Resources from Pearl Linguistics

CHADIAN Facts & Figures

Size: 495,753 square miles

Population: 10,329,208

Capital: N’Djamena

Currency: Central African Franc

Weather / Climate:

Each year a tropical weather system known as the intertropical front crosses Chad from south to north, bringing a wet season that lasts from May to October in the south, and from June to September in the Sahel. Variations in local rainfall create three major geographical zones. The Sahara lies in the country's northern third. Yearly precipitations throughout this belt are under 50 millimetres (2.0 in); only the occasional spontaneous palm grove survives, the only ones to do so south of the Tropic of Cancer. The Sahara gives way to a Sahelian belt in Chad's centre; precipitation there varies from 300 to 600 mm (11.8 to 23.6 in) per year. In the Sahel, a steppe of thorny bushes (mostly acacias) gradually gives way to the south to East Sudanian savanna in Chad's Sudanese zone. Yearly rainfall in this belt is over 900 mm (35.4 in)

Taken from wikipedia

CHADIAN languages

Chad has two official languages, French and literary Arabic, and over 120 indigenous languages. A vernacular version of Arabic, Chadian Arabic, is the lingua franca.

Taken from: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Languages_of_Chad

CHADIAN culture

A largely semi-desert country, Chad is rich in gold and uranium and stands to benefit from its recently-acquired status as an oil-exporting state. However, Africa's fifth-largest nation suffers from inadequate infrastructure and internal conflict. Poverty is rife, and health and social conditions compare unfavourably with those elsewhere in the region.

From the 11th to the 15th century, the state of Kanem was the dominant force in the region, occupying much of the area that makes up present-day Chad. In the 15th and 16th centuries, the state of Borno, which had its centre on the other side of Lake Chad (in present-day Nigeria), exercised a major influence.

A gradual process of Islamisation took place in the region from this time, especially during the 16th and 17th centuries during the kingdoms of the Bagirmi and Ouaddai. The slave trade was a key component of their economies, and as this declined from the early 19th century onwards, so did the kingdoms.

In the 1880s, they were conquered by the Sudanese warlord Rabih al-Zubair. The Europeans arrived a few decades later, in the latter stages of their carve-up of the African continent. Chad was first defined as a national territory in 1910, as one of the four making up French Equatorial Africa. Chad then achieved independence in 1960, with François Tombalbaye, leader of the Parti Progressiste Tchadien (PPT), as Prime Minister.

Chad's post-independence history has been marked by instability and violence stemming mostly from tension between the mainly Arab-Muslim north and the predominantly Christian and animist south.

In 1969 Muslim dissatisfaction with the first president, Ngarta Tombalbaye - a Christian southerner - developed into a guerrilla war. This, combined with a severe drought, undermined his rule and in 1975 President Tombalbaye was killed in a coup led by another southerner, Felix Malloum.

Mr Malloum, too, failed to end the war, and in 1979 he was replaced by a Libyan-backed northerner, Goukouki Oueddei. But the fighting continued, this time with a former defence minister, Hissen Habre, on the opposite side.

In 1982, with French help, Mr Habre captured the capital, N'Djamena, and Mr Oueddei escaped to the north, where he formed a rival government. The standoff ended in 1990, when Mr Habre was toppled by the Libyan-backed Idriss Deby.

By the mid-1990s the situation had stabilised and in 1996 Mr Deby was confirmed president in Chad's first election. In 1998 an armed insurgency began in the north, led by President Deby's former defence chief, Youssouf Togoimi. A Libyan-brokered peace deal in 2002 failed to put an end to the fighting.

From 2003 unrest in neighbouring Sudan's Darfur region spilled across the border, along with hundreds of thousands of Sudanese refugees. They have been joined by thousands of Chadians who are fleeing rebel fighting as well as violence between ethnic Arab and ethnic African Chadians.

Chadand Sudan accuse each other of backing and harbouring rebels, and the dispute led to severing of relations in 2006. However, since then, progress has been made towards normalising ties, with the two countries' presidents meeting for the first time in six years in 2010.

A dusty swathe of land at the heart of Africa, Chad is a sun-baked country which, while rocked with conflict, offers up a striking backdrop of sub-Saharan scenery. Its capital, N'Djamena, is a friendly and laid-back city featuring a wonderful Central Market, where the whole experience of haggling for African produce is exceptionally good fun. Lake Chad, once one of the largest freshwater lakes in the world, is still a serene sight to behold, despite its gradual shrinkage due to climate change and increased demands. It is still of huge economic importance, providing water to millions of people in surrounding countries.

Indeed, Chad itself, although one of the poorest of Africa's nations, is still geographically staggering, ranging from desert in the north to fertile farmland in the south. Indications of settlements around the shores of Lake Chad date back to Neolithic times; the shores were an important junction for several major trans-Saharan caravan routes for centuries.

The discovery of large oil deposits in the southern Doba region of the country has provided the Government with an opportunity to develop the economy. It has also heightened interest in Chad – a relative international backwater – from outside, and has led to some improvement to previously rocky relations with France, the USA, and international institutions such as the World Bank.

The population is 50% Muslim, 35% Christian, 15% animist and other. Chadians are a relaxed and friendly people, but respect for traditional beliefs and customs is expected. Dress is informal, but conservative in respect of Muslim laws. There is strict segregation of women in the Muslim areas. It is customary to shake hands. The left hand should never be used for offering or accepting food, nor should the sole of the foot be exposed in the presence of a Muslim. Identification should be carried at all times; failure to do so may result in detention by police. It is necessary to obtain a permit from the Ministry of Information in order to take photographs. Photographing military sites, airports and official buildings is prohibited. Other photography requires a Government permit.

Holidays

· 01 January – New Year's Day

· April – Easter Monday

· 13 April – National Day

· 01 May – Labour Day

· 25 May – Liberation of Africa, Anniversary of the OAU’s foundation

· August – Eid al-Fitr, End of Ramadan

· October – Eid al-Adha, Feast of the Sacrifice

· 01 November – All Saints’ Day

· 28 November – Proclamation of the Republic

· 01 December – Day of Liberty and Democracy

· 25 December – Christmas Day

Taken from:

www.bbc.co.uk

www.wortldtravelguide.net

CHADIAN people

The people of Chad speak more than 100 different languages and divide themselves into many ethnic groups. However, language and ethnicity are not the same. Moreover, neither element can be tied to a particular physical type. In Chad, European conquest and administration intensified feelings of ethnic separateness by drawing local boundaries along perceived ethnic lines. The Europeans also appointed chiefs and other local African authorities who had little legitimacy over the groups they were to lead. In general, the French favored southerners over northerners and settled populations over nomads. This bias continued after independence and has been an important element in internecine conflict.

Although the possession of a common language shows that its speakers have lived together and have a common history, peoples also change languages. This is particularly so in Chad, where the openness of the terrain, marginal rainfall, frequent drought and famine, and low population densities have encouraged physical and linguistic mobility. Slave raids among{specify} non-Muslim peoples, internal slave trade, and exports of captives northward from the ninth to the twentieth centuries also have resulted in language changes.

Anthropologists view ethnicity as being more than genetics. Like language, ethnicity implies a shared heritage, partly economic, where people of the same ethnic group may share a livelihood, and partly social, taking the form of shared ways of doing things and organizing relations among individuals and groups. Ethnicity also involves a cultural component made up of shared values and a common worldview. Like language, ethnicity is not immutable. Shared ways of doing things change over time and alter a group's perception of its own identity.

Not only do the social aspects of ethnic identity change but the biological composition (or gene pool) also may change over time. Although most ethnic groups emphasize intermarriage, people are often proscribed from seeking partners among close relatives—a prohibition that promotes biological variation. In all groups, the departure of some individuals or groups and the integration of others also changes the biological component.

The Chadian government has avoided official recognition of ethnicity. With the exception of a few surveys conducted shortly after independence, little data were available on this important aspect of Chadian society. Nonetheless, ethnic identity was a significant component of life in Chad.

Population

10,543 thousand (2010, According to the U.S. Census Bureau, International Data Base: Demographics of Chad

Age structure

0-14 years: 46% (male 2,510,656/female 2,441,780)

15-64 years: 51% (male 2,531,896/female 2,960,406)

65 years and over: 2.9% (male 131,805/female 182,402) (2011 est.)

Median age

Total: 16.8 years

Male: 15.6 years

Female: 17.9 years (2011 est.)

Population growth rate

2.009% (2011 est.)

Taken from: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Demographics_of_Chad

CHADIAN food

Chadian cuisine is the cooking traditions, practices, foods and dishes associated with the Republic of Chad. Chadians utilize a variety of grains, vegetables, fruits and meats.^[2] Commonly consumed grains include millet, sorghum and rice as staple foods.^[2] Commonly eaten vegetables include okra and cassava, and a variety of fruits are eaten, including bananas, mangoes, guavas, raisins, dates and peanuts.^[2] Meats include mutton^[1], chicken^[1], Goat^[1], fish and beef.^[2]

Northern and southern cuisines

Fish is abundant in northern Chad, including tilapia, perch, eel, and carp.^[1] Southern Chadians don't consume many dairy products from livestock, are not as dependent upon fish as a protein source, and have more options in using fruits and spices compared to people in northern Chad.

Common foods and dishes

Porridge made from millet and sorghum is common throughout the country
Millet pancakes and fried balls.^[2] Aiyash is a dish eaten by Chadian Arabs in which millet balls are dipped in various sauces.^[2]
Nile perch^[2]
Broiled fish
Dried, salted and smoked fish ^[1]
Okra-based gumbo^[2]
Sauces prepared with meat, fish and spices
Jarret de boeuf is a traditional beef and vegetable stew
Peanut butter^[1]
Squash stew and peanuts ^[1]

Common beverages

Karkanji/carcaje^[1] is a beverage of boiled hibiscus flowers with ginger, clove and cinnamon, with sugar added to taste
Gala is a beer brewed in Chad
Fruit juices
Red and green tea

Taken from wikipedia

Places to go in CHAD

Chad has an excellent crafts industry. Items include camel-hair carpets, all kinds of leatherware, embroidered cotton cloths, decorated calabashes, knives, weapons, pottery and brass animals.

N'Djaména - Chad's capital is slowly regaining its pre-war reputation as one of Central Africa's liveliest cities. Bullet holes in buildings serve as a reminder of troubled times, but the atmosphere here is increasingly upbeat. The historic quarter, with its colourful daily market, is fascinating and a good place to pick up colourful Chadian rugs and jewellery. The museum features collections of the Sarh culture dating back to the ninth century. There is a distinctive difference between the Arab section of town (very quiet at night) and the area where the southerners live (lively and full of bars).

Lively dancing and music is to be found in the capital, where there is an increasing number of nightclubs. Pari-matches take place on most Saturdays and Sundays in N'Djaména (non-Muslim areas): groups of women hire bars and sell drinks all day. Outside N'Djaména, nightlife is limited, although bars and open-air dancing can generally be found. Take a glug of Moundou's beer from the Gala Brewery - some of the best in the country.

Abéché - a former capital of the powerful Ouadaï sultanate and surrounded by desert, this town has retained much of its oriental charm, with interesting mosques, cobbled narrow streets and old markets.

Catch a glimpse of some of the best camel racing in the world in the Tibesti Mountains, home of the fierce Toubou tribe. The inhabitants are distantly related to the Tuareg of the Western Sahara. This astonishing region of chasms and crags has seldom been seen by non-Muslims and remains closed to travellers, so is best watched from afar. It is not be difficult to look out for, since it contains Emi Koussi, a high peak, 3,414m (11,200ft) above sea level.

Lake Chad must be seen, not only because it was once the centre of Africa's lucrative salt trade and one of the largest freshwater lakes in the world, but also because you may be running out of time to see it. Lake Chad is shrinking. The lake is at its best during the August to December period, when the water level is highest and the occasional hippo or crocodile can be seen drifting by.

ZakoumaNational Parkis Located on an immense plain, across which the Bahr Salamat and its tributaries flow from north to south. The government and the EU have restocked and refurbished the park since it was ravaged by civil war and poachers. Visitors can now see huge flocks of elephants, giraffes and lions.

Taken from www.worldtravelguide.net

Doing business in CHAD

The United Nations' Human Development Index ranks Chad as the seventh poorest country in the world, with 80% of the population living below the poverty line. The GDP (Purchasing power parity) per capita was estimated as US$1,600 in 2008.^[62] Chad is part of the Bank of Central African States, the Customs and Economic Union of Central Africa (UDEAC) and the Organization for the Harmonization of Business Law in Africa (OHADA).^[63] Its currency is the CFA franc. Years of civil war have scared away foreign investors; those who left Chad between 1979 and 1982 have only recently begun to regain confidence in the country's future. In 2000 major direct foreign investment in the oil sector began, boosting the country's economic prospects.^[54][28]

Over 80% of Chad's population relies on subsistence farming and livestock raising for its livelihood.^[54] The crops grown and the locations of herds are determined by the local climate. In the southernmost 10 percent of the territory lies the nation's most fertile cropland, with rich yields of sorghum and millet. In the Sahel only the hardier varieties of millet grow, and these with much lower yields than in the south. On the other hand, the Sahel is ideal pastureland for large herds of commercial cattle and for goats, sheep, donkeys and horses. The Sahara's scattered oases support only some dates and legumes.^[5]

Before the development of oil industry, cotton dominated industry and the labour market and accounted for approximately 80% of export earnings.^[64] Cotton remains a primary export, although exact figures are not available. Rehabilitation of Cotontchad, a major cotton company that suffered from a decline in world cotton prices, has been financed by France, the Netherlands, the European Union, and the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (IBRD). The parastatal is now expected to be privatised.^[28]

ExxonMobil leads a consortium of Chevron and Petronas that has invested $3.7 billion to develop oil reserves estimated at one billion barrels in southern Chad. Oil production began in 2003 with the completion of a pipeline (financed in part by the World Bank) that links the southern oilfields to terminals on the Atlantic coast of Cameroon. As a condition of its assistance, the World Bank insisted that 80% of oil revenues be spent on development projects. In January 2006 the World Bank suspended its loan programme when the Chadian government passed laws reducing this amount.^[28][53] On July 14, 2006, the World Bank and Chad signed a memorandum of understanding under which the Government of Chad commits 70% of its spending to priority poverty reduction programmes.^[65]

Civil war crippled the development of transport infrastructure; in 1987, Chad had only 30 kilometres (19 mi) of paved roads. Successive road rehabilitation projects improved the network^[66] to 550 kilometres (340 mi) by 2004.^[67] Nevertheless, the road network is limited; roads are often unusable for several months of the year. With no railways of its own, Chad depends heavily on Cameroon's rail system for the transport of Chadian exports and imports to and from the seaport of Douala.^[68]

An international airport serves the capital and provides regular direct flights to Paris and several African cities. The telecommunication system is basic and expensive, with fixed telephone services provided by the state telephone company SotelTchad. Only 14,000 fixed telephone lines serve all of Chad, one of the lowest telephone density rates in the world. Chad's energy sector has suffered from years of mismanagement by the parastatal Chad Water and Electric Society (STEE), which provides power for 15% of the capital's citizens and covers only 1.5% of the national population.^[69] Most Chadians burn biomass fuels such as wood and animal manure for power.^[70] Chad's cities face serious difficulties of municipal infrastructure; only 48% of urban residents have access to potable water and only 2% to basic sanitation.^[42][71]

The country's television audience is limited to N'Djamena. The only television station is the state-owned TeleTchad. Radio has a far greater reach, with 13 private radio stations. Newspapers are limited in quantity and distribution, and circulation figures are small due to transportation costs, low literacy rates, and poverty.^[70][72] While the constitution defends liberty of expression, the government has regularly restricted this right, and at the end of 2006 began to enact a system of prior censorship on the media.

Taken from wikipedia