The city is located on the right bank and facing the rapids of the Ubangi River which is the border with Congo DRC . Towards the North, a rural track connects the locality with the RN2 national road at the locality of Dimbi.
History[]
The August 15, 1891, during the Gaillard expedition, the gunboat Le Ballay sinks in the rapids of Satéma.[3] The administrative control point of Satema is created on July 9, 1982 in the municipality of Kotto-Oubangui. In 2002, the locality is erected in sub-prefecture.
Civil war[]
In early January 2013 Séléka rebels arrived in Satema following withdrawal of armed forces. They kidnapped a woman and pillaged several building including state institutions and the Catholic Church.[4] In November 2016 it was reported that Satema was under control of Union for Peace in the Central African Republic rebel group.[5] Since at least 2017 it is under control of anti-balaka militias which reportedly as of 2019 engage in forced marriage, kindpappings and ritual killings in the subprefecture.[6] On 4 April 2021 it was reported that 50 Anti-balaka fighters led by general Ndagou with automatic weapons were based in Satema.[7]
Economy[]
The sub-prefecture is located in a zone of maize, cassava, peanut and rice food crops. Commercial crops are cotton, tobacco and coffee.[8]
Central African Republic
