1987 Edition

Boundary disputes

none; Libya claims Aozou Strip in far north; Libyan troops occupy northern Chad

Climate

tropical in south gradually becoming dry desert in north

Comparative area

slightly larger than Texas and California combined

Environment

hot, dry, dusty harmattan winds occur in north; recent drought and desertification adversely affecting south

Land boundaries

5,987 km total

Land use

2% arable land; NEGL% permanent crops; 36% meadows and pastures; 11% forest and woodland; 51% other; includes NEGL% irrigated

Special notes

landlocked; Lake Chad most significant water body in Sahel

Terrain

broad, arid plains in center, desert in north, mountains in northwest, lowlands in south

Total area

400 km

1,284,000 km?; land area: 1,259,200 km?

Ethnic divisions

some 200 distinct ethnic groups, most of whom are Muslims (Arabs, Toubou, Fulbe, Kotoko, Hausa, Kanembou, Baguirmi, Boulala, and Maba) in the Chad (continued) north and center and non-Muslims (Sara, Ngambaye, Mbaye, Goulaye, Moudang, Moussei, Massa) in the south; some 150,000 nonindigenous, of whom 1,000 are French

Infant mortality rate

142/1,000 (1983)

Labor force

85% agriculture (engaged in unpaid subsistence farming, herding, and fishing)

Language

French and Arabic (official); Sara and Sango in south; more than 100 different languages and dialects are spoken

Life expectancy

men 42.0, women 45.0

Literacy

about 17%

Nationality

noun—Chadian(s); adjective—Chadian

Organized labor

about 20% of wage labor force

Population

4,646,054 (July 1987), average annual growth rate 2.44%

Religion

44% Muslim, 23% indigenous beliefs, 33% Christian

Administrative divisions

14 prefectures, 54 subprefectures, 27 administrative posts, 9 municipalities

Branches

presidency; Council of Ministers; National Consultative Council, Court of Appeal, and several lower courts

Capital

N'Djamena

Communists

no front organizations or underground party; probably a few Communists and some sympathizers

Elections

none planned Political parties and leaders: National Union for Independence and Revolution (UNIR) established June 1984 with Habré as President; numerous dissident groups (several have returned to the government since mid-]986)

Government leaders

Hissein HABRE, President (since June 1982)

Legal system

based on French civil law system and Chadian customary law; constitution adopted in 1962; constitution suspended and National Assembly dissolved in April 1975; Fundamental Act, a quasi-constitution decreed in October 1982, provides juridical framework whereby decrees are promulgated by the President; has not accepted compulsory IC] jurisdiction

Member of

AfDB, CEAO, Conference of East and Central African States, EAMA, ECA, EC (associate), FAO, G-77, GATT, IBRD, ICAC, ICAO, 1DA, IDB—Islamic Development Bank, IFAD, 1LO, IMF, INTELSAT, INTERPOL, ITU, Lake Chad Basin Commission, NAM, OAU, OCAM, OIC, UN, UNESCO, UPU, WHO, WIPO, WMO

National holiday

Independence Day, 11 August

Official name

Republic of Chad

Other political or pressure groups

the development of a stable government continues to be hampered by prolonged tribal and regional antagonisms; one rebel group (with Libyan backing) occupies the northern third of Chad (Aozou Strip)

Suffrage

universal over age 18

Type

republic

Agriculture

commercial—cotton, gum arabic, livestock, peanuts, fish; food crops—millet, sorghum, rice, sweet potatoes, yams, cassava, dates; imports food

Budget

total revenues, $57.4 million; total expenditures $76.5 million (1986 est.)

Electric power

38,000 kW capacity; 66 million kWh produced, 12 kWh per capita (1986)

Exports

$113.15 million (f.0.b., 1984); cotton (80%), meat, fish, animal products

Fiscal year

calendar year

Fishing

catch 110,000 metric tons (1983 est.)

GDP

$405.7 million, $90 per capita (1985 est.); real annual growth rate —2.8% (1960-82 est.)

Imports

$114.38 million (f.0.b., 1984); cement, petroleum, flour, sugar, tea, machinery, textiles, motor vehicles

Major industries

agricultural and livestock processing plants (cotton textile mills, slaughterhouses, brewery), natron

Major trade partners

France and Central African Customs and Economic Union countries

Monetary conversion rate

331.24 Communauté Financiére Africaine (CFA) francs=US$1 (November 1986)

Natural resources

petroleum (unexploited but exploration beginning), uranium, natron, kaolin

Airfields

82 total, 7] usable; 5 with permanent-surface runways; 3 with runways 2,440-3,659 m, 26 with runways 1,220-2,489 m

Civi) air

2 major transport aircraft

Highways

31,322 km total; 32 km bituminous, 7,300 km gravel and laterite, remainder unimproved

Inland waterways

about 2,000 km navigable

Railroads

none

Telecommunications

fair system of radiocommunication stations for intercity links; 5,000 telephones (0.1 per 100 popl.); 1 FM, 3 AM stations; many facilities, including satellite ground station, inoperative

Branches

Army, Air Force, paramilitary Gendarmerie, Presidential Guard

Military budget

for fiscal year ending 3] December 1986, $27.1 million; about 35% of total budget

Military manpower

males 15-49, 1,087,000; 565,000 fit for military service; 47,000 reach military age (20) annually