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 (horses, donkeys and camels) 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.
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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 (1,435 mm (4 ft 8 1⁄2 in)).[1] Another line proposed in 2011 goes from Chad to Port Sudan. [2]
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.)
Most rivers flow but intermittently. On the Chari, 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.
Since 2003, a 1,070 km pipeline has been used to export crude oil from the oilfields around Doba to offshore oil-loading facilities on Cameroon's Atlantic coast at Kribi. [1]
None (landlocked)
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.
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 Afrique, 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.
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:
total: 53
1,524 to 2,437 m: 13
914 to 1,523 m: 20
under 914 m: 10 (2003 est.)
This article incorporates public domain material from websites or documents of the CIA World Factbook.
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