Kanem (region)

14°07′10″N 15°18′48″E / 14.1194°N 15.3133°E / 14.1194; 15.3133

Kanem
كانم
Map of Chad showing Kanem.
Map of Chad showing Kanem.
CountryChad
Departments3
Sub-prefectures10
Regional capitalMao
Government
 • GovernorNgamai Djari (2008)
Population
 (2009)
 • Total354,603

Kanem (Arabic: كانم) is one of the 23 regions of Chad. It is named after the famous Kanem Empire, which was centred in this vicinity. The region's capital is Mao. It was created in 2002 from the former Prefecture of Kanem. In 2008, a portion of the Kanem region (the Bahr el Gazel Department) was split off to become the new Bahr el Gazel Region.