République du Tchad جمهورية تشاد ‎ Jumhūriyyat Tshād Republic of Chad
Flag Coat of arms
Motto: "Unité, Travail, Progrès"  (French) "Unity, Work, Progress"
Anthem: "La Tchadienne"
Capital (and largest city)		N'Djamena 12°06′N, 15°02′E
Official languages		French, Arabic
Demonym		Chadian
Government		Republic
-	President	Idriss Déby
-	Prime Minister	Youssouf Saleh Abbas
Independence		from France
-	Date	August 11, 1960
Area
-	Total	1,284,000 km² (21st) 495,753 sq mi
-	Water (%)	1. The National flag of the Republic of Chad is a vertical tricolor consisting (left to right of a Blue, a Yellow and a Red field The Coat of Arms of Chad was adopted in 1970 The center has a shield with wavy blue lines with a sun rising over it A motto (from the Italian word motto, meaning witticism sentence is a phrase meant to formally describe the general motivation or intention of a social group French ( français,) is a Romance language spoken around the world by 118 million people as a native language and by about 180 to 260 million people A national anthem is a generally patriotic musical composition that evokes and eulogizes the history traditions and struggles of its people recognized either by a nation's La Tchadienne is the National anthem of Chad. Written by Louis Gidrol and his student group and composed by Paul Villard it has been the official anthem since The people of Chad speak more than 100 different languages and divide themselves into many ethnic groups N'Djamena (ənʤəˈmeɪnə Arabic Niǧāmīnā نجامينا population 721000 (2005 is the Capital city of Chad. An official language is a Language that is given a special legal status in a particular Country, State, or other territory French ( français,) is a Romance language spoken around the world by 118 million people as a native language and by about 180 to 260 million people Arabic (ar الْعَرَبيّة (informally ar عَرَبيْ) in terms of the number of speakers is the largest living member of the Semitic language A demonym or gentilic is a word that denotes the members of a People or the inhabitants of a place For the government of parliamentary systems see Executive (government. A republic is a State or Country that is not led by a hereditary Monarch, but in which the people (or at least a part of its people have impact on its List of Heads of State of Chad (Dates in italics indicate de facto continuation of office Affiliations Last elections Lieutenant General Idriss Déby Itno (born 1952 is the President of Chad and the head of the Patriotic Salvation Movement. The Head of government of Chad is the Prime Minister History The position of Prime Minister was first used in Chad during the Military Youssouf Saleh Abbas (born c. 1953 is a Chadian political figure who has been Prime Minister of Chad since April 2008 Chad ( Arabic: تشاد; French: Tchad) officially the Republic of Chad, is a Landlocked country in Central Africa This article is about the country For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic France topics. Events 2492 BC - Traditional date of the defeat of Bel by Hayk, progenitor and founder of the Armenian nation Year 1960 ( MCMLX) was a Leap year starting on Friday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Area is a Quantity expressing the two- Dimensional size of a defined part of a Surface, typically a region bounded by a closed Curve. To help compare Orders of magnitude of different surface Areas here is a list of areas between 1 million km² and 10 million km² This is a list of the countries of the world sorted by total area. The square mile is an imperial and US unit of Area equal the area of a square of one statute mile. Water is a common Chemical substance that is essential for the survival of all known forms of Life. In Mathematics, a percentage is a way of expressing a number as a Fraction of 100 ( per cent meaning "per hundred" 9
Population
-	2007 estimate	10,780,600 (75th)
-	1993 census	6,279,921
-	Density	7. In Biology a population is the collection of inter-breeding organisms of a particular Species; in Sociology List of countries by population in 2005|List of countries by population in 1907This is a list of countries ordered according to Population. Population density (in agriculture standing stock and Standing crop) is a measurement of Population per unit area or unit volume 9/km² (212th) 20. List of countries and dependencies by Population density in inhabitants/km² 4/sq mi
GDP (PPP)		2005 estimate
-	Total	$15. The purchasing power parity ( PPP) theory uses the long-term equilibrium Exchange rate of two currencies to equalize their Purchasing power. 260 billion (128th)
-	Per capita	$1,519 (163rd)
HDI (2007)		▲ 0. There are three lists of Countries of the world sorted by their Gross domestic product (GDP (the value of all final goods and services produced within a nation Per capita is a Latin phrase meaning for each head with Per meaning 'through' or 'by' This article includes three lists of Countries of the world sorted by their Gross domestic product (GDP at Purchasing power parity (PPP Per capita The Human Development Index ( HDI) is an index combining normalized measures of Life expectancy, Literacy, Educational attainment, and GDP 388 (low) (170th)
Currency		CFA franc (XAF)
Time zone		WAT (UTC+1)
-	Summer (DST)	not observed (UTC+1)
Internet TLD		.td
Calling code		+235

Chad (French: Tchad; Arabic: تشاد‎), officially the Republic of Chad, is a landlocked country in central Africa. This is a list of countries by Human Development Index as included in the United Nations Development Program 's Human Development Report 2007 A currency is a unit of exchange, facilitating the transfer of Goods and/or services It is one form of Money, where money is The Central African CFA franc ( French: franc CFA or simply franc, ISO 4217 code XAF) is the currency of six independent states ISO 4217 is the International standard describing three-letter codes (also known as the currency code) to define the names of currencies established West Africa Time, or WAT, is a time zone used in western and west-central Africa (though not in countries west of Benin, which instead use GMT Daylight saving time ( DST A country This is a list of country calling codes defined by ITU-T recommendation E French ( français,) is a Romance language spoken around the world by 118 million people as a native language and by about 180 to 260 million people Arabic (ar الْعَرَبيّة (informally ar عَرَبيْ) in terms of the number of speakers is the largest living member of the Semitic language A landlocked country is commonly defined as one enclosed or nearly enclosed by land Central Africa is a core Region of the African Continent often considered to include Burundi, the Central African Republic, Chad It is bordered by Libya to the north, Sudan to the east, the Central African Republic to the south, Cameroon and Nigeria to the southwest, and Niger to the west. Libya ( ليبيا ar-Latn Lībiyā; Libyan vernacular: Lībya; Amazigh:) officially the Great Socialist People's Libyan Arab Sudan (officially the Republic of Sudan) ( السودان al-Sūdān is a country in northeastern Africa. Central Africa|Central African FederationThe Central African Republic ( CAR) République Centrafricaine ʀepyblik sɑ̃tʀafʀikɛn or Centrafrique) is a Landlocked The Republic of Cameroon is a unitary republic of central and western Africa. Nigeria, officially named the Federal Republic of Nigeria, is a federal Constitutional republic comprising thirty-six states and one Federal Niger ( or /ˈnaɪdʒɚ/) officially the Republic of Niger, is a Landlocked country in Western Africa, named after the Niger River. Due to its distance from the sea and its largely desert climate, the country is sometimes referred to as the "Dead Heart of Africa". A desert is a Landscape or region that receives very little precipitation. Chad is divided into three major geographical regions: a desert zone in the north, an arid Sahelian belt in the centre and a more fertile Sudanese savanna zone in the south. See also Sahel Tunisia, a region of eastern Tunisia. The Sahel or Sahel Belt (from Arabic ساحل sāḥil For the country in north-east Africa see Sudan. The Sudan, from the Arabic bilâd as-sûdân or "land of the A savanna or savannah is a Tropical or Subtropical Grassland or Woodland Ecosystem. Lake Chad, after which the country is named, is the largest wetland in Chad and the second largest in Africa. Lake Chad (in French Lac Tchad) is a historically large shallow lake in Africa, whose size has varied greatly over the centuries A wetland is an area of Land consisting of Soil that is Saturated with Moisture, such as a Swamp, Marsh, or Bog Chad's highest peak is the Emi Koussi in the Sahara, and N'Djamena, the capital, is the largest city. Emi Koussi is a high Shield volcano that lies at the south end of the Tibesti Mountains in the central Sahara of northern Chad. The Sahara (الصحراء الكبرى aṣ-ṣaḥrā´ al-kubra, "The Great Desert" is the world's largest hot Desert and the world's second largest N'Djamena (ənʤəˈmeɪnə Arabic Niǧāmīnā نجامينا population 721000 (2005 is the Capital city of Chad. Chad is home to over 200 different ethnic and linguistic groups. This is an incomplete list of ethnic groups in Chad (see also Demographics of Chad) Chad has two official languages French and literary Arabic, and over 120 indigenous languages Arabic and French are the official languages. Islam is the most widely practiced religion. For other meanings including people named 'Islam' see Islam (disambiguation.

Beginning in the 7th millennium BC, human populations moved into the Chadian basin in great numbers. By the end of the 1st millennium BC, a series of states and empires rose and fell in Chad's Sahelian strip, each focused on controlling the trans-Saharan trade routes that passed through the region. Trans-Saharan trade is trade across the Sahara between Mediterranean countries and West Africa. France conquered the territory by 1920 and incorporated it as part of French Equatorial Africa. This article is about the country For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic France topics. French Equatorial Africa ( Afrique équatoriale française, AEF) was the federation of French colonial possessions in Middle Africa, extending In 1960 Chad obtained independence under the leadership of François Tombalbaye. François Tombalbaye, also called Ngarta Tombalbaye ( June 15, 1918 &ndash April 13, 1975) was a teacher and a Trade union Resentment towards his policies in the Muslim north culminated in the eruption of a long-lasting civil war in 1965. In 1979 the rebels conquered the capital and put an end to the south's hegemony. The Transitional Government of National Unity ( Gouvernement d'Union Nationale de Transition or GUNT was the coalition government of armed groups that nominally ruled Chad However, the rebel commanders fought amongst themselves until Hissène Habré defeated his rivals. Hissène Habré (born 1942 also spelled Hissen Habré, was the leader of Chad from 1982 until he was deposed in 1990 He was overthrown in 1990 by his general Idriss Déby. Lieutenant General Idriss Déby Itno (born 1952 is the President of Chad and the head of the Patriotic Salvation Movement. Recently, the Darfur crisis in Sudan has spilt over the border and destabilised the nation, with hundreds of thousands of Sudanese refugees living in and around camps in eastern Chad. The War in Darfur is a military conflict in the Darfur region of western Sudan. The current civil war in Chad began in December 2005. The conflict involved Chadian government forces and several Chadian rebel groups

While many political parties are active, power lies firmly in the hands of President Déby and his political party, the Patriotic Salvation Movement. This article lists political parties in Chad. Chad is a One party dominant state with the Patriotic Salvation Movement in power The Patriotic Salvation Movement ( French: Mouvement Patriotique du Salut or MPS is the ruling Political party in Chad. Chad remains plagued by political violence and recurrent attempted coups d'état (see Battle of N'Djamena (2006) and Battle of N'Djamena (2008)). The Battle of N'Djamena was a Battle between the forces of the Revolutionary United Front for Democratic Change (UFCD and the Military The Battle of N'Djamena began on February 2 2008 when Chadian rebel forces opposed to Chadian President Idriss Déby entered N'Djamena

The country is one of the poorest and most corrupt countries in the world; most Chadians live in poverty as subsistence herders and farmers. This article includes three lists of Countries of the world sorted by their Gross domestic product Per capita at Nominal values, the Since 1995, Transparency International has published an annual Corruption Perceptions Index (CPI ordering the countries of the world according to "the degree Overview In 1986 approximately 83% of the active population were farmers or herders Since 2003 crude oil has become the country's primary source of export earnings, superseding the traditional cotton industry. Petroleum ( L petroleum, from Greek πετρέλαιον, lit Cotton is a soft staple Fibre that grows around the seeds of the cotton plant ( Gossypium sp

History

Main article: History of Chad

In the 7th millennium BC, ecological conditions in the northern half of Chadian territory favored human settlement, and the region experienced a strong population increase. Chad ( Arabic: تشاد; French: Tchad) officially the Republic of Chad, is a Landlocked country in Central Africa Some of the most important African archaeological sites are found in Chad, mainly in the Borkou-Ennedi-Tibesti Region; some date to earlier than 2,000 BC. See also Prehistoric Africa The continent of Africa has the longest record of human activity of any part of the world and along with its geographical extent it contains The Borkou-Ennedi-Tibesti (BET is one of the 18 regions of Chad, its capital is Faya-Largeau. ^[1][2] For more than 2000 years, the Chadian Basin has been inhabited by agricultural and sedentary peoples. The region became a crossroads of civilizations. The earliest of these were the legendary Sao, known from artifacts and oral histories. The Sao or So were an African civilisation that flourished from ca The Sao fell to the Kanem Empire,^[3][4] the first and longest-lasting of the empires that developed in Chad's Sahelian strip by the end of the 1st millennium AD. The Kanem Empire (700 - 1376 was located in the present countries of Chad and Libya. See also Sahel Tunisia, a region of eastern Tunisia. The Sahel or Sahel Belt (from Arabic ساحل sāḥil The power of Kanem and its successors was based on control of the trans-Saharan trade routes that passed through the region. Trans-Saharan trade is trade across the Sahara between Mediterranean countries and West Africa. ^[2] These states, at least tacitly Muslim, never extended their control to the southern grasslands except to raid for slaves. The precise number of Muslims in Africa is unknown as statistics regarding religious demography in Africa are incomplete The Arab Slave trade was the practice of Slavery in West Asia, North Africa, East Africa, and certain parts of Europe (such ^[5]

French colonial expansion led to the creation of the Terretorie Military des Pays et Protectorats du Tchad in 1900. France was a dominant empire in the world from the 1600s to the late 1960s possessing many colonies in various locations around the world By 1920, France had secured full control of the colony and incorporated it as part of French Equatorial Africa. French Equatorial Africa ( Afrique équatoriale française, AEF) was the federation of French colonial possessions in Middle Africa, extending ^[6] French rule in Chad was characterised by an absence of policies to unify the territory and sluggish modernisation. Colonial Chad is the period during which the territory of today Chad was a part of the French colonial empire. The French primarily viewed the colony as an unimportant source of untrained labour and raw cotton; France introduced large-scale cotton production in 1929. The colonial administration in Chad was critically understaffed and had to rely on the dregs of the French civil service. Only the south was governed effectively; French presence in the north and east was nominal. The educational system suffered from this neglect. ^[2][7] After World War II, France granted Chad the status of overseas territory and its inhabitants the right to elect representatives to the French National Assembly and a Chadian assembly. World War II, or the Second World War, (often abbreviated WWII) was a global military conflict which involved a majority of the world's nations, including The French Overseas Departments and Territories ( French: départements d'outre-mer and territoires d'outre-mer or DOM-TOM) consist broadly of The French National Assembly. The other is the Senate ( “Sénat”) The National Assembly ( Assemblée Nationale) is the parliament of Chad. The largest political party was the Chadian Progressive Party (PPT), based in the southern half of the colony. The Chadian Progressive Party ( Parti Progressiste Tchadien or PPT was the first African political party created in Chad, active from 1947 to 1973 Chad was granted independence on August 11, 1960 with the PPT's leader, François Tombalbaye, as its first president. Events 2492 BC - Traditional date of the defeat of Bel by Hayk, progenitor and founder of the Armenian nation Year 1960 ( MCMLX) was a Leap year starting on Friday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. François Tombalbaye, also called Ngarta Tombalbaye ( June 15, 1918 &ndash April 13, 1975) was a teacher and a Trade union List of Heads of State of Chad (Dates in italics indicate de facto continuation of office Affiliations Last elections ^[8][2][9]

By defeating and killing Rabih az-Zubayr on April 22, 1900, at the Battle of Kousséri, France removed a major obstacle to its colonisation of Chad. Rabih az-Zubayr ibn Fadl Allah or Rabih Fadlallah (c 1842&ndash April 22, 1900) was a Sudanese warlord who established a powerful empire Events 1500 - Portuguese Navigator Pedro Álvares Cabral becomes the first European to sight Brazil. Year 1900 ( MCM) was an exceptional Common year starting on Monday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar The battle of Kousséri originated in French plans to occupy the Chari-Baguirmi region

15,000 Chadian soldiers fought for Free France during WWII. The Free French Forces (Forces Françaises Libres FFL) were French fighters in World War II who decided to continue fighting against Axis forces ^[10]

Two years later, Tombalbaye banned opposition parties and established a one-party system. Tombalbaye's autocratic rule and insensitive mismanagement exacerbated interethnic tensions. In 1965 Muslims began a civil war. The Transitional Government of National Unity ( Gouvernement d'Union Nationale de Transition or GUNT was the coalition government of armed groups that nominally ruled Chad Tombalbaye was overthrown and killed in 1975,^[11] but the insurgency continued. The Chadian coup of 1975 was in considerable part generated by the growing distrust of the President of Chad, François Tombalbaye, for the army In 1979 the rebel factions conquered the capital, and all central authority in the country collapsed. Armed factions, many from the north's rebellion, contended for power. ^[12][13] The disintegration of Chad caused the collapse of France's position in the country. Libya moved to fill the power vacuum and became involved in Chad's civil war. Libya ( ليبيا ar-Latn Lībiyā; Libyan vernacular: Lībya; Amazigh:) officially the Great Socialist People's Libyan Arab ^[14] Libya's adventure ended in disaster in 1987; the French-supported president, Hissène Habré, evoked a united response from Chadians of a kind never seen before^[15] and forced the Libyan army off Chadian soil. The Toyota War is the name commonly given to the last phase of the Chadian-Libyan conflict, which took place in 1987 in Northern Chad and on the Libyan-Chadian border Hissène Habré (born 1942 also spelled Hissen Habré, was the leader of Chad from 1982 until he was deposed in 1990 ^[16]

Habré consolidated his dictatorship through a power system that relied on corruption and violence; an estimated 40,000 people were killed under his rule. ^[17][18] The president favoured his own Daza ethnic group and discriminated against his former allies, the Zaghawa. The Daza people are a Semi-nomadic ethnicity living primarily in the Sahara regions of south-eastern Niger and north and central Chad The Zaghawa (also spelled Zakhawa) are an African ethnic group or tribe mainly living in eastern Chad and western Sudan, including His general, Idriss Déby, overthrew him in 1990. Lieutenant General Idriss Déby Itno (born 1952 is the President of Chad and the head of the Patriotic Salvation Movement. ^[19]

Déby attempted to reconcile the rebel groups and reintroduced multiparty politics. Chadians approved a new constitution by referendum, and in 1996, Déby easily won a competitive presidential election. The Constitution of the Republic of Chad (Constitution de la République du Tchad is the supreme law of Chad. The Chadian constitutional referendum of 1996, held on March 31, 1996, was designed to approve or reject through a popular consultation a constitutional draft A presidential election was held in Chad in 1996 occurring in two rounds the first on June 2 and the second on July 3. He won a second term five years later. A presential election was held in Chad on May 20 2001. President Idriss Déby stood as a candidate for a second term ^[20] Oil exploitation began in Chad in 2003, bringing with it hopes that Chad would at last have some chances of peace and prosperity. Petroleum ( L petroleum, from Greek πετρέλαιον, lit Instead, internal dissent worsened, and a new civil war broke out. The current civil war in Chad began in December 2005. The conflict involved Chadian government forces and several Chadian rebel groups Déby unilaterally modified the constitution to remove the two-term limit on the presidency; this caused an uproar among the civil society and opposition parties. On 6 June 2005 the Chadian voters were called to pronounce themselves through a Referendum on the revision of the Constitution originally approved on ^[21] In 2006 Déby won a third mandate in elections that the opposition boycotted. A presidential election took place in Chad on May 3 2006. A 2005 constitutional referendum made it possible for President Idriss Déby Ethnic violence in eastern Chad has increased; the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees has warned that a genocide like that in Darfur may yet occur in Chad. Headquartered in Geneva, Switzerland, the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR (established December 14, 1950) is a Genocide is the deliberate and systematic destruction in whole or in part of an ethnic racial religious or national group The War in Darfur is a military conflict in the Darfur region of western Sudan. ^[22]

In 2006 and in 2008 rebel forces have attempted to take the capital by force, but have on both circumstances failed. The Battle of N'Djamena was a Battle between the forces of the Revolutionary United Front for Democratic Change (UFCD and the Military The Battle of N'Djamena began on February 2 2008 when Chadian rebel forces opposed to Chadian President Idriss Déby entered N'Djamena ^[23]

Politics and government

Main article: Politics of Chad

See also: Foreign relations of Chad

The president of Chad, Idriss Déby

Chad's constitution provides for a strong executive branch headed by a president who dominates the political system. Politics of Chad takes place in a framework of a presidential Republic, whereby the President of Chad is both Head of state and Head of The Foreign relations of Chad are motivated primarily by the desire for outside investment in Chadian industry and support for Chadian President Idriss Déby Lieutenant General Idriss Déby Itno (born 1952 is the President of Chad and the head of the Patriotic Salvation Movement. The president has the power to appoint the prime minister and the cabinet, and exercises considerable influence over appointments of judges, generals, provincial officials and heads of Chad's para-statal firms. The Head of government of Chad is the Prime Minister History The position of Prime Minister was first used in Chad during the Military In cases of grave and immediate threat, the president, in consultation with the National Assembly, may declare a state of emergency. The National Assembly ( Assemblée Nationale) is the parliament of Chad. A state of emergency is a governmental declaration that may suspend certain normal functions of government alert citizens to alter their normal behaviors or order government agencies The president is directly elected by popular vote for a five-year term; in 2005 constitutional term limits were removed. Elections in Chad gives information on Election and election results in Chad. ^[24] This removal allows a president to remain in power beyond the previous two-term limit. ^[24] Most of Déby's key advisers are members of the Zaghawa ethnic group, although southern and opposition personalities are represented in government. The Government of Chad has been controlled by Idriss Déby and his Patriotic Salvation Movement since December 2, 1990, and officially since ^[25][26] Corruption is rife at all levels; Transparency International's Corruption Perceptions Index for 2005 named Chad the most corrupt country in the world,^[27] and it has fared only slightly better in the following years. Transparency International ( TI) is a leading international Non-governmental organization addressing corruption Since 1995, Transparency International has published an annual Corruption Perceptions Index (CPI ordering the countries of the world according to "the degree ^[28] In 2007, it scored 1. 8 out of 10 on the Corruption Perceptions Index (with 10 being the least corrupt). Since 1995, Transparency International has published an annual Corruption Perceptions Index (CPI ordering the countries of the world according to "the degree Only Tonga, Uzbekistan, Haiti, Iraq, Myanmar, and Somalia scored lower. The Kingdom of Tonga is an Archipelago in the south Pacific Ocean comprising 169 islands 36 of them inhabited stretching over a distance of about 800 kilometres (500 miles Uzbekistan, officially the Republic of Uzbekistan ( Uzbek: O‘zbekiston Respublikasi or Ўзбекистон Республикаси is a doubly Haiti ( English: ˈheɪ·tiː or haɪ·ˈjiː·tiː French Haïti a·i·ti Haitian Creole: For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Iraq topics. Burma, officially the Union of Myanmar ( pjìdàunzṵ mjàmmà nàinŋàndɔ̀ is the largest country by geographical area in mainland Southeast Asia. Somalia ( Soomaaliya; الصومال) officially the Somali Republic ( Jamhuuriyadda Soomaaliya, جمهورية الصومال) and formerly known ^[29] Critics of President Déby have accused him of cronyism and tribalism. ^[30]

Chad's legal system is based on French civil law and Chadian customary law where the latter does not interfere with public order or constitutional guarantees of equality. In academic terms French law can be divided into two main categories private law (" droit privé " and public law (" droit public " Despite the constitution's guarantee of judicial independence, the president names most key judicial officials. The legal system's highest jurisdictions, the Supreme Court and the Constitutional Council, have become fully operational since 2000. The Supreme Court ( French Cour Suprême) is the highest Jurisdiction of Chad in judiciary administrative and tributary fields The Constitutional Council of Chad judges the Constitutionality of Legislation and Treaties in Chad. The Supreme Court is made up of a chief justice, named by the president, and 15 councillors, appointed for life by the president and the National Assembly. The Constitutional Court is headed by nine judges elected to nine-year terms. It has the power to review legislation, treaties and international agreements prior to their adoption. ^[26][25]

The National Assembly makes legislation. The National Assembly ( Assemblée Nationale) is the parliament of Chad. The body consists of 155 members elected for four-year terms who meet three times per year. The Assembly holds regular sessions twice a year, starting in March and October, and can hold special sessions when called by the prime minister. Deputies elect a National Assembly president every two years. The president must sign or reject newly passed laws within 15 days. The National Assembly must approve the prime minister's plan of government and may force the prime minister to resign through a majority vote of no confidence. However, if the National Assembly rejects the executive branch's programme twice in one year, the president may disband the Assembly and call for new legislative elections. In practice, the president exercises considerable influence over the National Assembly through his party, the Patriotic Salvation Movement (MPS), which holds a large majority. The Patriotic Salvation Movement ( French: Mouvement Patriotique du Salut or MPS is the ruling Political party in Chad. ^[25]

Until the legalisation of opposition parties in 1992, Déby's MPS was the sole legal party in Chad. ^[25] Since, 78 registered political parties have become active. This article lists political parties in Chad. Chad is a One party dominant state with the Patriotic Salvation Movement in power ^[31] In 2005, opposition parties and human rights organisations supported the boycott of the constitutional referendum that allowed Déby to stand for re-election for a third term^[32] amid reports of widespread irregularities in voter registration and government censorship of independent media outlets during the campaign. ^[33] Correspondents judged the 2006 presidential elections a mere formality, as the opposition deemed the polls a farce and boycotted. ^[34]

Déby faces armed opposition from groups who are deeply divided by leadership clashes but united in their intention to overthrow him. ^[35] These forces stormed the capital on April 13, 2006, but were ultimately repelled. Events 1111 - Henry V is crowned Holy Roman Emperor. 1204 - The Fourth Crusade sacks Constantinople Year 2006 ( MMVI) was a Common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. Chad's greatest foreign influence is France, which maintains 1,000 troops in the country. Déby relies on the French to help repel the rebels, and France gives the Chadian army logistical and intelligence support for fear of a complete collapse of regional stability. The Military of Chad consists of the Armed Forces (includes Ground Force Air Force, and Gendarmerie Republican Guard Rapid Intervention Force ^[36] Nevertheless, Franco-Chadian relations were soured by the granting of oil drilling rights to the American Exxon company in 1999. The Exxon Mobil Corporation, or ExxonMobil, is an American oil and gas Corporation and a direct descendant of John D ^[37]

Educators face considerable challenges due to the nation's dispersed population and a certain degree of reluctance on the part of parents to send their children to school. Education in Chad is challenging due to the nation's dispersed population and a certain degree of reluctance on the part of parents to send their children to school Although attendance is compulsory, only 68% of boys continue past primary school, and more than half of the population is illiterate. Higher education is provided at the University of N'Djamena. The University of N'Djamena is the leading institution of Higher education in Chad. ^[25][38]

Humanitarian situation

According to the United Nations, Chad has been affected by a humanitarian crisis since at least 2001. The United Nations ( UN) is an International organization whose stated aims are to facilitate cooperation in International law, International security A humanitarian crisis (or "humanitarian disaster" is an event or series of events which represents a critical threat to the health safety security or wellbeing of a community As of 2008, the country hosts over 280,000 refugees from the Sudan's Darfur region, over 55,000 from the Central African Republic, as well as over 170,000 internally displaced persons. Sudan (officially the Republic of Sudan) ( السودان al-Sūdān is a country in northeastern Africa. Darfur (دار فور daar foor, lit "realm of the Fur " is a region in Sudan. Central Africa|Central African FederationThe Central African Republic ( CAR) République Centrafricaine ʀepyblik sɑ̃tʀafʀikɛn or Centrafrique) is a Landlocked Internally displaced persons (IDPs are people forced to flee their homes but who unlike refugees remain within their country's borders ^[39]

In February 2008 in the aftermath of the battle of N'Djamena, UN Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs John Holmes expressed "extreme concern" that the crisis would have a negative effect on the ability of humanitarians to deliver life-saving assistance to half a million beneficiaries, most of whom - according to him - heavily rely on humanitarian aid for their survival. The Battle of N'Djamena began on February 2 2008 when Chadian rebel forces opposed to Chadian President Idriss Déby entered N'Djamena The United Nations ( UN) is an International organization whose stated aims are to facilitate cooperation in International law, International security Sir John Holmes, GCVO, KBE, CMG, was born in Preston in the north of England in April 1951 ^[40] UN spokesperson Maurizio Giuliano stated to The Washington Post: "If we do not manage to provide aid at sufficient levels, the humanitarian crisis might become a humanitarian catastrophe". The United Nations ( UN) is an International organization whose stated aims are to facilitate cooperation in International law, International security Maurizio Giuliano (born 1975 is an Italian - British Traveller Author and Journalist. The Washington Post is the largest and most circulated Newspaper in Washington D ^[41]

The UN, under the leadership of Holmes, boosted the humanitarian response in 2007, with the arrival of a field office of the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA). The United Nations ( UN) is an International organization whose stated aims are to facilitate cooperation in International law, International security Sir John Holmes, GCVO, KBE, CMG, was born in Preston in the north of England in April 1951 "OCHA" redirects there See Ocha for other possible meanings Senior UN official Eliane Duthoit was deployed as head of the OCHA office in the capital N'Djamena, while former World Food Programme official Fatma Samoura became Deputy Humanitarian Coordinator in the eastern town of Abéché. The United Nations ( UN) is an International organization whose stated aims are to facilitate cooperation in International law, International security Eliane Duthoit (born 1946 Brittany) a French citizen is a senior United Nations official at the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs "OCHA" redirects there See Ocha for other possible meanings N'Djamena (ənʤəˈmeɪnə Arabic Niǧāmīnā نجامينا population 721000 (2005 is the Capital city of Chad. Fatma Samoura, a national of Senegal born in 1962 is a senior United Nations (UN official The title of United Nations Humanitarian Coordinator is performed by a senior United Nations official in those country where there is a humanitarian crisis or emerging Abéché is the 4th largest city in Chad, the capital of Ouaddaï Region. ^[42]

Regions, departments, and sub-prefectures

Main articles: Regions of Chad, Departments of Chad, and Sub-prefectures of Chad

Regions of Chad

Chad is divided into 18 regions. |||} The country of Chad is currently divided into 18 regions The regions of Chad are divided into 53 departments. The departments are listed below by region Batha Region Batha Est The departments of Chad are divided into 348 Sub-prefectures ( sous-prefectures) |||} The country of Chad is currently divided into 18 regions This system came about in 2003 as part of the decentralisation process, when the government abolished the previous 14 prefectures. Chad was divided into 14 Prefectures from 1960, the year of independence to 1999, when the country was divided in 28 departments A further Each region is headed by a presidentially appointed governor. Prefects administer the 50 departments within the regions. The regions of Chad are divided into 53 departments. The departments are listed below by region Batha Region Batha Est The departments are divided into 200 sub-prefectures, which are in turn composed of 446 cantons. The departments of Chad are divided into 348 Sub-prefectures ( sous-prefectures) ^[43][44] The cantons are scheduled to be replaced by communautés rurales, but the legal and regulatory framework has not yet been completed. ^[45] The constitution provides for decentralised government to compel local populations to play an active role in their own development. ^[46] To this end, the constitution declares that each administrative subdivisions be governed by elected local assemblies,^[47] but no local elections have taken place,^[48] and communal elections scheduled for 2005 have been repeatedly postponed. ^[31]

The regions are:^[49]

Geography

Main article: Geography of Chad

Chad is divided into three distinct zones, from the Sudanese savanna in the south to the Sahara Desert in the north. Batha is one of the 18 regions of Chad located in the centre of the country The Borkou-Ennedi-Tibesti (BET is one of the 18 regions of Chad, its capital is Faya-Largeau. Chari-Baguirmi is one of the 18 regions of Chad and its capital is Massenya. Guéra is one of the 18 regions of Chad and its capital is Mongo. Hadjer-Lamis is one of the 18 regions of Chad, located in the southwest of the country Kanem is one of the 18 regions of Chad, corresponding to the former prefecture of Kanem. Lac is one of the 18 Regions of Chad and its capital is Bol. It is composed by the former Lac Prefecture. Logone Occidental is one of the 18 regions of Chad and its capital is Moundou. Logone Oriental is one of the 18 regions of Chad and its capital is Doba. Mandoul is one of the 18 regions of Chad. Located in the south of the country it corresponds with part of the former prefecture of Moyen-Chari Mayo-Kebbi Est is one of the 18 regions of Chad and its capital is Bongor. Mayo-Kebbi Ouest is one of the 18 regions of Chad and its capital is Pala. Moyen-Chari is one of the 18 regions of Chad and its capital is Sarh. Ouaddaï is one of the 18 regions of Chad and its capital is Abéché. Salamat is one of the 18 regions of Chad with its capital at Am Timan. Tandjilé is one of the 18 regions of Chad and its capital is Laï. Wadi Fira is one of the 18 regions of Chad, and corresponds with the former prefecture of Biltine. N'Djamena (ənʤəˈmeɪnə Arabic Niǧāmīnā نجامينا population 721000 (2005 is the Capital city of Chad. Chad is a land-locked country in north central Africa measuring 1284000 square kilometers (496000 sq

At 1,284,000 square kilometres (496,000 sq mi), Chad is the world's 21st-largest country. Square Kilometre ( US spelling square kilometer) symbol km2, is a decimal multiple of the SI unit of The square mile is an imperial and US unit of Area equal the area of a square of one statute mile. This is a list of the countries of the world sorted by total area. It is slightly smaller than Peru and slightly larger than South Africa. Peru (Perú Piruw Piruw officially the Republic of Peru ( reˈpuβlika del peˈɾu is a country in western South America. The Republic of South Africa (also known by other official names) is a country located at the southern tip of the continent of Africa ^[50][51] Chad is in north central Africa, lying between 8° and 24° north and between 14° and 24° east. Chad is bounded to the north by Libya, to the east by Sudan, to the west by Niger, Nigeria and Cameroon, and to the south by the Central African Republic. The country's capital is 1,600 km (990 mi) from the nearest seaport. ^[38][52] Due to this distance from the sea and the country's largely desert climate, Chad is sometimes referred to as the "Dead Heart of Africa". A desert is a Landscape or region that receives very little precipitation. ^[53]

Lake Chad in a 2001 satellite image. Lake Chad (in French Lac Tchad) is a historically large shallow lake in Africa, whose size has varied greatly over the centuries On the top, the changes from 1973 to 1997 are shown.

A heritage of the colonial era, Chad's borders do not coincide wholly with natural boundaries. The dominant physical structure is a wide basin bounded to the north, east and south by mountain ranges. Lake Chad, after which the country is named, is the remains of an immense lake that occupied 330,000 km² (130,000 sq mi) of the Chadian Basin 7,000 years ago. Lake Chad (in French Lac Tchad) is a historically large shallow lake in Africa, whose size has varied greatly over the centuries ^[38] Although in the 21st century it covers only 17,806 km² (6,875 sq mi), and its surface area is subject to heavy seasonal fluctuations,^[54] the lake is Africa's second largest wetland. ^[55] The Emi Koussi, a dormant volcano in the Tibesti Mountains that reaches 3,414 metres (13,435 ft) above sea level, is the highest point in Chad and the Sahara. Emi Koussi is a high Shield volcano that lies at the south end of the Tibesti Mountains in the central Sahara of northern Chad. The Tibesti Mountains are a group of Dormant volcanoes forming a Mountain range in the central Sahara Desert in the Bourkou-Ennedi-Tibesti The Sahara (الصحراء الكبرى aṣ-ṣaḥrā´ al-kubra, "The Great Desert" is the world's largest hot Desert and the world's second largest

Each year a tropical weather system known as the intertropical front crosses Chad from south to north, bringing a wet season that lasts from May to October in the south, and from June to September in the Sahel. The Intertropical Convergence Zone (ITCZ, also known as the Intertropical Front, Monsoon trough, Doldrums or the Equatorial A wet season or rainy season is a Season in which the average Rainfall in a region is significantly increased ^[56] Variations in local rainfall create three major geographical zones. The Sahara lies in the country's northern third. Yearly precipitations there are under 50 millimetres (2 in); in fact, Borkou in Chad is the most arid area of the Sahara. Borkou, or Borku, is a region of Central Africa, mostly in Northern Chad, forming part of the transitional zone between the arid wastes of the Sahara and Vegetation throughout this belt is scarce; only the occasional spontaneous palm grove survives, the only ones to do so south of the Tropic of Cancer. For the novel by Henry Miller, see Tropic of Cancer (novel. The Tropic of Cancer, or Northern tropic, is one of five The Sahara gives way to a Sahelian belt in Chad's centre; precipitation there varies from 300 mm to 600 mm (12–24 in) per year. See also Sahel Tunisia, a region of eastern Tunisia. The Sahel or Sahel Belt (from Arabic ساحل sāḥil In the Sahel a steppe of thorny bushes (mostly acacias) gradually gives way to a savanna in Chad's Sudanese zone to the south. Acacia is a Genus of Shrubs and Trees belonging to the Subfamily Mimosoideae of the family Fabaceae, first A savanna or savannah is a Tropical or Subtropical Grassland or Woodland Ecosystem. For the country in north-east Africa see Sudan. The Sudan, from the Arabic bilâd as-sûdân or "land of the Yearly rainfall in this belt is over 900 mm (35 in). ^[52] The region's tall grasses and extensive marshes make it favourable for birds, reptiles, and large mammals. Chad's major rivers—the Chari, Logone and their tributaries—flow through the southern savannas from the southeast into Lake Chad. The Chari or Shari River is a 949- Kilometer -long river of Central Africa. The Logon or Logone River is a major Tributary of the Chari River. ^[38][57]

Economy and infrastructure

Main article: Economy of Chad

A Chadian maternity ward. Chad 's economic development suffers from its geographic remoteness drought lack of infrastructure and political turmoil Although improving, Chad's infrastructure remains far less developed than that of its northern neighbours.

The United Nations' Human Development Index ranks Chad as the fifth poorest country in the world, with 80% of the population living below the poverty line. The Human Development Index ( HDI) is an index combining normalized measures of Life expectancy, Literacy, Educational attainment, and GDP The GDP (PPP) per capita was estimated as US$1,500 in 2005. The purchasing power parity ( PPP) theory uses the long-term equilibrium Exchange rate of two currencies to equalize their Purchasing power. The United States dollar ( sign: $; code: USD) is the unit of Currency of the United States; it has also been ^[58] Chad is part of the Bank of Central African States and the Customs and Economic Union of Central Africa (UDEAC). The Bank of Central African States (Banque des Etats de l'Afrique Centrale BEAC is a Central bank that serves six Central African countries which form the Economic The Customs and Economic Union of Central Africa (or UDEAC from its name in French, Union Douanière et Économique de l’Afrique Centrale) established Its currency is the CFA franc. The Central African CFA franc ( French: franc CFA or simply franc, ISO 4217 code XAF) is the currency of six independent states Years of civil war have scared away foreign investors; those who left Chad between 1979 and 1982 have only recently begun to regain confidence in the country's future. In 2000 major direct foreign investment in the oil sector began, boosting the country's economic prospects. ^[50][25]

Women in Mao, where water is provided by a water tower. Mao is a city in Chad, the capital of the Kanem Region and of the department also named Kanem. Access to clean water is often a problem in Chad.

Over 80% of Chad's population relies on subsistence farming and livestock raising for its livelihood. ^[50] The crops grown and the locations of herds are determined by the local climate. In the southernmost 10 percent of the territory lies the nation's most fertile cropland, with rich yields of sorghum and millet. Sorghum is a genus of numerous species of grasses, some of which are raised for grain and many of which are used as Fodder plants either cultivated or as part The millets are a group of small- Seeded Species of Cereal crops or grains widely grown around the world for Food and Fodder In the Sahel only the hardier varieties of millet grow, and these with much lower yields than in the south. On the other hand, the Sahel is ideal pastureland for large herds of commercial cattle and for goats, sheep, donkeys and horses. The Sahara's scattered oases support only some dates and legumes. In Geography, an oasis (plural oases) or Cienega ( Southwestern United States) is an isolated area of vegetation in a Desert, typically ^[2] Before the development of oil industry, cotton dominated industry and the labour market and accounted for approximately 80% of export earnings. ^[59] Cotton remains a primary export, although exact figures are not available. Rehabilitation of Cotontchad, a major cotton company that suffered from a decline in world cotton prices, has been financed by France, the Netherlands, the European Union, and the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (IBRD). The Société cotonnière du Tchad, also called Cotontchad, is a Parastatal Chadian company operating in a monopoly regime that buys and exports all the The International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (IBRD is one of five institutions that comprise the World Bank Group. The parastatal is now expected to be privatised. A parastatal or para-statal (from Para - meaning mean something close or near a Prefix, and State) is a fully or partially state-owned ^[25]

ExxonMobil leads a consortium of Chevron and Petronas that has invested $3. The Exxon Mobil Corporation, or ExxonMobil, is an American oil and gas Corporation and a direct descendant of John D Petronas, short for Petroliam Nasional Berhad, is a Malaysian owned oil and gas company that was founded on August 17 1974. 7 billion to develop oil reserves estimated at one billion barrels in southern Chad. Oil production began in 2003 with the completion of a pipeline (financed in part by the World Bank) that links the southern oilfields to terminals on the Atlantic coast of Cameroon. The Chad-Cameroon Petroleum Development and Pipeline Project is a controversial project to develop the production capacity of oilfields near Doba in southern Chad, The World Bank is an internationally supported Bank that provides financial and technical assistance to developing countries for development programs (e As a condition of its assistance, the World Bank insisted that 80% of oil revenues be spent on development projects. In January 2006 the World Bank suspended its loan programme when the Chadian government passed laws reducing this amount. ^[25][48] On July 14, 2006, the World Bank and Chad signed a memorandum of understanding under which the Government of Chad commits 70% of its spending to priority poverty reduction programmes. Events 1223 - Louis VIII becomes King of France upon the death of his father Philip II of France. Year 2006 ( MMVI) was a Common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ^[60]

A bridge on the Bragoto River

Civil war crippled the development of transport infrastructure; in 1987, Chad had only 30 kilometres (19 mi) of paved roads. The Bragoto River is a River in southern Chad. It is a Tributary of the Chari River. Transport infrastructure within Chad is generally poor especially in the north and east of the country The kilometre ( American spelling: kilometer) symbol km is a unit of Length in the Metric system, equal to one thousand A mile is a unit of Length, usually used to measure Distance, in a number of different systems including Imperial units United States Successive road rehabilitation projects improved the network^[61] to 550 kilometres (342 mi) by 2004. The kilometre ( American spelling: kilometer) symbol km is a unit of Length in the Metric system, equal to one thousand A mile is a unit of Length, usually used to measure Distance, in a number of different systems including Imperial units United States ^[62] Nevertheless, the road network is limited; roads are often unusable for several months of the year. With no railways of its own, Chad depends heavily on Cameroon's rail system for the transport of Chadian exports and imports to and from the seaport of Douala. Douala is the largest city in Cameroon and the capital of Cameroon's Littoral Province. ^[63] An international airport serves the capital and provides regular direct flights to Paris and several African cities. N'Djamena International Airport, serves N'Djamena, Chad, and is the main international airport of Chad. The telecommunication system is basic and expensive, with fixed telephone services provided by the state telephone company SotelTchad. Telephones - main lines in use 11800 (2002 Telephones - mobile Cellular phone: 470000 (2007 Telephone system general assessment Societe des Telecommunications Internationales du Tchad ( SotelTchad) is a Chadian telecommunications Parastatal providing landline domestic and international Only 14,000 fixed telephone lines serve all of Chad, one of the lowest telephone density rates in the world. Chad's energy sector has suffered from years of mismanagement by the parastatal Chad Water and Electric Society (STEE), which provides power for 15% of the capital's citizens and covers only 1. 5% of the national population. ^[64] Most Chadians burn biomass fuels such as wood and animal manure for power. ^[65] Chad's cities face serious difficulties of municipal infrastructure; only 48% of urban residents have access to potable water and only 2% to basic sanitation. ^[38][66]

The country's television audience is limited to N'Djamena. The only television station is the state-owned TeleTchad. Radio has a far greater reach, with 13 private radio stations. Newspapers are limited in quantity and distribution, and circulation figures are small due to transportation costs, low literacy rates, and poverty. ^[67][65] While the constitution defends liberty of expression, the government has regularly restricted this right, and at the end of 2006 began to enact a system of prior censorship on the media. ^[68]

Demographics

Main article: Demographics of Chad

2005 estimates place Chad's population at 10,146,000; 25. The people of Chad speak more than 100 different languages and divide themselves into many ethnic groups 8% live in urban areas and 74. 8% in rural ones. ^[69] The country's population is young: an estimated 47. 3% is under 15. The birth rate is estimated at 42. 35 births per 1,000 people, the mortality rate at 16. 69. The life expectancy is 47. 2 years. ^[50]

A Ouaddaian girl

Chad's population is unevenly distributed. Ouaddaï is one of the 18 regions of Chad and its capital is Abéché. Density is 0. 1/km² (0. 3/sq mi) in the Saharan Borkou-Ennedi-Tibesti Region but 52. 4/km² (135. 7/sq mi) in the Logone Occidental Region. Logone Occidental is one of the 18 regions of Chad and its capital is Moundou. In the capital, it is even higher. ^[52] About half of the nation's population lives in the southern fifth of its territory, making this the most densely populated region. ^[70] Urban life is virtually restricted to the capital, whose population is mostly engaged in commerce. The other major towns are Sarh, Moundou, Abéché and Doba, which are less urbanised but are growing rapidly and joining the capital as decisive factors in economic growth. Sarh (formerly Fort Archambault) is the third largest city in Chad, the capital of Moyen-Chari region and the department of Barh Köh Moundou is the capital of the region of Logone Occidental. The city lies on the Logone River some 300 miles south of the capital N'Djamena Abéché is the 4th largest city in Chad, the capital of Ouaddaï Region. For the village in Hungary see Doba Hungary For the company see Doba (company For the instrument see Davul ^[38] Since 2003, 230,000 Sudanese refugees have fled to eastern Chad from war-ridden Darfur. With the 172,000 Chadians^[71] displaced by the civil war in the east, this has generated increased tensions among the region's communities. ^[72]

Polygamy is common, with 39% of women living in such unions. The term polygamy (a Greek word meaning "the practice of multiple marriage" is used in related ways in Social anthropology, Sociobiology, and This is sanctioned by law, which automatically permits polygamy unless spouses specify that this is unacceptable upon marriage. The term polygamy (a Greek word meaning "the practice of multiple marriage" is used in related ways in Social anthropology, Sociobiology, and ^[73] Although violence against women is prohibited, domestic violence is common. Female genital mutilation is prohibited, but the practice is widespread and deeply rooted in tradition; 45% of Chadian women undergo the procedure, with the highest rates among Arabs, Hadjarai, and Ouaddaians (90% or more). Female genital cutting (FGC also known as female genital mutilation (FGM female circumcision or female genital mutilation/cutting (FGM/C refers to The araB gene Promoter is a bacterial promoter activated by e L-arabinose binding The Hadjarai are a group of peoples comprising 67% of the population of Chad, or more than 150000 people Lower percentages were reported among the Sara (38%) and the Toubou (2%). The Sara are an Ethnic group in Central Africa, who reside mostly in Chad, making up approximatively 30% of its southern population The Toubou (also called Tebu or Tubu or Tebou) are an Ethnic group that live mainly in northern Chad, but also in Libya Women lack equal opportunities in education and training, making it difficult for them to compete for the relatively few formal-sector jobs. Although property and inheritance laws based on the French code do not discriminate against women, local leaders adjudicate most inheritance cases in favour of men, according to traditional practice. ^[31]

A tribal delegation

Chad has more than 200 distinct ethnic groups,^[25] which create diverse social structures. The colonial administration and independent governments have attempted to impose a national society, but for most Chadians the local or regional society remains the most important influence outside the immediate family. Nevertheless, Chad's peoples may be classified according to the geographical region in which they live. In the south live sedentary people such as the Sara, the nation's main ethnic group, whose essential social unit is the lineage. In the Sahel sedentary peoples live side-by-side with nomadic ones, such as the Arabs, the country's second major ethnic group. The north is inhabited by nomads, mostly Toubous. ^[38][2] The nation's official business languages are French and Arabic, but over 100 languages and dialects are spoken. French ( français,) is a Romance language spoken around the world by 118 million people as a native language and by about 180 to 260 million people Arabic (ar الْعَرَبيّة (informally ar عَرَبيْ) in terms of the number of speakers is the largest living member of the Semitic language Due to the important role played by itinerant Arab traders and settled merchants in local communities, Chadian Arabic has become a lingua franca. Chadian Arabic or Shuwa Arabic (also known as Arabe Choa Shua Arabic Shua Chowa Chad Arabic Suwa L'arabe du Tchad Chadic Arabic Baggara is the Variety of Arabic ^[2]

Religion in Chad is diverse. The 1993 census found that 54% of Chadians were Muslim, 20% Roman Catholic, 14% Protestant, 10% animist, and 3% atheist The 1993 census found that 54% of Chadians were Muslim, 20% Roman Catholic, 14% Protestant, 10% animist, and 3% atheist. The earliest Islamic presence in Chad can be traced back to the legendary Uqba ibn Nafi, whose descendants can be found settled in the Lake Chad region to this day The Roman Catholic Church in Chad is part of the worldwide Roman Catholic Church, under the spiritual leadership of the Pope and Curia in Rome Protestantism refers to the forms of Christian faith and practice that originated in the 16th century Protestant Reformation. Animism (from Latin anima ( Soul, Life) commonly refers to a religious belief that Souls or Spirits exist in Animals ^[52] None of these religious traditions is monolithic. Animism includes a variety of ancestor and place-oriented religions whose expression is highly specific. Islam, though characterised by an orthodox set of beliefs and observances, is expressed in diverse ways. Christianity arrived in Chad only with the French; as with Chadian Islam, it syncretises aspects of pre-Christian religious beliefs. The presence of Christianity in Africa began by the end of the first century in Egypt, and by the end of the second century in the region around Carthage. Syncretism consists of the attempt to reconcile disparate or contradictory beliefs often while melding practices of various schools of thought ^[2] Muslims are largely concentrated in northern and eastern Chad, and animists and Christians live primarily in southern Chad and Guéra. Guéra is one of the 18 regions of Chad and its capital is Mongo. ^[38] The constitution provides for a secular state and guarantees religious freedom; different religious communities generally co-exist without problems. ^[74]

Culture

Main article: Culture of Chad

Due to its great variety of peoples and languages, Chad possesses a rich cultural heritage. Chad is a very culturally diverse Nation. Among the manifestations of this diversity is the extremely large number of languages spoken there New Year See also New Year The Ancient Romans began their consular year on January 1st since 153 BC New Year's Day is the first day of the Year. On the modern Gregorian calendar, it is celebrated on January 1, as it was also in ancient Rome (though Events 305 - Diocletian and Maximian retire from the office of Roman Emperor. Labour Day is an annual Holiday celebrated all over the world that resulted from efforts of Events 1085 - Alfonso VI of Castile takes Toledo Spain back from the Moors. African Liberation Day on May 25 is an annual Holiday in various countries in Africa, coinciding with African Union 's Africa Day Events 2492 BC - Traditional date of the defeat of Bel by Hayk, progenitor and founder of the Armenian nation An Independence Day is an annual celebration commemorating the Anniversary of a Nation 's assumption of independent Statehood, usually after ceasing Events 996 - Emperor Otto III issues a deed to Gottschalk Bishop of Freising which is the oldest known document using the name Ostarrîchi For the British girl group see All Saints (band. All Saints' Day (also called All Hallows or Hallowmas) often For the town in Argentina, see 28 de Noviembre. Events Republic Day is the name of a Public holiday in several countries to commemorate the day when they first became Republics January 9th in Republika Events 800 - Charlemagne judges the accusations against Pope Leo III in the Vatican Freedom and Democracy Day is a national holiday in Chad, falling on 1 December. Events 274 - Roman Emperor Aurelian The Chadian government have actively promoted Chadian culture and national traditions by opening the Chad National Museum and the Chad Cultural Centre. The Chad National Museum (Musee National N'Djamena is the National museum of Chad. The Chad Cultural Centre is an institution located in Moa, Chad. ^[38] Six national holidays are observed throughout the year, and movable holidays include the Christian holiday of Easter Monday and the Muslim holidays of Eid ul-Fitr, Eid ul-Adha, and Eid Milad Nnabi. This is a list of Holidays in Chad. Easter Monday is the day after Easter Sunday and is celebrated as a Holiday in some largely Christian cultures especially Roman Catholic Eid ul-Fitr or Id-ul-Fitr (عيد الفطر ‘Īdu l-Fiṭr) often abbreviated to Eid, is a Muslim Holiday that marks the end of Eid al-Adha ( Arabic: عيد الأضحى ‘Īd ul-’Aḍḥā, Urdu: بقرعید or the Festival of Sacrifice is a religious festival celebrated Mawlid ( Eid Milad an Nabi ( Turkish:Mevlid ( Qur'anic مَوْلِدُ آلنَبِيِّ mawlidu n-nabiyyi, “Birth of the Prophet” ^[64]

Regarding music, Chadians play instruments such as the kinde, a type of bow harp; the kakaki, a long tin horn; and the hu hu, a stringed instrument that uses calabashes as loudspeakers. The kakaki or kakakai is a three to four meter long metal Trumpet used in Hausa traditional ceremonial music The calabash or African bottle gourd (not to be confused with the Calabaza) is a Vine grown for its fruit which can either be harvested young and used Other instruments and their combinations are more linked to specific ethic groups: the Sara prefer whistles, balafones, harps and kodjo drums; and the Kanembu combine the sounds of drums with those of flute-like instruments. The balafon ( bala, balaphone) is a resonated frame wooden keyed Percussion idiophone of West Africa; part of the Idiophone family The Kanembu are an Ethnic group of Chad, generally considered the modern descendants of the Kanem-Borno Empire. ^[75]

A Chadian tailor sells traditional dresses.

The music group Chari Jazz formed in 1964 and initiated Chad's modern music scene. Founded in 1964 Chari Jazz was the first modern Chad musical group Later, more renowned groups such as African Melody and International Challal attempted to mix modernity and tradition. Popular groups such as Tibesti have clung faster to their heritage by drawing on sai, a traditional style of music from southern Chad. The people of Chad have customarily disdained modern music. However, in 1995 greater interest has developed and fostered the distribution of CDs and audio cassettes featuring Chadian artists. Piracy and a lack legal protections for artists' rights remain problems to further development of the Chadian music industry. ^[75][76]

Millet is the staple food throughout Chad. It is used to make balls of paste that are dipped in sauces. In the north this dish is known as alysh; in the south, as biya. Fish is popular, which is generally prepared and sold either as salanga (sun-dried and lightly smoked Alestes and Hydrocynus) or as banda (smoked larger fish). Alestes is a genus in the family Alestiidae, known as the " African Characidae " as they are found exclusively on that continent Hydrocynus, is a Genus in the family Alestiidae, a family from the order Characiformes endemic to the African continent ^[77] Carcaje is a popular sweet drink extracted from hibiscus leaves. Alcoholic beverages, though absent in the north, are popular in the south, where people drink millet beer, known as billi-billi when brewed from red millet and as coshate when from white millet. Millet beer, also known as Bantu beer, kaffir beer, or opaque beer, is an Alcoholic beverage made from malted Millet. Proso millet ( Panicum miliaceum) is also known as common millet, broom corn, hog millet or white millet. ^[75]

As in other Sahelian countries, literature in Chad has suffered from an economic, political and spiritual drought that has affected its best known writers. Chadian authors have been forced to write from exile or expatriate status and have generated literature dominated by themes of political oppression and historical discourse. Since 1962, 20 Chadian authors have written some 60 works of fiction. Among the most internationally renowned writers are Joseph Brahim Seïd, Baba Moustapha, Antoine Bangui and Koulsy Lamko. Joseph Brahim Seid is a Chadian writer and politician He served as Minister of Justice from 1966 to 1975 Mahamat "Baba" Moustapha (1952-1982 was a Chadian playwright writing in French. Antoine Bangui-Rombaye is a Chadian political figure and author Koulsy Lamko (born 1959 is a Chadian born Playwright, Poet, Novelist and university lecturer In 2003 Chad's sole literary critic, Ahmat Taboye, published his Anthologie de la littérature tchadienne to further knowledge of Chad's literature internationally and among youth and to make up for Chad's lack of publishing houses and promotional structure. Ahmat Taboye is a literary critic from Chad. As head of the Department of Letters at the University of N'Djamena, he published Anthologie de la littérature tchadienne ^[75][78][79]

The development of a Chadian film industry has suffered from the devastations of civil war and from the lack of cinemas, of which there is only one in the whole country. Cinemaaustraliajpg|thumb|A movie theater in Australia ]]A movie theater, movie theatre, picture theatre or cinema is a venue The first Chadian feature film, the docudrama Bye Bye Africa, was made in 1999 by Mahamat Saleh Haroun. In the Film industry, a feature film is a Film made for initial distribution in theaters and being the "main attraction" of the screening A Docudrama is a Dramatization of actual historical events Generalities Docudramas tend to demonstrate some or most of the following characteristics Bye Bye Africa is a 1999 award winning Chadian Film. It was the first by Chadian director Mahamat Saleh Haroun, who also Mahamat-Saleh Haroun (b 1961 N'Djamena) is a Film director from Chad who has lived in France since 1982 His later film Abouna was critically acclaimed, and his Daratt won the Grand Special Jury Prize at the 63rd Venice International Film Festival. Abouna ( English: "Our Father" is a 2003 award winning Film by Chadian director Mahamat Saleh Haroun. Daratt ( English: "Dry Season" French: "Saison sèche" is a 2006 film by Chadian director Mahamat Saleh Haroun The 63rd Venice International Film Festival, held in Venice, Italy, was opened on August 30, 2006 with Brian De Palma 's Issa Serge Coelo directed Chad's two other films, Daresalam and DP75: Tartina City. Issa Serge Coelo (born 1967 is a Chadian Film director. Born in Biltine, Chad he studied history in Paris and film at the Ecole Supérieure de Réalisation DP75 Tartina City is a 2006 dramatic film by Chadian director Issa Serge Coelo, now at his second feature film ^{[80][81][82][83]}

Football is Chad's most popular sport. Association football, more commonly known as football or soccer, is a Team sport played between two teams of eleven players and is widely considered The principal sports in Chad are football, Basketball, athletics, Boxing, Martial arts and Fishing, which is most prominent ^[84] The country's national team is much followed during international competitions^[75], and Chadian footballers have played for French teams. The Chad national football team, nicknamed Sao, is the national team of Chad and is controlled by the Fédération Tchadienne de Football. Basketball and freestyle wrestling are widely practiced, the latter in a form in which the wrestlers don traditional animal hides and cover themselves with dust. Basketball is a team Sport in which two teams of five active players each try to score points against one another by propelling a ball through a 10 feet (3 m ^[75]

See also

• List of Chad-related topics

Notes

References

External links

• (French) Official government site
• (French) Official presidency site
• Chad Embassy — Washington DC