Kanem was one of the 14 prefectures of Chad, located in the western part of the country. It was established on 13 February 1960 and disestablished on 1 September 1999, when Chad reorganized its administrative divisions. The prefecture was named after the historic Kanem Empire, which was centered in this vicinity.
Capital: Mao
Geography and Area:
- At its establishment in 1960, Kanem covered approximately 150,000 km².
- By 1993, its area had been reduced to 114,520 km², following the separation of Lac Prefecture on 29 October 1962.
Population:
- 1960: 215,133
- 1993: 279,927
Administrative Subdivisions (as of 1993): The prefecture was divided into three sub-prefectures: Mao, Moussoro, and Nokou.
History: Kanem was one of the original prefectures created under Chad's administrative system. In 2002, following the replacement of the prefecture system with regions, the former territory of Kanem Prefecture became part of the newly created Kanem Region. In 2008, a portion of that region (the Bahr el Gazel Department) was further split off to form the separate Bahr el Gazel Region.
