Chad
Where is Chad located? Chad is located on the continent of Africa. It is positioned in Central Africa, where it is landlocked by six countries. The names of its border countries are Cameroon, Central African Republic, Libya, Niger, Nigeria and Sudan.
Chad population and size Chad is the 5th biggest country in Africa and its total area size is 1,284,000 sq km (496,000 square miles). It is thought that this African country has a population of around 13,670,000 people with Chad’s most populous city being the capital of N'Djamena.
The capital of Chad The capital city of Chad is called N'Djamena and it is situated in the west of the country. N'Djamena is the city with the greatest population of people in Chad and has an estimated population of 721,000 people. The area is interesting as it is home to several fascinating landmarks; the Grand Mosque, Cathedral, and Avenue Charles de Gaulle are located in capital city of Chad. The city of N'Djamena is core to the economy of Chad. Many goods are produced and sold here including cotton, salt, and different food products such as fruit, meat and fish. It is home to the Chari River which features a port. N’Djamena is located on the border with Cameroon and the Cameroonian town of Kousseri is accessible by bridge.
Chad major cities There are several major cities in located in Chad, the names of the largest and most important cities and towns include the country’s capital N'Djamena, and Moundou, Sarh, Abeche, Kelo, Koumra, Pala, Am Timan, Bongor and Mongo. The second largest city in Chad is Moundou which is located around 475km from the capital city of N'Djamena. The city of Moundou is located on the River Mbere and comprises an industrial center that is important to the economy of this African country. Some of the most important products that are produced locally include cotton, oil and beer.
Map of Chad
Geography
The geography of Chad is very interesting as it varies across the land from rivers, lakes, coastal regions and wetlands, to savanna grassland, mountains, plateau, desert and the Sahel.
Climate
The climate of Chad can be described as tropical. Southern areas experience a wet season from May through to October which heads northwards towards the Sahel from June to September. The Sahel can be defined as the area of transition between the Sahara Desert and the Sudanian Savanna. Central Chad typically receives around 30cm to 60cm of rainfall per year on average, where as the Sahel receives more rainfall at a rate of approximately 90cm per year. The average annual temperature of the capital city of N’Djamena, located on the west coast, ranges between 32 to 41 degrees Celsius depending on the time of year.
Famous landmarks
There are numerous famous landmarks, monuments and buildings in Chad including the Prehistoric paintings in the Tibesti Mountains, historical site of Begon II, Chad National Museum, Chad Cultural Centre, ancient city of Ouara, Grand Mosque, Cathedral, and Avenue Charles de Gaulle.
Chad is famous for its rich culture and diverse geography which is very interesting as it comprises of desert areas, rivers, lakes, beaches, mountains and plateau.
Culture
The main, official languages of Chad include Arabic and French which are widely spoken throughout Chad. There are more than 100 types of languages used in this multilingual country and a lingua France that has developed between people of different native languages is Chadian Arabic.
The main religion of Chad is Islam. Over half of Chad's population are Muslim and follow the practices of Islam. Approximately 20 percent of Chadian people are Roman Catholic, 16 percent are Protestant and the remainder are either non-religious or belong to other faiths such as Animist.
The cuisine in Chad can be described as tasty and varied. Chadian cuisine is centred around foods such as rice, grains, vegetables, meats such as chicken, mutton, goat, pork and beef, and fish such as perch, carp, eel and talipia. The most traditional types of Chadian foods include daraba, esh, jarret de boeuf (beef and vegetable stew), pancakes, porridge, and squash stew with peanuts.
The culture of Chad is defined by its people and their love of music, cuisine, sport, films and literature. Music is influenced by various instruments including harps, drums, whistles, horns and stringed instruments. Cuisine is important and some of the most popular types of food found here include the staple food millet and fish. The most popular type of sport in Chad is football. The country has its own national team. Other types of sports, such as wrestling and basketball, are also enjoyed in this part of Africa.
The flag
The national flag of Chad, which can be described as a tricolour flag, was adopted on June 11, 1959, and is formed by three vertical stripes, equal in size, which appear in color order of dark blue, gold and red from left to right. The design is very similar to that of the Romanian flag, the main difference being the shade of blue used on the first vertical bar, to which Chad's is darker. The Chadian flag has symbolic meaning that is illustrated by the combination of former colonial French colors; red and blue, and bright Pan-African colors of red and yellow / gold. The colors are symbolic of the geography and culture of Chad. The color blue represents the sky and water, yellow / gold symbolizes the sun, and red shows unity and sacrifice.
