As the most important metallogenic type of endogenetic rare earth deposits, the carbonate type rare earth deposits in central and southern Africa have superior geological metallogenic conditions and great resource potential. Combined with the spatio-temporal distribution characteristics of igneous carbonatite, this paper discussed and summarized the regional metallogenic regularity, resource potential and exploration progress of carbonatite-type rare earth deposits in central and southern Africa. Carbonate type rare earth deposits were divided into four metallogenic belts: Pilanesberg-Phalaborwa belt, which the metallogenic epoch were mainly concentrated in the Paleoproterozoic – Mesoproterozoic; Namaqualand-Bushmanland-Warmbad belt, which the metallogenic epoch were 40-80Ma; west margin of Namibia - Angola belt which could be further divided into two categories,one was the carbonate rare earth deposit influenced by the Parana- Etendeka hot spot, and the metallogenic age was 140~125Ma; the other was controlled by the Damara orogenesis, and the metallogenic age was 750~550Ma. The REE metallogenic belt of the East African Rift system could be further subdivided into three metallogenic subbelts: the southern part of the East African Rift system, the western branch of the East African Rift system and the eastern branch of the East African Rift system. The southern part of the East African Rift system subbelt ranged from Buhera, Zimbabwe to Malombe, Malawi, and the metallogenic age was mainly concentrated in 135-110Ma. The west branch of the East African Rift system subbelt extended from Chipala of Malawi through Ngualla of Tanzania, northward to Lake Albert, Uganda, whihch the metallogenic ages could be divided into three stages: 1100~1000Ma, 700~500Ma and 120~100Ma. The East branch of the East African Rift system subbelt extended fromWigu Hill in Tanzania northward to Afar triangle in Ethiopia, which the metallogenic age could be divided into two stages, 120~110Ma and 5~25Ma, respectively. The spatio-temporal distribution of each metallogenic belts, the metallogenic geological background of typical deposits, the characteristics of the deposits, and the metallogenic conditions were systematically summarized, and the resource potential of the metallogenic belt and the exploration progress in recent years were sorted and dissected. China's rare earth work in central and southern Africa started late. Although some progress has been made, it’s still necessary to accelerate the resource exploration and development activities.