Abéché
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Abéché (Template:Langx, Absha) is a city in central-eastern Chad and the capital of the Ouaddaï Region. By road it is Template:Convert northeast of the national capital of N'Djamena and Template:Convert northwest of Adre, on the border with Sudan. Surrounded by savanna, it is one of the largest cities in the country. It has a rich Islamic heritage, situated along the trans-Saharan trade route and is an important cattle raising centre, with the principal market in the country for camel exports and rugs. As of 2012 it had a population of 76,492 people.
The city contains the remnants of the ancient capital, including palaces, mosques, and the tombs of former sultans.<ref name=EB>Template:Cite encyclopedia</ref> The Grand Mosque on the central square (the Place de l'Indépendance), is one of the oldest and most significant mosques in the country, built in the 19th century. The city is served by Abéché Airport and contains the Lycee Franco-Arabe school.
History
From the early 19th century, Abéché was at the centre of the Islamic slave trade in Chad and an important city in the developing of the religion in the religion. Situated long the trans-Saharan trade route, many Islamic scholars and merchants travelled through the city.<ref name="iqra"/>
The city of Abéché was made capital of the Wadai Sultanate in the 1890s,<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> after the wells at Ouara, the former capital, had dried out.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> In 1909, French troops invaded the Kingdom and established a garrison in Abéché, forcing the sultan to renounce his throne.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> At that time, Abéché was the largest city in Chad with 28,000 people,<ref>Template:Cite book</ref> but major epidemics reduced the population to 6,000 in 1919.<ref>Template:Cite book</ref>
In 1935, the sultanate was restored by orders of the French government, and Muhammed Ouarada, heir to the throne after his father became king.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
On 25 November 2006, the city was taken by the Union of Forces for Democracy, a rebel group that sought to depose president Idriss Déby. Extensive looting took place during the night. On the same day, nearby Biltine was captured by the Rally of Democratic Forces, another rebel group. A day later, both cities were retaken by the Chadian army.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
On 30 October 2007, the city came to international attention when 17 French volunteers working for the charity Zoé's Ark were arrested there for alleged child abduction.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
Geography and climate
Abéché is situated in central-eastern Chad, and by road it is Template:Convert northeast of the national capital of N'Djamena, Template:Convert northwest of Adre, on the border with Sudan, and roughly Template:Convert southeast of Biltine.<ref>Template:Google maps</ref>
Abéché is the hottest major city in Chad.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> It gets 336 afternoons a year above Template:Convert. Its rainy season is in mid-year, from June to September. The hottest months are from March to June. Köppen-Geiger climate classification system classifies its climate as a hot arid climate (BWh) due to its extreme potential evapotranspiration. It is one of the hottest cities on earth with average year-round daily high of over Template:Convert, and an average daily mean of around Template:Convert.<ref name= NOAA/>
Demographics
Demographic evolution:
| Year | Population<ref>World Gazetteer: Chad Template:Webarchive</ref> |
|---|---|
| 1988 | 40,000 |
| 1993 | 54,628 |
| 2008 | 78,191 |
| 2012 | 76,492 |
Economy
The city is an important cattle raising centre.<ref name=EB/> The principal camel market in the country for exports,<ref>Template:Cite book</ref><ref>Template:Cite book</ref> the manufacture of camel-hair blankets is one of the industries of the area.<ref name=EB/> Abéché market is a thriving regional market, also known for its vegetables and fruit stalls, with onions and lettuce sold in abundance,<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> and spices, textiles, handmade crafts,<ref>Template:Cite book</ref> pottery and jewelry.<ref name="iqra"/>
Landmarks
Once one of the strongholds of the Arabic slave trade route, the city is known today for its markets, mosques, church, central square (the Place de l'Indépendance) and for its sultan's palace.<ref name=EB/> There are several notable Islamic structures in Abéché including the Grand Mosque on the central square, which is one of the oldest and most noteworthy mosques in the country, built in the 19th century, and the Wadi Fira Mosque, known for its minaret.<ref name="iqra">Template:Cite web</ref>
Transportation
It has major roads connecting it to the capital N'Djamena, as well as Sarh, and also to neighbouring Sudan.<ref name=EB/> The city is served by Abéché Airport which connects to city to N'Djamena and Faya-Largeau.<ref name="Launch">Template:Cite web</ref>
Education
The Lycee Franco-Arabe school is located here.<ref name=EB/>
Notable people
- Youssouf Saleh Abbas (born 1953), Chadian political figure who was Prime Minister of Chad 2008 to 2010
- Mahamat Ahmat Alhabo (born 1953), politician
- Khayar Oumar Defallah (born 1944), politician, writer and actor
- Pape Diouf (1951-2020), football manager in Senegal
- Arabi El Goni (1920-1973), politician
- Mahamat Saleh Haroun (born 1961), director
- Mahamat Djarma Khatir (born 1943), politician
- Abderrahman Izzo Miskine (1952-2010), politician
- Tallafe (born 1981), artist
- Abdelkerim Souleyman Terio (born 1978), historian and writer