PEOPLE
There are more than 200 ethnic groups in Chad. Those in the north and east are generally Muslim; most southerners are Christians or animists. Through their long religious and commercial relationships with Sudan and Egypt, many of the peoples in Chad's eastern and central regions have become more or less Arabized, speaking Arabic and engaging in many other Arab cultural practices as well. More than three-quarters of the Chadian population is rural. Near the eastern border there are over 250,000 refugees from the Sudanese conflict in Darfur and 56,000 Central African Republic refugees in the south. Due to internal rebel activity, there are also approximately 185,000 internally displaced persons in Chad.
Nationality: Noun and adjective--Chadian(s).
Population (July 2008 est.): 10,111,337.
Annual growth rate (2008 est.): 2.195%.
Density: 6.6 per sq. km. (17 per sq. mi.).
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.
Religions: Muslim 51%, Christian 35%, animist 7%, other indigenous beliefs 7%.
Languages: French and Arabic (official); Sara (in the south), more than 120 indigenous Chadian languages and dialects.
Education: Years compulsory--6. Attendance--primary school 68% (1998); secondary school 5.5% (1995); higher education n/a. Literacy (age 15 and over can read and write French or Arabic, 2003 est.)--48%.
Health: Life expectancy (2007 est.)--47.43 years. Infant mortality rate (2008 est.)--100.36 deaths/1,000 live births.
Work force (2006 est.)--3.747 million. Agriculture--more than 80%; largely subsistence agriculture.
