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Central African Republic: Heads of State: 1958-2024

Président du Gouvernement provisoire de la République Centrafricaine
8 Dec 1958 - 16 Feb 1959 Barthélemy Boganda
Président du Gouvernement de la République Centrafricaine
16 Feb 1959 - 29 Mar 1959 Barthélemy Boganda 
29 Mar 1959 - 8 Apr 1959 office vacant [1]
8 Apr 1959 - 30 Apr 1959 Abel Nguéndé Goumba
30 Apr 1959 - 14 Aug 1960 David Dacko
Président de la République
14 Aug 1960 - 1 Jan 1966 David Dacko
1 Jan 1966 - 4 Mar 1972 Jean-Bédel Bokassa
Président à Vie de la République
4 Mar 1972 - 4 Dec 1976 Jean-Bédel Bokassa  [2]
Empereur de Centrafrique
4 Dec 1976 - 20 Sep 1979 Bokassa Ier 
Président de la République
21 Sep 1979 - 1 Sep 1981 David Dacko  [3]
Président du Comité Militaire de Redressement National, Chef de l'État
1 Sep 1981 - 21 Sep 1985 André-Dieudonné Kolingba
Président de la République [4]
21 Sep 1985 - 22 Oct 1993 André-Dieudonné Kolingba 
22 Oct 1993 - 15 Mar 2003 Ange-Félix Patassé
15 Mar 2003 - 24 Mar 2013 François Bozizé Yangouvonda [5]
24 Mar 2013 - 18 Jul 2013 Michel Djotodia Am-Nondroko
Chef de l'État de la Transition
18 Jul 2013 - 10 Jan 2014 Michel Djotodia Am-Nondroko 
Chef de l'État de la Transition par interim
10 Jan 2014 - 23 Jan 2014 Alexandre-Ferdinand Nguendet
Chef de l'État de la Transition
23 Jan 2014 - 30 Mar 2016 Catherine Samba-Panza
Président de la République [4]
30 Mar 2016 - Faustin-Archange Touadéra

[1] Designated substitute without formal appointment to the office: Abel Nguéndé Goumba. While holding the office of minister of finance and planning, Goumba was designated to exercise the functions of head of government during the absences of the incumbent by a decree of 10 Dec 1958. After the death of Boganda, he was formally appointed President of the Government by a decree of 8 Apr 1959.
[2] For public, but not official use (18 Oct 1976 - 4 Dec 1976): Salah Eddine Ahmed Bokassa
[3] Assumed control of the government in the course of a coup d'état, arriving to Bangui (seat of government) shortly after 23:00 20 Sep 1979 and making radio announcement before midnight; all executive authority was formally transferred to Président de la République in virtue of a Constitutional Act dated 21 Sep 1979.
[4] In Sango: Kömokönzi tî Koddorosêse (other versions of spelling exist); the Constitutions of 1995 and 2004 designate Sango as an official language, but French continues as the sole language for official purposes.
[5] Original name: Bozouissé Yangouvonda.