Chad

National name: République du Tchad

Government
Republic.

Geography
A landlocked country in northcentral Africa. Lake Chad, from which the country gets its name, lies on the western border with Niger and Nigeria. In the north is a desert that runs into the Sahara.
 
Historical Background
Chad, part of France's African holdings until 1960, endured three decades of civil warfare as well as invasions by Libya before a semblance of peace was finally restored in 1990. In 1998, a rebellion broke out in northern Chad, which sporadically flares up despite several peace agreements between the government and the rebels. In 2005 new rebel groups emerged in western Sudan and have made probing attacks into eastern Chad. Power remains in the hands of an ethnic minority. In June 2005, President Idriss DEBY held a referendum successfully removing constitutional term limits.

Capital

N'Djamena

Government

Presidential republic President Idriss Déby Prime Minister Emmanuel Nadingar

Language

French, Arabic

National Holiday

Arabic Eid ul-Fitr, Eid ul-Adha, and Eid Milad Nnabi.

Area

Total 1,284,000 km2 (21st)
495,753 sq mi Population: 2009 estimate 10,329,208[1] (74th) 1993 census 6,279,921

Density

8.0/km2 (212th) 20.8/sq mi

Currency

CFA franc (XAF)

GDP

estimate Total $16.074 billion