Transport in Chad
Encyclopedia
Transport infrastructure within Chad
is generally poor, especially in the north and east of the country. There are no railways and river transport is limited to the south-west corner.
Roads are mostly unsurfaced and are likely to be impassable during the wet season
, especially in the southern half of the country. In the north, roads are merely tracks across the desert
and land mines continue to present a danger. Draft animals (horse
s, donkey
s and camel
s) remain important in much of the country.
Fuel supplies can be erratic, even in the south-west of the country, and are expensive. Elsewhere they are practically non-existent.
.
under construction Sudan
Central African Republic
- no Cameroon
- Nigeria
- Niger
- no
33,400 km
paved:
Approximately 500 km. Some, but not all of the roads in N'Djamena are paved. The country has one paved road outside of N'Djamena, which runs from Massakory in the north, through N'Djamena and then south, through the cities of Guelendeng, Bongor, Kelo and Moundou, with a short spur leading in the direction of Kousseri, Cameroon, near N'Djamena. Expansion of the road towards Cameroon via Pala and Lere is reportedly in the preparatory stages.
unpaved:
33,133 km (1999 est.)
, between N’Djamena and Lake Chad
, transportation is possible all year round. In September and October, the Logone is navigable between N’Djamena and Moundou
, and the Shari
between N’Djamena and Sarh. Total waterways cover 4,800 km (3,000 mi), of which 2,000 km (1,250 mi) are navigable all year.
note: Chari and Logone Rivers are navigable only in wet season (2002). Both flow northwards, from the south of Chad, into Lake Chad
.
to offshore oil-loading facilities on Cameroon
's Atlantic
coast at
Kribi
. http://web.worldbank.org/WBSITE/EXTERNAL/COUNTRIES/AFRICAEXT/EXTREGINI/EXTCHADCAMPIPELINE/0,,contentMDK:20516071~menuPK:843292~pagePK:64168445~piPK:64168309~theSitePK:843238,00.html
)
Chad's main routes to the sea are:-
In colonial times, the main access was by road to Bangui
, in the Central African Republic
, then by river boat to Brazzaville
, and onwards by rail from Brazzaville to Pointe Noire, on Congo's Atlantic coast. This route is now little used.
There is also a route across Sudan
, to the Red Sea
, but very little trade goes this way.
Links with Niger
, north of Lake Chad, are practically nonexistent; it is easier to reach Niger via Cameroon and Nigeria.
, which is partly owned by Chad. Another major airport, developed as a military staging area, is located at Sarh
. In 2003, scheduled airlines in Chad carried about 46,000 passengers on domestic and international flights.
6
over 3,047 m:
2
2,438 to 3,047 m:
3
1,524 to 2,437 m:
1
914 to 1,523 m:
1
under 914 m:
0 (2003 est.)
List of airports with paved runways:
total:
53
1,524 to 2,437 m:
13
914 to 1,523 m:
20
under 914 m:
10 (2003 est.)
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...
is generally poor, especially in the north and east of the country. There are no railways and river transport is limited to the south-west corner.
Roads are mostly unsurfaced and are likely to be impassable during the wet season
Wet season
The the wet season, or rainy season, is the time of year, covering one or more months, when most of the average annual rainfall in a region occurs. The term green season is also sometimes used as a euphemism by tourist authorities. Areas with wet seasons are dispersed across portions of the...
, especially in the southern half of the country. In the north, roads are merely tracks across the desert
Desert
A desert is a landscape or region that receives an extremely low amount of precipitation, less than enough to support growth of most plants. Most deserts have an average annual precipitation of less than...
and land mines continue to present a danger. Draft animals (horse
Horse
The horse is one of two extant subspecies of Equus ferus, or the wild horse. It is a single-hooved mammal belonging to the taxonomic family Equidae. The horse has evolved over the past 45 to 55 million years from a small multi-toed creature into the large, single-toed animal of today...
s, donkey
Donkey
The donkey or ass, Equus africanus asinus, is a domesticated member of the Equidae or horse family. The wild ancestor of the donkey is the African Wild Ass, E...
s and camel
Camel
A camel is an even-toed ungulate within the genus Camelus, bearing distinctive fatty deposits known as humps on its back. There are two species of camels: the dromedary or Arabian camel has a single hump, and the bactrian has two humps. Dromedaries are native to the dry desert areas of West Asia,...
s) remain important in much of the country.
Fuel supplies can be erratic, even in the south-west of the country, and are expensive. Elsewhere they are practically non-existent.
Railways
Chad has no railways yet, but Libya is contemplating extending its naiscent railway network to sub-Saharan Africa, perhaps via Chad on its way to other countries. This link would be standard gauge . Another line proposed in 2011 goes from Chad to Port SudanPort Sudan
Port Sudan is the capital of Red Sea State, Sudan; it has 489,725 residents . Located on the Red Sea, it is the Republic of Sudan's main port city.-History:...
.
Rail links in Adjacent countries
LibyaTransport in Libya
-Railways:Libya has had no railway in operation since 1965, all previous narrow gauge lines having been dismantled. Plans for a new network have been under development for some time , and in 2008 and 2009 various contracts were placed and construction work started on a standard gauge railway...
under construction Sudan
Transport in Sudan
Transport in Sudan during the early 1990s included an extensive railroad system that served the more important populated areas except in the far south, a meager road network , a natural inland waterway—the Nile River and its tributaries—and a national airline that provided both...
Central African Republic
Transport in the Central African Republic
- Railways :There are no railways in the Central African Republic.A line from Cameroon port of Kribi to Bangui was proposed in 2002.- Highways :In 2002, the country had 23,810 km of roads, of which only 429 km were paved...
- no Cameroon
Transport in Cameroon
- Railways :Railways in Cameroon are operated by Camrail, a subsidiary of French investment group Bolloré. As of 2008, the country had an estimated 987 km of gauge track....
- Nigeria
Transport in Nigeria
Decaying infrastructure is one of the deficiencies that Nigeria’s National Economic Empowerment Development Strategy seeks to address. The government has begun to repair the country’s poorly maintained road network. Because Nigeria’s railways are in a parlous condition, the government is trying...
- Niger
Transport in Niger
Transport in Niger is crucial to the economy of this vast landlocked nation, with cities separated by huge uninhabited deserts, mountain ranges, and other natural features. A poor nation, Niger's transport system was little developed during the colonial period , relying upon animal transport,...
- no
Maps
Highways
total:33,400 km
paved:
Approximately 500 km. Some, but not all of the roads in N'Djamena are paved. The country has one paved road outside of N'Djamena, which runs from Massakory in the north, through N'Djamena and then south, through the cities of Guelendeng, Bongor, Kelo and Moundou, with a short spur leading in the direction of Kousseri, Cameroon, near N'Djamena. Expansion of the road towards Cameroon via Pala and Lere is reportedly in the preparatory stages.
unpaved:
33,133 km (1999 est.)
Waterways
Most rivers flow but intermittently. On the ChariChari River
The Chari or Shari River is a 949-kilometer-long river of central Africa. It flows from the Central African Republic through Chad into Lake Chad, following the Cameroon border from N'Djamena, where it joins the Logone River waters....
, between N’Djamena and Lake Chad
Lake Chad
Lake Chad is a historically large, shallow, endorheic lake in Africa, whose size has varied over the centuries. According to the Global Resource Information Database of the United Nations Environment Programme, it shrank as much as 95% from about 1963 to 1998; yet it also states that "the 2007 ...
, transportation is possible all year round. In September and October, the Logone is navigable between N’Djamena and Moundou
Moundou
Moundou is the second largest city in Chad, and is the capital of the region of Logone Occidental.The city lies on the Logone River some 475 kilometres south of the capital N'Djamena. It is the main city of the Ngambai people...
, and the Shari
Shari
Shari may refer to:In Bonsai* Shari, the Deadwood bonsai techniquesIn Japanese cooking* Shari, flavored rice used in making Sushi- Geography :* Mount Shari, a quaternary stratovolcano* Shari, Hokkaidō, Japan...
between N’Djamena and Sarh. Total waterways cover 4,800 km (3,000 mi), of which 2,000 km (1,250 mi) are navigable all year.
note: Chari and Logone Rivers are navigable only in wet season (2002). Both flow northwards, from the south of Chad, into Lake Chad
Lake Chad
Lake Chad is a historically large, shallow, endorheic lake in Africa, whose size has varied over the centuries. According to the Global Resource Information Database of the United Nations Environment Programme, it shrank as much as 95% from about 1963 to 1998; yet it also states that "the 2007 ...
.
Pipelines
Since 2003, a 1,070 km pipeline has been used to export crude oil from the oilfields around DobaDoba
Doba is a city in Chad, the capital of the region of Logone Oriental.Exploitation of oil resources in the vicinity of Doba is expected to produce economic benefits.The town is served by Doba Airport.-Demographics:...
to offshore oil-loading facilities on Cameroon
Cameroon
Cameroon, officially the Republic of Cameroon , is a country in west Central Africa. It is bordered by Nigeria to the west; Chad to the northeast; the Central African Republic to the east; and Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, and the Republic of the Congo to the south. Cameroon's coastline lies on the...
's Atlantic
Atlantic Ocean
The Atlantic Ocean is the second-largest of the world's oceanic divisions. With a total area of about , it covers approximately 20% of the Earth's surface and about 26% of its water surface area...
coast at
KribiKribi
-Location:The coastal town of Kribi lies on the Gulf of Guinea, in Océan Department, South Province, at the mouth of the Kienké River. This location, lies approximately , by road, south of Douala, the loargest city in Cameroon and the busiest seaport in the country...
. http://web.worldbank.org/WBSITE/EXTERNAL/COUNTRIES/AFRICAEXT/EXTREGINI/EXTCHADCAMPIPELINE/0,,contentMDK:20516071~menuPK:843292~pagePK:64168445~piPK:64168309~theSitePK:843238,00.html
Seaports and harbors
None (landlockedLandlocked
A landlocked country is a country entirely enclosed by land, or whose only coastlines lie on closed seas. There are 48 landlocked countries in the world, including partially recognized states...
)
Chad's main routes to the sea are:-
- From N'DjamenaN'DjamenaN'Djamena is the capital and largest city of Chad. A port on the Chari River, near the confluence with the Logone River, it directly faces the Cameroonian town of Kousséri, to which the city is connected by a bridge. It is also a special statute region, divided in 10 arrondissements. It is a...
and the south west of Chad:- By road to NgaoundéréNgaoundéréNgaoundéré or N'Gaoundéré is the capital of the Adamawa Region of Cameroon. It had a population of 152,698 . It lies at the northern end of the railway to Yaoundé and is also home to an airport. The current city was founded in approximately 1835 by the Fulani leader Ardo Njobdi, although the...
, in Cameroon, and then by rail to DoualaDoualaDouala is the largest city in Cameroon and the capital of Cameroon's Littoral Province. Home to Cameroon's largest port and its major international airport, Douala International Airport, it is the commercial capital of the country... - By road to MaiduguriMaiduguriMaiduguri, also fondly called Yerwa by its locals, is the capital and the largest city of Borno State in north-eastern Nigeria. The city sits along the seasonal Ngadda River which disappears into the Firki swamps in the areas around Lake Chad...
, in NigeriaNigeriaNigeria , officially the Federal Republic of Nigeria, is a federal constitutional republic comprising 36 states and its Federal Capital Territory, Abuja. The country is located in West Africa and shares land borders with the Republic of Benin in the west, Chad and Cameroon in the east, and Niger in...
, and then by rail to Port Harcourt
- By road to Ngaoundéré
- From the north and east of Chad:
- By road across the SaharaSaharaThe Sahara is the world's second largest desert, after Antarctica. At over , it covers most of Northern Africa, making it almost as large as Europe or the United States. The Sahara stretches from the Red Sea, including parts of the Mediterranean coasts, to the outskirts of the Atlantic Ocean...
desert to LibyaLibyaLibya is an African country in the Maghreb region of North Africa bordered by the Mediterranean Sea to the north, Egypt to the east, Sudan to the southeast, Chad and Niger to the south, and Algeria and Tunisia to the west....
- By road across the Sahara
In colonial times, the main access was by road to Bangui
Bangui
-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...
, in the Central African Republic
Central African Republic
The Central African Republic , is a landlocked country in Central Africa. It borders Chad in the north, Sudan in the north east, South Sudan in the east, the Democratic Republic of the Congo and the Republic of the Congo in the south, and Cameroon in the west. The CAR covers a land area of about ,...
, then by river boat to 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...
, and onwards by rail from Brazzaville to Pointe Noire, on Congo's Atlantic coast. This route is now little used.
There is also a route across Sudan
Sudan
Sudan , officially the Republic of the Sudan , is a country in North Africa, sometimes considered part of the Middle East politically. It is bordered by Egypt to the north, the Red Sea to the northeast, Eritrea and Ethiopia to the east, South Sudan to the south, the Central African Republic to the...
, to the Red Sea
Red Sea
The Red Sea is a seawater inlet of the Indian Ocean, lying between Africa and Asia. The connection to the ocean is in the south through the Bab el Mandeb strait and the Gulf of Aden. In the north, there is the Sinai Peninsula, the Gulf of Aqaba, and the Gulf of Suez...
, but very little trade goes this way.
Links with 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...
, north of Lake Chad, are practically nonexistent; it is easier to reach Niger via Cameroon and Nigeria.
Airports
Chad had an estimated 50 airports in 2004, only 7 of which had paved runways as of 2005. Air Tchad (60 percent state owned) provides internal service to 12 locations but suffers from lack of fuel and equipment. The international airport at N’Djamena was damaged in fighting in 1981, but is now served by several international carriers including Air AfriqueAir Afrique
Air Afrique was a Pan-African airline, that was mainly owned by many West African countries for most of its history. It was established as the official transnational carrier for francophone West and Central Africa, because many of these countries did not have the capability to create and maintain a...
, which is partly owned by Chad. Another major airport, developed as a military staging area, is located at Sarh
Sarh
Sarh is the third largest city in Chad, after N'Djamena and Moundou. It is the capital of Moyen-Chari region and the department of Barh Köh. It lies 350 miles south-east of the capital Ndjamena on the Chari River...
. In 2003, scheduled airlines in Chad carried about 46,000 passengers on domestic and international flights.
Airports - with paved runways
total:6
over 3,047 m:
2
2,438 to 3,047 m:
3
1,524 to 2,437 m:
1
914 to 1,523 m:
1
under 914 m:
0 (2003 est.)
List of airports with paved runways:
- AbecheAbéché-Demographics:Demographic evolution:-References:...
- Bol, ChadBol, ChadBol is a city in Chad, the capital of the region of Lac near Lake Chad. The town is served by Bol Airport , which has a paved runway.-Demographics:-External links:*...
- Faya-LargeauFaya-LargeauLocated in the Sahara, Faya's climate is classed as hot desert on the Köppen climate classification. It experiences hot winters and very hot summers with the peak average maximum temperature reaching in May and the average minimum reaching its lowest in January at . Rainfall averages out at about...
- MaoMao, ChadMao is a city in Chad, the capital of the Kanem Region and of the department also named Kanem.As in other Chadian regions, Mao is ruled by both a traditional Sultan and by central government officials...
- MoundouMoundouMoundou is the second largest city in Chad, and is the capital of the region of Logone Occidental.The city lies on the Logone River some 475 kilometres south of the capital N'Djamena. It is the main city of the Ngambai people...
- N'DjamenaN'Djamena International AirportN'Djamena International Airport , serves N'Djamena, Chad, and is the main international airport of Chad.The airport is dual use, with civilian and military installations on opposite sides of the single runway.- Military base :...
Airports - with unpaved runways
total:
53
1,524 to 2,437 m:
13
914 to 1,523 m:
20
under 914 m:
10 (2003 est.)