Culture

Chad is a multicultural country with a fascinating and vibrant culture. There are still around 200 different ethnic groups in the nation, notwithstanding the influence of French colonial control on their modern civilization. They still live and function independently despite numerous attempts to bring them together. Major tribes are divided into groups based on where they reside, with the predominantly Christian Sara people living in the south and Muslim nomadic tribes dominating the north. There are both sedentary and nomadic inhabitants of the Sahel region in central Chad.

The government does not provide much funding for the arts, however there are a few independent galleries in N'Djamena that are supported and maintained by artists. Every ethnic group has an own literary history. There are several books and publications in Arabic, although the majority of the city's writing is in French. There are typically no performing arts, although religious ceremonies are widespread.

Although Chadians are often laid-back and courteous, they do expect visitors to respect their traditions and beliefs. To honor the Muslim laws, attire is casual but conservative. Men and women are rigidly separated in Muslim countries. It is usual to shake hands, and neither accepting nor presenting food should be done with the left hand.