Chad

republicIndependence 11 August 1960 (from France)

Chad as the 1991 edition of the CIA World Factbook published it: 68 fields, one of 36 editions from 1990 to 2025.

field in that editiontext changed from the edition beforenot in that editionthe open editionEach field below ends in its editions, 1990 to 2025. Point at a year above to follow it down.

CapitalN'Djamena

Area1,284,000 km2

Populationas each edition published it

5.12 million July 1991 · 5.02m in 1990

Population growth% a year

Not in this edition 2.13% in 1993

Median ageyears

Not in this edition 16 yrs in 2003

Life expectancyyears at birth

Not in this edition 40.41 yrs in 1993

Fertility ratechildren per woman

5.3 children per woman 1991 · 5.3 in 1990

Infant mortalitydeaths per 1,000 live births

134 deaths per 1,000 live births 1991 · 136 in 1990

GDP per capitaeach edition's own dollars

Not in this edition $215 in 1993

GDP real growth% a year

Not in this edition 8.4% in 1993

Geography

12 fields

Total area

1,284,000km2

land area: 1,259,200 km2Comparative area: slightly more than three times the size of California

Land boundaries

5,968km total

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

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

Terrain

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

Natural resources

crude oil (unexploited but exploration beginning), 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

People

14 fields

Population

5,122,467

(July 1991), growth rate 2.1% (1991)

Per 1,000 population(1991)

Birth

42Death

Literacy

30%

(male 42%, female 18%) age 15 and over can read and write French or Arabic (1990 est.)

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

Religion

Muslim 44%, Christian 33%, indigenous beliefs, animism 23%

Language

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

Labor force

NA; agriculture (engaged in unpaid subsistence farming, herding, and fishing) 85%

Government

Republic

18 fields

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

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

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 Chief of State--Col. Idriss DEBY (since 4 December 1990); Head of Government--Prime Minister Jean LINGUE 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

Suffrage

universal at age NA 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 Consultative Council--last held 8 July 1990;
disbanded 3 December 1990

Communists

no front organizations or underground party; probably a few Communists and some sympathizers

Other political or pressure groups

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

Diplomatic representation

Ambassador Mahamat Ali ADOUM;
Chancery at 2002 R Steet 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

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

Economy

The climate, geographic location, and lack of infrastructure and natural resources potential make Chad one of the most underdeveloped countries in the world.

16 fields

GDP, purchasing power parity

$1,015million

per capita $205; real growth rate 0.9% (1989 est.)

External debt

$530million

(December 1990 est.)

Exports $174 million (f.o.b., 1990 est.)commodities, where a share is given

cotton

48%cattle

35%textiles

also fish; partners--France, Nigeria, Cameroon

Imports $264 million (c.i.f., 1990 est.)

machinery and transportation equipment

39%industrial goods

20%petroleum products

13%foodstuffs

; note--excludes military equipment; partners--US, France, Nigeria, Cameroon

Budget

Revenues

$78 millionExpenditures

$127 million

expenditures, not including capital expenditures that are mostly financed by foreign aid donors (1989 est.)

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.

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

- 4.9% (1989)

Unemployment rate

Industrial production

growth rate 12.9% (1989 est.); accounts for nearly 15% of GDP

Electricity

38,000 kW capacity; 70 million kWh produced, 14 kWh per capita (1989)

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 (1970-88), $1.3 billion;
OPEC bilateral aid (1979-89), $28 million;
Communist countries (1970-89), $80 million