The Kanembu live in the desert region of northwestern Chad, just northeast of Lake Chad. They inhabit an arid region of thin thorny bushes.
Vegetation is seasonal, since the area receives less than twelve inches of rain per year.
The people speak Kanembu, a Kanuri language that has various dialects. It is not yet a written language, and those who are literate read and write Arabic, which is taught in the Islamic schools. Up until the 1200's, the Kanembu were the most powerful people group south of the Sahara, advancing their position by importing technology. However, their empire rapidly declined during the 1500's under the strength of other more aggressive and powerful rulers. Rich natron deposits are scattered across more than 30,000 acres of Chad.