Chad

republicIndependence 11 August 1960 (from France)

Chad as the 1992 edition of the CIA World Factbook published it: 71 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

5.24 million July 1992 · 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 1992 · 5.3 in 1990

Infant mortalitydeaths per 1,000 live births

136 deaths per 1,000 live births 1992 · 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

13 fields

Total area

1,284,000km2

Comparative area: slightly more than three times the size of California

Land boundaries

5,968km

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 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

People

14 fields

Population

5,238,908

(July 1992), growth rate 2.1% (1992)

Per 1,000 population(1992)

Birth

42Death

21Net migration

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

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

Labor force

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

Government

Republic

20 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

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

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

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 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

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

External debt

$530million

(December 1990 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. 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

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

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