[3] It rises near Bouar at an elevation of about 1,040 metres (3,410 ft), and its upper course is called the Bali River as far as Baoro.

The upper part is at first torrential, but after some rapids at 78 kilometres (48 mi) from its source it flows into a wide U-shaped valley.

[5] On 25 July 1901 a mission led by the colonial administrator M. Dessirier de Paulwel, with 30 militia and 65 porters, left Bangui and crossed the Bonjo territory to reach Loko on the Lobay River on 1 September 1901.

Directors were Albert Motte, Léon Motte-Bossut, Ignace Cauvez and Ernest Grisar.

The economy is based on agriculture, hunting, fishing and gathering of non-woody forest products.