Total area:
1,284,000 km2
Land area:
1,259,200 km2
Comparative area:
slightly more than three times the size of California
Land boundaries:
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
Coastline:
none - landlocked
Maritime claims:
none - landlocked
Disputes:
Libya claims and occupies the 100,000 km2 Aozou Strip in the far north;
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
Climate:
tropical in south, desert in north
Terrain:
broad, arid plains in center, desert in north, mountains in northwest,
lowlands in south
Natural resources:
crude oil (unexploited but exploration under way), uranium, natron, kaolin,
fish (Lake Chad)
Land use:
arable land 2%; permanent crops NEGL%; meadows and pastures 36%; forest and
woodland 11%; other 51%; includes irrigated NEGL%
Environment:
hot, dry, dusty harmattan winds occur in north; drought and desertification
adversely affecting south; subject to plagues of locusts
Note:
landlocked; Lake Chad is the most significant water body in the Sahel
:Chad People
Population:
5,238,908 (July 1992), growth rate 2.1% (1992)
Birth rate:
42 births/1,000 population (1992)
Death rate:
21 deaths/1,000 population (1992)
Net migration rate:
0 migrants/1,000 population (1992)
Infant mortality rate:
136 deaths/1,000 live births (1992)
Life expectancy at birth:
39 years male, 41 years female (1992)
Total fertility rate:
5.3 children born/woman (1992)
Nationality:
noun - Chadian(s); adjective - Chadian
Ethnic divisions:
some 200 distinct ethnic groups, most of whom are Muslims (Arabs, Toubou,
Hadjerai, Fulbe, Kotoko, Kanembou, Baguirmi, Boulala, Zaghawa, and Maba) in
the north and center and non-Muslims (Sara, Ngambaye, Mbaye, Goulaye,
Moundang, Moussei, Massa) in the south; some 150,000 nonindigenous, of whom
1,000 are French
Religions:
Muslim 44%, Christian 33%, indigenous beliefs, animism 23%
Languages:
French and Arabic (official); Sara and Sango in south; more than 100
different languages and dialects are spoken
Literacy:
30% (male 42%, female 18%) age 15 and over can read and write French or
Arabic (1990 est.)
Labor force:
NA; agriculture (engaged in unpaid subsistence farming, herding, and
fishing) 85%
Organized labor:
about 20% of wage labor force
:Chad Government
Long-form name:
Republic of Chad
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
Independence:
11 August 1960 (from France)
Constitution:
22 December 1989, suspended 3 December 1990; Provisional National Charter 1
March 1991
Legal system:
based on French civil law system and Chadian customary law; has not accepted
compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
National holiday:
11 August
Executive branch:
president, Council of State (cabinet)
Legislative branch:
the National Consultative Council (Conseil National Consultatif) was
disbanded 3 December 1990 and replaced by the Provisional Council of the
Republic; 30 members appointed by President DEBY on 8 March 1991
Judicial branch:
Court of Appeal
Leaders:
Chief of State:
Col. Idriss DEBY (since 4 December 1990)
Head of Government:
Prime Minister Jean ALINGUE Bawoyeu (since 8 March 1991)
Political parties and leaders:
Patriotic Salvation Movement (MPS; former dissident group), Idriss DEBY,
chairman; President DEBY has promised political pluralism, a new
constitution, and free elections by September 1993; numerous dissident
groups; national conference to be held in 1992
Suffrage:
universal at age NA
Elections:
National Consultative Council:
last held 8 July 1990; disbanded 3 December 1990
President:
last held 10 December 1989 (next to be held NA); results - President Hissein
HABRE was elected without opposition; note - the government of then
President HABRE fell on 1 December 1990, and Idriss DEBY seized power on 3
December 1990; national conference scheduled for mid-1992 and election to
follow in 1993
Communists:
no front organizations or underground party; probably a few Communists and
some sympathizers
Other political or pressure groups:
NA
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, UPU, WCL, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
:Chad Government
Diplomatic representation:
Ambassador ACHEIKH ibn Oumar; Chancery at 2002 R Street NW, Washington, DC
20009; telephone (202) 462-4009
US:
Ambassador Richard W. BOGOSIAN; Embassy at Avenue Felix Eboue, N'Djamena
(mailing address is B. P. 413, N'Djamena); telephone [235] (51) 62-18,
40-09, or 51-62-11; FAX [235] 51-33-72
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
:Chad Economy
Overview:
The climate, geographic location, and lack of infrastructure and natural
resources potential make Chad one of the most underdeveloped countries in
the world. Its economy is burdened by the ravages of civil war, conflict
with Libya, drought, and food shortages. In 1986 real GDP returned to its
1977 level, with cotton, the major cash crop, accounting for 48% of exports.
Over 80% of the work force is employed in subsistence farming and fishing.
Industry is based almost entirely on the processing of agricultural
products, including cotton, sugarcane, and cattle. Chad is highly dependent
on foreign aid, with its economy in trouble and many regions suffering from
shortages. Oil companies are exploring areas north of Lake Chad and in the
Doba basin in the south. Since coming to power in December 1990, the Deby
government has experienced a year of economic chaos.
GDP:
exchange rate conversion - $1.0 billion, per capita $205; real growth rate
0.9% (1989 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
—4.9% (1989)
Unemployment rate:
NA
Budget:
entirely funded by outside donors
Exports:
$174 million (f.o.b., 1990 est.)
commodities:
cotton 48%, cattle 35%, textiles 5%, fish
partners:
France, Nigeria, Cameroon
Imports:
$264 million (c.i.f., 1990 est.)
commodities:
machinery and transportation equipment 39%, industrial goods 20%, petroleum
products 13%, foodstuffs 9%; note - excludes military equipment
partners:
US, France, Nigeria, Cameroon
External debt:
$530 million (December 1990 est.)
Industrial production:
growth rate 12.9% (1989 est.); accounts for nearly 15% of GDP
Electricity:
40,000 kW capacity; 70 million kWh produced, 15 kWh per capita (1991)
Industries:
cotton textile mills, slaughterhouses, brewery, natron (sodium carbonate),
soap, cigarettes
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
Economic aid:
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
Currency:
Communaute Financiere Africaine franc (plural - francs); 1 CFA franc (CFAF)
= 100 centimes
:Chad Economy