Country Information on Chad 

Terrain

Chad's terrain is dominated by the desert in the north (the Sahara Desert covers more than 40% of Chad) and the Tibesti volcano massif (where the country's highest peak Emi Koussi, at 3,415m, is located). Central Chad is characterised by savannah that opens up to Lake Chad in the south-west, which is a shallow and mainly consists of swamps. The land rises from there to merge into the Qubangi plateau further south. Lake Chad is fed by the Chari river, into which the Logone river flows. Logone and Chari are the country's only rivers that flow throughout the year.

Climate

Chad can be divided into three climatic zones. The north is characterized by a hot and arid climate and it rarely rains. The central region has a subtropical climate with a hot season from March to July; a wet season from May to November with an average of 250 to 750 mm of rainfall; and a dry and cold season from September to April. The south has an average precipitation of 1,145 mm from July to September.

Fauna/Flora

Chad's flora is characterised by savannah vegetation with typical shrubs and pastureland. The most fertile regions, which in fact have to produce enough food for the whole country, are found in southern Chad. This part of the country is also where a large number of the country's wild animals are found, including elephants, rhinoceroses, giraffes, ostriches, lions and buffaloes. The region around Lake Chad is rich in bird life, whereas the desert region provides a suitable habitat for a number of reptile species.

History/Politics

The area around Lake Chad has been inhabited since at least 500 BC. In the 8th century AD, Berbers began migrating to the area and established a tribal confederation that led to the formation of the Kingdom of Kanem in the 9th century. The Kingdom of Kanem had adopted Islam by the year 1085 and dominated the region right up to the 19th century. Although Chad became a French dominion at the Berlin Conference, the French occupied the area until as late as 1900, after defeating the Sudanese conqueror Rabih al-Zubayr who ruled the area from 1883 to 1893.

The kingdom's territory was absorbed into Ubang-Shari, which was soon renamed French Equatorial Africa. In 1920 Chad became an autonomous colony; the north was dominated by Muslims and the south by Christians. France introduced large-scale cotton production that ended up replacing subsistence agriculture in the south and led to the population starving.

In 1946, Chad was admitted to the French Union, and in 1958 it became an autonomous republic within the French Union. Chad eventually became independent in August 1960 and François (later Ngarta) Tombalbaye, political leader of the south, was appointed president. Social-economic conflicts between the northern and southern parts of the country triggered revolts in 1966, culminating in Tombalbaye being killed in a military coup in 1975.

Social-economic conflicts between the northern and southern parts of the country triggered revolts in 1966, culminating in Tombalbaye being killed in a military coup in 1975. General Félix Malloum, who faced a civil war throughout his tenure in office, succeeded him. In 1977 Libya seized part of northern Chad and launched an invasion two years later. Malloum was overthrown in 1979 and rival groups met in Nigeria, where they agreed to form a provisional government headed by Goukouni Oueddei. Fighting broke out again in March 1980, when Defence Minister Hissen Habré challenged Goukouni. In January 1981, Libyan president Muammar al-Gaddafi (who had until then supported Oueddei) proposed merging Chad and Libya.

His proposal was however rejected. In 1990 Idriss Déby, former defence minister and head of a rebel group, overthrew Habré and immediately took steps to democratise the country. Déby won the free presidential elections in 1996 and his party won the parliamentary elections the following year. Déby was re-elected in May 2001. That same year, Déby signed a peace agreement with Libya. He did so again two years later with Gabon and Burkina Faso. The civil war in Sudan meant that around 180,000 refugees had fled to Chad by 2004. The government gave them a place of refuge and food. However, Déby said that Chad was not in a position to look after refugees for a long time because it also needed international aid. In view of the situation, the international community is trying to find a solution to the humanitarian crisis that has arisen on the border between Chad and Sudan.

Economy

Chad's economy is based on sedentary subsistence agriculture, in which around 85% of the country's active population are employed. The best farming land is in the south, where rainfall is sufficient for the cultivation of cotton and peanuts for export and some subsistence crops. Cattle, sheep, goats and camels are kept, and fishing takes place at Lake Chad. Sodium carbonate and uranium are the country's chief minerals. Industry is limited to food processing and the production of textiles. In 2003, the inflation rate was 2.8%.

Culture

Chad has a very diverse culture because of the 100 languages that are spoken there, the three main religions and its rich history. Arabic musicians are often heard playing traditional music. These musicians are usually from the "griot" caste and are professional musicians. They are living examples of the Arab people's traditions, performing songs and epic narrations.