In 1958 the French colony of Ubangi-Shari, a unit in French Equatorial Africa, achieved independence as the Central African Republic. In 1976 it became the Central African Empire, and became a Republic again in 1979.
     A set of three stamps with the same design were issued in 1961 to mark the admission of the Republic to the United Nations. The design shows the flag and map of the Central African Republic with several rivers and the capital, Bangui, marked, and a small representation of the UN logo in the upper left corner.
     D.E.G. Irvine and M. Seshold, Errors in Postage Stamp Design, p. say that the map "omits the important River Kwango." However, the Kwango River is in the Peoples' Republic of Congo, not in the Central African Republic. It is possible that Irvine and Seshold mistook the Kwango River for the Kandje River, which is omitted on the stamp.
     Also, the white star on the flag is actually yellow or gold.