Outline of Chad

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The location of Chad
An enlargeable map of the Republic of Chad

The Republic of Chad is a landlocked country in Central Africa.[1] 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. Due to its distance from the sea and its largely desert climate, the country is sometimes referred to as the "Dead Heart of Africa". 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. Lake Chad, after which the country is named, is the largest wetland in Chad and the second largest in Africa. Chad's highest peak is the Emi Koussi in the Sahara, and N'Djamena, the capital, is the largest city. Chad is home to over 200 different ethnic and linguistic groups. Arabic and French are the official languages. Islam is the most widely practiced religion.

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. France conquered the territory by 1920 and incorporated it as part of French Equatorial Africa. In 1960 Chad obtained independence under the leadership of François Tombalbaye. 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. However, the rebel commanders fought amongst themselves until Hissène Habré defeated his rivals. He was overthrown in 1990 by his general Idriss Déby. 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.

While many political parties are active, power lies firmly in the hands of President Déby and his political party, the Patriotic Salvation Movement. 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 country is one of the poorest and most corrupt countries in the world; most Chadians live in poverty as subsistence herders and farmers. Since 2003 crude oil has become the country's primary source of export earnings, superseding the traditional cotton industry.

The following outline is provided as an overview of and topical guide to Chad:

[edit] General reference

An enlargeable relief map of Chad

[edit] Geography of Chad

An enlargeable topographic map of Chad
 Sudan 1,360 km
 Central African Republic 1,197 km
 Niger 1,175 km
 Cameroon 1,094 km
 Libya 1,055 km
 Nigeria 87 km

[edit] Environment of Chad

An enlargeable satellite image of Chad

[edit] Natural geographic features of Chad

[edit] Regions of Chad

[edit] Ecoregions of Chad

Main article: Ecoregions in Chad

[edit] Administrative divisions of Chad

Main article: Administrative divisions of Chad
[edit] Provinces of Chad
[edit] Departments of Chad
[edit] Sub-prefectures of Chad
[edit] Municipalities of Chad

[edit] Demography of Chad

Main article: Demographics of Chad

[edit] Government and politics of Chad

Main article: Government of Chad and Politics of Chad

[edit] Branches of government

[edit] Executive branch of the government of Chad

[edit] Legislative branch of the government of Chad

[edit] Judicial branch of the government of Chad

[edit] Foreign relations of Chad

[edit] International organization membership

The Republic of Chad is a member of:[1]

[edit] Law and order in Chad

Main article: Law of Chad

[edit] Military of Chad

Main article: Military of Chad

[edit] Local government in Chad

[edit] History of Chad

Main article: History of Chad, Timeline of the history of Chad, and Current events of Chad

[edit] Culture of Chad

Main article: Culture of Chad

[edit] Art in Chad

[edit] Sports in Chad

Main article: Sports in Chad

[edit] Economy and infrastructure of Chad

Main article: Economy of Chad

[edit] Education in Chad

Main article: Education in Chad

[edit] Health in Chad

[edit] See also

[edit] References

[edit] External links

Wikimedia Atlas of Chad

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