Chad

Why children in Chad need your help

Over the past three decades, Chad has enduring civil war, invasions by Libya, and over two million refugees arrive from nearby Sudan. As a result, Chad's economy and living standards have suffered enormously, and it ranks as one of the ten most poor countries worldwide.

One-third of children under the age of five are underweight for their age, and almost 60 per cent of the population has no access to an improved water source. Around 80 per cent of familes live below the poverty line. Poor soil conditoins, and increasing desertification, make subsistence farming increasingly difficult.

Country facts

As one of its nearest neighbours, Chad has been impacted by the ongoing civil war and Darfur humanitarian crisis in the Sudan, with over two million refugees seeking refuge within the country and along its borders.

In addition, Chad continues to suffer from unrest internally, with ongoing tensions between the majority Muslim north and Christian/animist South.
However, a recent investment into the country's oil reserves looks set to improve economic conditions, and lessen the country's reliance on subsistence farming and livestock raising.

Population: 10 million
Capital: N'Djamena
Major languages: French (official), Arabic (official), Sara
Major religions: Islam, Christianity
Life expectancy: 47 years