Chad

Republic of ChadRepublique du Tchad

republicIndependence 11 August 1960 (from France)

Chad as the 1995 edition of the CIA World Factbook published it: 80 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 million sq km

LocationCentral Africa, south of Libya

Populationas each edition published it

5.59 million July 1995 est. · 5.02m in 1990

Population growth% a year

2.18% 1995 est. · 2.13% in 1993

Median ageyears

Not in this edition 16 yrs in 2003

Life expectancyyears at birth

41.19 years 1995 est. · 40.41 yrs in 1993

Fertility ratechildren per woman

5.33 children per woman 1995 est. · 5.3 in 1990

Infant mortalitydeaths per 1,000 live births

129.7 deaths per 1,000 live births 1995 est. · 136 in 1990

GDP per capitaeach edition's own dollars

$530 1993 est. · $215 in 1993

GDP real growth% a year

3.5% 1993 est. · 8.4% in 1993

Geography

Central Africa, south of Libya

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Land use

arable land 2%permanent crops 0%meadows and pastures 36%forest and woodland 11%other 51%irrigated 100 sq km (1989 est.)

Area

1.284million sq km

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

Coastline

0km

(landlocked)Maritime claims: none; landlocked

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

International disputes

the International Court of Justice (ICJ) ruled in February 1994 that the 100,000 sq km Aozou Strip between Chad and Libya belongs to Chad;
Libya has withdrawn some of its forces in response to the ICJ ruling, but still maintains an airfield in the disputed area;
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

petroleum (unexploited but exploration under way), uranium, natron, kaolin, fish (Lake Chad)

Environment

current issues:: inadequate supplies of potable water;
improper waste disposal in rural areas contributes to soil and water pollution;
desertification
natural hazards:: hot, dry, dusty harmattan winds occur in north;
periodic droughts;
locust plagues
international agreements:: party to - Biodiversity, Climate Change, Endangered Species, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands;
signed, but not ratified - Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping

Note

landlocked; Lake Chad is the most significant water body in the Sahel

People

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Population

5,586,505

(July 1995 est.)growth rate: 2.18% (1995 est.)

Per 1,000 population(1995 est.)

Birth

42.05Death

20.26Net migration

Male · female(1995 est.)

TotalMale · femaleLife expectancy years41.19

40.04 · 42.38

TotalMale · femaleLiteracy30%

42% · 18%

MaleFemaleLiteracy age 15 and over has the ability to read and write in French and Arabic (1990 est.)

Age structure

0-14 years:: 44% (female 1,198,619; male 1,267,470)
15-64 years:: 54% (female 1,563,678; male 1,456,481)
65 years and over:: 2% (female 71,971; male 28,286) (July 1995 est.)

Infant mortality rate

129.7 deaths/1,000 live births (1995 est.)

Nationality

noun:: Chadian(s)
adjective:: Chadian

Ethnic divisions

north and center:: Muslims (Arabs, Toubou, Hadjerai, Fulbe, Kotoko, Kanembou, Baguirmi, Boulala, Zaghawa, and Maba)
south:: non-Muslims (Sara, Ngambaye, Mbaye, Goulaye, Moundang, Moussei, Massa) nonindigenous 150,000, of whom 1,000 are French

Religions

Muslim 50%, Christian 25%, indigenous beliefs, animism 25%

Languages

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

Labor force

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

Government

Republic; President Lt. Gen. Idriss DEBY, since 4 December 1990 (after seizing power on 3 December 1990 - transitional government's mandate expires April 1996); Prime Minister Djimasta KOIBLA (since 9 April 1995)

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Names

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

Digraph

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)

National holiday

Independence Day 11 August (1960)

Constitution

22 December 1989 (suspended 3 December 1990);
Provisional National Charter 1 March 1991 is in effect (note - the constitutional commission, which was drafting a new constitution to submit to transitional parliament for ratification in April 1994, failed to do so but expects to submit a new draft to the parliament before the end of April 1995)

Legal system

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

Suffrage

universal at age NA

Executive branch

chief of state:: President Lt. Gen. Idriss DEBY, since 4 December 1990 (after seizing power on 3 December 1990 - transitional government's mandate expires April 1996)
head of government:: Prime Minister Djimasta KOIBLA (since 9 April 1995)
cabinet:: Council of State; appointed by the president on recommendation of the prime minister

Legislative branch

unicameral

National Consultative Council (Conceil National Consultatif)

elections, formerly scheduled for April 1995, were postponed by mutual agreement of the parties concerned until some time prior to April 1996;
elections last held 8 July 1990;
the National Consultative Council was disbanded 3 December 1990 and replaced by the Provisional Council of the Republic having 30 members appointed by President DEBY on 8 March 1991;
this, in turn, was replaced by a 57-member Higher Transitional Council (Conseil Superieur de Transition) elected by a specially convened Sovereign National Conference on 6 April 1993

Judicial branch

Court of Appeal

Political parties and leaders

Patriotic Salvation Movement (MPS), former dissident group, Idriss DEBY, chairman

note: President DEBY, who promised political pluralism, a new constitution, and free elections by April 1994, subsequently twice postponed these initiatives, first until April 1995 and again until sometime before April 1996;

there are numerous dissident groups and at least 45 opposition political parties

Other political or pressure groups

Member of

ACCT, ACP, AfDB, BDEAC, CEEAC, ECA, FAO, FZ, G-77, GATT, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, INTELSAT, INTERPOL, IOC, ITU, NAM, OAU, OIC, UDEAC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Diplomatic representation in US

chief of mission:: Ambassador Mahamat Saleh AHMAT
chancery:: 2002 R Street NW, Washington, DC 20009
telephone:: [1] (202) 462-4009

FAX

[1] (202) 265-1937

US diplomatic representation

chief of mission:: Ambassador Laurence E. POPE II
embassy:: Avenue Felix Eboue, N'Djamena
mailing address:: B. P. 413, N'Djamena
telephone:: [235] (51) 62 18, (51) 40 09, (51) 47 59

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

Climate, geographic remoteness, poor resource endowment, and | lack of infrastructure make Chad one of the most underdeveloped | countries in the world.

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GDP per capita, PPP

$530

(1993 est.)

Real growth rate

3.5%

(1993 est.)industrial production growth: growth rate 2.7% (1992 est.); accounts for nearly 15% of GDP

Inflation, consumer prices

-4.1%

(1992)

External debt

$492million

(December 1990 est.)

Budget

Revenues

$120 millionExpenditures

$363 million (1992 est.)

expenditures including capital expenditures of $104 million

Installed generating capacity, 40,000 kW

Electricity production

80 millionElectricity consumption per capita

13 (1993)

Overview

Climate, geographic remoteness, poor resource endowment, and lack of infrastructure make Chad one of the most underdeveloped countries in the world. Its economy is hobbled by political turmoil, conflict with Libya, drought, and food shortages. Consequently the economy has shown little progress in recent years in overcoming a severe setback brought on by civil war in the late 1980s.

More than 80% of the work force is involved in subsistence farming and fishing. Cotton is the major cash crop, accounting for at least half of exports. Chad is highly dependent on foreign aid, especially food credits, given chronic shortages in several regions. Of all the Francophone countries in Africa, Chad has benefited the least from the 50% devaluation of their currencies on 12 January 1994.

Despite an increase in external financial aid and favorable price increases for cotton - the primary source of foreign exchange - the corrupt and enfeebled government bureaucracy continues to dampen economic enterprise by neglecting payments to domestic suppliers and public sector salaries.

Oil production in the Lake Chad area remains a distant prospect and the subsistence-driven economy probably will continue to limp along in the near term.

National product

GDP - purchasing power parity - $2.8 billion (1993 est.)

Unemployment rate

NA%

Exports

$190 million (f.o.b., 1992)

commodities:: cotton 48%, cattle 35%, textiles 5%, fish
partners:: France, Nigeria, Cameroon

Imports

$261 million (f.o.b., 1992)

commodities:: machinery and transportation equipment 39%, industrial goods 20%, petroleum products 13%, foodstuffs 9%; note - excludes military equipment
partners:: US, France, Nigeria, Cameroon

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

recipient:: 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

1 CFA franc (CFAF) = 100 centimes

Exchange rates

Communaute Financiere Africaine Francs (CFAF) per US$1 - 529.43 (January 1995), 555.20 (1994), 283.16 (1993), 264.69 (1992), 282.11 (1991), 272.26 (1990) note: beginning 12 January 1994 the CFA franc was devalued to CFAF 100 per French franc from CFAF 50 at which it had been fixed since 1948