1,284,005 sq km / 495,755 sq mi (almost twice the size of Texas)
Capital City
The capital city N’Djamena is located close to the border of Cameroon and is nearly 1,000 miles away by road from the western African ports.
Ethnic Groups
30.5% Sara 9.8% Kanembu/Bornu/Buduma 9.7% Arab 7% Wadai/Maba/Masalit/Mimi 5.8% Gorane
Chad is highly diverse with over 200 different ethnicities within its borders.
Religion
52.1% Muslim 23.9% Protestant 20% Roman Catholic 4% Other / Nonreligious
Languages
French Arabic
There are more that 120 different dialects and languages spoken.
Geography
Chad is the fifth largest country in Africa, consisting of mountains, plateaus, large basins, and lakes.
Economy
Chad’s economy is largely made up of oil and agriculture. Oil produces 60% of export revenues with cotton, livestock, and gum arabic making up the other 40%. Chad is one of the poorest nations in the world.
Interesting Fact
Chad is known as the “The Babel Tower of the World” because of its cultural diversity.
Important Facts
In 1883, the territory and kingdom of modern day Chad fell to Sudanese Rābih as-Zubayr. With the help of the French, he was overthrown and Kanembu was put in power. Chad became a part of French Equatorial Africa in 1910. Full independence was gained on August 11, 1960.
