Population 9,944,201

Capital City N'Djaména (680,000)

Largest Cities N'Djaména, Moundou, Sarh

Currency CFA Franc


Latitude/Longitude 12º11' N, 15º05' E

Languages French (official), Arabic (official), and numerous trobal dialects.



Religions Muslim, Christian, others

Land

Land Area 1,259,200 sq km (586,177 sq miles) - slightly more than three times the size of California

Landforms In the northern reaches of the country, the Tibesti Mountains dominate the landscape of the surrounding Sahara Desert.

The Sahel, on the southern edges of the ever-expanding Sahara Desert, is a transition zone between the dry areas of the north and the tropical areas of the south. It receives very little rain, and most of the vegetation is a savanna growth of sparse grasses and shrubs.

The land rise into the Ennedi and Wadai plateaus along the eastern border with Sudan, where elevations reach near 2000 ft.

In the south the forested land is nourished by the Chari and Logone Rivers. During the monsoon rains, Lake Chad often overflows, causing floods in the lowland depression of the south.

Highest Pt. Emi Koussi (3,415 m) (11,204 ft)

Lowest Pt. Djourab Depression (160 m) (524 ft)

Natural Resources: petroleum, uranium, natron, kaolin, fish (Lake Chad), gold, limestone, sand and gravel, salt