Brief information
The Republic of Chad is often referred to as the “Dead Heart of Africa” because of its geographic location. This name quite accurately reflects the nature of this country, but the people living there (and these are representatives of 200 different ethnic groups) consider it very beautiful. Unfortunately, due to political conflicts that cannot end in Chad for many decades in a row, tourists have the opportunity to visit almost exclusively in N’Djamena and in the surrounding villages.
Geography of Chad
Chad is located in Central Africa. Chad is bordered to the north by Libya, to the west by Niger, to the east by Sudan, to the south by the Central African Republic, and to the southwest by Nigeria and Cameroon. There is no access to the sea. The total area of this state is 1,284,000 sq. km., and the total length of the state border is 5,968 km.
Most of the territory of Chad is occupied by a flat plain. To the north is a small area of the Sahara desert. Mountains are located in the north and northeast. The highest local peak is the extinct volcano Emi-Kusi in the Tibesti Mountains, whose height reaches 3,415 meters.
Capital
According to allpubliclibraries.com, N’Djamena is the capital of Chad. The population of this city is now more than 1 million people. N’Djamena was founded by the French in 1900 (then the city was called Fort Lamy).
Official language of Chad
The country has two official languages - French and Arabic.
Religion
About 54% of the inhabitants are Muslims, and 34% are Christians (of which 20% are Catholics, and 14% are Protestants).
Government of Chad
According to cancermatters.net, Chad is a presidential republic. Its head is the President, who is elected by universal secret ballot for a term of 5 years (moreover, the President can be re-elected many times in a row).
The unicameral Chadian parliament is called the National Assembly, it consists of 155 deputies elected by universal secret suffrage for 4 years.
The main political parties are the Patriotic Salvation Movement, the National Rally for Development and Progress, the National Rally for Democracy in Chad, and the Popular Movement for Democracy in Chad.
Administratively, the country is divided into 22 regions. Each region is headed by a governor appointed by the president.
Climate and weather
The climate in Chad is tropical and hot, but the air temperature is highly dependent on the region. In the south of the country, the rainy season falls on May-October, and in the central regions – on June-September. In the north, there is very little rain throughout the year. During the dry season it is often quite windy, and in the evening it is cool.
The best time to visit Chad is winter and spring (November to May), when the air temperature there is not very hot and there is almost no rain. During these months, the average air temperature ranges from +20C to +25C.
Rivers and lakes of Chad
In the southwest of the country, on the border with Nigeria and Cameron, there is the relict Lake Chad, whose area is now 26 thousand square meters. km. Three rivers flow into Lake Chad – Shari, Komadugu-Vaube and Bar-el-Ghazal. By the way, the Shari River is the longest Chadian river.
Culture
Customs and culture in Chad differ depending on the religious and tribal characteristics of the population. However, respect for elders and restrained behavior in public places are common. Smoking in public places is discouraged. Women should dress conservatively with cloth covering their shoulders and legs.
Almost all local holidays are religious in nature and are associated with Islam. The most popular religious holiday is Eid al-Kabir, while the secular holiday is African Liberation Day.
Very interesting are the tribal holidays that are held annually in honor of the harvest, the initiation of young men into men, and, of course, local weddings. So, in October and November, in the north of the country, the Harvest Festival is celebrated on a large scale, timed to coincide with the end of the rainy season.
Kitchen
The main food products in Chad are cassava, legumes, sorghum, millet, rice, potatoes, peanuts, corn, fish, meat (especially chicken).
Tourists are advised to try thick bean soup, stuffed zucchini, fried lamb, homemade cheese, lemon pancakes, French toast, sorghum or millet porridge with meat, dried fish, spices, tomatoes and onions. In the south of the country, a rice dish with peanut sauce is popular.
Traditional non-alcoholic drinks – “Karkanji” from hibiscus (hibiscus), fruit juices.
The traditional alcoholic drink is beer.
Sights of Chad
In Chad, several very interesting medieval sights have survived to this day, which give an unusual flavor to this country.
In the middle of the desert, closer to the Sudanese border, is the ancient city of Abesh, which was once the capital of the influential Kudan Sultanate. This city still retains its oriental charm – there are interesting mosques, narrow cobbled streets and old markets.
In the Tibesti region, grandiose camel races are held every year, organized by the warlike tribe of Tubu. True, non-Muslims rarely get into this part of Chad, so it is better to watch camel races from afar.
Of great interest to tourists is the Zakuma National Park located in the south of the country. Visitors to this park can see large herds of elephants, giraffes and lions.
Cities and resorts
The largest cities are N’Djamena (more than 1 million people), Mundu (160 thousand people), Sarh (120 thousand people), Abéché (90 thousand people) and Quelo (50 thousand people).
So far, a few tourists come to Chad to see the unique relic lake of the same name, get acquainted with the way of life of the locals, and, of course, watch, at least from afar, elephants, giraffes and lions.
Souvenirs/Shopping
As souvenirs, handicrafts, camel carpets, leather clothes, shoes, embroidered cotton clothes, decorated pumpkins, jewelry, ceramics, knives, small figurines of camels are brought from Chad.
Office Hours
Banks: Mon-Thu: 07:00-13:00
Fri: 07:00-10:30
Sat: 07:00-13:00
Shops:
08:00-12:00 and 16:00-19:00
Visa
Ukrainians need a visa to visit Chad.
Currency of Chad
The CFA franc is the official currency in Chad. Its international designation is XAF. One CFA franc = 100 centimes. Credit cards are not common (they are only accepted in two hotels in N’Djamena).
Customs restrictions
You can import foreign and local currency without restrictions, but it must be included in the declaration. Foreign currency can be taken out no more than the amount that was declared upon entry. As for the local currency, for export from the country its amount is limited to 10 thousand CFA francs.
It is forbidden to import animals, drugs, firearms and edged weapons, explosives, pornographic materials. For the importation of dogs and cats, a veterinary certificate issued in the country of residence is required.
It is forbidden to export ivory and ivory products, rare animals and plants. To export antiques, you must obtain official permission from the local authorities.
Useful phone numbers and addresses
The interests of Chad in Ukraine are represented by the Embassy of Chad in Russia:
Postcode: 119049, Moscow, st. Cow shaft, 7/1, apt. 37-38
T.: (499) 238-20-85
The interests of Ukraine in Chad are represented by the Embassy of Ukraine in Libya:
P.O.Box 4544, Tripoli, Libya
T: (8-10-21821) 360-86-65
Email. mail: [email protected]
Emergency numbers
17 – Police
18 – Fire brigade
Time
Behind Kyiv for 1 hour. Those. if, for example, in Kyiv 13:00, then in N’Djamena – 12:00.
Tips
A small tip for good service is appreciated in Chad. In restaurants, the service charge is usually not included in the bill, so it is customary to leave about 10% of the bill for “tea”. Taxi drivers do not expect tips, but if the service was good, the fare is usually rounded up.
The medicine
You must be vaccinated against yellow fever to travel to Chad. It is also recommended to be vaccinated against cholera, diphtheria, hepatitis A, hepatitis B, malaria, meningitis, polio, tuberculosis, tetanus and typhoid (especially for those tourists who stay in the country for more than one month).
Security
Due to constant political turmoil, travel to Chad is not very safe. Therefore, before you go to this country, first find out what the political situation is there. It is recommended to travel only to the capital of the country and to nearby areas. It is better not to visit remote areas. In any case, the governments of Great Britain and the United States warn their citizens about this.
However, it should be borne in mind that in N’Djamena itself, the level of violent crimes against foreign tourists is quite high. Another problem is petty theft.
