Chad
Republic of Chad
republicIndependence 11 August 1960 (from France)
Chad as the 1997 edition of the CIA World Factbook published it: 97 fields, one of 36 editions from 1990 to 2025.
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Geography
Central Africa, south of Libya
18 fieldsLand use(1993 est.)
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
Environment - international agreements
- party to:
- Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands
- signed, but not ratified:
- Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping
People
15 fieldsPer 1,000 population(1997 est.)
Age structure
- 0-14 years:
- 44% (male 1,586,873; female 1,579,086)
- 15-64 years:
- 53% (male 1,854,645; female 1,931,519)
- 65 years and over:
- 3% (male 94,516; female 119,384) (July 1997 est.)
Sex ratio
- at birth :
- 1.04 male(s)/female
- under 15 years:
- 1 male(s)/female
- 15-64 years:
- 0.96 male(s)/female
- 65 years and over:
- 0.79 male(s)/female
- total population:
- 0.97 male(s)/female (1997 est.)
Ethnic groups
Muslims (Arabs, Toubou, Hadjerai, Fulbe, Kotoko, Kanembou, Baguirmi, Boulala, Zaghawa, and Maba), non-Muslims (Sara, Ngambaye, Mbaye, Goulaye, Moundang, Moussei, Massa), nonindigenous 150,000 (of whom 1,000 are French)
Languages
French (official), Arabic (official), Sara and Sango (in south), more than 100 different languages and dialects
Government
Republic; President Lt. Gen. Idriss DEBY (since 4 December 1990)
21 fieldsNational Assembly, 125 seatsone dot, one seat
Country name
- conventional long form:
- Republic of Chad
- conventional short form:
- Chad
- local long form :
- Republique du Tchad
- local short form:
- Tchad
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
Legal system
based on French civil law system and Chadian customary law; does not accept compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
Executive branch
- chief of state:
- President Lt. Gen. Idriss DEBY (since 4 December 1990)
- head of government :
- Prime Minister Djimasta KOIBLA (since 9 April 1995); appointed by the president
- cabinet:
- Council of State appointed by the president on the recommendation of the prime minister
- elections:
- the constitution provides for the election of a president by direct popular vote to serve a term of five years;
- 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 2 June and 11 July 1996 (next to be held NA 2001);
- the prime minister is appointed by the president
- election results:
- in the first round of voting none of the 15 candidates received the required 50% of the total vote; percent of vote, first round - Lt. Gen. Idress DEBY 47.8 %; percent of vote, second round - Lt. Gen. DEBY 69.1%, Wadal Abdelkader KAMOUGUE 30.9%; President DEBY reappointed Prime Minister Djimasta KOIBLA
Legislative branch
unicameral National Assembly (125 seats; members serve four-year terms); replaces the Higher Transitional Council or the Conseil Superieur de Transition
- elections:
- National Assembly - last held in two rounds on 5 January and 23 February 1997, (next to be held NA 2001);
- in the first round of voting on 5 January 1997 some candidates won clear victories by receiving 50% or more of the vote;
- where that did not happen, the two highest scoring candidates stood for a second round of voting
- election results:
- percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - MPS 65, URD 29, UNDR 15, RDP 3, others 13
Political parties and leaders
Patriotic Salvation Movement or MPS [Maldom Bada ABBAS, chairman], originally in opposition but now the party in power and the party of the president; National Union for Development and Renewal or UNDR [Saleh KEBZABO, leader]; Rally for Democracy and Progress or RDP [Lal Mahamat CHOUA, leader];
Union for Renewal and Democracy or URD [Gen. Wadal Abdelkader KAMOUGUE, leader]; note - in mid-1996 Chad had about 60 political parties, of which these are the most prominent in the new National Assembly
International organization participation
ACCT, ACP, AfDB, BDEAC, CEEAC, ECA, FAO, FZ, G-77, 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, WToO, WTrO
Diplomatic representation in the US
- chief of mission :
- Ambassador Mahamat Saleh AHMAT
- chancery:
- 2002 R Street NW, Washington, DC 20009
- telephone:
- [1] (202) 462-4009
Diplomatic representation from the US
- chief of mission:
- Ambassador David C. HALSTED
- embassy:
- Avenue Felix Eboue, N'Djamena
- mailing address :
- B. P. 413, N'Djamena
- telephone:
- [235] (51) 70-09, (51) 90-52, (51) 92-33
Flag description
- 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
Unfavorable climate, geographic remoteness, poor | resource endowment, and lack of infrastructure make Chad one of the | most underdeveloped countries in the world.
22 fieldsGDP - composition by sector(1995 est.)
Economy - overview
Unfavorable 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, 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.
About 85% 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 food 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 price increases for cotton - the primary source of foreign exchange - the corrupt and enfeebled government bureaucracy continues to postpone payment of public sector salaries and to dampen economic enterprise by neglecting payments to domestic suppliers.
The devaluation resulted in stepped-up inflation of 41% in 1994; inflation fell to 9% in 1995 but it remains high compared with other Francophone countries. In one favorable development, Chad in December 1996 concluded an agreement with ESSO/Chad (EXXON) for drilling and extracting petroleum at Doba. Oil will be piped through Cameroon for export.
Industries
cotton textiles, meat packing, beer brewing, natron (sodium carbonate), soap, cigarettes, construction materials
Agriculture - products
cotton, sorghum, millet, peanuts, rice, potatoes, manioc (tapioca); cattle, sheep, goats, camels
Exports
- total value:
- $226 million (f.o.b., 1995)
- commodities:
- cotton, cattle, textiles, fish
- partners :
- Portugal 30%, Germany 18%, South Africa 16%, France 7%
Imports
- total value:
- $225 million (f.o.b., 1995 est.)
- commodities:
- machinery and transportation equipment 39%, industrial goods 20%, petroleum products 13%, foodstuffs 9%;
- textiles;
- note - excludes military equipment
- partners:
- France 34%, Cameroon 24%, Nigeria 7%, US 6%
Exchange rates
CFA Francs (CFAF) per US$1 - 541.69 (January 1997), 511.55 (1996), 499.15 (1995), 555.20 (1994), 283.16 (1993), 264.69 (1992) 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
Communications
6 fieldsTelephone system
primitive system
- domestic:
- fair system of radiotelephone communication stations
- international:
- satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)
Television broadcast stations
1 (1987 est.) note: limited TV service; many facilities are inoperative
Transportation
7 fieldsAirports by runway lengthpaved only
Networkskm
Military
Armed Forces (includes Ground Force, Air Force, and | Gendarmerie), Republican Guard, Police
7 fieldsMilitary branches
Armed Forces (includes Ground Force, Air Force, and Gendarmerie), Republican Guard, Police
Transnational Issues
1 fieldDisputes - international
demarcation of international boundaries in the vicinity of 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 CHILE
Cite this entry
Central Intelligence Agency. “Chad.” The World Factbook 1997. Archived by The Factbook, thefactbook.org/chad/1997.