Lake Chad the Yobe River in Nigeria/Niger. Despite high levels of evaporation, the lake is fresh water. Over half of the lake's area is taken up by its many small islands (including the Bogomerom archipelago), reedbeds and mud banks, and a belt of swampland across the middle divides the northern and southern halves. The shorelines are largely composed of marshes. Because Lake Chad is very shallow—only at its deepest—its area is particularly sensitive to small changes in average depth, and consequently it also shows seasonal fluctuations in size. Lake Chad has no apparent outlet, but its waters percolate into the Soro and
Chad–Cameroon Petroleum Development and Pipeline Project human trafficking. Oil exploitation is estimated at a potential 1.5 billion barrels, and Chinese companies are currently developing an oil refinery and another pipeline in the country. The Tchad Oil Transportation Company (TOTCO) manages the pipeline within Chad that is owned by the country. TOTCO is incorporated in Tchad, and is a joint venture between Chad and the Upstream Consortium. The Republic of Cameroon has been ruled by President Paul Biya since November 6, 1982. A relatively peaceful and stable nation, Cameroon is a republic with a multiparty presidential regime. Although there are presidential elections every seven years, there are