Mao, Chad

Mao مؤ
City
Oasis town of Mao
Mao Location in Chad
Coordinates: 14°07′10″N 15°18′48″E
Country	Chad
Region	Kanem
Department	Kanem
Sub-Prefecture	Mao
Elevation	1,112 ft (339 m)
Population  (2019)
• Total	50,000
Time zone	UTC+01:00 (WAT)

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Mao (Arabic: مؤ) is a city in Chad, the capital of the Kanem Region and of the department also named Kanem. It is the 16th most populous city in Chad, and is located 226 km (140 mi) north-northeast of N'Djamena.

On the border of the Sahara, Mao's geography is marked by sand dunes and sparse vegetation. A large majority of Mao's residents are Muslim. There are two Christian churches (one Catholic and one Protestant) in Mao.

As in other Chadian regions, Mao is ruled by both a traditional Sultan and by central government officials. The Sultan of Kanem, who resides in Mao, is the traditional chief of the Kanembou people. Moves toward decentralisation have been stymied by the complex and sometimes tense relationships between traditional rulers in Chad and national authorities.