Chad Facts and Culture

What is Chad famous for?

• Food and Recipes: Chad has several geographical zones reflected in the diet like this: in the South, the diet is dominated by roots... More
• Family: Gorane families are small, consisting of parents, children, and sometimes one or two other relatives. The clan is the most... More
• Fashion: Chadians generally place great emphasis on clothing. Women often wear a loose top and a length of cloth (pagne) around... More
• Recreation: Soccer is the most popular sport in Chad. Basketball is widely played in the cities. Children in Chad often build... More
• Cultural Attributes: Because Chad is a former French colony and many of its citizens speak French. The people of Chad include more... More
• Diet: Fish abound in Chad's lakes and rivers. The most common fish is the Nile perch, called capitaine in Chad. Other... More

What is the capital of Chad?

Capital	N'Djamena
Government Type	Presidential republic
Currency	Cooperation Financiere en Afrique Centrale francs (XAF)
Total Area	495,752 Square Miles 1,284,000 Square Kilometers
Location	Central Africa, south of Libya
Language	French (official), Arabic (official), Sara (in the south), and more than 120 different languages and dialects
GDP - real growth rate	-1.1%
GDP - per capita (PPP)	$2,600.00 (USD)

What is the population of Chad?

Ethnic Groups	200 distinct groups; in the north and center: Arabs, Gorane (Toubou, Daza, Kreda), Zaghawa, Kanembou, Ouaddai, Baguirmi, Hadjerai, Fulbe, Kotoko, Hausa, Boulala, and Maba, most of whom are Muslim; in the south: Sara (Ngambaye, Mbaye, Goulaye), Moundang
Nationality Adjective	Chadian
Nationality Noun	Chadian(s)
Population	16,877,357
Population Growth Rate	1.95%
Population in Major Urban Areas	N'DJAMENA (capital) 1.079 million
Predominant Language	French (official), Arabic (official), Sara (in the south), and more than 120 different languages and dialects
Urban Population	21.8%

What type of government does Chad have?

• Executive Branch: Chief of state: President Idriss DEBY Itno, Lt. Gen. (since 4 December 1990) Head of government: President Idriss DEBY Itno, Lt.... More
• Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal More
• Citizenship: Citizenship by birth: no Citizenship by descent only: both parents must be citizens of Chad Dual citizenship recognized: Chadian law does not... More
• National Holiday: Independence Day, 11 August (1960) More
• Constitution: History: several previous; latest approved 30 April 2018 by the National Assembly, entered into force 4 May 2018 Amendments: proposed as... More
• Independence: 11 August 1960 (from France) More

What environmental issues does Chad have?

• Overview: Chad is a land-locked country in north-central Africa measuring 496,000 square miles (1,284,000 square km), roughly the size of Texas,... More
• Climate: The capital, N'Djamena, which is located in the Sahelian Zone, has a rainy season extending from June to October, characterized... More
• Border Countries: Cameroon 1,094 km, Central African Republic 1,197 km, Libya 1,055 km, Niger 1,175 km, Nigeria 87 km, Sudan 1,360 km More
• Environment - Current Issues: Inadequate supplies of potable water; improper waste disposal in rural areas contributes to soil and water pollution; desertification More
• Environment - International Agreements: Party To: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: Law of... More
• Terrain: Broad, arid plains in the center, desert in the north, mountains in the northwest, lowlands in the south More

How big is the Chad economy?

• Economic Overview: Chad’s landlocked location results in high transportation costs for imported goods and dependence on neighboring countries. Oil and agriculture are... More
• Industries: Oil, cotton textiles, brewing, natron (sodium carbonate), soap, cigarettes, construction materials More
• Currency Name and Code: Cooperation Financiere en Afrique Centrale francs (XAF) More
• Export Partners: United States 58.5%, India 13.3%, Japan 11.3%, China 4.1% More
• Import Partners: France 16.5%, China 14.2%, Cameroon 11%, United States 6.4%, India 6%, Belgium 5.7%, Italy 4.8% More

What current events are happening in Chad?
Source: Google News

What unique things can you discover about Chad?

• At the summit of the Tibesti mountain system stands the dormant volcano Emi Koussi, 3,414 meters above sea level. It is not only the highest point in Chad but the highest point in the entire Sahara desert.
• Chad Australopithecus is a type of early hominid identified from the remains of a single body found in 1960 at Koro Toro in southeast Chad. The remains were found close by the teeth of an extinct elephant and are thought to be 200,000 to 500,000 years old.
• Chad is named after Lake Chad, which is the fourth largest lake in Africa and the seventh largest in the world. It is an extremely shallow lake that has no outlet to the sea and its shoreline changes every year as parts of it dry up.
• Chad is the world's second-largest supplier of gum arabic, after Sudan. Gum arabic comes from certain species of the acacia tree and is an ingredient in foods, soft drinks, pharmaceuticals, and glues.
• Drought can cause malnutrition and widespread famine in Chad. In 1984, the drought was so severe that Lake Chad completely dried up.
• Educational opportunities for girls have traditionally been more limited than those for boys. Although about equal numbers of girls and boys are enrolled in primary school, the number of girls enrolled in secondary school is very low, partly because of early marriage.
• Families consider children to be insurance for their future and esteem those who have large families. When people die without having had children, they are said to have “ died twice.”
• For religious reasons, Muslims do not drink alcohol. In the south, however, people enjoy beer brewed from millet. It is called billi-billi when it is made from red millet and coshate when it is made from white millet. Spirits made from distilled millet alcohol are known as arki. Gala beer is also manufactured in Chad.
• In villages throughout the country, markets are held on the same day each week and are important events for villagers and often the focus of the week's activity.
• La Voix du Paysan (The Peasant's Voice), which began operating in 1997, is a private radio station owned by the Catholic Church. Located in Doba, it broadcasts locally produced programming, including news coverage and political commentary in French and indigenous languages, over a 220-kilometer range.
• Mahamat Saleh's feature film Bye Bye Africa, a Franco-Chadian co-production about a Chadian who returns to the country, has been shown at international festivals, including the 2000 Toronto International Film Festival.
• Many herbal remedies developed hundreds of years ago are still in use today. For example, an infusion made by boiling the leaves of the neem tree is inhaled by people suffering from malaria.
• May 25 is African Liberation Day, which commemorates the 1963 founding of the Organization of African Unity (OAU) in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. This is a national holiday in Chad and in many other African nations and is often celebrated with sports contests and dances.
• May 25 is African Liberation Day, which commemorates the founding in 1963 of the Organization of African Unity (OAU) in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. This is a national holiday in Chad and in many other African nations, and is often celebrated with sports contests and dances.
• N'Djamena's Great Mosque was built in the late 1970s and is a dominant feature of the city. N'Djamena also has a cathedral built by the French, as well as ancient Sao ruins.
• Of the four major language families in Africa, three are represented in Chad: the Nilo-Saharan, the Afro-Asiatic, and the Congo-Kordofanian. Only the Khoisan languages of southern Africa are not represented.
• Scarification, the ritual application of scars on the faces of tribal members, is practiced by many groups in Chad. Lines and other symbols are made on the faces of young men to mark them permanently as members of a particular tribe. Such markings are perceived as visually pleasing.
• The lungfish, Protopterus Annectens, lives in Lake Chad's floodplains. It is able to survive buried in dried-up mud throughout the dry season because it can breathe air through its lungs.
• Young girls of the Teda people of the Sahara play with dolls made of mud or wood. The dolls do not have facial features; instead, little beads are placed in a geometric pattern on the face of the doll. The dresses and ornaments on the dolls resemble those of adult women.

What can you learn about Chad in this video?

Top 14 Things To Do In Chad YouTube: City Travel Reviews

What makes Chad a unique country to travel to?

Country Description

Chad is a developing country in north-central Africa with one of the lowest per capita incomes in the world and has historically faced challenges in the areas of political stability and economic development. Years of war, drought, and regional instability have severely damaged the country's infrastructure and hampered the development of its institutions. Facilities for tourism are limited. The capital is N'Djamena. French and Arabic are the official languages.

Crime

U.S. citizens and many foreigners are perceived to be wealthy and should take precautions to avoid becoming crime victims. You should not leave cash or valuables unsecured in your hotel room, nor should you wear expensive jewelry or show large amounts of cash. You should dress modestly, walk outside only during daylight hours, and lock your car doors. Petty crimes such as purse snatching, pick-pocketing, and theft from vehicles do occur, particularly in areas frequented by expatriates. The potential for violent crime against expatriates remains a concern. Carjacking, burglary, and vehicle thefts increase during times of political instability. Historically, expatriate residences have been targeted for armed robbery, and some foreigners have been assaulted in the process, although there have been no recent incidents reported.

Criminal Penalties

While you are traveling in Chad, you are subject to its laws even if you are a U.S. citizen. Foreign laws and legal systems can be vastly different than our own. In some places, you may be taken in for questioning if you don’t have your passport with you. In some places, it is illegal to take pictures of certain buildings. In some places driving under the influence could land you immediately in jail. These criminal penalties will vary from country to country. There are also some things that might be legal in the country you visit, but still illegal in the United States. You can be prosecuted under U.S. law if you buy pirated goods. Engaging in sexual conduct with children or using or disseminating child pornography in a foreign country is a crime prosecutable in the United States. If you break local laws in Chad, your U.S. passport won’t help you avoid arrest or prosecution. It’s very important to know what’s legal and what’s not where you are going.

Based on the Vienna Convention on Consular Relations, bilateral agreements with certain countries, and customary international law, if you are arrested in Chad, you have the option to request that the police, prison officials, or other authorities alert the nearest U.S. embassy or consulate of your arrest, and to have communications from you forwarded to the nearest U.S. embassy or consulate.

Medical Facilities and Health Information

Medical facilities in Chad are extremely limited. Medicines are in short supply or unavailable, including many over-the-counter preparations sold in the United States. Travelers should carry any needed, properly labeled, medicines with them. In the event of major injury or illness, visitors generally will require medical evacuation.

There are two medical clinics in the capital of N’Djamena which offer "international standard" medical care: International SOS and Europ-Assistance. These are not walk-in clinics and advance membership is required to access services. This information is provided for informational purposes only and in no way constitutes an endorsement, expressed or implied, by the United States Department of State

Malaria is a serious and sometimes fatal disease. Plasmodium falciparum malaria, the type that predominates in Chad, is resistant to the antimalarial drug chloroquine. Because travelers to Chad are at high risk for contracting malaria, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) advise that travelers should take one of the following antimalarial drugs: mefloquine (Lariam - TM), doxycycline, or atovaquone/proguanil (Malarone -TM). Travelers who become ill with a fever or flu-like illness while traveling in a malaria-risk area, and up to one year after returning home, should seek prompt medical attention and tell the physician their travel history and what antimalarials they have been taking. For additional information on malaria, including protective measures, visit the CDC Travelers’ Health website.

Other widespread illnesses in Chad include diarrhea and upper respiratory infections. HIV/AIDS is becoming an increasingly serious problem as infection rates are at alarming levels (up to 25 percent in high-risk groups). Meningitis outbreaks usually occur annually and several other diseases (cholera, diphtheria, chicken pox, typhoid) periodically appear.

Safety and Security

U.S. citizens planning to travel to Chad should read the current Worldwide Caution Travel Alert and the Travel Warning for Chad, which warns U.S. citizens of the risks of traveling to Chad. Due to the insecurity caused by high levels of violent crime, the potential risk of clashes between Chadian security forces and criminal or other armed groups, and the risk of a sudden, unanticipated outbreak of conflict among the populations living in these areas, we caution against all travel to eastern Chad, the Chad/Sudan border area, and the Chad/Central African Republic border area. The U.S. Embassy in Chad reviews each request for official government travel outside the capital and prohibits travel to eastern Chad and most border regions without express authorization. If you are affiliated with humanitarian relief efforts, you should review security precautions and consider measures to mitigate your exposure to violent crime. The Government of Chad requires travel authorization (autorisation de circuler) for anyone traveling to a humanitarian zone or refugee camp. If you are residing in Chad, you should exercise caution throughout the country.

Traffic Safety and Road Conditions

While in a foreign country, you may encounter road conditions that differ significantly from those in the United States. The information below concerning Chad is provided for general reference only, and may not be totally accurate in a particular location or circumstance.

Roads are in poor condition and dangerous. In the capital city of N'Djamena, only the main roads are paved; although the government continues with its construction program, hard surface highways are still limited in number and distance in Chad; the rest of the roads are either hard-packed dirt or looser dirt and sand. During the rainy season (mid-June to mid-September) many roads become impassable or are restricted by rain barriers, while during the dryer season, clouds of dust rising from the roads reduce visibility.

Visitors should take great care while driving. Both paved and unpaved roads are poorly maintained, and often have large ruts and potholes. All drivers should adjust their speed accordingly. At night, streets are not lit and drivers frequently operate cars or motorcycles without lighting headlights; it is imperative to watch for pedestrians, bicyclists, motorcyclists, and livestock, as they may not be visible until they are in very close proximity.

Driving in Chad tends to be erratic both in cities and in rural areas. In cities, particularly N'Djamena, motorists share the roads with bicycles, motor scooters, pedestrians, and non-motorized wheelchairs. Lanes are not marked, and it is not uncommon for a normally two-lane thoroughfare to become a four-lane road during rush hours (generally 7:00 a.m. - 9:00 a.m. and 3:00 p.m. - 6:00 p.m. Monday - Thursday; 7:00 a.m. - 9:00 a.m. and 11:00 a.m. - 12:30 p.m. on Friday). Drivers are urged to be particularly observant at these times because motorists often attempt to overtake slower traffic by moving into oncoming lanes, usually at high speeds. There are only a few traffic lights in N'Djamena, they are often out of service, and drivers frequently do not obey those traffic lights that are in service. Drivers yield to traffic on their right, particularly when entering the many traffic circles.

In rural areas, drivers should watch for livestock crossing the roads, and for large hawks that rest on the roads. These birds can be fearless, and cause damage by smashing into drivers' windshields; drivers may avoid this by slowing down when approaching the hawks and allowing them sufficient time to fly away. Finally, drivers should be alert to older transport trucks traveling between cities, which do not always have functioning headlights.

No emergency services exist, so drivers should exercise extreme caution. Travelers should always wear seat belts. When traveling by car, be sure to carry a spare tire. Roadside service is limited to good Samaritans and children who will help push cars to the side or out of holes. When traveling outside the capital, it is imperative to carry sufficient quantities of drinking water. Drivers should ensure that their gas tanks are at least half-full at all times, as gas stations are not widely available. Gas may be purchased in an emergency in bottles from roadside stands, but it is generally of poor quality.

Travelers on roads in all areas of the country are subject to attack by armed bandits.