1894. French forces occupy Central Africa (the current CAR).
1905. The CAR is joined to Chad under French colonial control.
1910. The CAR and Chad are joined with Gabon and the Congo to form French Equatorial Africa.
1928-31. Congo-Wara rebellion against forced labor on coffee and cotton plantations breaks out and is eventually crushed.
1946. A rebellion in the CAR forces France to grant the territory a legislative assembly and representation in the French parliament.
1958. The CAR achieves self-government as a part of French Equatorial Africa.
1960. The CAR gains its own independence. David Dacko is elected the country's first president.
1965. Army commander Jean-Bedel Bokassa takes power in a coup d'état.
1977. Bokassa crowns himself "emperor for life."
1979. Dacko overthrows Bokassa with the help of France in a bloodless coup.
1981. A bloodless coup led by General Andre Kolingba overthrows Dacko and establishes military rule.
1993. Ange-Felix Patasse is elected president.
1996-97. Several army mutinies break out over unpaid salaries and quickly degenerate into widespread looting of the capital city of Bangui. Patasse flees.
1997. Bangui accords are signed in January to reconcile political factions; France withdraws its troops in October.
1998. The UN sends a peacekeeping force to help maintain order throughout the legislative and presidential elections.
1999. Patasse is reelected president.
2001. More mutinies disrupt the political and economic stability of the country.
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