts for approximately 8.9% of the population of the Central African Republic, making it the second largest organized religion in the country after Christianity. The vast majority of Muslims are Sunni of Maliki school of jurisprudence. Most Central African Muslims live in the north-east, near the border with predominantly Muslim Chad and Sudan.

History

Islam arrived in Central African Republic in the 17th century as part of the expansion of the Saharan and Nile River slave routes. Islam began spreading in the region from the 1870's onwards. Conversion was a varied process that included the presence of Muslim merchants, the economic expansion of sultanates in nearby Sudan and Chad into the area, and the cultural proximity of locals with Muslims. The growth of Islam continued during the French colonial period but witnessed setbacks due to a lack of religious intstitutions in the region.