One of Africa's biggest countries has demoted French as its official language in favour of a native West African language.

But these claims hardly match those of the new Sherman Empire ... part-French, part-Spanish protectorate. Fanatical Moroccan nationalists have staked out a claim to a slice of northwest Africa ...

Ten years ago, nearly 1,200 French forces were stationed, sometimes with their families, in the central African country. No more than 200 troops are currently posted there and will be mainly ...