Chad: African Oil Mine and Strife-torn Country

The Strife torn country of Chad borders Niger, Central African Republic, Cameroon, Nigeria, Libya and Sudan in Africa. Known for its Oil wealth apart from substantial Gold and Uranium reserves from which Chad can benefit enormously. The country is a study in contrasts with picturesque deserts and lakes like the Lake Chad and also unspoken poverty, hunger, disease and misery.

Chad Quick Facts:

· National Name: République du Tchad
· Capital: N'Djamena
· Total area: 1,284,000 sq km
· Population: 10,111,337
· Currency: CFA Franc
· Languages: French, Arabic (both official); Sara; more than 120 languages and dialects
· Ethnicity/ Races: 200 distinct groups. North and center, mostly Muslim: Arabs, Gorane (Toubou, Daza, Kreda), Zaghawa, Kanembou, Ouaddai, Baguirmi, Hadjerai, Fulbe, Kotoko, Hausa, Boulala, and Maba. South, mostly Christian or animist: Sara (Ngambaye, Mbaye, Goulaye), Moundang, Moussei, Massa
· Religions: Islam 51%, Christian 35%, animist 7%, other 7%
· GDP (Per Capita): $1,500 (2006 est.)
· Life Expectancy: Male: 49 Yrs, Female: 52 Yrs
· Literacy: 47.5%

Geoghraphy of Chad:
Chad being a landlocked country and the Capital N'Djamena 1060 km away from the nearest seaport the climate is extremely dry and the land occupied by expansive deserts for which the country is also referred to as ‘The Dead Heart of Africa’. Chad is named after the Lake Chad, which was formed out of the Chadian basin about 7,000 years ago. The lake is the second largest in Africa.

Chad also has a dormant volcano, Emi Koussi located in the Tibesti Mountains that are the highest in Chad and the Sahara. Chad receives precipitation measuring less than 2 inches and Borku in Chad is the driest region in the Sahara. Logone and the Chari are the two major rivers of Chad.

Culture and Economy of Chad:
Chad is a multi-cultural country with more than 200 ethnicities and tribes inhabiting the country. Due to the French occupation both French and Arabic are official languages and six national holidays are observed throughout the year. Chadians are a music loving people with tribal folk music like Kanembu and the famous band Chari Jazz initiated the country’s modern music scene in 1964. The Chadians also love their Football or Soccer, and the people closely follow the exploits of the national football team. The staple food of Chad is millets.

With 80% of the country living below the poverty line Chad is the fifth poorest country in the world and also one of the most corrupt. Ravaged for decades by civil war that left millions of Chadians homeless while others migrated, recent multi-billion dollar investments in its oil sector in 2000 by MNC’s like Exxon Mobil, Petronas and Chevron have sowed hopes of economic revival.

Majority of Chadians rely on subsistence farming and herding. The southernmost part of Chad is the most fertile agricultural region where millets and sorghum are cultivated.Chad has a non-existent rail network and is heavily dependent on Cameroon for transportation of its exports and imports. The tele-density is also one of the lowest in the world and the energy sector is highly mismanaged with biomass and firewood being the chief source of energy for the Chadians.

Travel to Chad:
Chad has a poorly developed tourism industry due to the internal strife and tensions in adjoining Sudan, however Lake Chad and the deserts offer some unspoiled beauty to the adventurous and brave tourist who would venture into the country.

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