Official name: Republic of Chad
Conventional name: Chad
Local name:Republique du Tchad / Jumhuriyat Tshad

Nationality
Noun: Chadian(s)
Adjective: Chadian

Capital city: N'Djamena
Major cities: Moundou, Abeche, Sarh

Population: 9,885,661
Ethnic groups: 200 distinct groups. In the north and center, Gorane (Toubou, Daza, Kreda), Zaghawa, Kanembou, Ouaddai, Arabs, Baguirmi, Hadjerai, Fulbe, Kotoko, Hausa, Boulala, and Maba, most of whom are Muslim.

In the south, Sara (Ngambaye, Mbaye, Goulaye), Moudang, Moussei, Massa, most of whom are Christian or animist. About 1,000 French citizens live in Chad.
Languages: French and Arabic (official); Sara (in the south), more than 120 indigenous Chadian languages and dialects.
Religion: Muslim 53.1%, Catholic 20.1%, Protestant 14.2%, animist 7.3%, other 0.5%, unknown 1.7%, atheist 3.1% (1993 census).

Independence: 11 August 1960, from France

Government
President: Lieutenant-General Idriss Déby Itno (MPS)
Prime Minister: Delwa Kassiré Koumakoye (Viva RNDP)
Cabinet appointed by president on the recommendation of prime minister
Last election: 3 May 2006
Next election: May 2011

Major Political parties
Mouvement Patriotique de Salut (MPS, Patriotic Salvation Movement)
Rassemblement National pour le Développement et le Progrès (Viva RNDP, Viva Rally for Development and Progress)
Front des Forces d'Action pour la République (FAR, Action Forces Front for the Republic)
Rassemblement pour la Démocratie et le Progrès (RDP, Rally for Democracy and Progress)

HIV Prevalence: 4.8% (2003 estimate)

^{Data source: Public domain data from US Department of State Background Notes and CIA The World Factbook}