from
CIA World Factbook 2006
Chad
Introduction
Background: Chad, part of France's African holdings until 1960,
endured three decades of civil warfare as well as
invasions by Libya before a semblance of peace was
finally restored in 1990. The government eventually
drafted a democratic constitution, and held flawed
presidential elections in 1996 and 2001. In 1998, a
rebellion broke out in northern Chad, which
sporadically flares up despite several peace agreements
between the government and the rebels. In 2005 new
rebel groups emerged in western Sudan and have made
probing attacks into eastern Chad. Power remains in the
hands of an ethnic minority. In June 2005, President
Idriss DEBY held a referendum successfully removing
constitutional term limits.
Geography
Location: Central Africa, south of Libya
Geographic 15 00 N, 19 00 E
coordinates:
Map Africa
references:
Area: total: 1.284 million sq km
land: 1,259,200 sq km
water: 24,800 sq km
Area - slightly more than three times the size of California
comparative:
Land total: 5,968 km
boundaries: 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 none (landlocked)
claims:
Climate: tropical in south, desert in north
Terrain: broad, arid plains in center, desert in north,
mountains in northwest, lowlands in south
Elevation lowest point: Djourab Depression 160 m
extremes: highest point: Emi Koussi 3,415 m
Natural petroleum, uranium, natron, kaolin, fish (Lake Chad),
resources: gold, limestone, sand and gravel, salt
Land use: arable land: 2.8%
permanent crops: 0.02%
other: 97.18% (2005)
Irrigated 300 sq km (2003)
land:
Natural hot, dry, dusty harmattan winds occur in north;
hazards: periodic droughts; locust plagues
Environment - inadequate supplies of potable water; improper waste
current disposal in rural areas contributes to soil and water
issues: pollution; desertification
Environment - party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change,
international Desertification, Endangered Species, Ozone Layer
agreements: Protection, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: Law of the Sea, Marine
Dumping
Geography - landlocked; Lake Chad is the most significant water
note: body in the Sahel
People
Population: 9,944,201 (July 2006 est.)
Age structure: 0-14 years: 47.9% (male 2,396,393/female 2,369,261)
15-64 years: 49.3% (male 2,355,940/female 2,550,535)
65 years and over: 2.7% (male 107,665/female 164,407)
(2006 est.)
Median age: total: 16 years
male: 15.3 years
female: 16.6 years (2006 est.)
Population 2.93% (2006 est.)
growth rate:
Birth rate: 45.73 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)
Death rate: 16.38 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)
Net migration -0.11 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)
rate:
Sex ratio: at birth: 1.04 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.01 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.92 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.66 male(s)/female
total population: 0.96 male(s)/female (2006 est.)
Infant total: 91.45 deaths/1,000 live births
mortality male: 100.12 deaths/1,000 live births
rate: female: 82.43 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)
Life total population: 47.52 years
expectancy at male: 45.88 years
birth: female: 49.21 years (2006 est.)
Total 6.25 children born/woman (2006 est.)
fertility
rate:
HIV/AIDS - 4.8% (2003 est.)
adult
prevalence
rate:
HIV/AIDS - 200,000 (2003 est.)
people living
with HIV/AIDS:
HIV/AIDS - 18,000 (2003 est.)
deaths:
Major degree of risk: very high
infectious food or waterborne diseases: bacterial and protozoal
diseases: diarrhea, hepatitis A, and typhoid fever
vectorborne disease: malaria
water contact disease: schistosomiasis
respiratory disease: meningococcal meningitis (2005)
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: 47.5%
male: 56%
female: 39.3% (2003 est.)
Government
Country name: conventional long form: Republic of Chad
conventional short form: Chad
local long form: Republique du Tchad/Jumhuriyat Tshad
local short form: Tchad/Tshad
Government republic
type:
Capital: name: N'Djamena
geographic coordinates: 12 07 N, 15 03 E
time difference: UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC
during Standard Time)
Administrative 14 prefectures (prefectures, singular - prefecture);
divisions: 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 Independence Day, 11 August (1960)
holiday:
Constitution: passed by referendum 31 March 1996; a June 2005
referendum removed constitutional term limits
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 chief of state: President Lt. Gen. Idriss DEBY Itno
branch: (since 4 December 1990)
head of government: Prime Minister Pascal YOADIMNADJI
(since 3 February 2005)
cabinet: Council of State, members appointed by the
president on the recommendation of the prime minister
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 3 May 2006 (next to be held by May 2011);
prime minister appointed by the president
election results: Lt. Gen. Idriss DEBY Itno reelected
president; percent of vote - Lt. Gen. Idriss DEBY
64.7%, Delwa Kassire COUMAKOYE 15.1%, Albert Pahimi
PADACKE 7.8%, Mahamat ABDOULAYE 7.1%, Brahim
KOULAMALLAH 5.3%; note - a June 2005 national
referendum altered the constitution removing
presidential term limits and permitting Lt. Gen. Idriss
DEBY Itno to run for reelection
Legislative bicameral according to constitution, consists of a
branch: 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)
elections: National Assembly - last held 21 April 2002
(next to be held by April 2007)
election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats
by party - MPS 110, RDP 12, FAR 9, RNDP 5, URD 5, UNDR
3, other 11
Judicial Supreme Court; Court of Appeal; Criminal Courts;
branch: Magistrate Courts
Political Federation Action for the Republic or FAR [Ngarledjy
parties and YORONGAR]; National Rally for Development and Progress
leaders: or RNDP [Delwa Kassire COUMAKOYE]; National Union for
Democracy and Renewal or UNDR [Saleh KEBZABO]; Party
for Liberty and Development or PLD [Ibni Oumar Mahamat
SALEH]; Patriotic Salvation Movement or MPS [Mahamat
Saleh AHMAT, chairman]; Rally for Democracy and
Progress or RDP [Lol Mahamat CHOUA]; Union for
Democracy and Republic or UDR [Jean ALINGUE]; Union for
Renewal and Democracy or URD [Gen. Wadal Abdelkader
KAMOUGUE]
Political NA
pressure
groups and
leaders:
International ACCT, ACP, AfDB, AU, BDEAC, CEMAC, FAO, FZ, G-77, IAEA,
organization IBRD, ICAO, ICCt (signatory), ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IDB,
participation: IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, Interpol, IOC, ITU, MIGA,
NAM, OIC, OIF, ONUB, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO,
UNOCI, UPU, WCL, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO
Diplomatic chief of mission: Ambassador Mahamat Adam BECHIR
representation chancery: 2002 R Street NW, Washington, DC 20009
in the US: telephone: [1] (202) 462-4009
FAX: [1] (202) 265-1937
Diplomatic chief of mission: Ambassador Marc M. WALL
representation embassy: Avenue Felix Eboue, N'Djamena
from the US: mailing address: B. P. 413, N'Djamena
telephone: [235] 516-211
FAX: [235] 515-654
Flag three equal vertical bands of blue (hoist side),
description: 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
Economy - Chad's primarily agricultural economy will continue to
overview: be boosted by major foreign direct investment projects
in the oil sector that began in 2000. Over 80% of
Chad's population relies on subsistence farming and
livestock raising for its livelihood. Chad's economy
has long been handicapped by its landlocked 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 has been investing
$3.7 billion to develop oil reserves - estimated at 1
billion barrels - in southern Chad. The nation's total
oil reserves has been estimated to be 2 billion
barrels. Oil production came on stream in late 2003.
Chad began to export oil in 2004. Cotton, cattle, and
gum arabic provide the bulk of Chad's non-oil export
earnings.
GDP $13.98 billion (2005 est.)
(purchasing
power parity):
GDP (official $4.799 billion (2005 est.)
exchange
rate):
GDP - real 6% (2005 est.)
growth rate:
GDP - per $1,400 (2005 est.)
capita (PPP):
GDP - agriculture: 33.5%
composition by industry: 25.9%
sector: services: 40.6% (2005 est.)
Labor force: 2.719 million
Labor force - agriculture: 80% (subsistence farming, herding, and
by occupation: fishing)
industry and services: 20%
Unemployment NA%
rate:
Population 80% (2001 est.)
below poverty
line:
Household lowest 10%: NA%
income or highest 10%: NA%
consumption by
percentage
share:
Inflation rate 3% (2005 est.)
(consumer
prices):
Investment 18.2% of GDP (2005 est.)
(gross fixed):
Budget: revenues: $765.2 million
expenditures: $653.3 million; including capital
expenditures of $146 million (2005 est.)
Agriculture - cotton, sorghum, millet, peanuts, rice, potatoes,
products: manioc (tapioca); cattle, sheep, goats, camels
Industries: oil, cotton textiles, meatpacking, beer brewing, natron
(sodium carbonate), soap, cigarettes, construction
materials
Industrial 5% (1995)
production
growth rate:
Electricity - 120 million kWh (2003)
production:
Electricity - fossil fuel: 100%
production by hydro: 0%
source: nuclear: 0%
other: 0% (2001)
Electricity - 111.6 million kWh (2003)
consumption:
Electricity - 0 kWh (2003)
exports:
Electricity - 0 kWh (2003)
imports:
Oil - 225,000 bbl/day (2005 est.)
production:
Oil - 1,450 bbl/day (2003 est.)
consumption:
Oil - exports: NA bbl/day
Oil - imports: NA bbl/day
Natural gas - 0 cu m (2003 est.)
production:
Natural gas - 0 cu m (2003 est.)
consumption:
Current $-602 million (2005 est.)
account
balance:
Exports: $3.016 billion f.o.b. (2005 est.)
Exports - cotton, cattle, gum arabic, oil
commodities:
Exports - US 78.1%, China 9.9%, Taiwan 4.1% (2005)
partners:
Imports: $749.1 million f.o.b. (2005 est.)
Imports - machinery and transportation equipment, industrial
commodities: goods, foodstuffs, textiles
Imports - France 21.1%, Cameroon 15.5%, US 12.1%, Belgium 6.8%,
partners: Portugal 4.6%, Saudi Arabia 4.3%, Netherlands 4.1%
(2005)
Reserves of $297 million (2005 est.)
foreign
exchange and
gold:
Debt - $1.5 billion (2003 est.)
external:
Economic aid - $238.3 million received; note - $125 million committed
recipient: by Taiwan (August 1997); $30 million committed by
African Development Bank; ODA $246.9 million (2003
est.)
Currency Communaute Financiere Africaine franc (XAF); note -
(code): responsible authority is the Bank of the Central
African States
Currency code: XAF
Exchange Communaute Financiere Africaine francs (XAF) per US
rates: dollar - 527.47 (2005), 528.29 (2004), 581.2 (2003),
696.99 (2002), 733.04 (2001)
Fiscal year: calendar year
Communications
Telephones - 13,000 (2004)
main lines in
use:
Telephones - 210,000 (2005)
mobile
cellular:
Telephone general assessment: primitive system
system: domestic: fair system of radiotelephone communication
stations
international: country code - 235; satellite earth
station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)
Radio AM 2, FM 4, shortwave 5 (2002)
broadcast
stations:
Radios: 1.67 million (1997)
Television 1 (2002)
broadcast
stations:
Televisions: 10,000 (1997)
Internet .td
country code:
Internet 9 (2006)
hosts:
Internet 1 (2002)
Service
Providers
(ISPs):
Internet 35,000 (2005)
users:
Transportation
Airports: 52 (2006)
Airports - total: 7
with paved over 3,047 m: 2
runways: 2,438 to 3,047 m: 3
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1
under 914 m: 1 (2006)
Airports - total: 45
with unpaved 1,524 to 2,437 m: 14
runways: 914 to 1,523 m: 21
under 914 m: 10 (2006)
Pipelines: oil 205 km (2006)
Roadways: total: 33,400 km
paved: 267 km
unpaved: 33,133 km (1999)
Waterways: Chari and Legone rivers are navigable only in wet
season (2002)
Military
Military Chadian National Army (Armee Nationale Tchadienne,
branches: ANT), Air Force, Gendarmerie (2004)
Military 20 years of age for conscripts, with three-year service
service age obligation; 18 years of age for volunteers; no minimum
and age restriction for volunteers with consent from a
obligation: guardian; women are subject to one year of compulsory
military or civic service at age of 21 (2004)
Manpower males age 20-49: 1,527,580
available for females age 20-49: 1,629,510 (2005 est.)
military
service:
Manpower fit males age 20-49: 794,988
for military females age 20-49: 849,500 (2005 est.)
service:
Manpower males age 18-49: 94,536
reaching females age 20-49: 93,521 (2005 est.)
military
service age
annually:
Military $68.95 million (2005 est.)
expenditures -
dollar figure:
Military 1% (2005 est.)
expenditures -
percent of
GDP:
Transnational
Issues
Disputes - since the expulsions of residents from Darfur in 2003
international: by Janjawid armed militia and Sudanese military, about
200,000 refugees remain in eastern Chad; Chad remains
an important mediator in the Sudanese civil conflict,
reducing tensions with Sudan arising from cross-border
banditry; Chadian Aozou rebels reside in southern
Libya; only Nigeria and Cameroon have heeded the Lake
Chad Commission's admonition to ratify the delimitation
treaty, which also includes the Chad-Niger and
Niger-Nigeria boundaries
Refugees and refugees (country of origin): 224,924 (Sudan), 29,683
internally (Central African Republic) (2005)
displaced
persons: