The history of mail and postage stamps of the Central African Republic, a state in Central Africa with its capital in Bangui, can be divided into two periods: the period of the French colony of Ubangi-Shari within French Equatorial Africa (CAR; 1903 - 1958) and the period of the existence of an independent state called Central African Republic (1958 - 1976 and from 1979 to the present) and under the name Central African Empire (CAI; 1976 - 1979). The Central African Republic has been a member of the Universal Postal Union since 1961.