Sarh

Sarh is the main city of southern Chad, set on the Chari in the cotton belt, and the industry that grew around the crop shaped the town: ginning works, warehouses and the housing that went with them. A regional museum holds ethnographic material from the southern peoples, including the Sara who make up much of the population. The river runs wide here and Manda National Park lies just outside the town.

Background

Sarh, capital of the Moyen-Chari Region, is Chad's third largest city after N'Djamena and Moundou, with 103,269 people in 2012. It stands on the Chari River, 563 kilometres from N'Djamena by road, at an elevation of 347 metres. Émile Gentil founded it in 1897 as Fort Archambault, and it took the name Sarh in 1972. A large textiles complex was built here in 1967. The city lives from cotton and fishing and has a large open market at its centre, an airport, a cathedral, the Grande Mosquée and two universities. It receives 969.3 mm of rain a year, with 243.7 mm in August.

Source: Wikipedia, "Sarh"

What's there

• The cotton works - the ginning and warehouse buildings the industry left.
• The regional museum - the ethnographic collection from the southern peoples.
• The Chari - the river running wide past the city.
• The park access - Manda National Park immediately outside the town.

When to go

November to February is the cool dry season. The rains from June are heavier here than in the north. March to May is very hot.

Good to know

The museum keeps irregular hours and has been closed for long periods. The city has limited facilities for visitors. The road from N'Djamena is long.

Nearby

Manda National Park is nearby, and Lake Iro is east.

Key facts