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Chad

OFFICIAL NAME: Republic of Chad

DATE OF FORMATION: 1960

POPULATION: 8.9 million

DENSITY: 18 people per square mile

LANGUAGES: French, Sara, Arabic, Maba

RELIGIONS: Muslim 55%, Traditional beliefs 35%, Christian 10%

ETHNIC MIX: Nomads (Tuareg and Toubou) 38%, Sara 30%, Other 17%, Arab 15%

GOVERNMENT: Multiparty elections

CURRENCY: CFA franc

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Landlocked in north central Africa, Chad has had a turbulent history since independence from France in 1960. Intermittent periods of civil war, involving French and Libyan troops, followed a coup in 1975. Another coup in 1990 preceded a transition to multipartyism, enshrined in a new constitution. The tropical, cotton-producing south is the most populous region. The discovery of large oil reserves could potentially have a dramatic impact on the economy.