18 | The Lion King
Country Focus
People and Society
Chad has an estimated population of
11,193,452 (July 2013). The fertile South-
ern part of the country has a population
density of 77.7 per square mile. There
are about 180 ethnic groups in Chad
(although their boundaries are often
hard to establish).
The largest are the Sara (approximately
32% of the total population), the Arabs
(22%), the Maba, the Tubu, and the
Mbum. Many of the ethnic groups are
also found in neighbouring countries
such as Cameroon, Niger, the Sudan,
and Nigeria, having been separated by
the colonial and postcolonial bound-
aries. Most Chadians live in rural areas.
Urban centres include the capital
N'Djamena (approx. 800,000 people,
most of them Arabs or Arabic-speak-
ing), Sarh (120,000), Moundou (110,000),
Bongor, Abéché, and Doba. Life
expectancy is approximately forty-eight
years.
The main languages spoken in Chad
are French (official), Arabic (official),
Sara (in the South), and more than 120
different languages and dialects.
According to the 1993 census in Chad,
Muslims constitute about 53.1% of the
population, Catholics 20.1%, Protestants
14.2%, animists 7.3%, atheists and others
5.3%
Economy
Oil and agriculture drive Chad’s econ-
omy. About 80% of Chad's popula-
tion rely on subsistence farming and
livestock-raising for their livelihood, with
crude oil exports providing the bulk of
export revenues. Cotton, cattle, and
gum arabic provide the bulk of Chad's
non-oil export earnings. Other agricul-
tural products include; sorghum, millet,
peanuts, rice, potatoes, manioc (tapio-
ca); sheep, goats and camels.
Remittances have also been an impor-
tant source of income and Chad relies
on foreign assistance and capital for
most public and private sector invest-
ment. Oil production came on stream
in late 2003 and crude exports began
in 2004. The economy, which grew an
estimated 3.4% in 2013, is expected to
surge 11.2% in 2014, as new oilfields be-
gin production. Inflation began falling
in 2012 and stood at 4% in 2013.
The main industries in Chad are in-
volved in the production of oil, cotton
textiles, meatpacking, brewing, natron
(sodium carbonate), soap, cigarettes,
construction materials.
Culture
Chad is ethnically diverse. Within the
country's borders one may distinguish
several national cultures that are based
on the ethno regional and religious
affiliations of the population groups.
Many of the cultures can be traced
back to a complex pre-colonial history
of competing indigenous states and
sultanates. The various ethnic groups in
Chad include; Sara, Arab, Mayo-Kebbi,
Kanem-Bornou, Ouaddai, Hadjarai,
Tandjile, Gorane, Fitri-Batha, others
6.7%.
However, traditional Chadian society
in all its ethnic and religious variety and
complexity is not well-known to the
outside world. Little field research has
been done recently in either the coun-
tryside or the urban areas on the various
societies and diverse ethno cultural
traditions.
Tibesti Mountains,
consisting of volca-
noes, lava fields and peaks, are primarily
located in the extreme north of Chad,
with a small extension into southern Libya.
The Mountains are renowned for their rock
and parietal art. Around 200 engraving
sites; over 1,800 different representations
and 100 painting sites, which date back
several millennia have been identified.
Photo: Michael Kerling/Wikimedia Commons
