Lake Chad: An Introduction
by Nicole Simon, contributing writer
Lake Chad and its surrounding areas are dynamic and complex with many factors and variables in play. This is the first in an article series that explores various aspects of past and present Lake Chad Basin in an effort to offer a more holistic understanding of current circumstances.
Lake Chad is located in the Sahel region of Africa, a transitional zone between the desert in the north and the savanna in the south. The lake itself is mainly located in western Chad and northern Cameroon, but also crosses borders into Nigeria and Niger. Sections of Central African Republic, Libya, Sudan and Algeria contain a small part of the outer Chad Basin. This transboundary water resource used to extend over a much larger region, but is now confined to a significantly smaller area.
In a semi arid environment bordering the dry and desolate Sahara Desert, Lake Chad, a shallow freshwater lake dotted with islands, stands out. It offers historically fertile land used for agriculture, grazing pastures for livestock farming and pastoralism, as well as an abundance of fish and minerals, in a place that typically precludes those practices. The livelihoods of the people that live near Lake Chad are heavily reliant on the resources it possesses. The delicate balance between the human population and the natural resources of Lake Chad remain incredibly crucial. Unsustainable resource use in the form of water management and livelihood practices has compromised the stability of the region.
Despite Lake Chad’s resources, the Sahel has historically experienced severe droughts off and on for centuries. Most recently, periods of severe drought and famine have plagued the Sahel throughout the late 20th century and into the 21st century.
Rich in resources with opportunity for trade and more advanced agriculture, Lake Chad has been the site of several ancient African kingdoms and civilizations in its past, resulting in a vast diversity of ethnic groups in the region. Many historic trade routes that still exist today pass through the Lake Chad Basin and throughout other areas of the Sahelian belt. The region is situated between the rich lands in Southern Africa and the fertile regions of Northern Africa which are closely located to Europe, the Middle East, and beyond. The location of the Sahel, mixed with favorable environmental conditions, created an ideal stopping point for traders about to cross the vast Sahara Desert and has played a key role in trans-Saharan trade for centuries. Some trade routes that pass horizontally through the Sahel also go through the Lake Chad Basin.
During the Berlin Conference (1884–1885), much of Africa was split up between European colonial powers through the creation of planned boundaries. European powers were seeking wealth in the area in terms of raw materials and control over trade, and were looking to exercise their power and maintain colonies for strategic advantage. The land surrounding Lake Chad was colonized in the early 20th century, the lake itself split up between multiple territories. The subsequent enforcement of these colonial borders divided up villages along the Lake Chad shoreline and islands. This disrupted trade, livelihood practices, and local governments established by the people living there. The borders of these countries only reflect colonial agreements and do not take into account ethnic groups or languages. The countries bordering the lake, Chad, Niger, Nigeria and Cameroon, all gained independence in 1960. The borders established by colonial powers remained intact post colonization; many of these boundaries are still the borders that exist today.
The confluence of people, location, environment and natural resources that make up Lake Chad all but guarantee that the area will involved in and affected by geopolitical forces for the foreseeable future. Understanding the general trends and variables that shape life in Lake Chad is essential to comprehending the specifics of current affairs.
-FWS
