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,
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