inland state. It borders in the southwest with Cameroon and Nigeria, in the west with Niger, in the north with Libya, in the east with Sudan, and in the south with the CAR (Central African Republic).
Nature.
Most of the territory is occupied by plains and plateaus, which alternate with flat depressions. The northern part of the country's territory is occupied by rocky and sandy deserts with occasional oases. In the northwest is the Tibesti highlands, where the highest point of the country is the Emi-Kusi volcano (3415 m). In the south, semi-desert and savanna. Swamps occupy large areas in the southern and southeastern regions. Minerals - aluminum, beryl, bauxite, tungsten, clay, iron, gold, limestone, kaolin (clay), caustic soda, copper, oil, tin, table salt, natural gas and uranium.
The climate of the northern regions is tropical, desert, the southern - subequatorial. In the north, the average monthly air temperatures range from +15 to +35° C. The average annual rainfall is approx. 100 mm. In the south, the air warms up to + 26–30 ° С, up to 1000–1400 mm of precipitation falls annually. A dense network of rivers (Batha, Logon, Mayo-Kebi, Mbere, Shari, etc.) is typical for the southern regions, while there are no rivers in the northern ones. The rivers Shari (the main water artery of the country) and Logon are navigable. Large lakes - Iro, Fitri and freshwater island of Chad (4th largest in Africa). In the dry period of the year (October-July), harmatan blows in the northern regions - a hot northeast wind that brings a lot of dust and sharply worsens visibility.
The flora of the northern regions is represented by shrubs and undersized plants - askar, drin, ephedra, jujube, etc. In the south, acacias (including hevea), baobabs, date palms and doum palms grow. Fauna - antelopes, hippos, buffaloes, cheetahs, hyenas, giraffes, zebras, crocodiles, leopards, foxes, lions, rhinos, monkeys, birds (ibises, bustards, ostriches, weavers, flamingos), elephants and jackals. Lots of snakes, lizards and insects (including termites, tsetse flies).
Population.
Most of the inhabitants are concentrated in the south of the country. The average population density is 6.5 people. per 1 sq. km (2002). Most of the population is concentrated in the southern regions of Chad.
Its average annual growth in 2012 was 1.95%.
Birth rate - 37.99 per 1000 people, mortality - 14.85 per 1000 people.
Child mortality - 94.78 per 1000 newborns. 47.9% of the population are children under 14 years of age. Residents who have reached the age of 65 - 2.8%. Life expectancy - 49.07 years (men - 47.95, women - 50.22). (All indicators are given as of 2013).
The per capita income in 2012 was approx. 2 thousand US dollars.
A polyethnic state, one of the most ethnically complex states in the world. There are approx. 200 ethnic groups (Arabs, Bagirmi, Dagu, Zaghawa, Kanuri, Kreish (or Kresh), Maba (or Vadai), Massalit (or Mimi), Mbum, Mubi, Sarah, Tama, Tubu, Fulbe, Hausa, etc.). The most numerous peoples are the Sarah and the Arabs. Of the local languages, the most common is the language of the Sara people and more than 120 local dialects (Daza, Jonkor, Karembo, Teda, etc.). There are approx. 1 thousand French. Chad (like Somalia and Ethiopia) is part of a zone marked by acute inter-ethnic conflicts and many years of internal wars.
The rural population is 20%. Big cities- Abeche, Mundu (about 100 thousand people) and Sarkh (about 120 thousand people) - 2002.
One of the main exporters of labor migrants in Central Africa. During the long civil war, refugees from Chad found refuge in Benin, Sudan and other countries of the region. The problem of refugees from neighboring Sudan is acute (there are about 200 thousand people, with the help of the UN, 12 camps have been organized for them in Chad).
Religions.
51% of the population are Muslims professing Sunni Islam, 35% are Christians (most Catholics), 10% adhere to traditional African beliefs (animalism, fetishism, the cult of ancestors, the forces of nature, etc., fetishism is especially developed) - 2003. Islam began to penetrate into the territory of Chad in con. 11th c. Muslims live mainly in the northern regions. The spread of Christianity began in the beginning. 20th century (the first Protestant mission was opened in 1923, the Catholic one in 1929). There are also a small number of Baha'is in Chad.
GOVERNMENT AND POLITICS
State device.
Republic. The constitution adopted on March 31, 1996, with subsequent changes, is in force. The head of state and commander-in-chief of the armed forces is the president, who is elected by universal direct and secret suffrage for a 5-year term. He can be elected to this post an unlimited number of times. Legislative power is exercised by a bicameral parliament, which consists of the National Assembly and the Senate. 155 deputies of the National Assembly are elected by universal direct and secret suffrage for 4 years. The Senate is elected on the basis of indirect elections for a 6-year term, 1/3 of its membership is renewed every two years.
The President is Idriss Déby. Elected May 20, 2001. Has been president since December 4, 1990.
The national flag is a rectangular panel consisting of three vertical stripes of the same size in blue, yellow and red (from left to right). It bears a resemblance to the flag of Romania, although the blue color on the flag of Chad is darker.
administrative device.
The country is divided into 14 prefectures headed by prefects.
Judicial system.
Based on French civil law and customary law. There are Supreme, Appellate, criminal, traditional and magistrates' courts, as well as the Constitutional Council.
Armed Forces and Defense.
The National Army of Chad plays a significant role in the political life of the country. In 2002, the armed forces numbered 30.35 thousand people. (ground forces - 25 thousand people, air force - 350 people, republican guard - 5 thousand people). The protection of internal order is provided by gendarmerie units (4.5 thousand people - 2002). Recruitment to the armed forces is by conscription. Assistance in the training of military personnel and the technical equipment of the army is provided by France. A French military base (950 people) is located on the territory of Chad. Defense spending in 2003 was $55.4 million. (2.1% of GDP).
Foreign policy.
It is based on the policy of non-alignment. The main foreign policy partner is France. In con. In the 1990s, relations with her became more complicated, including because of accusations by the French military attache of having links with the Chadian opposition. Close relations are maintained with Libya (in January 2005, President I. Deby paid a visit to Tripoli). Chad is one of the founders of the Community of States of the Sahel and Sahara created in 1997 in Libya. Relations with neighboring Sudan were complicated by its support for the Chadian rebels.
Diplomatic relations between the USSR and Chad were established on November 24, 1964, between the Russian Federation and Chad - in 1992. In 2000, a bilateral intergovernmental agreement was concluded on the recognition and equivalence of educational diplomas and academic degrees.
political organizations.
A multi-party system has developed (about 60 political parties have been registered). The most influential of them: Patriotic Salvation Movement, PDS, chairman - Abbas Maldom Bada, Gen. sec. — Hissen Mahamat. Ruling party, main. in 1990 as a coalition of several opposition movements; National Rally for Democracy and Progress, NODP, the leader is Kumakoye Kassire Delva. Creation Party. in 1992; National Union for Development and Renewal, NSRO, leader - Kebzabo Saleh, gen. sec. – Topona Celestin; Rally for Democracy and Progress, ODP, chairman - Shua. Base Party. in 1992; Union for Renewal and Democracy, SOD, leader - Kamuge Wadal Abdelkader. Creation Party. in 1992; Federation "Action for the Republic", leader - Yorongar Ngarleji; " National Liberation Front of Chad,FROLINA", chairman. — Waddey Goukuni. Base Party. in 1965.
trade union associations.
Association of trade unions in Chad. Created as a result of the merger in 1988 of the Trade Union Confederation of Chad and the National Association of Workers of Chad. Chairman - Jimbage Dombal, Gen. sec. - Assali Hamdallah Jibrin.
ECONOMY
Chad belongs to the group of the poorest and least developed countries in the world (80% of the population lives below the poverty line).
Economic conditions have been positive in recent years, with real GDP growth reaching 13% in 2010 due to high global oil prices and a good harvest. GDP growth in 2012 was estimated at 7.3%. The investment climate in the country remains challenging due to limited infrastructure, a lack of skilled workers, government bureaucracy, and massive corruption.
At least 80% of the Chadian population derive their livelihood from agriculture and livestock.
France is the main financial donor of the country. Assistance is also provided by the European Union, Japan, the Arab States, the World Bank (WB) and the Islamic Development Bank. Much of the assistance is in the form of grants.
In 2012, GDP (purchasing power parity) amounted to 21.34 billion US dollars, the official rate of GDP was 9.723 billion US dollars. Investments - 26.8% of GDP, inflation growth was 5%.
Labor resources.
The economically active population is approx. 49% (2000).
Agriculture.
The main branch of the economy, providing up to 70% of foreign exchange earnings. The share of the agricultural sector in GDP is 51%, it employs 80% of the population (2012). 2.86% of the land is cultivated (2001). The main export crops are cotton and peanuts. Legumes, sesame (sesame), corn, mango, cassava, vegetables, millet, wheat, rice, sugar cane, sorghum, taro, dates and yams are also grown. Gum arabic (acacia resin) is produced - a raw material for the food, textile and pharmaceutical industries. Animal husbandry (breeding of camels, goats, cattle, horses, sheep, donkeys and pigs) is the traditional occupation of 40% of the population. Natural pastures cover an area of approx. 49 million hectares. In terms of livestock, Chad ranks first in Central Africa. Agriculture is damaged by frequent droughts, locust infestations and tsetse flies. Fishing is developing, the annual production of fish (carp, perch, catfish, etc.) is approx. 90 thousand tons
Industry.
Share in GDP - 7% (2012). The mining industry is developing: the extraction of oil, caustic salt (natron), gold, limestone and clay. Since 1993, the Doba oil field has been developed, producing approx. 225 thousand barrels of oil per day (according to estimates, oil reserves will last for 25–30 years). The manufacturing industry is represented mainly by enterprises for the processing of agricultural products (cotton ginning factories, a sugar refinery, butter, flour mills, meat processing plants, breweries, a tobacco factory). The textile and chemical industries are developing (2 perfume factories and an enterprise for the manufacture of plastic shoes), metalworking, production of building materials, a bicycle assembly plant is operating. Handicraft production is developed, including agricultural implements.
International trade.
The volume of imports significantly exceeds the volume of exports: in 2003, imports (in US dollars) amounted to 760 million, exports - 365 million. The main imports are machinery and transport equipment, manufactured goods, foodstuffs, petroleum products and textiles. Main import partners: France (28.6%), USA (20.7%), Cameroon (14.6%) and the Netherlands (4.7%) - 2003. The main export commodities - cotton, livestock and gum arabic are exported in the USA (25%), Germany (17%), Portugal (15.9%), France (6.8%) and Morocco (4.5%) - 2003.
Energy.
The problem of lack of electricity is acute. 2% of the population have access to it, the rest use wood, charcoal and dung as fuel. Chad has some of the highest electricity rates in the world. Electricity is generated at a thermal power plant (N'Djamena), which uses petroleum products as fuel. The new thermal power plant in Koma (50 km from Doba) provides only oil production by the American company Exxon-Mobil. In 2003, the World Bank (WB) provided a US$55 million loan to upgrade equipment in Chad's energy industry.
Transport.
The problem of the development of the transport network and cargo transportation is acute. Railways No, the main mode of transport is road. Most of the roads are suitable for operation only during the dry period of the year (October-July) and require major repairs. Length highways is approx. 40 thousand km (with a hard surface - 412 km of roads) - 1999. Assistance in the construction of highways is provided by the European Union. In rural areas, camels and donkeys are used for transportation. Length waterways- 2 thousand km (2003). In 2012, there were more than 50 airports and runways (9 of them are paved). The international airport is located in the capital. Since 2003, the Chad-Cameroon oil pipeline (1050 km) has been operating.
Finance and credit.
The monetary unit is the CFA franc (XOF), consisting of 100 centimes; firmly pegged to the euro. In the beginning. In 2004, the national currency rate was: 1 USD = 581.2XOF.
Tourism.
The development of the tourism industry is hampered by political instability and the lack of an extensive infrastructure. Foreign tourists are attracted by the diversity of natural landscapes, flora and fauna, as well as the originality of the culture of local peoples. In 2000, the country was visited by 43.03 thousand tourists from France, the USA, Canada, Germany and other countries (in 1997 their number was 26.9 thousand people).
Attractions: The National Museum in N'Djamena, the Siniaka-Minia Reserve, the Zakouma and Manda National Parks, the picturesque coast of the island of Chad and the monuments of the ancient Sao culture located there (5th century BC - 17th century AD) ).
SOCIETY AND CULTURE
Education.
Koranic schools in Chad began to work from mid. 19th century, European-type schools were created in the 1920s. Officially, 6 years of primary education is compulsory, which children receive between the ages of 6 and 12. Secondary education (7 years) begins at the age of 12 and takes place in two stages - 4 and 3 years. into the system higher education includes the National University (opened in the capital in 1972), the National School of Administration and Magistracy (founded in 1980), medical (created in 1990) and several technical colleges. In 2002, 186 teachers worked at five faculties of the university and 4.05 thousand students studied. Teaching is conducted in French and Arabic. According to UNESCO 2003 data, Chad is on the list of countries with the lowest female primary school attendance rate. In 2003, 47.5% of the population (56% of men and 39.3% of women) were literate.
Healthcare.
The UN report on the human development of the planet in 2004 put Chad at 175th place. Physicians are trained abroad and at the medical faculty of the university in N'Djamena. In January 2005 Parliament passed the AIDS Act.
Architecture.
The traditional dwellings of peoples leading a sedentary lifestyle are round in shape, the walls are adobe, the roof is grass, conical or flat. The nomadic population lives in collapsible wooden-framed tents covered with camel skins or palm leaf mats. In modern cities, houses are built of brick and reinforced concrete structures.
Fine Arts and Crafts.
The origin of fine arts in Chad began long before our era: rock paintings found in the area between lakes Chad and Fitri date back to the Paleolithic and Neolithic eras. The art of Sao is widely known. Sao culture, which existed in the 5th century. BC. – 17th century AD in the territories of modern southern Chad, northeastern Nigeria and northern Cameroon.
Crafts are widespread: blacksmithing (making vessels, dancing and ritual masks from brass and copper, etc.), woodcarving, making wooden musical instruments, making and painting vessels from pumpkins (calabash), pottery, hand weaving (making brightly colored fabrics). colors for national clothes called “bubu”), leather production is especially well developed (water skins, snakeskin shoes, wall rugs, saddles, bags, various boxes and vessels made of bull skin). Artistic crafts - making carpets from camel hair, decorative embroidery, weaving products from raffia palm leaves, tree branches and millet stalks, making bronze and copper animal figurines, as well as polychrome paintings from butterfly wings. The production of jewelry made of gold, silver (massive jewelry with carnelian and ostrich egg shells), bronze and copper is developed.
Literature.
Based on the traditions of oral folk art. During the colonial period, literature developed in Arabic. The alphabet of local languages (based on Arabic and Latin graphic characters) was created in 1976. The origin of national literature in French began in the 1960s. The first published literary work was the novel Child from Chad J. Seida (1967). Writers, poets and playwrights - A. Bangui, H. Bruno, K. Garang (pseudonym K. Dzhimet), M. Mustafa (pseudonym B. Mustafa).
Music.
National music has a long tradition. Playing musical instruments, songs and dances are closely related to everyday life local peoples. Musical instruments - algaita (a type of oboe), balafons, drums, clarinets, bells, xylophones, lutes, rattles, rattles, trumpets and flutes. Ensembles of three large double-sided drums are especially popular. Dancing - bayan, ndassion And ndon mbessi(accompany the rite of initiation), gift(fun dance) oath(performed during the burial ritual), mdomnag (dance of hunters), etc.
Theater.
Modern national theatrical art was formed on the basis of rich traditional creativity, including folk storytellers. The first permanent theater troupe "Jange" (translated from the local language means "ballet") was created in 1970.
Press, radio broadcasting, television and the Internet.
The daily newspaper Le Progrès (Progress) and the daily bulletin Info-Chad (Info-Tchad - "Information of Chad") are regularly published in French. There are also several periodicals published irregularly. The Chad Information Agency (Agence-Info Tchad) has been operating since 1966 and is controlled by the state. Broadcasting of its own TV programs began in 1987. In 2002, there were 15 thousand Internet users.
STORY
pre-colonial period.
Archaeological finds indicate that the territory of modern Chad was inhabited c. 6 thousand years ago
In the 5th c. BC. south of the island of Chad in the basin of the Logon and Shari rivers, the so-called. Sao culture. The Sao people were engaged in fishing, hunting and farming; metalworking and ceramics production developed. In the 7th–8th centuries n. e. Zaghawa nomadic pastoralists came to the northeastern regions of the island of Chad. Having subjugated the indigenous peoples, in the 9th century. they created the early state formation of Kanem, which became one of the most powerful and stable in Western Sudan. In the 11th century The rulers of Kanem converted to Islam. The state reached its peak in the 13th century, in many respects this was facilitated by the active slave trade that it conducted with countries North Africa. The strife between the numerous contenders for the throne weakened Kanem and led to its disintegration in the con. 14th c.
In con. 15th c. in one of the former provinces of Kanem, his ruling dynasty created the state of Bornu with the capital Ngazargama. In the 16th century on the territory of Chad, the states of Bagirmi and Vadai also formed, which constantly waged wars among themselves and with Bornu. In the 1890s, Bagirmi, Bornu and Wadai, weakened by internal strife, were captured by the troops of the ruler Rabbah Khubair.
colonial period.
The first Europeans were the English explorers D. Denham and H. Clapperton. The penetration of the French began in the 1890s. After the defeat of the state of Rabbah by French troops (1900), Bagirmi and Vadai became colonial possessions of France. In 1914 the territory of Chad was declared a separate colony of France with the administrative center at Fort Lamy. A system of government based on the use of traditional rulers was introduced. In the 1920s, Christianity began to penetrate the colony. The southern regions of Chad developed at a faster pace than the northern ones. The support of the French administration was the local nobility, primarily the Sara people, who converted to Catholicism. After the forcible introduction of cotton into the economy (1925), Chad became a source of raw materials for the metropolis. on plantations and public works forced labor was widely used.
In 1946, Chad received the status of an "overseas territory" of France, which gave it the right to representation in the French parliament and the creation of its own territorial assembly. The first political organizations arose in 1947 - the "Democratic Union of Chad" and the "Progressive Party of Chad" (PPCh) - the local section of the Democratic Rally of Africa (DOA). The PHR expressed the interests of the Christian minority in the southern regions of the country. One of its leaders was trade union leader Francois Tombalbay. In November 1958, Chad was proclaimed an autonomous republic within the French Community. Elections to the Legislative Assembly (May 31, 1959) brought a landslide victory for the PHR. August 11, 1960 proclaimed independent republic Chad.
period of independence.
The head of the first government was F. Tombalbay, elected in September 1960 as chairman of the PHR. The constitution adopted on November 28, 1960, consolidated the multi-party system in the country; in the field of economics, a course was taken to develop entrepreneurship and attract foreign investment. The government enjoyed the support of the former metropolis.
In 1962, mass unrest of Muslims began in the north of the country, dissatisfied with the policies of the government. Their interests were expressed by the underground military-political organization Chad National Liberation Front (FROLINA), created in 1965. Anti-government protests by Muslims were suppressed with the help of French troops in 1969. , the introduction of a ritual rite of initiation, etc.), launched by the government in 1973. In April 1975, as a result of a military coup, President F. Tombalbay was killed, and power passed to General Felix Mallum. His attempts to achieve national reconciliation, including the creation of a coalition government with the participation of FROLIN leader Hissein Habré, were unsuccessful. In November 1979, a transitional government was formed, headed by the head of the armed forces FROLIN Goukuni Oueddey.
In March 1980, armed clashes between the forces of H. Habre and G. Oueddey began. The severity and lengthy nature of the civil war was aggravated not only by ethnic and religious contradictions, but also by active interference in internal affairs by France and Libya (the troops of the latter were brought into the country at the request of the government of G. Oueddey). The economic situation in Chad also worsened as a result of severe droughts in the 1970s and 1980s. Thanks to the intervention of the OAU, on November 16, 1981, Libyan troops left Chad. However, clashes between government troops and the rebels did not stop. In 1982, H. Habre occupied the city of N'Djamena (the name of the capital since 1973), and G. Oueddey created his own government in the north of the country.
On December 1, 1990, General Idriss Deby (leader of the Patriotic Salvation Front, formed in March of that year in Sudan) seized power. In April 1991, on the basis of this organization, the Patriotic Salvation Movement (PDS) party was created. December 4, 1990 I. Deby was proclaimed president. The armed confrontation lasted until 1993, when, as a result of a national conference (January-April), a charter was adopted that regulated the political development of Chad during the transition period. According to this document, until the multi-party elections, I. Deby remained the head of state and supreme commander in chief. The multi-party system was introduced in April 1993.
In 1994, due to the deterioration of the domestic political situation in the country, the transition period was extended for another year. In January 1996, a declaration on the principles of an internal settlement was signed in Gabon between representatives of the authorities and the opposition in Chad. After a referendum, which was attended by 3.5 million citizens of Chad, on March 31, 1996, a new constitution was adopted.
The 1996 presidential elections were held on a multi-party basis and were held in two rounds. I. Debi was elected President, who received 69% of the votes. Elections to the National Assembly (November 1996) brought victory to the PDS. In economic policy, the government has staked on the further development of oil fields, which began in con. 1970s Oil production at the Doba field (south of the country) began in 1993. Its development was carried out by an international consortium, which included the American companies Exxon-Mobil (40% of the shares) and Chevron (25% of the shares), as well as the Malaysian company " Petronas". To the beginning 1998 34 state-owned enterprises were privatized (the privatization program was adopted in 1992). In order to control the management of oil revenues, the Chadian parliament in 1999 passed a law establishing a special board of 9 members. Chad's economy benefited from a 50% devaluation of the CFA franc in 1994 - economic growth in 1997 exceeded 4.1%.
Chad in the 21st century
In the presidential elections on May 20, 2001, I. Deby (PDS candidate) won, receiving 63.17% of the vote. According to the new electoral law of 2001, the number of seats in the National Assembly was increased from 125 to 155. The elections to the National Assembly were held on April 21, 2002 and brought a landslide victory for the PDS (110 seats), the UDP received 12 seats, the Federation "Action for the Republic" - 9.
After the commissioning in October 2003 of the 1050-km Chad-Cameroon oil pipeline, the country became an oil exporter (including to the United States).
The situation in the border regions of Chad is destabilized by the armed conflict in the Sudanese region of Darfur. In May 2005, in some camps for Darfur refugees, there were bloody clashes between refugees and UN personnel (the reason for them was an attempt to stop the speculation of humanitarian aid established by some refugees). According to the UN, as a result of the conflict, approx. 1.8 million people became refugees, many of them took refuge in neighboring Chad.
The consequence of additional spending by the Government of Chad, related to the continued influx of refugees from Sudanese Darfur, was non-payment of wages. They caused a strike of civil servants, which lasted from con. 2004 to the beginning 2005. In January, for the same reason, there were also mass strikes in educational institutions in Chad. In February 2005, Prime Minister Moussa Faki Mahamat resigned, and the Minister of Agriculture, Pascal Yoadimnagy, was appointed head of government. The new government named the fight against poverty and the improvement of the management system in the country as the main priorities of domestic policy. It also announced the intention to allocate an additional 400 million CFA francs from oil revenues in 2005 to the social sector and 600 million to the development of education.
On May 16, 2004, a coup attempt was carried out by a group of military men in the country. The reason for the protest of the rebels - people from the Zaghawa people - was their dissatisfaction with the policy of I. Deby in the Darfur conflict. As a result of 48 hours of negotiations, the crisis was resolved without bloodshed.
On May 26, 2004, the National Assembly adopted an amendment to the constitution, according to which the president can be elected to this post an unlimited number of times. However, in January 2005, President I. Deby announced that, despite the constitutional reform, he was not going to run for the presidential elections in 2006. He also denied allegations that he intended to make his 26-year-old son Brahim his successor.
The problem of crime is acute, especially in the capital. After a long civil war, the population has a significant amount of weapons left, they also come from neighboring Sudanese Darfur. Government initiatives to combat crime have not produced long-term results. The new government, formed in July 2004, established the Ministry of Public Security.
Second Civil War began in December 2005 and ended in January 2010. In fact, it was a continuation of the military conflict in Darfur (Sudan), when hostilities moved to Chad, because. Chadian authorities supported the opposition in Darfur, many Chadian mercenaries fought on the side of the rebels.
Conflict broke out in Chad between Chadian government forces and opposition forces as the United Front for Democratic Change advanced into Chad. But the rebel groups and government troops of Sudan also took part in the conflict. The President of Chad announced the outbreak of war between Chad and Sudan. In April 2006, the opposition, with the help of Sudanese troops, tried to take the capital of Chad, the city of N'Djamena, because. their goal was to overthrow the incumbent president. But the Chadian government forces repulsed the attack, besides, the President of Chad was supported by the UN Security Council and French President N. Sarkozy.
On May 3, 2006, presidential elections were held, in which I. Deby was re-elected (64.6% of the vote).
In October 2007, a peace treaty was signed between the opposition and the government. But already in November of the same year, hostilities resumed.
In January 2009, opposition groups united into a single coalition called the Union of Resistance Forces, whose goal was to overthrow President Déby.
April 25, 2011 held regular presidential elections. Deby was re-elected with 83.59% of the vote.
Recently, full-scale hostilities have not been conducted, but only on January 15, 2010, a peace treaty was signed between Sudan and Chad. Chadian formations were withdrawn from the Sudan, but isolated attacks and skirmishes still took place.
On May 2, 2013, it was announced that another attempt at a coup d'etat to overthrow President I. Deby had been prevented. The conspirators were arrested.
Recently, full-scale military operations were not conducted, but only on January 15, 2010 a peace treaty was signed between Sudan and Chad. Chadian formations were withdrawn from the Sudan, but isolated attacks and skirmishes still took place.
Lyubov Prokopenko
The area of the country is 1284 thousand square kilometers, ranking 20th in the world in terms of territory. The distance from the extreme western to the extreme eastern point is 1150 km, and from the northern to the southern - 1700 km. Chad is the most remote state of Africa from the oceans and seas and belongs to the Sahel zone.
The name of this state was given by Lake Chad, located on its territory (“Chad” in the language of one of the local peoples - Kanuri means “big water”, “space of water”).
Most of the country's territory is a flat plain, which has absolute marks of 250-300 m in the west (Bodele depression, 180 m; Zhurab, 155 m) and 350-400 m or more in the north, east and south. The water level of Lake Chad has an absolute mark of 240 m, thanks to the Erg Kanem dune dam.
The relief of Kanem, Aegey, Toro and Zhurab is mainly composed of dunes up to 7 km long. In Kanem, the dunes are fixed by vegetation, while in the Aegean and Zhurab large areas are occupied by moving dunes.
The northern and northeastern boundaries of the depression (Borku and Ennedi) have a stepped relief in eroded sandstones.
In the northwest, the Tibesti mountainous area is an alternation of high ridges of volcanic origin (Emi-Kusi, 3415 m; Tuside, 3315 m) and vast plateaus (Tarso-Ton, 2625 m; Tarso-Voon, 2420 m). Tibesti is a grand uplift of ancient crystalline rocks overlain by sandstones. highest height has Mount Emi-Kusi (3415 m), located in the southern part of the highlands, it is also the highest point of the entire Sahara; its top is a huge crater about 13 km across and 300 m deep. Hot springs and outgassing on the slopes indicate recent volcanic activity. The Tibesti landscape is called "black" because of the predominant dark color of the volcanoes.
The basin of Lake Chad is bordered in the north by the Tibesti highlands, in the northeast by the Ennedi plateau, in the east by the Waddai massif, in the south by the Central African massif, in the southeast by the Adamawa and Mandara massifs. Its total area is 2400 thousand square meters. km. In the basin of Lake Chad are the basins of Bodele, Faya, Manga, Kanem, Bongor, Dobba and Doseo.
The eastern slope of the Chad depression gradually rises and reaches the Waddai massif.
The southeastern part of Chad is occupied by the Vaddai massif with numerous island mountains, the average height of which; 100-500 m, and the highest points are the Nier and Maraon mountains. (1320 m).
In the Gera massif, the highest point is the Abu Telfan ridge (Mount Gedi, 1508 m). The southern part of the country consists of low sandy-clay plateaus (Koro) and flooded plains. The absolute mark of these plateaus is 500-600 m. The island mountains in this zone suddenly pass into the Yade massif (Lai ridge).
The plains of Shari and Logon have a gentle slope towards Lake Chad.
The Republic of Chad is located north of the equator in the tropical zone. Its climate is continental, in the north - tropical desert, in the south - equatorial monsoon.
In Chad, as in other countries of the Sahara, there is one rainy and one dry season. The duration of the rainy season increases as you move south. The change of seasons occurs with thunderstorms and storms caused by the collision of hot, dry air masses from the northeast and humid southwest. In the southern regions, such thunderstorms are accompanied by heavy showers, and in the northern regions, most often by sandstorms.
The climate of Chad is characterized by a periodic change from tropical trade winds to equatorial ones. In the winter months, when the sun moves to the southern hemisphere, the trade wind (harmattan) dominates here. In the southern regions, the direction of air masses often changes from northeast to east. The dryness of the air gradually increases, and precipitation stops. In summer, humid air, called the summer southwest monsoon, penetrates Chad from the equatorial zone. It brings rainy weather from the Gulf of Guinea and slightly lowers the air temperature before the onset of the monsoon.
In summer, the southwest monsoon pushes the harmattan northward and the harmattan and monsoon struggle, manifested in the change of weather and the dominance of variable winds. A quiet monsoon blows in the morning, and in the afternoon it is replaced by harmattan. Strong storms (tornadoes) often occur with thunderstorms. Typically, a tornado moves in the direction of harmattan movement, that is, to the west or northwest. With the onset of the rainy season, thunderstorms become rare. In the north of the country, tornadoes often bring not precipitation, but sandstorms.
In the desert zone of the Sahara, precipitation is very rare and irregular. In Faia (Largeau), the average rainfall is 16 mm and there is an average of 3-4 rainy day in a year. The average monthly temperature here is 44.4°C, but the daily amplitude is quite large and amounts to 20°C. The desert zone is characterized by strong winds, lasting up to 52 days a year in total.
South of this zone climatic conditions less severe. In Abéché, for example, 51 rainy days are recorded, in N'Djamena - 63.6, in Mundu - 93.3. Annual rainfall increases from north to south from 50 mm to 1200 mm per year.
The dry (winter) season here lasts 6-7 months from October-November to April-May, the rainy season - from 2 to 4 months. The daily temperature range in this zone is 10°С.
The main areas of the country are used as follows: 3% of the land is allocated for arable land, 36% is occupied by pastures, and 26% by forests, the area of rivers and lakes occupies 1.9% of the total area of the country.
, Nigeria and Niger ; the capital of N'Djamena (formerly Port Lamy).
political system - presidential republic;
population 5064 thousand (1990), Bagirmi, Zaghawa, Tubu, Hausa, Arabs, etc.; languages: French, Arabic (both public), more than 100 African dialects, 50% of the population recognizes local traditional beliefs, 40% Islam, most of the rest are Christians.
1. Recent history
Until the nineteenth century, the states of Kanem-Bornu, Vadai and others existed on the territory of Chad. At the end of XIX - beginning of XX centuries. became a French colony. Independence from France was gained in 1998, a military coup took place in 1999, the government went into exile through the fierce opposition of the Libyan-backed Chadian National Liberation Front. Opposition continued between the units supported by Libya, on the one hand, and France, on the other, in the city. Diplomatic relations with Libya were fully restored in . The new Constitution was adopted in 1990.
2. Religion
The main religions in Chad are Islam, Christianity and traditional African beliefs. 51% of the population are Muslims professing Sunni Islam, 35% are Christians (most Catholics), 10% adhere to traditional African beliefs (animalism, fetishism, the cult of ancestors, forces of nature, etc., fetishism is especially developed).
3. State flag
Adopted November 6, 1959. This is a rectangular panel consisting of three vertical stripes of the same size in blue, yellow and red (from left to right). It bears a resemblance to the flag of Romania, although the blue of the Chadian flag is darker. Aspect ratio 2:3.
4. Relief
Most of the territory is occupied by plains and plateaus, which alternate with flat depressions. The northern part of the country is covered with rocky and sandy deserts with a few oases. In the northwest is the Tibesti highland with the highest point of the country - the Emi-Kusi volcano (3415 m). In the south, semi-desert and savanna. Swamps cover large areas in the southern and southeastern regions. Almost inanimate, sun-scorched slopes of the highlands are composed of metamorphic rocks of the Precambrian basement, heavily dissected volcano cones, gorges and temporary streams. Highest point countries - the dormant volcano Emi-Kushi (3415 m), which is located in the northern part of the highlands. At its top there is a crater with a diameter of 15 km and a depth of about 700 m, with a dried-up lake at the bottom. In the western part of the highlands, there are several active volcanoes, the highest of which is Tuside (3265 m), the eruption occurs quite regularly. The intermountain regions abound with salt marshes and rocky deserts, among which one can find many tectonic depressions (Shiede, Ain Galakka, Tekro, Egri, Brulku, etc.) covered with the same salt marshes. The lowest point of the country is also located here - the Jurab depression (160 m). In the northeastern part of Chad, the Erdi plateau (1115 m) and Ennedi (1450 m) rise, in the center is the Vadai massif with Mount Gera (1790 m), and in the east is the highlands of Ouaddan (up to 1340 m). Rare human settlements here are usually represented by nomadic camps, and vegetation and animal world We are mostly poor.
5. Minerals
Aluminum, beryl, bauxite, tungsten, clay, iron, gold, limestone, kaolin (clay), caustic soda, copper, petroleum, tin, table salt, natural gas and uranium.
6. Water
A year in the country is not enough. Almost all of them, except for the rivers Shar and Logon, are dry channels - problems that are filled with water only during the rainy season. A dense network of rivers (Batha, Logon, Mayo-Kebi, Mber, Shar, etc.) is typical for the southern regions, in northern rivers No. There are navigable rivers Shar (the main water artery of the country) and Logon. Large lakes - Ira, Fitr and freshwater about. Chad (4th largest in Africa). During the dry period of the year (October-July), harmatan blows in the northern regions - a hot northeast wind that brings a lot of dust and sharply worsens visibility. Lake Chad is the largest body of water in Central Africa and the only permanent source of fresh water for the entire country. Once the area of the water mirror was about 25,000 square meters. km, however, due to droughts that regularly affect this region, and also due to the colossal water intake for the needs of the population, its area has decreased by almost 5 times over the past 10 years (although regular rises in the water level and its almost complete disappearance were noted by scientists less than 8 times in the last millennium). Around the lake stretches a series of dense forests, and to the south and southeast - a strip of swampy riverine areas that serve as a refuge for 120 species of fish and 200 species of birds.
7. Agriculture
The main branch of the economy, providing up to 70% of foreign exchange earnings. The share of the agricultural sector in GDP is 32.4%, 80% of the population works in it (2004). 2.86% of the land is cultivated (2001). The main export crops are cotton and peanuts. Legumes, sesame (sesame), corn, mango, cassava, vegetables, millet, wheat, rice, sugar cane, sorghum, taro, dates and yams are also grown. Gum arabic (acacia resin) is produced - a raw material for the food, textile and pharmaceutical industries. Animal husbandry (breeding of camels, goats, cattle, horses, sheep, donkeys and pigs) is the traditional occupation of 40% of the population. Natural pastures cover an area of about 49 million hectares. In terms of livestock, Chad ranks first in Central Africa. Agriculture is damaged by frequent droughts, locust infestations and tsetse flies. Fishing is developing, the annual catch of fish (carp, perch, catfish, etc.). It is about 90 thousand tons.
8. Industry
Share in GDP - 18.8% (2004). The mining industry is developing: the extraction of oil, caustic salt (tron), gold, limestone and clay. Since 1993, the Doba oil field has been developed, producing about 225 thousand barrels of oil per day (according to estimates, oil reserves will last for 25-30 years). The manufacturing industry is represented mainly by enterprises for the processing of agricultural products (cotton gins, a sugar refinery, oil mills, flour mills, meat processing plants, breweries, a tobacco factory). The textile and chemical industries are developing (2 perfume factories and an enterprise for the manufacture of plastic shoes), metalworking, production of building materials, a bicycle assembly plant is operating. Handicraft production is developed, including agricultural implements.
9. Transport
The problem of the development of the transport network and cargo transportation is acute. There are no railways, the main mode of transport is road. Most of the roads are suitable for operation only during the dry period of the year (October-July) and require major repairs. The length of highways is about 40,000 km (with a hard surface - 412 km of roads) as of 1999. Assistance in the construction of highways is provided by the European Union. In rural areas, camels and donkeys are used for transportation. The length of waterways is 2 thousand km (2003). There are 50 airports and runways (7 of them are paved) (2004). Located in the capital international Airport, which serves flights to neighboring African countries and France. Since 2003, the Chad-Cameroon oil pipeline (1050 km) has been operating.
10. Membership in international organizations
Member of the UN since 1960, the Organization of African Unity (OAU) since 1963, and since 2002 its successor - the African Union (AU), the Non-Aligned Movement, the International Organization of La Francophonie (OF), the Economic Community of Central African States (KEEAC) since 1983 Economic and Monetary Community of Central Africa (KEMAC) since 1999, Community of Sahel and Saharan States since 1997.
See also
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On the territory of the republic are National parks Zakuma and Manza. Most of the country's territory is occupied by plains and plateaus, alternating with flat depressions, one of which contains the eponymous Lake Chad. In the north, there is a massive ancient Tibesti highland with the Emi-Kusi volcano (3415 m) - the highest point in the country. To the east are the Erdi, Ennedi and Vadai plateaus. In the north, which is part of the Sahara Desert, sand dunes and remnant hills (kagas) are common. The south is occupied by semi-deserts and savannahs, there are swamps that occupy quite large areas. Area: total - 1,284,000 km2, land - 1,289,200 km2, water bodies - 24,800 km2.
The length of the borders with Cameroon is 1.094 km, the Central African Republic - 1.197 km, Libya - 1.055 km, Niger - 1.175 km, Nigeria - 87 km, Sudan - 1.360 km. Chad is home to the Gweni Fada meteorite crater. It owes its name to Lake Chad (in the language of the Kanuri people - “big water”). Area 1284 thousand square meters. km.
Most of the territory is occupied by plains and plateaus, alternating with flat depressions. At the bottom of the largest of them lies the shallow Lake Chad. In the far north, the ancient Tibesti highlands rise, stretching from northwest to southeast for almost 1000 km, with the Emi-Kusi volcano (3415 m) - the highest point of the country and the entire Sahara. This is a huge crater with a diameter of 13 km and a depth of 300 m. Hot springs and outgassing on the slopes indicate recent volcanic activity. In the east, there are the Erdi and Ennedi plateaus cut by dry ancient valleys, and Vadai with insular mountains 500-1000 m high.
Located on the very edge of the Sahara Desert, the Tibesti volcanic highlands (height up to 3415 m) forms a fairly vast mountainous area, whose spurs literally sink into the sands of the Great Desert. The lifeless, sun-scorched slopes of the highlands are composed of metamorphic rocks of the Precambrian basement, heavily dissected volcano cones, gorges and temporary streams. The highest point of the country - dormant volcano Emi-Kushi (3415 m), lies in the northern part of the highlands. At its top there is a crater with a diameter of 15 km and a depth of about 700 m, with a dried-up lake at the bottom. In the western part of the highlands, there are several active volcanoes, the highest of which - Tuside (3265 m), erupts quite regularly. The intermountain regions abound in salt marshes and rocky deserts, among which one can find many tectonic depressions (Shiede, Ain Galakka, Tekro, Egri, Brulku, etc.) occupied by the same salt marshes. The lowest point of the country is also located here - the Jurab depression (160 m).
In the northeastern part of Chad, the Erdi plateau (1115 m) and Ennedi (1450 m) rise, in the center is the Vadai massif with Mount Gera (1790 m), and in the east is the highlands of Ouaddan (up to 1340 m). The sparse human populations here are usually represented by nomad camps, and the living world is mostly sparse.
The flat territory causes a change of landscapes from north to south. The northern half of the country is part of the sandy and partly rocky deserts of the Sahara, the southern half of the semi-deserts and deserted savannahs of the Sahel (sahel in Arabic is the edge, i.e. the edge of the desert) with thorny bushes. Already come across baobabs and a doom palm with a trunk forked at the top, and in the extreme south dominated by a typical tall-grass savannah and park forests. But even after the rains, the grass scorched by the sun does not acquire a juicy green color, remaining yellowish-brown. Vast areas in the south and southeast are occupied by swamps. Closed forests cover less than 0.5% of the country's area. 2.5% of its territory is plowed, 36% is occupied by pastures.
Water resources of Chad
The water resources of Chad are scarce: there are few rivers, but there are many temporary streams - oueds that appear after rain. The only real river is the navigable Shari (Chari) with the Logone tributary, flowing into Lake Chad, located on the western borders of the country.
Lake Chad is the fourth largest and one of the most interesting lakes in Africa. Its area varies annually from 10 to 26 thousand square meters. km, and the average depth is from 4 to 7 m, depending on fluctuations in the flow of the rivers that feed it.
Lake Chad is the largest body of water in Central Africa and the only permanent source of fresh water for the entire country. Once the area of the water mirror was about 25,000 square meters. km, however, due to droughts that regularly affect this region, as well as due to the colossal water intake for the needs of the population, its area has decreased by almost 5 times over the past 10 years (however, regular rises in the water level and its almost complete disappearance are noted by scientists according to at least 8 times in the last millennium). A series of dense forests stretches around the lake, and to the south and southeast - a strip of marshy riverine areas that serve as a home for 120 species of fish and 200 species of birds. Along the valleys of the Shari and Logone (Logone) rivers, which flow into Chad from the south, stretches a strip of forests and agricultural areas, which are the only major supplier of food in the country. It is also the only region of the country with a more or less significant fauna (mainly birds, rodents and various antelopes).
Meanwhile, over the past 50 years, the area of Lake Chad - one of the largest bodies of water in Africa, whose waters play a key role in the lives of more than 30 million people in Cameroon, Nigeria, Niger and Chad - has decreased by 90%. According to scientists, at this rate, the lake will dry up completely in 20 years.
In 1963, the area of the lake was 25 thousand square kilometers. To date, it occupies only 2.5 thousand square kilometers, ITAR-TASS reports. One of the main reasons is climate change, which has led to the shallowing of the main water arteries that feed the reservoir - the Central African rivers Shari and Logon. The uncontrolled use of water resources for agricultural needs also contributes.
Previously, to prevent a catastrophe, a number of hydrotechnical projects were put forward, the essence of which was to "turn the rivers", and specialists from the USSR were among the first to propose such an idea in the 1970s. However, until now, scientists have not come to a consensus on this issue.
Now the interstate commission, which includes representatives of Cameroon, Nigeria, Niger, Chad, Central African Republic and Libya, has prepared a new project aimed at saving the reservoir. It involves the transfer of water using a giant canal from the Ubangi River - the largest tributary of the Congo, the deepest water artery in Africa, towards the Shari River, which flows into Chad.
Climate Chad
There are three climatic regions on the territory of Chad. In the north of the country, the climate is tropical desert, the average monthly temperatures here vary from +15 C in January to +35 C in July. At the same time, the maximum temperatures in the period from April to September sometimes reach +56 C, and at night, especially from December to February, it can be quite cool (+4-6 C). Precipitation usually falls from 100 to 250 mm, and often in the form of strong short-term downpours, sometimes even leading to floods. And at the same time, there are years when not a drop of rain falls here. There are frequent sandstorms from a continuous stream of dust and sand, eclipsing the sun.
In the center of the country, climatic conditions are more consistent with the subequatorial type - the temperature is around + 22-28 C all year round, precipitation falls up to 700 mm per year, and their distribution entirely depends on the nature of the passage of air masses - from May to October, south winds are not uncommon, bringing rainy weather, and in winter, northerly winds prevail, which practically do not carry moisture.
The climate of the extreme southern part is equatorial monsoon with temperatures from +21 C to +24 C in winter and from +30 C to +35 C in summer. The annual precipitation here is about 800-1200 mm, and they fall mainly during the monsoon period (from May to October).
In N'Djamena, summer temperatures fluctuate around +35 C, while daytime temperatures of +46 C are not uncommon even in the shade. Air masses coming from the oceans and the equatorial zone often bring cloudy weather with them, which, however, has little effect on the thermometer. In winter, it is usually from +18 C to +28 C with a clear sky. Precipitation falls from 350 to 600 mm per year, but their nature is very uneven (in some years the metropolitan area receives no more than 250 mm of rain). Dust storms coming from the north are frequent.
Flora and fauna of Chad
The flora is typical for desert areas, rare acacia, camel thorn grow, in a few oases - date palms, grapes. In the savannas, there are baobab, doom palm trees.
A large number of large mammals live in the savannas - elephants, rhinos, buffaloes, antelopes, giraffes, lions, leopards, jackals, hyenas. Hippos and crocodiles live in the lakes. Snakes, lizards, and insects are found in large numbers. Of the birds, ostriches, various marsh and water birds, found along the banks of rivers and lakes, are characteristic. The banks of the rivers abound with ibises, flamingos, pelicans, storks, in the rivers and lakes - hippos and crocodiles, in the upper reaches of the Shari - monkeys.
Population of Chad
Population - 9.3 million people (2003). Chad has long been a place of contact between the peoples of North Africa, the Sahara and Sudan - carriers of different cultures and religions, therefore ethnic composition The population of this small country is unusually diverse. More than 200 peoples live: in the desert regions of the north - nomadic Bedouin Arabs, Tuareg and Tubu; in the south - farmers and fishermen sara (the most numerous), bagirmi, hausa, masa. official languages- French and Arabic, more than 100 local languages are also used. Almost 50% of the population are Muslims, 35% are Christians (Catholics and Protestants) and 7% adhere to local beliefs. The most populated valley of the upper reaches of the river. Shari in the savannah zone and the Lake Chad region. About 20% of the population are nomads and semi-nomads. The adornments of the women of the sara are unusual - plates up to 30-40 cm in diameter inserted into the lips - a custom that arose during the slave trade, when women were mutilated to save them from slavery; or scars applied to the forehead and temples as decoration.
