BERBERATI, APOSTOLIC PREFECTURE of. - Erected on 28 May 1940 in French Equatorial Africa, in the north-western part of Ubanghi-Chari, with territory taken partly from the vicariate of Bangui and partly from that of Foumban. The new prefecture was entrusted to the French Capuchins, who had already been working there for some years.
The station of B., among the Baya, was opened in 1923, when it still belonged to the vicariate of Middle Congo (later Brazzaville), and was subsequently annexed to the prefecture of Ubanghi-Chari (later the vicariate of Bangui) in 1929.
According to the statistics of 1948, out of a population of approximately 1,000,000 inhabitants, there are 15,645 Catholics and 12,600 catechumens, 15,000 Protestants, 5,000 Muslims, and the remainder pagans. There are 9 principal and 10 secondary stations; 8 elementary schools with 1,445 pupils, 1 vocational school with 15 pupils, and 8 schools for catechists with 195 pupils.