Administrative divisions of Chad
Encyclopedia
The administrative divisions of Chad
have often changed since 1900, when the territory was first created by France
as part of its colonial empire
, with the name Territoire Militaire des pays et protectorats du Tchad. The first subdivision took place in 1910, when 9 circonscriptions were made, named départements (departments) in 1935 and régions (regions) in 1947. As for the regions, they were further divided in districts.
In 1960, immediately before independence, the régions became préfectures
(prefectures), and the districts instead sous-prefectures (sub-prefectures). The prefectures were in origin 11, later on raising to 14. In 1999 they were modified in 28 departments; this was ultimately changed in 2002, when 18 regions replaced them. As for the regions, they are divided in departments
, while the latter are divided in sub-prefectures
. Due to a series of splits in 2008, the regions have currently been raised to 22.
officially created the Territoire militaire des pays et protectorats du Tchad
as part of the growing French colonial empire
. The new territory was placed under the command of a Commissioner who answered to the High Commissioner of the French Congo
(called French Equatorial Africa
(AEF) after 1910), of which Chad was a circuscription.
In 1906 Chad was merged with the Oubangui-Chari
, becoming an autonomous territory within the Oubangui-Chari-Tchad colony, suppressed in 1916. In 1920 Chad was placed on an equal standing with the other AEF colonies (i. e. Gabon
, Oubangui-Chari and Middle Congo).
It was only in 1958, when Chad was granted territorial autonomy, that the country was separated from the AEF. Two years later Chad was to come full independence under the government of François Tombalbaye
and of the Chadian Progressive Party
.
of Kamerun
as part of the exchange for the French protectorate
over Morocco
. the area was retaken by France
in World War I
, and some years later, in 1922, the circumscription was restored and given back to Chad. On the other side Moyen-Chari was part of Oubangui-Chari from 1925 to 1933.
In 1914 a new circumscription was added with Borkou-Ennedi, renamed Borkou-Ennedi-Tibesti in 1930 when the Tibesti was passed from Niger
to Chad.
, who instead was under the Governor-General in Brazzaville
.
The circumscriptions of Chad took the name of departments and many of them were merged, while two departments, Logone (united with the Mayo-Kebbi) and Chari-Bangoran (Moyen-Chari and N'Délé
) were separated from Chad and placed directly under Bangui's administration.
In 1937 Chad was made fully independent from Bangui but the administrator was given the lesser rank of commandant. The following year his rank was increased to governeur (governor), reestablishing a full parity among the AEF colonies.
This is the situation of Chad on December 31, 1945 concerning departments and subdivisions:
Chad
Chad , officially known as the Republic of Chad, is a landlocked country in Central Africa. It is bordered by Libya to the north, Sudan to the east, the Central African Republic to the south, Cameroon and Nigeria to the southwest, and Niger to the west...
have often changed since 1900, when the territory was first created by France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
as part of its colonial empire
French colonial empires
The French colonial empire was the set of territories outside Europe that were under French rule primarily from the 17th century to the late 1960s. In the 19th and 20th centuries, the colonial empire of France was the second-largest in the world behind the British Empire. The French colonial empire...
, with the name Territoire Militaire des pays et protectorats du Tchad. The first subdivision took place in 1910, when 9 circonscriptions were made, named départements (departments) in 1935 and régions (regions) in 1947. As for the regions, they were further divided in districts.
In 1960, immediately before independence, the régions became préfectures
Prefectures of Chad
Chad was divided into 14 prefectures from 1960, the year of independence, to 1999, when the country was divided in 28 departments:A further reorganisation in 2002 divided the country into the current 18 regions.NB : Alphabetic order...
(prefectures), and the districts instead sous-prefectures (sub-prefectures). The prefectures were in origin 11, later on raising to 14. In 1999 they were modified in 28 departments; this was ultimately changed in 2002, when 18 regions replaced them. As for the regions, they are divided in departments
Departments of Chad
The regions of Chad are divided into 53 departments. The departments are listed below, by region:-Borkou-Ennedi-Tibesti Region:*Borkou*Ennedi Est*Ennedi Ouest*Tibesti-Chari-Baguirmi Region:*Baguirmi*Chari*Loug Chari-Logone Occidental Region:*Dodjé...
, while the latter are divided in sub-prefectures
Sub-prefectures of Chad
The departments of Chad are divided into 348 sub-prefectures .-See also:*Regions of Chad*Departments of Chad...
. Due to a series of splits in 2008, the regions have currently been raised to 22.
History
On September 5, 1900, a decree signed by the French President Émile LoubetÉmile Loubet
Émile François Loubet was a French politician and the 8th President of France.-Early life:He was born the son of a peasant proprietor and mayor of Marsanne . Admitted to the Parisian bar in 1862, he took his doctorate in law the next year...
officially created the Territoire militaire des pays et protectorats du Tchad
Colonial Chad
Chad was a part of the French colonial empire from 1900 to 1960. Colonial rule under the French began in 1900 when the Military Territory of Chad was established. From 1905, Chad was linked to the federation of French colonial possessions in Middle Africa, known from 1910 under the name of French...
as part of the growing French colonial empire
French colonial empires
The French colonial empire was the set of territories outside Europe that were under French rule primarily from the 17th century to the late 1960s. In the 19th and 20th centuries, the colonial empire of France was the second-largest in the world behind the British Empire. The French colonial empire...
. The new territory was placed under the command of a Commissioner who answered to the High Commissioner of the French Congo
French Congo
The French Congo was a French colony which at one time comprised the present-day area of the Republic of the Congo, Gabon, and the Central African Republic...
(called French Equatorial Africa
French Equatorial Africa
French Equatorial Africa or the AEF was the federation of French colonial possessions in Middle Africa, extending northwards from the Congo River to the Sahara Desert.-History:...
(AEF) after 1910), of which Chad was a circuscription.
In 1906 Chad was merged with the Oubangui-Chari
Oubangui-Chari
Oubangui-Chari, or Ubangi-Shari, was a French territory in central Africa which later became the independent Central African Republic . French activity in the area began in 1889 with the establishment of an outpost at Bangui, now the capital of CAR. The territory was named in 1894.In 1903, French...
, becoming an autonomous territory within the Oubangui-Chari-Tchad colony, suppressed in 1916. In 1920 Chad was placed on an equal standing with the other AEF colonies (i. e. Gabon
Gabon
Gabon , officially the Gabonese Republic is a state in west central Africa sharing borders with Equatorial Guinea to the northwest, Cameroon to the north, and with the Republic of the Congo curving around the east and south. The Gulf of Guinea, an arm of the Atlantic Ocean is to the west...
, Oubangui-Chari and Middle Congo).
It was only in 1958, when Chad was granted territorial autonomy, that the country was separated from the AEF. Two years later Chad was to come full independence under the government of François Tombalbaye
François Tombalbaye
François Tombalbaye, also called Ngarta Tombalbaye , was a teacher and a trade union activist who served as the first president of Chad. He was born in the southern region of the country in the Moyen-Chari Prefecture near the city of Koumara and was of the Sara ethnic group, the prominent ethnicity...
and of the Chadian Progressive Party
Chadian Progressive Party
The Chadian Progressive Party was the first African political party created in Chad, active from 1947 to 1973...
.
1910 - 9 Circumscriptions
The first Governor-General of French Equatorial Africa, Martial Merlin, built in 1910 for all the colonies he administered a two levels structure. Chad was divided in 9 circonscriptions (circumscriptions), with Fort-Lamy (today N'Djamena) as capital; two years later, as an underdivision of the regions, the subdivisions were introduced. The Mayo-Kebbi circumscription disappeared in 1911 when the left bank of the Logone River was ceded to the German colonyGerman colonial empire
The German colonial empire was an overseas domain formed in the late 19th century as part of the German Empire. Short-lived colonial efforts by individual German states had occurred in preceding centuries, but Imperial Germany's colonial efforts began in 1884...
of Kamerun
Kamerun
German Cameroon was a West African colony of the German Empire from 1884 to 1916 in the region of today's Republic of Cameroon.-History:-1800s:...
as part of the exchange for the French protectorate
French Morocco
French Protectorate of Morocco was a French protectorate in Morocco, established by the Treaty of Fez. French Morocco did not include the north of the country, which was a Spanish protectorate...
over Morocco
Morocco
Morocco , officially the Kingdom of Morocco , is a country located in North Africa. It has a population of more than 32 million and an area of 710,850 km², and also primarily administers the disputed region of the Western Sahara...
. the area was retaken by France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
in World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
, and some years later, in 1922, the circumscription was restored and given back to Chad. On the other side Moyen-Chari was part of Oubangui-Chari from 1925 to 1933.
In 1914 a new circumscription was added with Borkou-Ennedi, renamed Borkou-Ennedi-Tibesti in 1930 when the Tibesti was passed from Niger
Niger
Niger , officially named the Republic of Niger, is a landlocked country in Western Africa, named after the Niger River. It borders Nigeria and Benin to the south, Burkina Faso and Mali to the west, Algeria and Libya to the north and Chad to the east...
to Chad.
| N° | Circumscription | Capital |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Baguirmi | Tchekna (Massénya) |
| 2 | Bas-Chari | Fort-Lamy |
| 3 | Batha | Ati |
| 4 | Kanem | Mao |
| 5 | Logone | Behagle (Laï) |
| 6 | Mayo-Kebbi | Léré |
| 7 | Moyen-Chari | Fort-Archambault |
| 8 | Ouaddaï | Abéché |
| 9 | Salamat | Am Timan |
Centralization
In 1934 all the AEF was the object of a major administrative reorganization, known as Renard reform after the Governor-General Edouard Renard. Meant to cut down the maintainment costs and transform the AEF in an unitary colony divided in 4 regions. Chad was placed under a commandant de région who awnsered to the Governor-Delegate in BanguiBangui
-Law and government:Bangui is an autonomous commune of the Central African Republic. With an area of 67 km², it is by far the smallest high-level administrative division of the CAR in area but the highest in population...
, who instead was under the Governor-General in Brazzaville
Brazzaville
-Transport:The city is home to Maya-Maya Airport and a railway station on the Congo-Ocean Railway. It is also an important river port, with ferries sailing to Kinshasa and to Bangui via Impfondo...
.
The circumscriptions of Chad took the name of departments and many of them were merged, while two departments, Logone (united with the Mayo-Kebbi) and Chari-Bangoran (Moyen-Chari and N'Délé
N'Délé
N'Délé or Ndele is a market town and sub prefecture in the north eastern Central African Republic, lying east of the Bamingui-Bangoran National Park. Ndélé is the capital of Bamingui-Bangoran, one of the 14 prefectures of the Central African Republic....
) were separated from Chad and placed directly under Bangui's administration.
| N° | Department |
|---|---|
| 1 | Borkou-Ennedi-Tibesti |
| 2 | Chari-Baguirmi |
| 3 | Kanem-Batha |
| 4 | Ouaddaï-Salamat |
Decentralization
The radicality of these centralization measures proved themselves unsustainable, causing their reversion on the return to the previous structure of the AEF in 1936. In that year Logone and Moyen-Chari were returned to Chad while both Kanem-Batha and Chari-Baguirmi were split restoring the original 10 subdivisions. In 1944 the departments were brought to 9, when Bas-Chari and Baguirmi were merged back to recreate Chari-Baguirmi.In 1937 Chad was made fully independent from Bangui but the administrator was given the lesser rank of commandant. The following year his rank was increased to governeur (governor), reestablishing a full parity among the AEF colonies.
This is the situation of Chad on December 31, 1945 concerning departments and subdivisions:
| N° | Department | Subdivisions |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Batha | Ati, Mongo, Ouadi Rimé, Oum Hadjer |
| 2 | Borkou-Ennedi-Tibesti | Borkou, Ennedi, Tibesti |
| 3 | Chari-Baguirmi | Bokoro, Bousso, Fort-Lamy, Massakory, Massénya |
| 4 | Kanem | Bol, Mao, Moussoro, Rig Rig, Ziguei |
| 5 | Logone | Baïbokoum, Doba, Kélo, Laï, Moundou |
| 6 | Mayo-Kebbi | Bongor, Fianga, Léré, Pala |
| 7 | Moyen-Chari | Fort-Archambault, Koumra, Kyabé, Moissala |
| 8 | Ouaddaï | Abéché, Adré, Am Dam, Biltine, Goz Beida |
| 9 | Salamat | Am Timan, Mangueigne, Melfi-Aboudéia |
See also
- Departments of ChadDepartments of ChadThe regions of Chad are divided into 53 departments. The departments are listed below, by region:-Borkou-Ennedi-Tibesti Region:*Borkou*Ennedi Est*Ennedi Ouest*Tibesti-Chari-Baguirmi Region:*Baguirmi*Chari*Loug Chari-Logone Occidental Region:*Dodjé...
- Prefectures of ChadPrefectures of ChadChad was divided into 14 prefectures from 1960, the year of independence, to 1999, when the country was divided in 28 departments:A further reorganisation in 2002 divided the country into the current 18 regions.NB : Alphabetic order...
- Regions of ChadRegions of Chad||The country of Chad is currently divided into 22 régions. From independence in 1960 until 1999 it was divided into 14 préfectures. These were replaced in 1999 by 28 départements. The country was reorganized again in 2002 to produce 18 régions...
- Sub-prefectures of ChadSub-prefectures of ChadThe departments of Chad are divided into 348 sub-prefectures .-See also:*Regions of Chad*Departments of Chad...