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People group profile · PG012879

The Kari of Central African Republic

The Kari of Central African Republic, numbering about 179,000 people, are Engaged yet Unreached. They are a southern Mbum people of the mountains around Bocaranga in the Central African Republic's Ouham-Pende prefecture, whose ancestors fled Fulani raids on the Adamawa Plateau in the early 1800s to settle this borderland with Cameroon.

They are an indigenous people in the Adamawa-Ubangi people cluster of the Sub-Saharan African Peoples. Their primary religion is Ethnoreligion, and they primarily speak Kare (Central African Republic).

Pray for the KariPrint profile

AI-generated illustration representing the Kari people
AI-generated illustration, not a photograph. Photo by Google. (2026). Image generated by Gemini 2.5 Flash: Kari

Fast facts

Country
Central African Republic
Population
179,000
Affinity group
Sub-Saharan African Peoples
People cluster
Adamawa-Ubangi
Primary language
Kare (Central African Republic) (kbn)
Primary religion
Ethnoreligion
Strategic Progress Index ?
Engaged yet Unreached
Evangelical
Less than 2%
GSEC ?
Less than 2% Evangelical, No Recent CP Activity
Lostness priority ?
Pioneer Unreached People Group
Region
Middle Africa, Africa
Location
Ouham-Pendé prefecture: Bocaranga and Bozoum subprefectures

Where they live

Gospel status

The Kari are Engaged yet Unreached, which means fewer than 2% are evangelical Christians, but there are sustained efforts to establish self-sustaining churches consistent with evangelical faith and practice. In GSEC terms, this people group is less than 2% evangelical, some evangelical resources are available, but there has been no active church planting among them within the past two years.

  • Congregations exist Yes
  • Church planting in the last two years No Churches Planted

Next steps for the Kari

  • Continue prayer and fasting for this group
  • Continue gospel seed sowing and church planting among this group
  • Begin training up local leaders to lead and develop strategies to reach their own people

Primary religion

Ethnoreligion

Primary language

Kare (Central African Republic) · Atlantic-Congo family

100% speak Kare (Central African Republic)

Gospel resources in Kare (Central African Republic)

  • Bible available, published 1947
  • JESUS Film available
  • Radio programs not available
  • Gospel recordings not available
  • Audio resources available
  • Bible stories not available

Films

Find more at the JESUS Film Project, Bible.com and Faith Comes by Hearing.

Pray for the Kari

  1. Revelation 7:9. Pray for the day when people from this group stand before the throne with every nation, tribe, people and language.
  2. John 17:3. Pray that many will come to know the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom he has sent.
  3. Psalm 27:1. Pray that new believers will be strengthened in the face of persecution, with the Lord as their stronghold.
  4. Romans 12:4–5. Pray that believers from many cultures will work together as one body so that the church is built up.

Download a prayer guide

Kari in other countries

The same people is also reported in 1 other country.

People groupCountryPopulationStatus
KarreCameroon9,300No Longer Unreached

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