Chad (French: Tchad) is a country in Saharan Africa, south of Libya, east of Niger and Cameroon, north of the Central African Republic, and west of Sudan. It shares a short border with Nigeria.
Understand
Part of France's African holdings until 1960, Chad endured three decades of civil warfare as well as invasions by Libya before a semblance of peace was finally restored in 1990. The government eventually drafted a democratic constitution, and held flawed presidential elections in 1996 and 2001. In 1998, a rebellion broke out in northern Chad, which sporadically flares up despite several peace agreements between the government and the rebels. In 2005 new rebel groups emerged in western Sudan and have made probing attacks into eastern Chad. Power remains in the hands of an ethnic minority. In June 2005, President Idriss Deby held a referendum successfully removing constitutional term limits. In February 2008, an attempted coup rocked the capital.
Landscape
Broad, arid plains in center, desert in north, mountains in northwest, lowlands in south. Lowest point: Djourab Depression (160 meters). Highest point: Emi Koussi (3,415 meters).
Citizens of the following countries do not require a visa: Benin, Burkina-Faso, Cameroun, Republic of Central Africa, Congo, Ivory Coast, Gabon, Equatorial Guinea, Mauritania, Niger and Senegal.
For all others, a visa is necessary. A single-entry visa costs US$100 for 1 month and multiple-entry visas cost US$150 (3 months) or US$200 (6 months). A letter of invitation is required.
By plane
Air France has daily flights from Paris to N'Djaména. Air Ethiopia also flies four times a week between N'Djamena and its hub in Addis Ababa, with one of those flights continuing to/from Bamako, Mali. Toumai Air Tchad also flies to a limited number of West and Central African destinations such as Cotonou, Bangui and Douala. The Libyan airlines Afriqiyah Airways also operates flights to N'Djamena that connect through Tripoli.
By train
There are no usable rail links.
By car
Roads are in bad repair and are typically unpaved - there is only one paved road, which currently runs from Massakory in the north through N'Djamena on to Guelendeng, Bongor, Kelo and Moundou. It is the best road in the country but still has numerous potholes and runs through the center of a number of small villages and drivers should exercise caution and moderate speeds even while on the main road.
There are several border crossings with Cameroon, most notably via Kousseri near N'Djamena and near the towns of Bongor and Lere. Be very careful, drive defensively, don't stop unless there is a very good reason. Do not drive at night, as coupeurs de route (road bandits) are common. They are a particular concern along the two roads leading out of Guelendeng, towards Ba-Illi (where ex-pats were attacked in two separate incidents in 2005, resulting in the death of one Catholic nun) and towards Bongor.
By boat
It is impossible to reach Chad by boat. As a country in the middle of Africa, the river only runs near to Sudan. No rivers run through Chad.
Eat
Meat dishes are very popular in Chad, and foreign travelers speak highly of the meat (such as lamb). Food is usually eaten without utensils, and hand sanitizer may be a good precaution. Please note that Muslims find it offensive to eat with the left hand. If eating with or being served by Muslims in Chad, be sure to eat with your right hand only.
Follow common health travel guidelines concerning raw fruit and cooking requirements to avoid disease. The US State Department website has resources concerning safety while eating abroad.
Chad, Because the main occupiers of Chad or Tchad is France, you can easily use the Euro also. But for a person of non-African descent (compared to the rest of Africa) Chad is an expensive place.
Drink
Do not drink the water.
Sleep
Years ago few hotels existed in Chad, but now N'Djamena hosts a myriad of affordable options.
Buy
There are no restrictions on bringing foreign currencies into Chad. Although travel guides for Chad are hard to come by, some sources claim dollars (in some places) and the CFA franc are accepted.
Talk
The main languages of Chad are French and Arabic. Few Chadians other than the educated and well-traveled speak literary Arabic, however; a dialect of Arabic known as "Chadian Arabic" is much more widely spoken and is the closest thing the country has to a trade language. Chadian Arabic is significantly different from the standard Arabic of North Africa and the Middle East. Literary Arabic speakers can typically understand Chadian Arabic but the reverse is not true. There are over one hundred indigenous languages also spoken.
Etiquette
There are 200 distinct ethnic groups. In the north and center: Arabs, Gorane (Toubou, Daza, Kreda), Zaghawa, Kanembou, Ouaddai, Baguirmi, Hadjerai, Fulbe, Kotoko, Hausa, Boulala, and Maba, most of whom are Muslim; in the south: Sara (Ngambaye, Mbaye, Goulaye), Moundang, Moussei, Massa, most of whom are Christian or animist; about 1,000 French citizens live in Chad.
The Chadian-Libyan conflict is something to be avoided at all times; Chadians known to be living in Libya have been tortured & murdered on previous occasions.
Stay healthy
Don't accept water from any stores unless you know the brand. Eat only your own food that you buy in grocery stores. Avoid restaurants whenever possible. Stay away from people that look sick, there are many diseases in Chad to beware of. Go to a doctor once a month if you can afford it.
Safety
Chad is consistently engulfed in political turmoil and attacks from rebels will probably not happen, but are certainly a reality. The situation has stagnated, but it remains a threat. Violence from the Darfur conflict is pouring into Eastern Chad from Sudan, a country which shares hostilities with Chad. Any activity outside of N'Djamena is done with difficulty at best. Northern Chad is barren, scorching desert and guides (good luck) and meticulous planning are required.
N'Djamena is RELATIVELY safe, although one should be wary of petty street crime and corrupt police/officials. Most border crossings are extremely difficult (Sudan and Libya not being a viable option) although the border crossings with Niger and Cameroon are relatively painless.
The best way to stay safe in Chad is to avoid it for the time being.
Contact & location
Be the first one to add a review
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, . The photos provided by Flickr, Panoramio are under the copyright of their owners.
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BurmesedaysEric Polk, Mick, David, Peter Fitzgerald, Todd VerBeek, Ryan Holliday, tulas, Colin Jensen, Andrew Haggard and David Le Brun, ChubbyWimbus, Inas, Tatatabot, AHeneen, Rsm2800, Cacahuate, Valtteri, DorganBot, Episteme, Jake73, InterLangBot, Bijee, Karen Johnson and CIAWorldFactbook2002
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French (official), Arabic (official), Chadian Arabic (lingua franca trade language), Sara (in south), more than 150 different languages and dialects
- Communaute Financiere Africaine franc (XAF) (central African)
Chad (French: Tchad) is a country in Saharan Africa, south of Libya, east of Niger and Cameroon, north of the Central African Republic, and west of Sudan. It shares a short border with Nigeria.
Understand
Part of France's African holdings until 1960, Chad endured three decades of civil warfare as well as invasions by Libya before a semblance of peace was finally restored in 1990. The government eventually drafted a democratic constitution, and held flawed presidential elections in 1996 and 2001. In 1998, a rebellion broke out in northern Chad, which sporadically flares up despite several peace agreements between the government and the rebels. In 2005 new rebel groups emerged in western Sudan and have made probing attacks into eastern Chad. Power remains in the hands of an ethnic minority. In June 2005, President Idriss Deby held a referendum successfully removing constitutional term limits. In February 2008, an attempted coup rocked the capital.
Landscape
Broad, arid plains in center, desert in north, mountains in northwest, lowlands in south. Lowest point: Djourab Depression (160 meters). Highest point: Emi Koussi (3,415 meters).
Regions
Chadian Sahara
Arid Midlands
Lake Chad
Southern Savanna
Cities
N'Djamena
Moundou
Abéché
Faya
Goz Beida
Getting there
Visa
Citizens of the following countries do not require a visa: Benin, Burkina-Faso, Cameroun, Republic of Central Africa, Congo, Ivory Coast, Gabon, Equatorial Guinea, Mauritania, Niger and Senegal.
For all others, a visa is necessary. A single-entry visa costs US$100 for 1 month and multiple-entry visas cost US$150 (3 months) or US$200 (6 months). A letter of invitation is required.
By plane
Air France has daily flights from Paris to N'Djaména. Air Ethiopia also flies four times a week between N'Djamena and its hub in Addis Ababa, with one of those flights continuing to/from Bamako, Mali. Toumai Air Tchad also flies to a limited number of West and Central African destinations such as Cotonou, Bangui and Douala. The Libyan airlines Afriqiyah Airways also operates flights to N'Djamena that connect through Tripoli.
By train
There are no usable rail links.
By car
Roads are in bad repair and are typically unpaved - there is only one paved road, which currently runs from Massakory in the north through N'Djamena on to Guelendeng, Bongor, Kelo and Moundou. It is the best road in the country but still has numerous potholes and runs through the center of a number of small villages and drivers should exercise caution and moderate speeds even while on the main road.
There are several border crossings with Cameroon, most notably via Kousseri near N'Djamena and near the towns of Bongor and Lere. Be very careful, drive defensively, don't stop unless there is a very good reason. Do not drive at night, as coupeurs de route (road bandits) are common. They are a particular concern along the two roads leading out of Guelendeng, towards Ba-Illi (where ex-pats were attacked in two separate incidents in 2005, resulting in the death of one Catholic nun) and towards Bongor.
By boat
It is impossible to reach Chad by boat. As a country in the middle of Africa, the river only runs near to Sudan. No rivers run through Chad.
Eat
Meat dishes are very popular in Chad, and foreign travelers speak highly of the meat (such as lamb). Food is usually eaten without utensils, and hand sanitizer may be a good precaution. Please note that Muslims find it offensive to eat with the left hand. If eating with or being served by Muslims in Chad, be sure to eat with your right hand only.
Follow common health travel guidelines concerning raw fruit and cooking requirements to avoid disease. The US State Department website has resources concerning safety while eating abroad.
Drink
Do not drink the water.
Sleep
Years ago few hotels existed in Chad, but now N'Djamena hosts a myriad of affordable options.
Buy
There are no restrictions on bringing foreign currencies into Chad. Although travel guides for Chad are hard to come by, some sources claim dollars (in some places) and the CFA franc are accepted.
Talk
The main languages of Chad are French and Arabic. Few Chadians other than the educated and well-traveled speak literary Arabic, however; a dialect of Arabic known as "Chadian Arabic" is much more widely spoken and is the closest thing the country has to a trade language. Chadian Arabic is significantly different from the standard Arabic of North Africa and the Middle East. Literary Arabic speakers can typically understand Chadian Arabic but the reverse is not true. There are over one hundred indigenous languages also spoken.
Etiquette
There are 200 distinct ethnic groups. In the north and center: Arabs, Gorane (Toubou, Daza, Kreda), Zaghawa, Kanembou, Ouaddai, Baguirmi, Hadjerai, Fulbe, Kotoko, Hausa, Boulala, and Maba, most of whom are Muslim; in the south: Sara (Ngambaye, Mbaye, Goulaye), Moundang, Moussei, Massa, most of whom are Christian or animist; about 1,000 French citizens live in Chad.
The Chadian-Libyan conflict is something to be avoided at all times; Chadians known to be living in Libya have been tortured & murdered on previous occasions.
Stay healthy
Don't accept water from any stores unless you know the brand. Eat only your own food that you buy in grocery stores. Avoid restaurants whenever possible. Stay away from people that look sick, there are many diseases in Chad to beware of. Go to a doctor once a month if you can afford it.
Safety
Chad is consistently engulfed in political turmoil and attacks from rebels will probably not happen, but are certainly a reality. The situation has stagnated, but it remains a threat. Violence from the Darfur conflict is pouring into Eastern Chad from Sudan, a country which shares hostilities with Chad. Any activity outside of N'Djamena is done with difficulty at best. Northern Chad is barren, scorching desert and guides (good luck) and meticulous planning are required.
N'Djamena is RELATIVELY safe, although one should be wary of petty street crime and corrupt police/officials. Most border crossings are extremely difficult (Sudan and Libya not being a viable option) although the border crossings with Niger and Cameroon are relatively painless.
The best way to stay safe in Chad is to avoid it for the time being.
Contact & location
Be the first one to add a review
The photos displayed on this page are the property of one of the following authors:
name_2779, name_2658, name_4089, name_4090, name_4112
Some photos courtesy of:
, 
. The photos provided by Flickr, Panoramio are under the copyright of their owners.
This travel guide also includes text from Wikitravel articles, all available at
View full credits
BurmesedaysEric Polk, Mick, David, Peter Fitzgerald, Todd VerBeek, Ryan Holliday, tulas, Colin Jensen, Andrew Haggard and David Le Brun, ChubbyWimbus, Inas, Tatatabot, AHeneen, Rsm2800, Cacahuate, Valtteri, DorganBot, Episteme, Jake73, InterLangBot, Bijee, Karen Johnson and CIAWorldFactbook2002
This travel guide also includes text from Wikipedia articles, all available at
View full credits