1999 Edition
CIA World Factbook 1999 (Internet Archive)
Introduction
Background
In 1960, Chad gained full independence from France. In December 1990, after Chad had endured three decades of ethnic warfare as well as invasions by Libya, former northern guerrilla leader Idriss DEBY seized control of the government. His transitional government eventually suppressed or came to terms with most political-military groups, settled the territorial dispute with Libya on terms favorable to Chad, drafted a democratic constitution which was ratified by popular referendum in 1996, held multiparty national presidential elections in 1996 (DEBY won with 69% of the vote), and held multiparty elections for the National Assembly in 1997 (DEBY's Patriotic Salvation Movement won a majority of the seats). But by the end of 1998, DEBY was beset with numerous problems including heavy casualties in the Democratic Republic of the Congo where Chadian troops had been deployed to support embattled President KABILA, a new rebellion in northern Chad, and further delays in the Doba Basin oil project in the south.
Geography
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 160 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
People and Society
Age structure
0-14 years: 44% (male 1,675,394; female 1,667,717) 15-64 years: 53% (male 1,953,251; female 2,034,883) 65 years and over: 3% (male 99,783; female 126,408) (1999 est.)
Birth rate
43.06 births/1,000 population (1999 est.)
Death rate
16.57 deaths/1,000 population (1999 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
115.27 deaths/1,000 live births (1999 est.)
Languages
French (official), Arabic (official), Sara and Sango (in south), more than 100 different languages and dialects
Life expectancy at birth
total population: 48.56 years male: 46.13 years female: 51.09 years (1999 est.)
Literacy
definition: age 15 and over can read and write 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 (1999 est.)
Population
7,557,436 (July 1999 est.)
Population growth rate
2.65% (1999 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 (1999 est.)
Total fertility rate
5.69 children born/woman (1999 est.)
Government
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
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
Executive branch
chief of state: President Lt. Gen. Idriss DEBY (since 4 December 1990) head of government: Prime Minister Nassour Guelengdouksia OUAIDOU (since 16 May 1997) cabinet: Council of State appointed by the president on the recommendation of the prime minister elections: president elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms; 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); prime minister 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%
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, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, ITU, MINURCA, NAM, OAU, OIC, OPCW, UDEAC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Hassaballah Abdelhadi Ahmat SOUBIANE chancery: 2002 R Street NW, Washington, DC 20009 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
Judicial branch
Supreme Court; Court of Appeal; Criminal Courts; Magistrate Courts Political parties and leaders: Patriotic Salvation Movement or the party in power and the party of the president); National Union mid-1996 Chad had about 60 political parties, of which these are the most prominent in the new National Assembly
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 elected by popular vote to 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 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 holiday
Independence Day, 11 August (1960)
Suffrage
18 years of age; universal
Economy
Agriculture--products
cotton, sorghum, millet, peanuts, rice, potatoes, manioc (tapioca); cattle, sheep, goats, camels
Budget
revenues: $198 million expenditures: $218 million, including capital expenditures of $146 million (1998 est.)
Currency
1 Communaute Financiere Africaine franc (CFAF) = 100 centimes
Debt--external
$875 million (1995 est.)
Economic aid--recipient
$238.3 million (1995); note?$125 million committed by Taiwan (August 1997); $30 million committed by African Development Bank
Economy--overview
Landlocked Chad's economic development suffers from it's geographic remoteness, drought, lack of infrastructure, and political turmoil. About 85% of the population depends on agriculture, including the herding of livestock. Of Africa's Francophone countries, Chad benefited least from the 50% devaluation of their currencies in January 1994. Financial aid from the World Bank, the African Development Fund, and other sources is directed largely at the improvement of agriculture, especially livestock production. Lack of financing and low oil prices, however, are stalling the development of an oil field in the Doba Basin and the construction of a proposed oil pipeline through Cameroon.
Electricity--consumption
90 million kWh (1996)
Electricity--exports
0 kWh (1996)
Electricity--imports
0 kWh (1996)
Electricity--production
90 million kWh (1996)
Electricity--production by source
fossil fuel: 100% hydro: 0% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (1996)
Exchange rates
Communaute Financiere Africaine Francs (CFAF) per US$1--560.01 (December 1998), 589.95 (1998), 583.67 (1997), 511.55 (1996), 499.15 (1995), 555.20 (1994)
Exports
$220 million (f.o.b., 1998 est.)
Exports--commodities
cotton, cattle, textiles
Exports--partners
Portugal 30%, Germany 14%, Thailand, Costa Rica, South Africa, France (1997)
Fiscal year
calendar year
GDP
purchasing power parity--$7.5 billion (1998 est.)
GDP--composition by sector
agriculture: 39% industry: 15% services: 46% (1997)
GDP--per capita
purchasing power parity?$1,000 (1998 est.)
GDP--real growth rate
2.9% (1998 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share
lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA%
Imports
$252 million (f.o.b., 1998 est.)
Imports--commodities
machinery and transportation equipment, industrial goods, petroleum products, foodstuffs, textiles
Imports--partners
France 41%, Nigeria 10%, Cameroon 7%, India 6% (1997)
Industrial production growth rate
5% (1995)
Industries
cotton textiles, meat packing, beer brewing, natron (sodium carbonate), soap, cigarettes, construction materials
Inflation rate (consumer prices)
15% (1997 est.)
Labor force
NA
Labor force--by occupation
agriculture 85% (subsistence farming, herding, and fishing)
Population below poverty line
NA%
Unemployment rate
NA%
Communications
Radio broadcast stations
AM 2, FM 3, shortwave 3 (one of the shortwave stations has three frequencies) (1998)
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 (broadcasts 1800 to 2100 hours, four days per week) (1997)
Televisions
7,000 (1991 est.)
Transportation
Airports
52 (1998 est.) Airports--with paved runways: total: 8 over 3,047 m: 1 2,438 to 3,047 m: 2 1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 914 to 1,523 m: 2 under 914 m: 1 (1998 est.) Airports--with unpaved runways: total: 44 1,524 to 2,437 m: 12 914 to 1,523 m: 22 under 914 m: 10 (1998 est.)
Highways
total: 33,400 km paved: 267 km unpaved: 33,133 km (1996 est.)
Railways
0 km
Waterways
2,000 km navigable Ports and harbors: none
Military and Security
Military branches
Armed Forces (includes Ground Force, Air Force, and Gendarmerie), Republican Guard, Rapid Intervention Force, Police
Military expenditures--dollar figure
$39 million (1996)
Military expenditures--percent of GDP
3.5% (1996)
Military manpower--availability
males age 15-49: 1,689,112 (1999 est.) Military manpower--fit for military service: males age 15-49: 875,541 (1999 est.)
Military manpower--military age
20 years of age
Military manpower--reaching military age annually
males: 70,464 (1999 est.)
Transnational Issues
Disputes--international
delimitation of international boundaries in the vicinity of Lake Chad, the lack of which led to border incidents in the past, is completed and awaits ratification by Cameroon, Chad, Niger, and Nigeria