Chad

Chad (Tchad; تشاد, officially called the Republic of Chad), is a landlocked country in Central Africa. The capital is N'Djamena.

It was a French colony until 1960. It suffers from poverty, illness, drought, and armed conflicts. In 2011, the population of Chad was 11,525,000.

Arabic and French are the official languages. Islam and Christianity are the most widely practiced religions.

Geography
Chad is the world's 21st-largest country. It is slightly smaller than Peru and slightly larger than South Africa. To the north is Libya, to the south is the Central African Republic, to the east is Sudan, and to the west are Cameroon, Nigeria, and Niger.

The country's capital is 1060 km from the nearest seaport Douala, Cameroon. Due to this distance from the sea and the country's largely desert climate, Chad is sometimes called the "Dead Heart of Africa".

Lake Chad is the largest wetland in Chad and the second largest in Africa. Lake Chad was 330000 km2 7000 years ago. Now it is 17806 km2. Chad's highest peak is the Emi Koussi in the Sahara.

The region's tall grasses and large amount of marshes make it good for birds, reptiles, and large mammals. Chad's major rivers are the Chari and Logone.

Regions
Since February 2008, Chad is divided into 22 regions. Before it was divided into 14 prefectures.

The regions are:

Cities
The largest cities in Chad are:
 * 1) N'Djamena - 704,200
 * 2) Moundou - 136,900
 * 3) Sarh - 100,100
 * 4) Abéché - 72,500
 * 5) Kélo - 41,500
 * 6) Koumra - 35,400
 * 7) Pala - 34,600
 * 8) Am Timan - 28,200
 * 9) Bongor - 27,100
 * 10) Mongo - 27,100

Languages
Chad's official languages are Arabic and French, but over 100 languages and dialects are spoken. Due to the important role of Arab traders and merchants, Chadian Arabic has become a lingua franca, a language for all to use.

Education
Attending primary school is required in Chad, though only about 50% of children attend school. Adult literacy is only 35%.

The University of N'Djamena provides higher education.