N'Djamena, population 213,342 (1993), is the capital of Chad. A port on the Chari River, the city is primarily an administrative center. It is also a regional market for livestock, salt, dates, and grains. Meat processing is the chief industry.
N'Djamena was founded as Fort-Lamy by the French in 1900. Its name was changed to N'Djamena in 1973.
The city has schools of administration and veterinary medicine and an international airport.
