Chad

 CHAD

A. THE COUNTRY

The Republic of Chad is a landlocked country in central Africa.  It is
one of the poorest and most corrupt in the world.  The current
Presidential regime pays lip service to democracy.  It is noted for
violence, corruption and tribalism, heavily favouring the Zaghawa.  The
constant threat of bandits and rebel groups – from within Chad and from
Darfur, Sudan – further destabilizes the situation.  80% of the people
engage in subsistence farming and raising livestock.  Lack of rainfall,
severe drought, distance from the sea, and poor infrastructure hinder
economic progress.  There is some mineral wealth, and significant oil
deposits that boost the economy somewhat.

A. THE PEOPLE

The population is ~11,512,000 and official languages French (spoken by
the educated) and Arabic (~30% speak it fluently).  Chad is home to ~200
different ethnic and linguistic groups.  Refugees from Darfur, numbering
up to 250,000 live in and around camps in eastern Chad.
~23.8% are Sara-Bagirmi, ~17.9% Chadic, ~14.1% Kanurl-Saharan, ~12.7%
Ouaddai-Fur, ~7.3% Adamawa-Ubangi, ~4.4% Guera-Naba, ~2.9% Fulbe, ~2.4%
Other Sub-Saharan African, ~14.5% Arab, ~0.1% Other (Western).

C. RELIGIONS AND CHRISTIANITY/PENTECOSTALISM

Chad is a secular state with freedom of religion and the regime attempts
to preserve this.  Muslims are dominant in government, trade and the
army.  ~52.84% are Muslim, ~38.46% claim to be Christian, ~7.7%
Ethnoreligionist, ~0.8% Baha’i, ~0.1% Other, 0.1% Non-religious.
In the Christian category:
~21.29% are Catholic, ~9.25% Protestant, ~6.72% Unaffiliated, ~1.17%
Independent, ~0.02% are considered ‘marginal’.
Evangelicals represent ~10.1% of the population.
Charismatics represent ~2.3% and of those ~0.3% are Pentecostals.

Donna Siemens

References:

http://en.wikipedia.org

Operation World, Jason Mandryk. Colorado Springs: Biblica Publishing, 2010.