Legend:
Definition of Term
 Arranged
by Countries Field Listing
| Background: |
Chad, part of France's African holdings until 1960, endured three
decades of ethnic warfare as well as invasions by Libya before
a semblance of peace was finally restored in 1990. The government
eventually suppressed or came to terms with most political-military
groups, settled a territorial dispute with Libya on terms favorable
to Chad, drafted a democratic constitution, and held multiparty
presidential and National Assembly elections in 1996 and 1997
respectively. In 1998 a new rebellion broke out in northern Chad,
which continued to escalate throughout 2000. A peace agreement,
signed in January 2002 between the government and the rebels,
provides for the demobilization of the rebels and their reintegration
into the political system. Despite movement toward democratic
reform, power remains in the hands of a northern ethnic oligarchy.
|
| Location: |
Central Africa, south of Libya |
| Geographic
coordinates: |
15 00 N, 19 00 E |
| Map
references: |
Africa |
| Area: |
total: 1.284 million sq km
water: 24,800 sq km
land: 1,259,200 sq km |
| Area
- comparative: |
slightly more than three times the size of California |
| Land
boundaries: |
total: 5,968 km
border countries: Cameroon 1,094 km, Central African Republic
1,197 km, Libya 1,055 km, Niger 1,175 km, Nigeria 87 km, Sudan
1,360 km |
| Coastline: |
0 km (landlocked) |
| Maritime
claims: |
none (landlocked) |
| Climate: |
tropical in south, desert in north |
| Terrain: |
broad, arid plains in center, desert in north, mountains in northwest,
lowlands in south |
| Elevation
extremes: |
lowest point: Djourab Depression 160 m
highest point: Emi Koussi 3,415 m |
| Natural
resources: |
petroleum (unexploited but exploration under way), uranium, natron,
kaolin, fish (Lake Chad) |
| Land
use: |
arable land: 2.78%
permanent crops: 0.02%
other: 97.2% (1998 est.) |
| Irrigated
land: |
200 sq km (1998 est.) |
| Natural
hazards: |
hot, dry, dusty harmattan winds occur in north; periodic droughts;
locust plagues |
| Environment
- current issues: |
inadequate supplies of potable water; improper waste disposal
in rural areas contributes to soil and water pollution; desertification
|
| Environment
- international agreements: |
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification,
Endangered Species, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection,
Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping
|
| Geography
- note: |
landlocked; Lake Chad is the most significant water body in the
Sahel
|
| Population: |
8,997,237 (July 2002 est.) |
| Age
structure: |
0-14 years: 47.8% (male 2,162,732; female 2,135,354)
15-64 years: 49.4% (male 2,108,134; female 2,340,189)
65 years and over: 2.8% (male 103,683; female 147,145)
(2002 est.) |
| Population
growth rate: |
3.27% (2002 est.) |
| Birth
rate: |
47.74 births/1,000 population (2002 est.) |
| Death
rate: |
15.06 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.) |
| Net
migration rate: |
0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2002 est.) |
| Sex
ratio: |
at birth: 1.04 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.01 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.9 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.7 male(s)/female
total population: 0.95 male(s)/female (2002 est.) |
| Infant
mortality rate: |
93.46 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.) |
| Life
expectancy at birth: |
total population: 51.27 years
female: 53.4 years (2002 est.)
male: 49.22 years |
| Total
fertility rate: |
6.5 children born/woman (2002 est.) |
| HIV/AIDS
- adult prevalence rate: |
5%-7% (2001) |
| HIV/AIDS
- people living with HIV/AIDS: |
300,000 (2001) |
| HIV/AIDS
- deaths: |
14,000 (confirmed AIDS cases, actual number far higher but difficult
to estimate) (2001) |
| Nationality: |
noun: Chadian(s)
adjective: Chadian |
| Ethnic
groups: |
200 distinct groups; in the north and center: Arabs, Gorane (Toubou,
Daza, Kreda), Zaghawa, Kanembou, Ouaddai, Baguirmi, Hadjerai,
Fulbe, Kotoko, Hausa, Boulala, and Maba, most of whom are Muslim;
in the south: Sara (Ngambaye, Mbaye, Goulaye), Moundang, Moussei,
Massa, most of whom are Christian or animist; about 1,000 French
citizens live in Chad |
| Religions: |
Muslim 51%, Christian 35%, animist 7%, other 7% |
| Languages: |
French (official), Arabic (official), Sara (in south), more than
120 different languages and dialects |
| Literacy: |
definition: age 15 and over can read and write French
or Arabic
total population: 40%
male: 49%
female: 31% (1998)
|
| Country
name: |
conventional long form: Republic of Chad
conventional short form: Chad
local long form: Republique du Tchad
local short form: Tchad |
| Government
type: |
republic |
| Capital: |
N'Djamena |
| Administrative
divisions: |
14 prefectures (prefectures, singular - prefecture); Batha, Biltine,
Borkou-Ennedi-Tibesti, Chari-Baguirmi, Guera, Kanem, Lac, Logone
Occidental, Logone Oriental, Mayo-Kebbi, Moyen-Chari, Ouaddai,
Salamat, Tandjile
note: instead of 14 prefectures, there may be a new administrative
structure of 28 departments (departments, singular - department),
and 1 city*; Assongha, Baguirmi, Bahr El Gazal, Bahr Koh, Batha
Oriental, Batha Occidental, Biltine, Borkou, Dababa, Ennedi, Guera,
Hadjer Lamis, Kabia, Kanem, Lac, Lac Iro, Logone Occidental, Logone
Oriental, Mandoul, Mayo-Boneye, Mayo-Dallah, Monts de Lam, N'djamena*,
Ouaddai, Salamat, Sila, Tandjile Oriental, Tandjile Occidental,
Tibesti |
| Independence: |
11 August 1960 (from France) |
| National
holiday: |
Independence Day, 11 August (1960) |
| Constitution: |
passed by referendum 31 March 1996 |
| Legal
system: |
based on French civil law system and Chadian customary law; has
not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction |
| Suffrage: |
18 years of age; universal |
| Executive
branch: |
chief of state: President Lt. Gen. Idriss DEBY (since
4 December 1990)
head of government: Prime Minister Haroun KABADI (since
12 June 2002)
cabinet: Council of State, members appointed by the president
on the recommendation of the prime minister
election results: Lt. Gen. Idriss DEBY reelected president;
percent of vote - Lt. Gen. Idriss DEBY 63%, Ngarlegy YORONGAR
16%, Saleh KEBZABO 7%
note: government coalition - MPS, UNDR, and URD
elections: president elected by popular vote to serve five-year
term; if no candidate receives at least 50% of the total vote,
the two candidates receiving the most votes must stand for a second
round of voting; last held 20 May 2001 (next to be held NA 2006);
prime minister appointed by the president |
| Legislative
branch: |
bicameral according to constitution, consists of a National Assembly
(155 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve four-year
terms) and a Senate (not yet created and size unspecified, members
to serve six-year terms, one-third of membership renewable every
two years)
election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats
by party - MPS 110, RDP 12, FAR 9, RNDP 5, URD 5, UNDR 3, others
11
elections: National Assembly - last held 21 April 2002
(next to be held in NA April 2006) |
| Judicial
branch: |
Supreme Court; Court of Appeal; Criminal Courts; Magistrate Courts
|
| Political
parties and leaders: |
Federation Action for the Republic or FAR [Ngarlejy YORONGAR];
National Rally for Development and Progress or RNDP [Mamadou BISSO];
National Union for Development and Renewal or UNDR [Saleh KEBZABO];
National Union for Renewal and Democracy or UNRD [leader NA];
Party for Liberty and Democracy or PLD [Ibni Oumar Mahamat SALEH];
Patriotic Salvation Movement or MPS [Mahamat Saleh AHMAT, chairman]
(originally in opposition but now the party in power and the party
of the president); Rally for Democracy and Progress or RDP [Lal
Mahamat CHOUA]; Union for Democracy and the Republic or UDR [Jean
Bawoyeu ALINGUE]; Union for Renewal and Democracy or URD [Gen.
Wadal Abdelkader KAMOUGUE]; Viva Rally for Development and Progress
or Viva RNDP [Delwa Kassire COUMAKOYE] |
| Political
pressure groups and leaders: |
NA |
| International
organization participation: |
ACCT, ACP, AfDB, BDEAC, CEEAC, CEMAC, ECA, FAO, FZ, G-77, IBRD,
ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, Interpol,
IOC, ITU, NAM, OAU, OIC, OPCW (signatory), UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO,
UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO |
| Diplomatic
representation in the US: |
chief of mission: Ambassador Hassaballah Abdelhadi
Ahmat SOUBIANE
chancery: 2002 R Street NW, Washington, DC 20009
FAX: [1] (202) 265-1937
telephone: [1] (202) 462-4009 |
| Diplomatic
representation from the US: |
chief of mission: Ambassador Christopher E. GOLDTHWAIT
embassy: Avenue Felix Eboue, N'Djamena
mailing address: B. P. 413, N'Djamena
telephone: [235] (51) 70-09
FAX: [235] (51) 56-54 |
| Flag
description: |
three equal vertical bands of blue (hoist side), yellow, and red;
similar to the flag of Romania; also similar to the flags of Andorra
and Moldova, both of which have a national coat of arms centered
in the yellow band; design was based on the flag of France
|
| Economy
- overview: |
Chad's primarily agricultural economy will be boosted by major
oilfield and pipeline projects that began in 2000. Over 80% of
Chad's population relies on subsistence farming and stock raising
for their livelihood. Cotton, cattle, and gum arabic provide the
bulk of Chad's export earnings, but Chad will begin to export
oil in 2004. Chad's economy has long been handicapped by its land-locked
position, high energy costs, and a history of instability. Chad
relies on foreign assistance and foreign capital for most public
and private sector investment projects. A consortium led by two
US companies is investing $3.7 billion to develop oil reserves
estimated at 1 billion barrels in southern Chad. |
| GDP: |
purchasing power parity - $8.9 billion (2001 est.) |
| GDP
- real growth rate: |
8% (2001 est.) |
| GDP
- per capita: |
purchasing power parity - $1,030 (2001 est.) |
| GDP
- composition by sector: |
agriculture: 38%
industry: 13%
services: 49% (2001 est.) |
| Population
below poverty line: |
80% (2001 est.) |
| Household
income or consumption by percentage share: |
lowest 10%: NA%
highest 10%: NA% |
| Inflation
rate (consumer prices): |
3% (2000 est.) |
| Labor
force: |
NA |
| Labor
force - by occupation: |
agriculture more than 80% (subsistence farming, herding, and fishing)
|
| Unemployment
rate: |
NA% |
| Budget: |
revenues: $198 million
expenditures: $218 million, including capital expenditures
of $146 million |
| Industries: |
cotton textiles, meatpacking, beer brewing, natron (sodium carbonate),
soap, cigarettes, construction materials |
| Industrial
production growth rate: |
5% (1995) |
| Electricity
- production: |
92 million kWh (2000) |
| Electricity
- production by source: |
fossil fuel: 100%
hydro: 0%
other: 0% (2000)
nuclear: 0% |
| Electricity
- consumption: |
85.56 million kWh (2000) |
| Electricity
- exports: |
0 kWh (2000) |
| Electricity
- imports: |
0 kWh (2000) |
| Agriculture
- products: |
cotton, sorghum, millet, peanuts, rice, potatoes, manioc (tapioca);
cattle, sheep, goats, camels |
| Exports: |
$172 million f.o.b. (2000 est.) |
| Exports
- commodities: |
cotton, cattle, gum arabic |
| Exports
- partners: |
Portugal 38%, Germany 12%, Thailand, Costa Rica, South Africa,
France, Nigeria (2001) |
| Imports: |
$223 million f.o.b. (2000 est.) |
| Imports
- commodities: |
machinery and transportation equipment, industrial goods, petroleum
products, foodstuffs, textiles |
| Imports
- partners: |
France 40%, Cameroon 13%, Nigeria 12%, India 5% (1999) |
| Debt
- external: |
$1.1 billion (2000 est.) |
| Economic
aid - recipient: |
$238.3 million (1995); note - $125 million committed by Taiwan
(August 1997); $30 million committed by African Development Bank
|
| Currency: |
Communaute Financiere Africaine franc (XAF); note - responsible
authority is the Bank of the Central African States |
| Currency
code: |
XAF |
| Exchange
rates: |
Communaute Financiere Africaine francs (XAF) per US dollar - 742.79
(January 2002), 733.04 (2001), 711.98 (2000), 615.70 (1999), 589.95
(1998), 583.67 (1997); note - from 1 January 1999, the XAF is
pegged to the euro at a rate of 655.957 XAF per euro |
| Fiscal
year: |
calendar year
|
| Railways: |
0 km |
| Highways: |
total: 33,400 km
paved: 450 km
note: probably no more than 8,000 km of the total receive
maintenance, the remainder being desert tracks (2000)
unpaved: 32,950 km |
| Waterways: |
2,000 km |
| Ports
and harbors: |
none |
| Airports: |
49 (2001) |
| Airports
- with paved runways: |
total: 7
over 3,047 m: 2
2,438 to 3,047 m: 3
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1
under 914 m: 1 (2002) |
| Airports
- with unpaved runways: |
total: 43
1,524 to 2,437 m: 13
914 to 1,523 m: 20
under 914 m: 10 (2002)
|
| Military
branches: |
Armed Forces (including National Army, Air Force, and Gendarmerie),
Rapid Intervention Force, National and Nomadic Guard (GNNT), Presidential
Security Guard, Police |
| Military
manpower - military age: |
20 years of age (2002 est.) |
| Military
manpower - availability: |
males age 15-49: 1,881,769 (2002 est.) |
| Military
manpower - fit for military service: |
males age 15-49: 985,094 (2002 est.) |
| Military
manpower - reaching military age annually: |
males: 82,003 (2002 est.) |
| Military
expenditures - dollar figure: |
$31 million (FY01) |
| Military
expenditures - percent of GDP: |
1.9% (FY01)
|
| Disputes
- international: |
Lake Chad Commission urges signatories Cameroon, Chad, Niger,
and Nigeria to ratify delimitation treaty over lake region, the
site of continuing armed clashes; Nigeria requests and Chad rejects
redemarcation of boundary, which lacks clear demarcation in sections
and has caused several cross-border incidents; Chadian rebels
from Aozou reside in Libya | |
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