Bangui is the capital and largest city of the Central African Republic. It was established as a French outpost in 1889 and received its name from its location on the northern bank of the Ubangi River.
The city serves as a major population center, as the majority of the country's residents live in Bangui and the surrounding western regions. The nearby Ubangi River was named after the Bobangi word for "rapids," which are located beside the settlement and mark the end of navigable water north from Brazzaville.