Tibesti (region)

The Tibesti Region is a province in the far northwest part of Chad. Its capital city is Bardaï. This region was created in 2008 when a larger area called the Borkou-Ennedi-Tibesti Region was divided into three smaller parts.

Tibesti is named after the Tibesti Mountains, a major mountain chain in the Sahara Desert. These mountains stand out in one of the world's driest places.

Tibesti is the least crowded region in Chad, meaning not many people live there. It is also the region with the lowest amount of money and goods produced, called GDP, in the whole country.

History

Ancient history

The rock paintings and engravings in Tibesti show us there was an ancient civilization from 25,000 BC. There are rock engravings near Zouar that show cows eating grass, which tells us the Sahara used to be wetter. The area has been home to the Toubou people for a long time.

Age of Colonisation

In 1869, Gustav Nachtigal was sent by a leader in Germany to meet the Sultan of Bornu. He was the first European to travel through the Tibesti region from Zouar to Bardaï. After his return, he wrote a book about his trip.

The capital, Bardaï, was taken over by the Ottoman Empire in 1908. The area became part of French rule during the late 19th century.

First Chadian Civil War

Claustre Affair

Main article: Claustre Affair

In 1974, during a time of trouble in Chad, some rebels captured a French archaeologist and two others near Bardaï. One of them was able to escape, and another was released after some money was paid.

Post-war

In the late 2000s to early 2010s, people found gold in the region, which caused some problems.

2021 offensive

Fighting began in the region on the day of the 2021 Chadian presidential election. Sadly, the president was killed while visiting the area.

Geography

The Tibesti Region is in the far northwest part of Chad. It shares borders with the Murzuq District in Libya to the north, Borkou Region to the east, and Diffa and Agadez Regions in Niger to the west. This area is the northernmost part of Chad and has very few people living there because it is part of the Sahara Desert. The region includes parts of the Tibesti Mountains and the Erg of Bilma, a big sandy area in the middle of the desert. Its northern edge is in the Aouzou Strip, a place that was once argued over by Chad and Libya.

Settlements

The main city, or capital, of the Tibesti Region is Bardaï. Other important places to live there include Aouzou, Goubonne, Wour, Zouar and Zoumri.

Demographics

The Tibesti Region had a population of 25,483 people according to the 2009 census in Chad. The main group of people there are the Tedaga and Toubou.

Subdivisions

The Tibesti region is split into two departments.