Introduction to N'Djamena

N'Djamena is the capital of Chad. N'Djamena was founded as Fort-Lamy by the French in 1900. Its name was changed to N'Djamena in 1973. It was partly sacked in the civil war of the late 1970s. A port on the Chari River, the city is primarily an administrative center. The city lies across the Chari River from Cameroon to which it is linked by a bridge.

In addition to being the national capital, it is also the capital of Chari-Baguirmi prefecture. N'Djamena is located at 12°6'47" North, 15°2'57" East (12.113056, 15.049167). It is the largest city in the nation and is divided into the Nassara Strip commercial centre and the residential areas of Chagoua, Paris Congo and Moursal. It is also a regional market for livestock, salt, dates, and grains. Meat processing is the chief industry.

Attractions in the city include the Chad National Museum. It has schools of administration and veterinary medicine and an international airport. N'Djamena had a population of 594,000, as per a 1996 estimate.