1994 Edition

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

Agriculture

accounts for about 45% of GDP; largely subsistence farming; cotton most important cash crop; food crops include sorghum, millet, peanuts, rice, potatoes, manioc; livestock - cattle, sheep, goats, camels; self-sufficient in food in years of adequate rainfall

Airports

total: 68 usable: 58 with permanent-surface runways: 5 with runways over 3,659 m: 1 with runways 2,440-3,659 m: 3 with runways 1,220-2,439 m: 27

Area

total area: 1.284 million sq km land area: 1,259,200 sq km comparative area: slightly more than three times the size of California

Birth rate

42.12 births/1,000 population (1994 est.)

Branches

Army (includes Ground Forces, Air Force, and Gendarmerie), Republican Guard

Budget

revenues: $115 million expenditures: $412 million, including capital expenditures of $218 million (1991 est.)

Capital

N'Djamena

Climate

tropical in south, desert in north

Coastline

0 km (landlocked)

Constitution

22 December 1989, suspended 3 December 1990; Provisional National Charter 1 March 1991; constitutional commission drafting new constitution to submit to transitional parliament for ratification in April 1994

Consultatif)

elections last held 8 July 1990; disbanded 3 December 1990 and replaced by the Provisional Council of the Republic having 30 members appointed by President DEBY on 8 March 1991; this, in turn, was replaced by a 57-member Higher Transitional Council (Conseil Superieur de Transition) elected by a specially convened Sovereign National Conference on 6 April 1993

Currency

1 CFA franc (CFAF) = 100 centimes

Death rate

20.59 deaths/1,000 population (1994 est.)

Defense expenditures

exchange rate conversion - $58 million, 5.6% of GDP (1989)

Digraph

CD

Diplomatic representation in US

chief of mission: (vacant); Ambassador KOUMBARIA Laoumaye Mekonyo died on 16 May 1994 chancery: 2002 R Street NW, Washington, DC 20009 telephone: (202) 462-4009

Economic aid

recipient: US commitments, including Ex-Im (FY70-89), $198 million; Western (non-US) countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments (1970-89), $1.5 billion; OPEC bilateral aid (1979-89), $28 million; Communist countries (1970-89), $80 million

Electricity

capacity: 40,000 kW production: 70 million kWh consumption per capita: 15 kWh (1991)

Environment

current issues: desertification natural hazards: hot, dry, dusty harmattan winds occur in north; periodic droughts; subject to locust plagues international agreements: party to - Endangered Species, Nuclear Test Ban, Wetlands; signed, but not ratified - Biodiversity, Climate Change, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping

Ethnic divisions

north and center: Muslims (Arabs, Toubou, Hadjerai, Fulbe, Kotoko, Kanembou, Baguirmi, Boulala, Zaghawa, and Maba) south: non-Muslims (Sara, Ngambaye, Mbaye, Goulaye, Moundang, Moussei, Massa) nonindigenous 150,000, of whom 1,000 are French

Exchange rates

Communaute Financiere Africaine Francs (CFAF) per US$1 - 592.05 (January 1994), 283.16 (1993), 264.69 (1992), 282.11 (1991), 272.26 (1990), 319.01 (1989) note: beginning 12 January 1994 the CFA franc was devalued to CFAF 100 per French franc from CFAF 50 at which it had been fixed since 1948

Executive branch

chief of state: President Col. Idriss DEBY, since 4 December 1990 (after seizing power on 3 December 1990 - transitional government's mandate expires April 1995) head of government: Prime Minister Kassire Delwa KOUMAKOYE (since 17 November 1993) cabinet: Council of State; appointed by the president on recommendation of the prime minister

Exports

$193.9 million (f.o.b., 1991) commodities: cotton 48%, cattle 35%, textiles 5%, fish partners: France, Nigeria, Cameroon

External debt

$492 million (December 1990 est.)

FAX

(202) 265-1937

[235] (51) 33-72

Fiscal year

calendar year

Flag

three equal vertical bands of blue (hoist side), yellow, and red; similar to the flag of Romania; also similar to the flag of Andorra, which has a national coat of arms featuring a quartered shield centered in the yellow band; design was based on the flag of France

Highways

total: 31,322 km paved: bituminous 32 km unpaved: gravel, crushed stone 7,300 km; earth 23,990 km

Imports

$294.1 million (f.o.b., 1991) commodities: machinery and transportation equipment 39%, industrial goods 20%, petroleum products 13%, foodstuffs 9%; note - excludes military equipment partners: US, France, Nigeria, Cameroon

Independence

11 August 1960 (from France)

Industrial production

growth rate 12.9% (1989 est.); accounts for nearly 15% of GDP

Industries

cotton textile mills, slaughterhouses, brewery, natron (sodium carbonate), soap, cigarettes

Infant mortality rate

131.8 deaths/1,000 live births (1994 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

2%-3% (1991 est.)

Inland waterways

2,000 km navigable

International disputes

the International Court of Justice (ICJ) ruled in February 1994 that the 100,000 sq km Aozou Strip between Chad and Libya belongs to Chad, and that Libya must withdraw from it by 31 May 1994; Libya had withdrawn its forces in response to the ICJ ruling, but as of June 1994 still maintained an airfield in the disputed area; demarcation of international boundaries in Lake Chad, the lack of which has led to border incidents in the past, is completed and awaiting ratification by Cameroon, Chad, Niger, and Nigeria

Irrigated land

100 sq km (1989 est.)

Judicial branch

Court of Appeal

Labor force

NA by occupation: agriculture 85% (engaged in unpaid subsistence farming, herding, and fishing)

Land boundaries

total 5,968 km, 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

Land use

arable land: 2% permanent crops: 0% meadows and pastures: 36% forest and woodland: 11% other: 51%

Languages

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

Legal system

based on French civil law system and Chadian customary law; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Legislative branch

unicameral National Consultative Council (Conceil National

Life expectancy at birth

total population: 40.79 years male: 39.7 years female: 41.94 years (1994 est.)

Literacy

age 15 and over can read and write French or Arabic (1990 est.) total population: 30% male: 42% female: 18%

Location

Central Africa, between the Central African Republic and Libya

Manpower availability

males age 15-49 1,276,167; fit for military service 663,326; reach military age (20) annually 54,027 (1994 est.)

Map references

Africa, Standard Time Zones of the World

Maritime claims

none; landlocked

Member of

ACCT, ACP, AfDB, BDEAC, CEEAC, ECA, FAO, FZ, G-77, GATT, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, IDA, IDB, IFAD, ILO, IMF, INTELSAT, INTERPOL, IOC, ITU, LORCS, NAM, OAU, OIC, UDEAC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Names

conventional long form: Republic of Chad conventional short form: Chad local long form: Republique du Tchad local short form: Tchad

National holiday

Independence Day 11 August (1960)

National product

GDP - purchasing power equivalent - $2.7 billion (1993 est.)

National product per capita

$500 (1993 est.)

National product real growth rate

8.4% (1991 est.)

Nationality

noun: Chadian(s) adjective: Chadian

Natural resources

petroleum (unexploited but exploration under way), uranium, natron, kaolin, fish (Lake Chad)

Net migration rate

0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1994 est.)

Note

landlocked; Lake Chad is the most significant water body in the Sahel

Other political or pressure groups

NA

Overview

Climate, geographic remoteness, poor resource endowment, and lack of infrastructure make Chad one of the most underdeveloped countries in the world. Its economy is hobbled by political turmoil, conflict with Libya, drought, and food shortages. Consequently the economy has shown little progress in recent years in overcoming a severe setback brought on by civil war in the late 1980s. Over 80% of the work force is involved in subsistence farming and fishing. Cotton is the major cash crop, accounting for at least half of exports. Chad is highly dependent on foreign aid, especially food credits, given chronic shortages in several regions. The government hopes that discovery of several oil deposits near Lake Chad will lead to economic revival and a windfall in government revenues by 2000.

Political parties and leaders

Patriotic Salvation Movement (MPS; former dissident group), Idriss DEBY, chairman note: President DEBY, who promised political pluralism, a new constitution, and free elections by April 1994, has postponed these initiatives for another year; there are numerous dissident groups and 26 opposition political parties

Population

5,466,771 (July 1994 est.)

Population growth rate

2.15% (1994 est.)

Religions

Muslim 50%, Christian 25%, indigenous beliefs, animism 25%

Suffrage

universal at age NA

Telecommunications

fair system of radiocommunication stations for intercity links; broadcast stations - 6 AM, 1 FM, limited TV service; many facilities are inoperative; 1 Atlantic Ocean INTELSAT earth station

Terrain

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

Total fertility rate

5.33 children born/woman (1994 est.)

Type

republic

Unemployment rate

NA%

US diplomatic representation

chief of mission: Ambassador Lawrence POPE embassy: Avenue Felix Eboue, N'Djamena mailing address: B. P. 413, N'Djamena telephone: [235] (51) 62-18, 40-09, or 62-11