+236 is the country code for the Central African Republic

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+236

Call the Central African Republic How to dial +236

Calls to the Central African Republic from $1.09/min

+236 explained

The Central African Republic country code, 236, is what you dial before a CAR number when you call from abroad. It is also known as the CAR dialing code, CAR calling code, or CAR phone code. In the CAR phone number format, +236 comes first, then the area code, such as 2 for Bangui, then the local number.

Country code: +236; The 00236 country code is the same number
ISO country codes: CF, CAF; Use the CF country code or the CAF country code on forms and passports. To call the Central African Republic, dial +236
Used in: Central African Republic; No other country or territory dials +236
Exit code: 00; From most countries. Also 011 from United States and Canada, 0011 from Australia, and + from any mobile
Trunk prefix: None; Keep every digit after +236
Number length: 8 digits; After +236
Time now in the Central African Republic
CAR mobile number format: 70 01 23 45; From abroad: +236 70 01 23 45
CAR landline number format: 61 23 45 67; From abroad: +236 61 23 45 67

+236 area codes of main cities

Each +236 area code below is in the form you dial from abroad: +236, then the city code, then the local number. Inside the Central African Republic, callers leave out +236 and dial the rest as it is. So Bangui is +236 2 from abroad and 2 at home.

Bangui: +2362

CAR phone number types

The first digits of a CAR number tell you what kind of number it is: a landline, a mobile, a free number, or one that costs more to call. Here is a sample of each type of CAR phone number, as dialed inside the Central African Republic and from abroad.

Type	Inside CAR	From abroad
LandlineStarts with 2 or 6. Socatel holds the whole 61 range.	21 61 23 45	+236 21 61 23 45
MobileStarts with 7. ARCEP added a new Orange Centrafrique range, 74, on 1 October 2025.	70 01 23 45	+236 70 01 23 45
Premium rateA call that costs more than a normal one, to pay for a service	87 76 12 34	+236 87 76 12 34

Good to know before you call the Central African Republic

Sound like a local

“Bara o”

It means hi in Sango, a national and official language of the Central African Republic. No source confirms this is how people answer the phone, but it is the everyday Sango greeting.

ARCEP, the telecom regulator in Bangui, activated the mobile number range 74 for Orange Centrafrique at 5 a.m. on 1 October 2025.
ARCEP, filed with the ITU
Three companies split the country's mobile numbers: Moov Africa Centrafrique uses 70, Orange Centrafrique uses 72 to 74, and Telecel uses 75 and 76.
ARCEP, filed with the ITU
Socatel holds NDC 61, the geographic number range for fixed-line telephone service, in the national numbering plan.
ARCEP, filed with the ITU
Bangui's Ministry of Communication and Media answers its own line at +236 21 61 05 27.
gouv.cf, the government portal
Bangui runs a free health hotline, 1212, that anyone in the country can call day or night for health advice.
Ministry of Health, Central African Republic

What it costs to call the Central African Republic (using Suparelay)

Landline from $1.09/minMobile from $1.18/min

Only 17 of 221 countries cost more to call than the Central African Republic.

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Why a call to the Central African Republic fails

You call from: 🇺🇸 United States

The exit code does not match

00 works from the Central African Republic and from most of Africa and Europe. From the US and Canada the exit code is 011 instead.

Connects: 011 236 61 23 45 67
Does not connect: 00 236 61 23 45 67

The + or 00 is missing

236 alone does not connect. Dial +236 or 00236 before the 8 digits, every time you call from abroad.

Connects: 011 236 61 23 45 67
Does not connect: 00 236 61 23 45 67

Questions about +236

Which country is +236?

+236, or country code 236, belongs to the Central African Republic. It is the only country that uses this code.

What is +236?

+236 is the code you dial before a Central African Republic number when you call from another country. People also call it the Central African Republic phone code or the Central African Republic dialing code.

What is the difference between +236 and 00236?

The + stands for your own exit code. If your exit code is 00, as it is in the Central African Republic and most of Africa and Europe, +236 and 00236 reach the same number. From the US or Canada, dial 011 236 instead.

Can I text a +236 number?

Yes. Write the number as +236 followed by the 8 digits, and your phone sends the text abroad at your carrier's international rate.

How much does it cost to call the Central African Republic?

A call to a Central African Republic mobile number can cost more than a call to a landline. The dialer on this page shows the exact price of the number you enter before you call.