Chad Travel Guide

Full Name

Republic of Chad

Former Name

None

Capital City

N'Djamena

Government Type

republic

Climate

tropical in south, desert in north

Geography

landlocked; Lake Chad is the most significant water body in the Sahel

Languages

French (official), Arabic (official), Sara (in south), more than 120 different languages and dialects

History

Chad, part of France's African holdings until 1960, endured three decades of civil warfare as well as invasions by Libya before a semblance of peace was finally restored in 1990. The government eventually drafted a democratic constitution, and held flawed presidential elections in 1996 and 2001. In 1998, a rebellion broke out in northern Chad, which sporadically flares up despite several peace agreements between the government and the rebels. In 2005 new rebel groups emerged in western Sudan and have made probing attacks into eastern Chad. Power remains in the hands of an ethnic minority. In June 2005, President Idriss DEBY held a referendum successfully removing constitutional term limits.

Currency

CFA Franc (BEAC) (XAF)