52 Interesting Facts About Chad

Last updated on October 20th, 2022

Fun facts about Chad for kids

37. The people of Chad are called Chadian.

38. Chad has ample reserves of gold and uranium.

39. The Central African Franc (XAF) is the currency of Chad. It was introduced in 1945.

40. Chad, by land area is world’s 21^st largest country.

41. The country is also called “The Dead Heart of Africa” because of its closeness to the deserts.

42. In terms of area, it is the fifth largest country in Africa.

43. Islam arrived in the country in 1085. More than 200 ethnic groups reside in Chad.

44. Lakes of Ounianga are a UNESCO World Heritage Site in Chad. The Lakes of Ounianga comprises a total of 18 lakes. These lakes feature different colors (blue, green, red) that vary due to the differences in their chemical compositions.

45. The country’s highest peak – Emi Koussi, at 3,415 meters – lies in northern Chad.

46. Zakouma National Park is Chad’s first national park and has been nominated by the Chadian government to become a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

47. The Nile perch, one of the largest freshwater fish, is native to Lake Chad. It can reach a maximum length of up to 2 meters and weigh up to 200 kg.

48. Albert Pahimi Padacké became the Prime Minister of Chad on February 15th, 2016. He retired on 12 October 2022 and is succeeded by Saleh Kebzabo.

Facts about poverty and hunger in Chad

49. About 87% of Chad’s rural population lives below the poverty line. 

50. There were more than 400,000 severely food-insecure people living in the rural regions of Chad in 2015.

51. Presently, Chad is home to at least 20,000 Nigerian refugees, 100,000 Central African Republic refugees and 360,000 Sudanese refugees.

52. Only 1/3rd of the country’s adult population is literate. 

About the Flag of Chad

1. Design and Symbolism

The flag of Chad, called “Les Trois Barres,” is an attempt to reconcile with its colonial past while carving a unique identity. The designers intended to combine the colors of France (blue, white, red) and the Pan-African region (green, yellow, red). They decided to create a vertical tricolor with blue, gold, and red bands.

Blue symbolizes the sky, agriculture, and hope. It also depicts the waters in the southern part of the country. Gold represents the prominent sun and the desert landscape it created in the northern part of Chad. Red remembers the blood spilled for independence. It signifies progress, unity, and sacrifice.

2. Adoption

Chad adopted the flag on November 6, 1959, in preparation for its independence the following year.

3. Technical Details

The flag dimensions have a ratio of 2:3. The RGB estimates are 0-38-100, 254-203-0, and 198-12-48. Their HEX equivalents are 002664, FECB00, and 6C0C30. Compared with the flag of Romania, Chad has a darker shade of blue and a lighter shade of red.

4. History

Chad is a landlocked country in North Africa along the trans-Saharan trade routes. Its strategic location drew several states and empires across history. It was part of the Kanem Empire (700-1380), whose flag depicts the green silhouette of a tree on a white field. The court moved because of external attacks and established the Bornu Empire (1380-1900). Their flag was a quarter moon on a brown background.

Europeans came to Africa and established colonies. Chad became part of French Equatorial Africa from 1900 to 1959, along with Congo, Gabon, and the Central African Republic. The French flag flew over these lands. From 1940-1944, Charles de Gaulle led a government-in-exile called Free France while the Nazis occupied the country. French colonies in Africa adopted their flag featuring the Cross of Lorraine.

After World War II, Chad shifted from a colony to an overseas territory. Locals could elect representatives to the National Assemblies of France and Chad. In 1958, the former French colonies created an association called the French Community. Its flag has a square field with blue, white, and red bars with a gold border.

In 1959, the Chad assembly adopted a flag for the new republic: a tricolor with blue, gold, and red. They retained it as the state flag upon the declaration of independence in 1960 under the first president, Francois Tombalbaye.

5. Flag Facts

The flags of Chad and Romania are nearly identical. Both are vertical tricolors of blue, yellow, and red. The controversy prompted Chad to ask the United Nations to intervene in 2004, but the status quo remains. Ion Iliescu, then-president of Romania, insisted on keeping their flag. The country has been using it since 1866.

The Romanian flag changed slightly after World War II as communists added an emblem at the center. It means that the flag of Chad was not identical at the time of its adoption. However, Romania reverted to the prewar version after the overthrow of the communist government in 1989, hence the current dilemma.

Chad – the country at a glance