Chad 24°E. Chad is bounded to the north by Libya, to the east by Sudan, to the west by Niger, Nigeria and Cameroon, and to the south by the Central African Republic. The country's capital is from the nearest seaport, Douala, Cameroon. Because of this distance from the sea and the country's largely desert climate, Chad is sometimes referred to as the "Dead Heart of Africa". The dominant physical structure is a wide basin bounded to the north and east by the Ennedi Plateau and Tibesti Mountains, which include Emi Koussi, a dormant volcano that reaches above sea level. Lake Chad,
Rail transport in Chad N'Djamena to Moundou and Koutéré on the Cameroon border (528 km), and one from the capital to the border with Sudan (836 km) via Abéché and Adré. The lines are to be built to standard gauge and for 120 km/h running, and equipment for the line will be sourced in China. Rail transport in Chad Up to 2012 Chad had no rail system. Two lines are planned to Sudan and Cameroon from the capital with construction expected to start in February 2016 and be complete in 4 years. A 1905 book describes the history of a German railroad syndicate's exploration