Chad

Overview

Chad is a landlocked country in Central Africa, bordered by Libya, Sudan, the Central African Republic, Cameroon, Nigeria, and Niger. The country is divided into three main geographic zones: the Sahara Desert in the north, the Sahel belt in the center, and more fertile savanna in the south, a diversity stretching from the waters of Lake Chad, which gave the country its name, to the volcanic peaks of the Tibesti Mountains. France administered the territory as a colony until 1960, as part of French Equatorial Africa, and the official languages are French and Arabic, though more than 100 local languages are also spoken across the country. Chad is one of the least developed and politically least stable states in the Sahel, shaped for decades by internal conflict and influences from neighboring countries, including Sudan and Libya.

N'Djamena, the capital, at the confluence of the Chari and Logone rivers, directly on the Cameroonian border, serves as the country's political and commercial center. The Ennedi Plateau, with sandstone formations, natural arches, and rock art thousands of years old, has been a UNESCO World Heritage site since 2016 and ranks among the least explored yet most dramatic landscapes of the Sahara. The Tibesti Mountains, in northern Chad, form Africa's highest desert mountain range, with volcanic craters including Emi Koussi, the highest point in the Sahara at about 3,445 meters. Zakouma National Park, in the southeastern part of the country, is known as a significant conservation success story, with its elephant population having substantially recovered over the past decade following strict protection measures.

Lake Chad, once one of the largest lakes in Africa, has shrunk dramatically over recent decades due to climate change and excessive water extraction, a process that has caused a significant ecological and humanitarian crisis in the region, while the remaining wetland continues to support rich birdlife. The rock formations and caves of the Ennedi Plateau can be explored through guided expeditions, though the area's extreme isolation requires significant logistical planning for visits. Safaris organized in Zakouma National Park offer sightings of elephants, giraffes, and numerous bird species, and the park's security situation is considered relatively stable compared to other parts of the country. Local cuisine is built around millet and rice, with boule, a thick grain paste, as a signature dish, served with a spiced meat or vegetable sauce.