Chad
Africa · N'Djamena · TD
Chad is the vast, landlocked country of the centre of the continent, the republic of the enormous distances that spreads from the green fringes of the savanna of the south to the scorched depths of the Sahara of the north, one of the largest and one of the most remote countries of the whole of Africa. The country is historically the meeting place of the peoples of the desert and the those of the river valleys, with the lake of the Chad at its heart, the mountains of the Tibesti and the Ennedi rising in the far north, and the golden dunes and the rock art of the desert framing the extraordinary landscape. The capital of the N'Djamena, set at the confluence of the two great rivers, anchors the modern nation, while the lake and the markets of the south-west hold the vivid daily life of the country. Harsh, ancient and profoundly untamed, Chad offers the traveller the true wild of the Sahara desert.
Overview
Chad is a country in Africa. Its capital is N'Djamena and the international dialling code is +235. Languages commonly used in everyday life here include French and Arabic. Local currency is the Central African CFA franc (XAF). We also list 1 city in Chad: N'Djamena.
The Capital of the Ndjamena and the Meeting of the Rivers
The capital of the Ndjamena, the crowded river city of the west of the country that spreads along the banks at the confluence of the Chari and the Logone, is the political and commercial heart of the nation, a frontier capital with the markets, the mosques, the cathedral and the old quarter of the colonial days. The riverfront of the city, where the pirogues of the fishermen cross the great brown waters of the Chari toward the border of the south, is the animated centre of the life of the capital, and the grand market, with its textiles, its spices and the live animals of the Sahelian trade, spreads the commerce of the whole region. The mausoleum of the Mahfouz quarter, the museum of the country and the evening terraces of the river complete the picture of the frontier capital of the Sahel.
The Lake of the Chad and the Boats of the Fisheries
The great lake of the Chad, the shallow and ever-changing body of the water that lies in the bowl of the basin between the countries of the region, feeds the lives of the millions who gather its fish and its reeds from the villages of the floating islands and the fishing camps of the shore. The lake, which once ranked among the great inland seas of the continent and now shrinks and swells with the seasons of the Sahel, is the historic meeting ground of the peoples of the region, the nomads of the Arab world, the fishermen of the Buduma and the farmers of the islands. The boats of the lake, the narrow dugouts and the reed rafts that thread the channels between the islands, and the great bird migrations that stage at the wetlands each year, give the extraordinary watery heart of the dry land of the country.
The Massifs of the Tibesti and the Volcanoes of the Desert
The mountains of the Tibesti, the vast volcanic massif of the far north of the country that rises from the sands of the Sahara, is the moon landscape of the extraordinary peaks, the deepest canyons and the extinct volcanoes of the desert world, the most remote and dramatic range of the entire Sahara. The volcanic cones of the massif, with the great caldera of the Emi Koussi, the highest point of the Sahara, and the painted gorges with their fumaroles and salt springs, define the wild horizons of the north. The life of the massif, the Tuareg and the Teda peoples who herd the camels of the remote valleys and mine the salt of the old caravans, gives the mountains their last occupants, and the difficult expeditions of the region reward the determined desert traveler.
The Canyons of the Ennedi and the Rock Art of the World
The massif of the Ennedi, the great sandstone plateau of the east of the Sahara country that rises above the desert between the dunes and the wadis, is the natural cathedral of the region, a maze of the canyons, the arches and the rock pools of the wind-carved stone. The caves and the overhangs of the sprawling plateau preserve one of the most extraordinary collections of the rock art of the entire continent, the painted galleries of the great beasts of the past savanna, the elephants, the giraffes, the cattle and the antelopes of the green Sahara of ten thousand years ago. The caravans of the camels of the Ennedi, the encampments of the nomads of the plateau and the guided expeditions of the region, threading the deep gorges and the hidden pools, give the visitor the incomparable experience of the ancient, painted heart of the Sahara.
The Dunes of the Desert and the Caravans of the Camels
The desert of the north of the country, the immense expanse of the dunes, the gravel plains and the dead volcanic rocks that stretches to the borders of the deep Sahara, is the domain of the camel caravans and the nomad world of the Chadian north. The great moving dunes, the wandering seas of the golden sand that cross the borders, hold the wild desert beauty of the slopes of the Erg, and the salt caravans, the long trains of the camels that still cross the wastes on the ancient trading routes, keep alive the pattern of the Sahara commerce. The oases of the north, the green gardens of the date palms that anchor the caravanserais, and the festivals of the nomads and the races of the camels complete the picture of the great inland sea of the sand.
Compare hotels, cover your trip and stay connected.
- Capital
- N'Djamena
- Currency
- Central African CFA franc (XAF)
- Languages
- French, Arabic
- Calling code
- +235
- Internet TLD
- td
Entry requirements
Check who can enter →See which passports travel visa-free or need a visa to enter Chad.
Cities (1)
All cities →Frequently asked questions
What is the capital of Chad?
N'Djamena is the capital of Chad, and the country sits in Africa.
What currency is used in Chad?
You pay with Central African CFA franc (XAF) in Chad. Exchange rates move day to day, so check the current rate before you change money or use your card abroad.
Which languages do people speak in Chad?
The languages we list for Chad are French and Arabic. A couple of greetings in the local language go a long way when you travel, even in cities where another language is widely used.
What is the international dialling code for Chad?
The dialling code for Chad is +235 — keep the plus sign when you save the number.
Which cities in Chad do you cover?
Our guide lists 1 city for Chad: N'Djamena (capital).