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| Official
Name : |
RÉPUBLIQUE
DU TCHAD (Republic of Chad) |
| Land
Area: |
1,284,630
square kilometres / 495,624 square miles. |
| Population: |
9,826,400
(est 2005). Density 8 persons per square kilometre. |
| Languages: |
French
and Arabic (both official), plus 125 local languages. |
| Religions: |
Muslim 50%, Traditional 40%, Christian 10% |
| Capital: |
N'Djaména.
Population 531,000 |
| Currency: |
CFA
franc, divided into 100 centimes. |
| Independant: |
11
August 1960, from France. |
| Political: |
Dictator
Idriss Deby holds power -aided by the US and French governments, Exxon, Chevron
and World Bank. Transparency International describes Chad as one of the world's
10 most corrupt countries. |
| Geography: |
Most
of Chad is arid semidesert plateau scrubland, rising from the western Lake Chad
basin to the volcanic Tibesti mountains in the north. The monotony of the northern
half of Chad is occasionally alleviated by palm oases. |
