1996 Edition

Description

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

Location

15 00 N, 19 00 E -- Central Africa, south of Libya Flag ----

Area

comparative area

slightly more than three times the size of California

land area

1,259,200 sq km

total area

1.284 million sq km

Climate

tropical in south, desert in north

Coastline

0 km (landlocked)

Environment

current issues

inadequate supplies of potable water; improper waste disposal in rural areas contributes to soil and water pollution; desertification

international agreements

party to - Biodiversity, Climate Change, Endangered Species, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands; signed, but not ratified - Desertification, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping

natural hazards

hot, dry, dusty harmattan winds occur in north; periodic droughts; locust plagues

Geographic coordinates

15 00 N, 19 00 E

Geographic note

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

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sq km Aozou Strip between Chad and Libya belongs to Chad and that Libya must withdraw from it by 31 May 1994; Libya has withdrawn some of its forces in response to the ICJ ruling, but still maintains part of the airfield and a small military presence at the airfield's water supply located in Chad; demarcation of international boundaries in vicinity of 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.)

Land 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

total

5,968 km

Land use

arable land

2%

forest and woodland

11%

meadows and pastures

36%

other

51%

permanent crops

0%

Location

Central Africa, south of Libya

Map references

Africa

Maritime claims

none (landlocked)

Natural resources

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

Terrain

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

highest point

Emi Koussi 3,415 m

lowest point

Djourab Depression 175 m

Age structure

0-14 years: 44% (male 1,543,688; female 1,535,729) 15-64 years: 53% (male 1,807,361; female 1,881,930) 65 years and over: 3% (male 91,998; female 116,139) (July 1996 est.)

Birth rate

44.25 births/1,000 population (1996 est.)

Death rate

17.44 deaths/1,000 population (1996 est.)

Ethnic divisions

nonindigenous 150,000, of whom 1,000 are French

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)

Infant mortality rate

120.4 deaths/1,000 live births (1996 est.)

Languages

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

Life expectancy at birth

female

50.01 years (1996 est.)

male

45.18 years

total population

47.55 years

Literacy

age 15 and over can read and write in French or Arabic (1995 est.)

female

34.7%

male

62.1%

total population

48.1%

Nationality

adjective

Chadian

noun

Chadian(s)

Net migration rate

0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1996 est.)

Population

6,976,845 (July 1996 est.)

Population growth rate

2.68% (1996 est.)

Religions

Muslim 50%, Christian 25%, indigenous beliefs (mostly animism) 25%

Sex ratio

all ages

0.97 male(s)/female (1996 est.)

at birth

1.04 male(s)/female

under 15 years

1 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.96 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.79 male(s)/female

Total fertility rate

5.84 children born/woman (1996 est.)

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

Capital

N'Djamena

Constitution

31 March 1995, passed by referendum

Data code

CD

Diplomatic representation in US

chancery

2002 R Street NW, Washington, DC 20009

chief of mission

Ambassador Mahamat Saleh AHMAT

telephone

[1] (202) 462-4009

Executive branch

cabinet

Council of State appointed by the president on recommendation of the prime minister

chief of state

President Lt. Gen. Idriss DEBY (since 4 December 1990, after seizing power on 3 December 1990); note - transitional government's mandate was scheduled to expire in May 1996; the first round of presidential elections was scheduled for 2 June 1996, with a runoff on 23 June if necessary

head of government

Prime Minister Djimasta KOIBLA (since 9 April 1995) elected by the Sovereign National Conference

FAX

[1] (202) 265-1937

[235] (51) 56-54

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

Higher Transitional Council (Conseil Superieur de Transition

popular elections to the former National Consultative Council (Conceil National Consultatif) were last held 8 July 1990; this body was disbanded on 3 December 1990 by President DEBY and on 8 March 1991 replaced with the Provisional Council of the Republic having 30 members whom he appointed; this body, in turn, was replaced on 6 April 1993 by a 57-member Higher Transitional Council (Conseil Superieur de Transition) elected by a specially convened Sovereign National Conference; popular elections, formerly scheduled for April 1995, were initially postponed by mutual agreement of the parties concerned until at least May 1996 and subsequently postponed until after the rainy season (as late as October 1996); note - the name of the anticipated new legislative body has not been announced

Independence

11 August 1960 (from France)

International organization participation

ACCT, ACP, AfDB, BDEAC, CEEAC, ECA, FAO, FZ, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, ITU, NAM, OAU, OIC, UDEAC, UN, UNAMIR, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO

Judicial branch

Court of Appeal

Legal system

based on French civil law system and Chadian customary law; does not accept compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Legislative branch

unicameral

Name of country

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)

Other political or pressure groups

NA

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, subsequently twice postponed these initiatives; there are numerous dissident groups and at least 45 opposition political parties

Suffrage

NA years of age; universal

Type of government

republic

US diplomatic representation

chief of mission

Ambassador Laurence E. POPE II

embassy

Avenue Felix Eboue, N'Djamena

mailing address

B. P. 413, N'Djamena

telephone

[235] (51) 70-09, (51) 90-52, (51) 92-33

Agriculture

cotton, sorghum, millet, peanuts, rice, potatoes, manioc (tapioca); cattle, sheep, goats, camels

Budget

expenditures

$363 million, including capital expenditures of $104 million (1992 est.)

revenues

$120 million

Currency

1 Communaute Financiere Africaine franc (CFAF) = 100 centimes

Economic aid

recipient

ODA, $NA

Economic 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, 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. More than 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. Of all the Francophone countries in Africa, Chad has benefited the least from the 50% devaluation of their currencies on 12 January 1994. Despite an increase in external financial aid and favorable price increases for cotton - the primary source of foreign exchange - the corrupt and enfeebled government bureaucracy continues to postpone payment of public sector salaries and to dampen economic enterprise by neglecting payments to domestic suppliers. The devaluation resulted in stepped-up inflation of 41% in 1994; in contrast to other Francophone countries, Chad continued to suffer high inflation in 1995 because of the government's lack of financial discipline. Oil production in the Lake Chad area remains a distant prospect and the subsistence-driven economy probably will continue to limp along in the near term.

Electricity

capacity

40,000 kW

consumption per capita

13 kWh (1993)

production

80 million kWh

Exchange rates

CFA Francs (CFAF) per US$1 - 500.56 (January 1996), 499.15 (1995), 555.20 (1994), 283.16 (1993), 264.69 (1992), 282.11 (1991)

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

Exports

$132 million (f.o.b., 1993)

commodities

cotton, cattle, textiles, fish

partners

France, Nigeria, Cameroon, Zaire, Sudan, Central African Republic

External debt

$757 million (December 1993 )

Fiscal year

calendar year

GDP

purchasing power parity - $3.3 billion (1995 est.)

GDP composition by sector

agriculture

49%

industry

17%

services

34%

GDP per capita

$600 (1995 est.)

GDP real growth rate

4% (1994 est.)

Imports

$201 million (f.o.b., 1993)

commodities

machinery and transportation equipment 39%, industrial goods 20%, petroleum products 13%, foodstuffs 9%; textiles; note - excludes military equipment

partners

US, France, Nigeria, Cameroon, Italy, Germany

Industrial production growth rate

NA%

Industries

cotton textiles, meat packing, beer brewing, natron (sodium carbonate), soap, cigarettes, construction materials

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

41% (1994 est.)

Labor force

NA

by occupation

agriculture 85% (subsistence farming, herding, and fishing)

Unemployment rate

NA%

Branches

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

Defense expenditures

exchange rate conversion - $74 million, 11.1% of GDP (1994)

Manpower availability

males age 15-49

1,562,052

males fit for military service

809,210

males reach military age (20) annually

63,254 (1996 est.)

Radio broadcast stations

AM 6, FM 1, shortwave 0

Radios

NA

Telephone system

primitive system

domestic

fair system of radiotelephone communication stations

international

satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)

Telephones

5,000 (1987 est.)

Television broadcast stations

1 (1987 est.)

note

limited TV service; many facilities are inoperative

Televisions

7,000 (1991 est.) Defense

Airports

total

47

with paved runways 1 524 to 2 437 m

1

with paved runways 2 438 to 3 047 m

3

with paved runways under 914 m

11

with unpaved runways 1 524 to 2 437 m

13

with unpaved runways 914 to 1 523 m

18 (1995 est.)

with unpaved runways over 3 047 m

1

Highways

paved

32 km

total

31,141 km

unpaved

31,109 km (1987 est.)

Ports

none

Railways

0 km

Waterways

2,000 km navigable