Moving to Central African Republic: visas, cost of living & immigrant guide

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Population

5,990,855

Population - note

Note: estimates for this country explicitly take into account the effects of excess mortality due to AIDS

this can result in lower life expectancy, higher infant mortality, higher death rates, lower population growth rates, and changes in the distribution of population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected

Population Growth Rate

2.14%

Urban Population

39.100000

Population in Major Urban Areas

BANGUI (capital) 740,000

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Age Structure

40.270000

Median Age

19.300000

Birth Rate - births/1,000 population

36

Death Rate - deaths/1,000 population

14.42

Total Fertility Rate - children born/woman

4.52

Contraceptive Prevalance Rate - female 12-49

19%

Contraceptive Prevalence Rate - female 12-49

19%

Sex Ratio at Birth - male/female

1.030000

Ethnic Groups

Baya 33%, Banda 27%, Mandjia 13%, Sara 10%, Mboum 7%, M'Baka 4%, Yakoma 4%, other 2%

Nationality Noun

Central African(s)

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Literacy - total population

48.6%

Literacy - male

63.3%

Literacy - female

39.9%

Literacy Definition

Age 15 and over can read and write

Education Expenditures - percent of GDP

1.2%

Total School Life Expectancy - (primary to tertiary)

7.000000

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Life Expectancy at Birth

50.900000

Infant Mortality Rate

95.040000

Infant Mortality Rate - total deaths/1,000 live births

95.040000

Maternal Mortality Rate - deaths/100,000 live births

890

Physicians Density - physicians/1,000 population

.05

Hospital Bed Density - beds/1,000 population

1

Health Expenditures - percent of GDP

3.8%

Major Infectious Diseases - degree of risk

very high

Obesity - adult prevalence rate

3.5%

Drinking Water Source - percent of urban population improved

89.600000

Sanitation Facility Access - percent of urban population improved

43.600000

Underweight - percent of children under five years

28%

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Economic Overview

Subsistence agriculture, together with forestry and mining, remains the backbone of the economy of the Central African Republic (CAR), with about 60% of the population living in outlying areas.

The agricultural sector generates more than half of the estimated GDP, although statistics are unreliable in the conflict-prone country.

Timber and diamonds account for most export earnings, followed by cotton.

Important constraints to economic development include the CAR's landlocked geography, poor transportation system, largely unskilled workforce, and legacy of misdirected macroeconomic policies.

Factional fighting between the government and its opponents remains a drag on economic revitalization.

The distribution of income is highly unequal and grants from the international community can only partially meet humanitarian needs.

CAR shares a common currency with the Central African Monetary Union.

The currency is pegged to the Euro.

Since 2009, the IMF has worked closely with the government to institute reforms that have resulted in some improvement in budget transparency, but other problems remain.

The government's additional spending in the run-up to the 2011 election worsened CAR's fiscal situation.

In 2012, the World Bank approved $125 million in funding for transport infrastructure and regional trade, focused on the route between CAR's capital and the port of Douala in Cameroon.

In July 2016, the IMF approved a three-year extended credit facility valued at $116 million; in mid-2017, the IMF completed a review of CAR’s fiscal performance and broadly approved of the government’s management, although issues with revenue collection, weak government capacity, and transparency remain.

The World Bank in late 2016 approved a $20 million grant to restore basic fiscal management, improve transparency, and assist with economic recovery.

Participation in the Kimberley Process, a commitment to remove conflict diamonds from the global supply chain, led to a partially lifted ban on diamond exports from CAR in 2015, but persistent insecurity is likely to constrain real GDP growth.

Industries

Gold and diamond mining, logging, brewing, sugar refining

GDP - per capita (PPP)

$700.00 (USD)

GDP - real growth rate

5.2%

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GDP - Gross Domestic Product (PPP)

$4,483,000,000 (USD)

GDP Per Capita

$700.00 (USD)

GDP - real growth rate

5.2%

GDP - official exchange rate

$1,782,000,000 (USD)

GDP - composition, by end use

• Consumption: 108.3% Government
• Consumption: 9.1% Investment in Fixed
• Capital: 10.4% Investment in
• Inventories: 0% Exports of Goods and
• Services: 12.7% Imports of Goods and
• Services: -40.5%

GDP by Sector- agriculture

58%

GDP by Sector- Industry

11.7%

GDP by Sector- services

30.3%

Industrial Growth Rate

3.5%

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Inflation Rate

3.3%

Exchange Rate per US Dollar

605.7

Currency Name and Code

Cooperation Financiere en Afrique Centrale francs (XAF)

Fiscal Year

Calendar Year

Commercial Bank Prime Lending Rate

15.5%

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Labor Force

2,421,000

Unemployment Rate

8%

Unemployment - note

23% unemployment in the capital, Bangui

Major Industries

Gold and diamond mining, logging, brewing, sugar refining

Agriculture Products

Cotton, coffee, tobacco, cassava (manioc, tapioca), yams, millet, corn, bananas; timber

Child Labor - # of children ages 5-14

532,518

Child Labor - % of children ages 5-14

47%

Annual Budget

$207,100,000 (USD)

Budget Surplus or Deficit - percent of GDP

-4.4%

Taxes and other revenues - percent of GDP

11.6%

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Full Country Name

Central African Republic

Country Name

none

Local - Long

Republique Centrale Africaine

Local - Short

none

Abbreviation

CAR

Former Name

Ubangi-Shari, Central African Empire

Etymology- history of name

self-descriptive name specifying the country's location on the continent

"Africa" is derived from the Roman designation of the area corresponding to present-day Tunisia "Africa terra," which meant "Land of the Afri" (the tribe resident in that area), but which eventually came to mean the entire continent

Independence

13 August 1960 (from France)

National Holiday

Republic Day, 1 December (1958)

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Government Type

presidential republic

Constitution

• history: several previous; latest constitution passed by a national referendum on 30 July 2023 and validated by the Constitutional Court on 21 August 2023; note - the new constitution was proposed by President Faustin-Archange Touadéra, extended the presidential term from 5 to 7 years, removed term limits, and will allow President Touadéra to run again in 2025; opposition parties denounced the changes, claiming they were created to facilitate a "life precedency" for Touadéra
• amendments: proposals require support of the government, two thirds of the National Council of Transition, and assent by the "Mediator of the Central African" crisis; passage requires at least three-fourths majority vote by the National Council membership; non-amendable constitutional provisions include those on the secular and republican form of government, fundamental rights and freedoms, amendment procedures, or changes to the authorities of various high-level executive, parliamentary, and judicial officials

Legal System:

civil law system based on the French model

Executive Branch:

• chief of state: President Faustin-Archange TOUADERA (since 30 March 2016)
• head of government: Prime Minister Felix MOLOUA (since 7 February 2022); note - Prime Minister Henri-Marie DONDRA resigned on 2 February 2022
• cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president
• elections/appointments: president directly elected for 5-year term; election last held 27 December 2020 (next to be held in December 2025); constitutional referendum in July 2023 removed term limits and institutes 7-year terms; note - presidential and partial legislative elections were held on 27 December 2020; voting was disrupted in some areas, delaying the first round of legislative elections until 14 March 2021; constituencies that did vote on 27 December 2020 held runoff elections for their legislators
• election results: 2020: Faustin-Archange TOUADERA reelected president in first round; percent of vote - Faustin-Archange TOUADERA (independent) 53.9%, Anicet Georges DOLOGUELE (URCA) 21%, other 25.1% 2015: Faustin-Archange TOUADERA elected president in the second round; percent of vote in first round - Anicet-Georges DOLOGUELE (URCA) 23.7%, Faustin-Archange TOUADERA (independent) 19.1%, Desire KOLINGBA (RDC) 12%, Martin ZIGUELE (MLPC) 11.4%, other 33.8%; percent of vote in second round - Faustin-Archange TOUADERA 62.7%, Anicet-Georges DOLOGUELE 37.3%

Legislative Branch:

• Description: unicameral National Assembly or Assemblee Nationale (140 seats; members directly elected in single-seat constituencies by absolute majority vote with a second round if needed; members serve 5-year terms)
• Elections: last held in December 2020 through July 2021 (next to be held 31 December 2025);
• Note: on 27 December 2020, the day of first round elections, voting in many electoral areas was disrupted by armed groups; on 13 February 2021, President TOUADERA announced that new first round elections would be held on 27 February 2021 for those areas controlled by armed groups and the second round on 14 March 2021; ultimately, two additional rounds were held on 23 May and 25 July 2021 in areas that continued to suffer from election security problems
• Election Results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - MCU 63, MOUNI 9, URCA 7, MLPC 7, RDC 5, KNK 3, PATRIE 3, CDE 2, RDD 2, MDD 2, PGD 2, PAD 2, CANE 2, other 11, independent 20; composition as of January 2024 - men 124, women 16, percent of women 11.4%;
• Note: several members of other parties and independent candidates joined the MCU following the opening session of the National Assembly; as of 21 September 2021, the MCU held 86 seats

Judicial Branch:

• office: Supreme Court judges appointed by the president; Constitutional Court judge appointments - 2 by the president, 1 by the speaker of the National Assembly, 2 elected by their peers, 2 are advocates elected by their peers, and 2 are law professors elected by their peers; judges serve 7-year non-renewable terms
• subordinate courts: high courts; magistrates' courts

Regions or States:

14 prefectures (prefectures, singular - prefecture), 2 economic prefectures* (prefectures economiques, singular - prefecture economique), and 1 commune Bamingui-Bangoran, Bangui, Basse-Kotto, Haute-Kotto, Haut-Mbomou, Kemo, Lobaye, Mambere-Kadei, Mbomou, Nana-Grebizi*, Nana-Mambere, Ombella-Mpoko, Ouaka, Ouham, Ouham-Pende, Sangha-Mbaere*, Vakaga

Political Parties and Leaders:

• Action Party for Development or PAD [Laurent GONDAB]
• African Party for Radical Transformation and Integration of States or PATRIE [Crepin MBOLI-GOUMBA]
• Alliance for Democracy and Progress or ADP Be Africa ti e Kwe (also known as Central Africa for Us All or BTK) [Honoré DOUBA]
• Central African Democratic Rally or RDC Central African Party for Integrated Development or PCDI [Timoléon MABIKIKOUA]
• Democratic Movement for the Renewal and Evolution of Central Africa or MDREC [Joseph BENDOUNGA]
• Kodro Ti Mo Kozo Si Movement or MKMKS [Jean-Serges BOKASSA]
• Movement for Democracy and Development or MDD [Louis PAPÉNIAH]
• Movement for the Liberation of the Central African People or MLPC [Martin ZIGUÉLÉ]
• National Convergence (also known as Kwa Na Kwa or KNK) [Christian GUÉNÉBEM-DEDIZOUM]
• National Movement of Independents or MOUNI [Thierry KAMACH]
• National Union for Democracy and Progress or UNDP [Michel AMINE]
• National Union of Republican Democrats or UNADER [Laurent GOMINA-PAMPALI]
• New Impetus for Central Africa or CANE [Sylvain PATASSE]
• Party for Democracy and Solidarity - Kélémba or KPDS [Aurélien Simplice ZINGAS]
• Party for Democratic Governance or PGD [Jean-Michel MANDABA]
• Path of Hope or CDE [Karim MECKASSOUA]
• Renaissance for Sustainable Development or RDD [Augustin AGOU]
• Socialist Party or PS [Martin PANOU]
• Transformation Through Action Initiative or ITA [Dominique YANDOCKA]
• Union for Central African Renewal or URCA [Anicet-Georges DOLOGUÉLÉ]
• Union for Renaissance and Development or URD [Auguste BOUKANGA]
• United Hearts Movement or MCU [Faustin-Archange TOUADÉRA]

Suffrage:

18 years of age; universal

Citizenship Criteria:

• birth: no citizenship by descent
• only: least one parent must be a citizen of the Central African Republic dual citizenship
• recognized: yes residency requirement for
• naturalization: 35 years

Capital Name

Bangui

Capital - geographic coordinate

4 22 N, 18 35 E

Capital Time Difference

UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)

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International Organization Participation:

• ACP
• AfDB
• AU
• BDEAC
• CEMAC
• EITI (compliant country) (suspended)
• FAO
• FZ
• G-77
• IAEA
• IBRD
• ICAO
• ICCt
• ICRM
• IDA
• IFAD
• IFC
• IFRCS
• ILO
• IMF
• Interpol
• IOC
• IOM
• ITSO
• ITU
• ITUC (NGOs)
• LCBC
• MIGA
• NAM
• OIC (observer)
• OIF
• OPCW
• UN
• UNCTAD
• UNESCO
• UNIDO
• UNWTO
• UPU
• WCO
• WHO
• WIPO
• WMO
• WTO

International Law Organization Participation:

has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; accepts ICCt jurisdiction

Diplomatic Representation from US:

• Chief of Mission: Ambassador Patricia A. MAHONEY (since 8 April 2022)
• Embassy: Avenue David Dacko, Bangui
• Mailing Address: 2060 Bangui Place, Washington DC 20521-2060
• Telephone: [236] 2161-0200
• FAX: [236] 2161-4494
• Website: https://cf.usembassy.gov/

Diplomatic Representation in the US:

• Chief of Mission: Ambassador Martial NDOUBOU (since 17 September 2018)
• Chancery: 2704 Ontario Road NW, Washington, DC 20009
• Telephone: [1] (202) 483-7800
• FAX: [1] (202) 332-9893
• Email: centrafricwashington@yahoo.com
• Website: https://www.usrcaembassy.org/

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Geographic Location

Africa

Geographic Coordinates

7 00 N, 21 00 E

Total Area

240,534 Square Miles 622,984 Square Kilometers

Land Area

240,534 Square Miles 622,984 Square Kilometers

Land Boundaries

3,233 Miles 5,203 Kilometers

Border Countries

Cameroon 797 km, Chad 1,197 km, Democratic Republic of the Congo 1,577 km, Republic of the Congo 467 km, Sudan 1,165 km

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Terrain

Vast, flat to rolling, monotonous plateau; scattered hills in northeast and southwest

Highest Point

1,420 Meters

Highest Point Location

Mont Ngaoui 1,420 m

Lowest Point

335 Meters

Lowest Point Location

Oubangui River 335 m

Natural Resources

Diamonds, uranium, timber, gold, oil, hydropower

Irrigated Land

0 Square Miles 1 Square Kilometers

Time Zone

UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)

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Climate

Average monthly temperatures range from a low of around 66°F to a high of about 93°F.

Most of the precipitation in the area of Bangui occurs between May and October, usually characterized by short, violent thunderstorms.

Although it rains hard at times, the sun shines almost every day.

Dust, generally sunny skies, and warm weather are the forecast for the dry season (November to April).

Terrain

Vast, flat to rolling, monotonous plateau; scattered hills in northeast and southwest

Location

Central Africa, north of the Democratic Republic of the Congo

Total Area

240,534 Square Miles 622,984 Square Kilometers

Border Countries

Cameroon 797 km, Chad 1,197 km, Democratic Republic of the Congo 1,577 km, Republic of the Congo 467 km, Sudan 1,165 km

Environment - Current Issues

• Tap water is not potable
• poaching has diminished the country's reputation as one of the last great wildlife refuges
• desertification
• deforestation

Environment - International Agreements

Party To: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Ozone Layer Protection, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: Law of the Sea

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Exports

$77,000,000 (USD)

Imports

$375,300,000 (USD)

Major Exports

Diamonds, timber, cotton, coffee

Major Imports

Food, textiles, petroleum products, machinery, electrical equipment, motor vehicles, chemicals, pharmaceuticals

Top Export Partners

Norway 52.2%, China 14.1%, Democratic Republic of the Congo 8.3%

Top Import Partners

Norway 39.6%, France 6.8%, United States 4.6%

Export Partners

Norway 52.2%, China 14.1%, Democratic Republic of the Congo 8.3%

Import Partners

Norway 39.6%, France 6.8%, United States 4.6%

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Country Description

The Central African Republic (CAR) is one of the world’s least developed nations and is currently experiencing a period of prolonged political instability and lawlessness.

In March 2013, the Seleka rebel group overthrew the government in violent clashes with the CAR military and foreign troops.

Despite an ongoing peace process and the creation of a transitional government, the security situation remains highly unstable.

Gunfights and looting are ongoing and can erupt at any moment.

The U.S.

Department of State Travel Warning for the Central African Republic strongly warns against all travel to CAR.

Those who choose to remain in the Central African Republic or to visit despite this advice should be aware that the U.S.

Embassy in Bangui suspended operations on December 28, 2012, and therefore cannot provide protection or routine consular services to U.S. citizens in CAR.

The Government of the Republic of France, acting through its Embassy in Bangui, serves as Protecting Power for U.S. interests in CAR.

The range of consular services the French Republic provides to U.S. citizens is extremely limited, and those services may require significantly more processing time than at U.S. embassies or consulates outside of CAR.

Safety & Security

Indiscriminate violence and looting followed the March 2013 overthrow of the Government of CAR, and the new transitional government has been unable to provide security in the capital Bangui or elsewhere in CAR.

In the absence of basic law and order, criminality has sharply risen.

Increased gunfire in the capital has led to several casualties by stray bullets.

Spontaneous demonstrations take place in the CAR from time to time in response to world events or local developments.

We remind you that even demonstrations intended to be peaceful can turn confrontational and possibly escalate into violence.

You are therefore urged to avoid the areas of demonstrations if possible and to exercise caution if within the vicinity of any demonstrations.

You should stay current with media coverage of local events and be aware of your surroundings at all times.

Armed rebel groups, bandits, and poachers present real dangers, and the Central African government is unable to guarantee the safety of visitors in most parts of the country.

There have been repeated attacks on Central African and expatriate travelers throughout the CAR over the last 10 years.

The continued presence of the Lord’s Resistance Army in eastern CAR poses a particular safety and security threat.

Bandits, militias, and armed group activity throughout the country also threaten the security of residents and travelers.

Travel in the interior is strongly discouraged.

Bangui itself, in addition to ongoing insecurity, also suffers from severely limited transport and medical options.

Armed actors staff checkpoints throughout the city, frequently harassing local and expatriate travelers for bribes.

The U.S.

Department of State advises against all travel to the CAR.

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Crime

Crime remains a concern in the capital and has increased since the March 2013 overthrow of the government.

You should exercise caution while traveling around the city and its immediate environs.

Petty theft remains a problem in large market areas, particularly in the crowded markets near KM 5 on the outskirts of the city.

Armed gangs may operate in outlying residential areas.

During periods of civil unrest and conflict, citizens engage in violent, sometimes deadly, demonstrations which include widespread looting, burning of buildings, and blocking of roads.

In the interior of the country, there are frequent reports of armed robbery and kidnapping by highway bandits (called “coupeurs de routes” or “zaraguinas”), especially during the December to May dry season.

When a crime does occur in Bangui, the victim may have to pay to send a vehicle to pick up police officers due to the shortage of police vehicles and fuel.

Criminal Penalties

While you are traveling in the CAR, you are subject to its laws even if you are a U.S. citizen.

Foreign laws and legal systems can be vastly different than our own.

Penalties for breaking the law can be more severe than in the United States for similar offenses.

Persons violating Central African laws, even unknowingly, may be expelled, arrested, or imprisoned.

Penalties for possession, use, or trafficking of illegal drugs in the CAR are severe, and convicted offenders can expect long jail sentences and heavy fines.

Engaging in sexual conduct with children or using or disseminating child pornography in a foreign country is a crime prosecutable in the United States.

If you break local laws in the CAR your U.S. passport won’t help you avoid arrest or prosecution.

It’s very important to know what’s legal and what’s not where you are going.

Based on the Vienna Convention on Consular Relations, bilateral agreements with certain countries, and customary international law, if you are arrested in the CAR, you have the option to request that the police, prison officials, or other authorities alert the nearest U.S. embassy or consulate of your arrest, and to have communications from you forwarded to the nearest U.S. embassy or consulate.

In some cases, U.S. citizens and other foreign nationals have been detained indefinitely without due process.

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Medical Facilities

Medical facilities are extremely limited in the CAR, and the quality of care is unreliable.

Sanitation levels are low.

Many medicines are not available; you should carry properly labeled prescription drugs and other medications with you that will suffice for your entire visit.

Routine immunizations and protection from vaccine-preventable diseases such as yellow fever, rabies, polio, meningitis, typhoid, and hepatitis A and B are recommended.

Malaria (predominantly P. falciparum) exists throughout the year and chemoprophylaxis is strongly recommended.

Information on vaccinations and other health precautions, such as safe food and water precautions and insect bite protection, may be obtained from the CDC website.

For information about outbreaks of infectious diseases abroad, consult the World Health Organization (WHO) website.

The WHO website also contains additional health information for travelers, including detailed country-specific health information.

Tuberculosis is an increasingly serious health concern in the CAR.

For further information, please consult the CDC's information on TB.

Insect-borne illnesses are of concern as is Schistosomiasis, an illness related to contact with fresh water.

Insect precautions and avoiding freshwater are recommended.

Traffic Safety

While in a foreign country, you may encounter road conditions that differ significantly from those in the United States.

The information below concerning the CAR is provided for general reference only, and may not be totally accurate in a particular location or circumstance.

In Bangui, road conditions vary, and many roads have large holes and degraded areas that prevent the normal flow of traffic.

Only a small portion of the roads in the country, including in the capital, are paved, and many of the compacted dirt roads have been degraded.

Drivers tend to prefer to drive on the smoothest portion of the road and ignore basic traffic laws, thus slowing the flow of traffic and increasing the risk of collision.

The city of Bangui does have a public transportation system consisting of green buses and yellow taxis, though these vehicles are often dangerously overcrowded and very badly maintained.

Due to the risk of armed attacks on motorists in the northern, eastern, and western regions of the country, overland travel in these areas should be avoided.

Any driving outside the capital should be only during daylight hours.

Most remote areas in the CAR that are frequented by tourists are accessible only by four-wheel drive vehicles, although some roads are not passable at all during the rainy season, from May to October.

There are currently no distracted driving laws in effect in the Central African Republic, but police may pull over drivers who talk or text while driving for not following unspecific safe driving procedures.

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Airports - total

39

Airports with Paved Runways

2

Roadways- total

12,600 Miles 20,278 Kilometers

Waterways

1,740 Miles 2,800 Kilometers

Ports and Terminals

Bangui, Nola, Salo, Nzinga

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Telephones

12,000

Cell Phones

130,000

Internet Users

13,000

Internet Country Code

.cf

Internet Hosts

20

Broadcast Media

• Government-owned network, Radiodiffusion Television Centrafricaine, provides domestic TV broadcasting
• licenses for 2 private TV stations are pending
• the state-owned radio network is supplemented by a small number of privately owned broadcast stations as well as a few community radio stations
• transmissions of at least 2 international broadcasters are available

Telephone System

• Assessment: network consists principally of microwave radio relay and low-capacity, low-powered radiotelephone communication
• Domestic: limited telephone service with less than 1 fixed-line connection per 100 persons; spurred by the presence of multiple mobile-cellular service providers, cellular usage is increasing from a low base; most fixed-line and mobile-cellular telephone services are concentrated in Bangui
• International: country code - 236; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)

Electricity Consumption- Kilowatt Hours (kWh)

107,000,000

Electricity Production- Kilowatt Hours (kWh)

115,000,000

Oil Consumption- Barrels Per Day (bbl/day)

3,175

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Anthem History

"La Renaissance" is the national anthem of the Central African Republic. The words were written by the first post-independence Prime Minister, Barthélémy Boganda. The music was composed by Herbert Pepper. "La Renaissance" was adopted upon independence in 1960.

Anthem Lyrics

La Renaissance O Centrafrique, ô berceau des Bantous!

Reprends ton droit au respect, à la vie!

Longtemps soumis, longtemps brimé partous, Mais de ce jour brisant la tyrannie.

Dans le travail, l'ordre et la dignité, Tu reconquiers ton droit, ton unité, Et pour franchir cette étape nouvelle, De nos ancêtres la voix nous appelle Au travail dans l'ordre et la dignité, Dans le respect du droit dans l'unité, Brisant la misère et la tyrannie, Brandissant l'étendard de la Patrie.

Anthem Lyrics English

Oh!

Central Africa, cradle of the Bantu!

Take up again your right to respect, to life!

Long subjugated, long scorned by all, But, from today, breaking tyranny's hold.

Through work, order and dignity You reconquer your rights, your unity, And to take this new step The voice of our ancestors call us.

CHORUS: To work!

In order and dignity, in the respect for rights and in unity, Breaking poverty and tyranny, Holding high the flag of the Fatherland.