Chari River

---

title: "Chari River" type: doc version: 1 created: 2026-02-28 author: "Wikipedia contributors" status: active scope: public tags: ["chari-river", "international-rivers-of-africa", "rivers-of-cameroon", "rivers-of-the-central-african-republic", "rivers-of-chad", "lake-chad", "cameroon–chad-border"] description: "River in Central Africa" topic_path: "general/chari-river" source: "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chari_River" license: "CC BY-SA 4.0" wikipedia_page_id: 0 wikipedia_revision_id: 0

::summary River in Central Africa ::

::data[format=table title="Infobox river"]

Field	Value
name	Chari
image	Chari River.jpg
map	Charirivermap.png
map_caption	Map showing the Chari River drainage basin.
subdivision_type1	Countries
subdivision_name1	Central African Republic, Chad, Cameroon
length	1400 km
discharge1_location	N'djamena
discharge1_min	8 m3/s
discharge1_avg	1059 m3/s
discharge1_max	4846 m3/s
source1	Bamingui
source1_location	Mbolo, Central African Republic
source1_coordinates
source1_elevation	549 m
source2	Gribingui
source2_location	Mbrès, Central African Republic
source2_coordinates
source2_elevation	631 m
mouth	Lake Chad
mouth_location	Kinziyakeu, Cameroon
mouth_coordinates
mouth_elevation	281 m
basin_size	548747 km2
tributaries_left	Logone River
::

| name = Chari | name_native = | name_native_lang = | name_other = | name_etymology = | nickname = | image = Chari River.jpg | image_size = | image_caption = | image_alt = | map = Charirivermap.png | map_size = | map_caption = Map showing the Chari River drainage basin. | map_alt = | pushpin_map = | pushpin_map_size = | pushpin_map_caption= | pushpin_map_alt = | subdivision_type1 = Countries | subdivision_name1 = Central African Republic, Chad, Cameroon | subdivision_type2 = | subdivision_name2 = | subdivision_type3 = | subdivision_name3 = | subdivision_type4 = | subdivision_name4 = | subdivision_type5 = | subdivision_name5 = | length = 1400 km | width_min = | width_avg = | width_max = | depth_min = | depth_avg = | depth_max = | discharge1_location= N'djamena | discharge1_min = 8 m3/s | discharge1_avg = 1059 m3/s | discharge1_max = 4846 m3/s | source1 = Bamingui | source1_location = Mbolo, Central African Republic | source1_coordinates= | source1_elevation = 549 m | source2 = Gribingui | source2_location = Mbrès, Central African Republic | source2_coordinates= | source2_elevation = 631 m | mouth = Lake Chad | mouth_location = Kinziyakeu, Cameroon | mouth_coordinates = | mouth_elevation = 281 m | progression = | river_system = | basin_size = 548747 km2 | basin_landmarks = | basin_population = | tributaries_left = Logone River | tributaries_right = | waterbodies = | waterfalls = | bridges = | ports = | custom_label = | custom_data = | extra = ::figure[src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/3/3c/View_of_Chari.jpg" caption="Chari River"] ::

The Chari River, or Shari River, is a 1400 km long river, flowing in Central Africa. It is the main source of water of Lake Chad, which is located at the junction of four countries: Nigeria, Niger, Chad, and Cameroon.

Geography

The Chari River flows from the Central African Republic through Chad into Lake Chad, following the Cameroon border from N'Djamena, where it is joined by its western and principal tributary, the Logone River.

It provides 90 percent of the water flowing into Lake Chad. The watershed of the river covers 548747 km2. The principal tributary is the Logone River, while minor tributaries include the Bahr Salamat, Bahr Sah, Bahr Aouk and Bahr Kéita.

Much of Chad's population, including Sarh and the capital N'Djamena, is concentrated around it.

As of 2016, Chad remains one of four countries where Guinea worm disease remains endemic. The majority of remaining cases are concentrated around the Chari River.

The river supports an important local fishing industry. One of the most highly prized local fish is the Nile perch.

Since the 1960s, there have been proposals to divert water from the Ubangi River to the Chari to revitalize Lake Chad, which would constitute a reversal of the capture of the upper Ubangi from the Chari by the Congo River that is believed to have occurred in the early Pleistocene.

History

The Sao people are said to have lived by this river.

The Chari River basin has been populated by diverse speakers of the Chadic languages, Adamawa languages, Ubangian languages, Bongo-Bagirmi languages.

References

References

1. "GRDC station information for Njamena (Fort Lamy)".
2. "Chari River {{!}} river, Africa". Encyclopedia Britannica.
3. See Cooper, John E. and Hull, Gordon; ''Gorilla Pathology and Health: With a Catalogue of Preserved Materials'', p. 371 {{ISBN. 9780128020395
4. (2000). "Friction-stir welding of aluminum alloy 2024 to silver". Journal of Materials Science Letters.

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