Chad

§1. Chad Introduction

Background:
  Chad, part of France's African holdings until 1960, endured three decades
  of civil warfare as well as invasions by Libya before a semblance of peace
  was finally restored in 1990. The government eventually drafted a
  democratic constitution, and held flawed presidential elections in 1996 and
  2001. In 1998, a rebellion broke out in northern Chad, which sporadically
  flares up despite several peace agreements between the government and the
  rebels. In 2005 new rebel groups emerged in western Sudan and have made
  probing attacks into eastern Chad. Power remains in the hands of an ethnic
  minority. In June 2005, President Idriss DEBY held a referendum
  successfully removing constitutional term limits.

§2. Chad Geography

Location:
  Central Africa, south of Libya

Geographic coordinates:
  15 00 N, 19 00 E

Map references:
  Africa

Area:
  total: 1.284 million km²
  land: 1,259,200 km²
  water: 24,800 km²

Area - comparative:
  slightly more than three times the size of California

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

Coastline:
  0 km (landlocked)

Maritime claims:
  none (landlocked)

Climate:
  tropical in south, desert in north

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

Elevation extremes:
  lowest point: Djourab Depression 160 m
  highest point: Emi Koussi 3,415 m

Natural resources:
  petroleum, uranium, natron, kaolin, fish (Lake Chad), gold, limestone, sand
  and gravel, salt

Land use:
  arable land: 2.8%
  permanent crops: 0.02%
  other: 97.18% (2005)

Irrigated land:
  200 km² (1998 est.)

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

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, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands
  signed, but not ratified: Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping

Geography - note:
  landlocked; Lake Chad is the most significant water body in the Sahel

§3. Chad People

Population:
  9,944,201 (July 2006 est.)

Age structure:
  0-14 years: 47.9% (male 2,396,393/female 2,369,261)
  15-64 years: 49.3% (male 2,355,940/female 2,550,535)
  65 years and over: 2.7% (male 107,665/female 164,407) (2006 est.)

Median age:
  total: 16 years
  male: 15.3 years
  female: 16.6 years (2006 est.)

Population growth rate:
  2.93% (2006 est.)

Birth rate:
  45.73 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Death rate:
  16.38 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Net migration rate:
  -0.11 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Sex ratio:
  at birth: 1.04 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.01 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 0.92 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.66 male(s)/female
  total population: 0.96 male(s)/female (2006 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
  total: 91.45 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 100.12 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 82.43 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:
  total population: 47.52 years
  male: 45.88 years
  female: 49.21 years (2006 est.)

Total fertility rate:
  6.25 children born/woman (2006 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
  4.8% (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
  200,000 (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
  18,000 (2003 est.)

Major infectious diseases:
  degree of risk: very high
  food or waterborne diseases: bacterial and protozoal diarrhea, hepatitis A,
    and typhoid fever
  vectorborne disease: malaria
  water contact disease: schistosomiasis
  respiratory disease: meningococcal meningitis (2005)

Nationality:
  noun: Chadian(s)
  adjective: Chadian

Ethnic groups:
  200 distinct groups; in the north and center: Arabs, Gorane (Toubou, Daza,
    Kreda), Zaghawa, Kanembou, Ouaddai,
  Baguirmi, Hadjerai, Fulbe, Kotoko, Hausa, Boulala, and Maba, most of whom
    are Muslim; in the south: Sara (Ngambaye, Mbaye, Goulaye), Moundang,
    Moussei, Massa, most of whom are Christian or animist; about 1,000 French
    citizens live in Chad

Religions:
  Muslim 51%, Christian 35%, animist 7%, other 7%

Languages:
  French (official), Arabic (official), Sara (in south), more than 120
  different languages and dialects

Literacy:
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write French or Arabic
  total population: 47.5%
  male: 56%
  female: 39.3% (2003 est.)

§4. Chad Government

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

Government type:
  republic

Capital:
  N'Djamena

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
  note: instead of 14 prefectures, there may be a new administrative
    structure of 28 departments (departments, singular - department) and 1
    city*; Assongha, Baguirmi, Bahr El Gazal, Bahr Koh, Batha Oriental, Batha
    Occidental, Biltine, Borkou, Dababa, Ennedi, Guera, Hadjer Lamis, Kabia,
    Kanem, Lac, Lac Iro, Logone Occidental, Logone Oriental, Mandoul,
    Mayo-Boneye, Mayo-Dallah, Monts de Lam, N'Djamena*, Ouaddai, Salamat,
    Sila, Tandjile Oriental, Tandjile Occidental, Tibesti

Independence:
  11 August 1960 (from France)

National holiday:
  Independence Day, 11 August (1960)

Constitution:
  passed by referendum 31 March 1996; a June 2005 referendum removed
  constitutional term limits

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

Suffrage:
  18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
  chief of state: President Lt. Gen. Idriss DEBY (since 4 December 1990)
  head of government: Prime Minister Pascal YOADIMNADJI (since 3 February
    2005)
  cabinet: Council of State, members appointed by the president on the
    recommendation of the prime minister
  elections: president elected by popular vote to serve five-year term; 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 20 May 2001 (next to be held 3 May 2006); prime minister appointed
    by the president
  election results: Lt. Gen. Idriss DEBY reelected president; percent of vote
    - Lt. Gen. Idriss DEBY 63%, Ngarledjy YORONGAR 16%, Saleh KEBZABO 7%

Legislative branch:
  bicameral according to constitution, consists of a National Assembly (155
  seats; members elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms) and a
  Senate (not yet created and size unspecified, members to serve six-year
  terms, one-third of membership renewable every two years)
  elections: National Assembly - last held 21 April 2002 (next to be held in
    April 2007)
  election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - MPS 110,
    RDP 12, FAR 9, RNDP 5, URD 5, UNDR 3, other 11

Judicial branch:
  Supreme Court; Court of Appeal; Criminal Courts; Magistrate Courts

Political parties and leaders:
  Federation Action for the Republic or FAR [Ngarledjy YORONGAR]; National
  Rally for Development and Progress or RNDP [Delwa Kassire COUMAKOYE];
  National Union for Democracy and Renewal or UNDR [Saleh KEBZABO]; Party for
  Liberty and Development or PLD [Ibni Oumar Mahamat SALEH]; Patriotic
  Salvation Movement or MPS [Mahamat Saleh AHMAT, chairman]; Rally for
  Democracy and Progress or RDP [Lol Mahamat CHOUA]; Union for Democracy and
  Republic or UDR [Jean ALINGUE]; Union for Renewal and Democracy or URD
  [Gen. Wadal Abdelkader KAMOUGUE]

Political pressure groups and leaders:
  NA

International organization participation:
  ACCT, ACP, AfDB, AU, BDEAC, CEMAC, FAO, FZ, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt
  (signatory), ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, Interpol,
  IOC, ITU, MIGA, NAM, OIC, OIF, ONUB, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO,
  UNOCI, UPU, WCL, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO

Diplomatic representation in the US:
  chief of mission: Ambassador Mahamat Adam BECHIR
  chancery: 2002 R Street NW, Washington, DC 20009
  telephone: [1] (202) 462-4009
  FAX: [1] (202) 265-1937

Diplomatic representation from the US:
  chief of mission: Ambassador Marc WALL
  embassy: Avenue Felix Eboue, N'Djamena
  mailing address: B. P. 413, N'Djamena
  telephone: [235] (51) 70-09
  FAX: [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 flags of Andorra and Moldova,
  both of which have a national coat of arms centered in the yellow band;
  design was based on the flag of France

§5. Chad Economy

Economy - overview:
  Chad's primarily agricultural economy will continue to be boosted by major
  foreign direct investment projects in the oil sector that began in 2000.
  Over 80% of Chad's population relies on subsistence farming and livestock
  raising for its livelihood. Chad's economy has long been handicapped by its
  landlocked position, high energy costs, and a history of instability. Chad
  relies on foreign assistance and foreign capital for most public and
  private sector investment projects. A consortium led by two US companies
  has been investing $3.7 billion to develop oil reserves - estimated at 1
  billion barrels - in southern Chad. The nation's total oil reserves has
  been estimated to be 2 billion barrels. Oil production came on stream in
  late 2003. Chad began to export oil in 2004. Cotton, cattle, and gum arabic
  provide the bulk of Chad's non-oil export earnings.

GDP (purchasing power parity):
  $17.73 billion (2005 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate):
  $5.033 billion (2005 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
  18% (2005 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP):
  $1,800 (2005 est.)

GDP - composition by sector:
  agriculture: 23.7%
  industry: 38.6%
  services: 37.7% (2005 est.)

Labor force:
  NA

Labor force - by occupation:
  agriculture more than 80% (subsistence farming, herding, and fishing)

Unemployment rate:
  NA%

Population below poverty line:
  80% (2001 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share:
  lowest 10%: NA%
  highest 10%: NA%

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
  5.5% (2005 est.)

Investment (gross fixed):
  7.2% of GDP (2005 est.)

Budget:
  revenues: $765.2 million
  expenditures: $653.3 million; including capital expenditures of $146
    million (2005 est.)

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

Industries:
  oil, cotton textiles, meatpacking, beer brewing, natron (sodium carbonate),
  soap, cigarettes, construction materials

Industrial production growth rate:
  5% (1995)

Electricity - production:
  120 million kWh (2003)

Electricity - consumption:
  111.6 million kWh (2003)

Electricity - exports:
  0 kWh (2003)

Electricity - imports:
  0 kWh (2003)

Oil - production:
  225,000 bbl/day (2005 est.)

Oil - consumption:
  1,450 bbl/day (2003 est.)

Oil - exports:
  NA bbl/day

Oil - imports:
  NA bbl/day

Natural gas - production:
  0 m³ (2003 est.)

Natural gas - consumption:
  0 m³ (2003 est.)

Current account balance:
  $663.3 million (2005 est.)

Exports:
  $3.016 billion f.o.b. (2005 est.)

Exports - commodities:
  cotton, cattle, gum arabic, oil

Exports - partners:
  US 67.7%, China 21.5%, Portugal 4.3% (2004)

Imports:
  $749.1 million f.o.b. (2005 est.)

Imports - commodities:
  machinery and transportation equipment, industrial goods, foodstuffs,
  textiles

Imports - partners:
  France 21.9%, Cameroon 16.1%, US 10.8%, Portugal 10.4%, Germany 6.4%,
  Belgium 4.6% (2004)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
  $881.8 million (2005 est.)

Debt - external:
  $1.5 billion (2003 est.)

Economic aid - recipient:
  $238.3 million received; note - $125 million committed by Taiwan (August
  1997); $30 million committed by African Development Bank; ODA $246.9
  million (2003 est.)

Currency (code):
  Communaute Financiere Africaine franc (XAF); note - responsible authority
  is the Bank of the Central African States

Exchange rates:
  Communaute Financiere Africaine francs (XAF) per US dollar - 527.47 (2005),
  528.29 (2004), 581.2 (2003), 696.99 (2002), 733.04 (2001)

Fiscal year:
  calendar year

§6. Chad Communications

Telephones - main lines in use:
  13,000 (2004)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
  123,000 (2004)

Telephone system:
  general assessment: primitive system
  domestic: fair system of radiotelephone communication stations
  international: country code - 235; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat
    (Atlantic Ocean)

Radio broadcast stations:
  AM 2, FM 4, shortwave 5 (2002)

Television broadcast stations:
  1 (2002)

Internet country code:
  .td

Internet hosts:
  7 (2005)

Internet users:
  60,000 (2005)

§7. Chad Transportation

Airports:
  51 (2005)

Airports - with paved runways:
  total: 7
  over 3,047 m: 2
  2,438 to 3,047 m: 3
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 1
  under 914 m: 1 (2005)

Airports - with unpaved runways:
  total: 44
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 14
  914 to 1,523 m: 21
  under 914 m: 9 (2005)

Pipelines:
  oil 205 km (2004)

Roadways:
  total: 33,400 km
  paved: 267 km
  unpaved: 33,133 km (1999)

Waterways:
  Chari and Legone rivers are navigable only in wet season (2002)

§8. Chad Military

Military branches:
  Chadian National Army (Armee Nationale Tchadienne, ANT), Air Force,
  Gendarmerie (2004)

Military service age and obligation:
  20 years of age for conscripts, with three-year service obligation; 18
  years of age for volunteers; no minimum age restriction for volunteers with
  consent from a guardian; women are subject to one year of compulsory
  military or civic service at age of 21 (2004)

Manpower available for military service:
  males age 20-49: 1,559,382 (2005 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:
  males age 20-49: 834,695 (2005 est.)

Manpower reaching military service age annually:
  males: 95,228 (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
  $68.95 million (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
  1% (2005 est.)

§9. Chad Transnational Issues

Disputes - international:
  since the expulsions of residents from Darfur in 2003 by Janjawid armed
  militia and Sudanese military, about 200,000 refugees remain in eastern
  Chad; Chad remains an important mediator in the Sudanese civil conflict,
  reducing tensions with Sudan arising from cross-border banditry; Chadian
  Aozou rebels reside in southern Libya; only Nigeria and Cameroon have
  heeded the Lake Chad Commission's admonition to ratify the delimitation
  treaty, which also includes the Chad-Niger and Niger-Nigeria boundaries

Refugees and internally displaced persons:
  refugees (country of origin): 224,924 (Sudan), 29,683 (Central African
    Republic) (2005)


<Factbook 2006>
