The Republic of Chad is a vast landlocked country in the heart of Africa. It is approximately five times the size of the UK and the fifth largest country in Africa. French and Arabic are the official languages, but there are more than 200 ethnic and linguistic groups. Chad has produced oil since 2003 and is rich in gold and uranium.
More than half of Chad is desert, and having enough food is a permanent challenge for the population. Increasing desertification and land degradation is a constant concern. In some regions of Chad, herds of elephants or grazing cattle create periodic destruction – leading to conflict between farmers and breeders.
Violence has plagued Chad since independence from France in 1960. Ethnic tensions between the Arab-Muslim north and the Christian/animist south have created a climate of chronic instability and conflict. The government in the capital N’Djamena has faced recurring coup d’état attempts and armed insurgencies and has never been able to control the whole of the territory.
Chad has welcomed a large number of Sudanese refugees who fled fighting in the Darfur area, near its eastern border. Civil unrest has forced many people from their homes within Chad, and refugees also come from the neighbouring Central African Republic.