1997 Edition

Area

total: 1.284 million sq km land: 1,259,200 sq km water: 24,800 sq km

Area - comparative

slightly more than three times the size of California

Climate

tropical in south, desert in north

Coastline

0 km (landlocked)

Elevation extremes

lowest point : Djourab Depression 175 m highest point: Emi Koussi 3,415 m

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

Geographic coordinates

15 00 N, 19 00 E

Geography - note

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

Irrigated land

140 sq km (1993 est.)

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

Land use

arable land: 3% permanent crops : 0% permanent pastures: 36% forests and woodland: 26% other: 35% (1993 est.)

Location

Central Africa, south of Libya

Map references

Africa

Maritime claims

none (landlocked)

Natural hazards

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

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

Age structure

0-14 years: 44% (male 1,586,873; female 1,579,086) 15-64 years: 53% (male 1,854,645; female 1,931,519) 65 years and over: 3% (male 94,516; female 119,384) (July 1997 est.)

Birth rate

43.85 births/1,000 population (1997 est.)

Death rate

17.15 deaths/1,000 population (1997 est.)

Ethnic groups

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

Infant mortality rate

118.7 deaths/1,000 live births (1997 est.)

Languages

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

Life expectancy at birth

total population: 47.88 years male: 45.49 years female: 50.37 years (1997 est.)

Literacy

definition: age 15 and over can read and write in French or Arabic total population: 48.1% male : 62.1% female: 34.7% (1995 est.)

Nationality

noun : Chadian(s) adjective: Chadian

Net migration rate

0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1997 est.)

Population

7,166,023 (July 1997 est.)

Population growth rate

2.67% (1997 est.)

Religions

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

Sex ratio

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 population: 0.97 male(s)/female (1997 est.)

Total fertility rate

5.79 children born/woman (1997 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

Constitution

31 March 1995, passed by referendum

Country name

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

Data code

CD

Diplomatic representation from the US

chief of mission: Ambassador David C. HALSTED embassy: Avenue Felix Eboue, N'Djamena mailing address : B. P. 413, N'Djamena telephone: [235] (51) 70-09, (51) 90-52, (51) 92-33

Diplomatic representation in the US

chief of mission : Ambassador Mahamat Saleh AHMAT chancery: 2002 R Street NW, Washington, DC 20009 telephone: [1] (202) 462-4009

Executive branch

chief of state: President Lt. Gen. Idriss DEBY (since 4 December 1990) head of government : Prime Minister Djimasta KOIBLA (since 9 April 1995); appointed by the president cabinet: Council of State appointed by the president on the recommendation of the prime minister elections: the constitution provides for the election of a president by direct popular vote to serve a term of five years; 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 2 June and 11 July 1996 (next to be held NA 2001); the prime minister is appointed by the president election results: in the first round of voting none of the 15 candidates received the required 50% of the total vote; percent of vote, first round - Lt. Gen. Idress DEBY 47.8 %; percent of vote, second round - Lt. Gen. DEBY 69.1%, Wadal Abdelkader KAMOUGUE 30.9%; President DEBY reappointed Prime Minister Djimasta KOIBLA

FAX

[1] (202) 265-1937

[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 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

Government type

republic

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, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO

Judicial branch

Supreme Court; Court of Appeal; Criminal Courts; Magistrate Courts

Legal system

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

Legislative branch

unicameral National Assembly (125 seats; members serve four-year terms); replaces the Higher Transitional Council or the Conseil Superieur de Transition elections: National Assembly - last held in two rounds on 5 January and 23 February 1997, (next to be held NA 2001); in the first round of voting on 5 January 1997 some candidates won clear victories by receiving 50% or more of the vote; where that did not happen, the two highest scoring candidates stood for a second round of voting election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - MPS 65, URD 29, UNDR 15, RDP 3, others 13

National capital

N'Djamena

National holiday

Independence Day, 11 August (1960)

Political parties and leaders

Patriotic Salvation Movement or MPS [Maldom Bada ABBAS, chairman], originally in opposition but now the party in power and the party of the president; National Union for Development and Renewal or UNDR [Saleh KEBZABO, leader]; Rally for Democracy and Progress or RDP [Lal Mahamat CHOUA, leader]; Union for Renewal and Democracy or URD [Gen. Wadal Abdelkader KAMOUGUE, leader]; note - in mid-1996 Chad had about 60 political parties, of which these are the most prominent in the new National Assembly

Political pressure groups and leaders

NA

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

Agriculture - products

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

Budget

revenues : $136 million expenditures: $222 million, including capital expenditures of $107 million (1994 est.)

Currency

1 Communaute Financiere Africaine franc (CFAF) = 100 centimes

Debt - external

$875 million (1995 est.)

Economic aid

recipient: ODA, $NA

Economy - overview

Unfavorable 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. About 85% 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 food 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 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; inflation fell to 9% in 1995 but it remains high compared with other Francophone countries. In one favorable development, Chad in December 1996 concluded an agreement with ESSO/Chad (EXXON) for drilling and extracting petroleum at Doba. Oil will be piped through Cameroon for export.

Electricity - capacity

40,000 kW (1991)

Electricity - consumption per capita

14 kWh (1991 est.)

Electricity - production

70 million kWh (1991)

Exchange rates

CFA Francs (CFAF) per US$1 - 541.69 (January 1997), 511.55 (1996), 499.15 (1995), 555.20 (1994), 283.16 (1993), 264.69 (1992) 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

total value: $226 million (f.o.b., 1995) commodities: cotton, cattle, textiles, fish partners : Portugal 30%, Germany 18%, South Africa 16%, France 7%

Fiscal year

calendar year

GDP

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

GDP - composition by sector

agriculture: 48% industry: 18% services : 34% (1995 est.)

GDP - per capita

purchasing power parity - $600 (1995 est.)

GDP - real growth rate

2.6% (1995 est.)

Imports

total value: $225 million (f.o.b., 1995 est.) commodities: machinery and transportation equipment 39%, industrial goods 20%, petroleum products 13%, foodstuffs 9%; textiles; note - excludes military equipment partners: France 34%, Cameroon 24%, Nigeria 7%, US 6%

Industrial production growth rate

NA%

Industries

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

Inflation rate - consumer price index

9% (1995 est.)

Labor force

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

Unemployment rate

NA%

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.)

Airports

46 (1996 est.)

Airports - with paved runways

total: 15 over 3,047 m : 1 2,438 to 3,047 m: 3 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 under 914 m: 10 (1996 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways

total : 31 1,524 to 2,437 m: 14 914 to 1,523 m: 17 (1996 est.)

Highways

total: 32,700 km paved: 262 km unpaved : 32,438 km (1995 est.)

Ports and harbors

none

Railways

0 km

Waterways

2,000 km navigable

Military branches

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

Military expenditures - dollar figure

$74 million (1994)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP

11.1% (1994)

Military manpower - availability

males age 15-49: 1,603,194 (1997 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service

males: 830,777 (1997 est.)

Military manpower - military age

20 years of age

Military manpower - reaching military age annually

males : 65,906 (1997 est.)

Disputes - international

demarcation of international boundaries in the 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 ______________________________________________________________________ CHILE