Chad

• hot, dry, dusty harmattan winds occur in north;
• periodic droughts;
• locust plagues

• inadequate supplies of potable water;
• improper waste disposal in rural areas contributes to soil and water pollution;
• desertification

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

0-14 years:

48% (male 2,022,339; female 1,994,978)

15-64 years:

49% (male 1,964,216; female 2,204,902)

65 years and over:

3% (male 99,459; female 138,610) (2000 est.)

at birth:

1.04 male(s)/female

under 15 years:

1.01 male(s)/female

15-64 years:

0.89 male(s)/female

65 years and over:

0.72 male(s)/female

total population:

0.94 male(s)/female (2000 est.)

noun:

Chadian(s)

adjective:

Chadian

• Muslims, commonly referred to as "northerners" or "gorane" (Arabs, Toubou, Hadjerai, Fulbe, Kotoko, Kanembou, Baguirmi, Boulala, Zaghawa, and Maba);
• non-Muslims, commonly referred to as "southerners" (Sara, Ngambaye, Mbaye, Goulaye, Moundang, Moussei, Massa) including nonindigenous 150,000 (of whom 1,000 are French)

note: ethnicity and regional background more commonly used to identify Chadians than religious affiliation

conventional long form:

Republic of Chad

conventional short form:

Chad

local long form:

Republique du Tchad

local short form:

Tchad

• 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

chief of state:

President Lt. Gen. Idriss DEBY (since 4 December 1990)

head of government:

Prime Minister Nagdum YAMASSOUM (since 13 December 1999)

cabinet:

Council of State, members appointed by the president on the recommendation of the prime minister

elections:

• president elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms;
• 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 June 2001);
• prime minister 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. Idriss DEBY 43.8%, Wadal Abdelkader KAMOUGUE 12.4%; percent of vote, second round - Lt. Gen. Idriss DEBY 69.1%, Wadal Abdelkader KAMOUGUE 30.9%

note: government coalition - MPS, UNDR, and URD

• unicameral National Assembly (125 seats; members elected by popular vote to 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 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

• Supreme Court;
• Court of Appeal;
• Criminal Courts;
• Magistrate Courts

chief of mission:

Ambassador Hassaballah Abdelhadi Ahmat SOUBIANE

chancery:

2002 R Street NW, Washington, DC 20009

telephone:

[1] (202) 462-4009

FAX:

[1] (202) 265-1937

chief of mission:

Ambassador Christopher GOLDTHWAIT

embassy:

Avenue Felix Eboue, N'Djamena

mailing address:

B. P. 413, N'Djamena

telephone:

[235] (51) 70-09, (51) 90-52, (51) 92-33

FAX:

[235] (51) 56-54

• three equal vertical bands of blue (hoist side), yellow, and red;
• similar to the flag of Romania;
• also similar to the flags of Andorra and Moldova, both of which have a national coat of arms centered in the yellow band;
• design was based on the flag of France

lowest 10%:

NA%

highest 10%:

NA%

• $238.3 million (1995);
• note - $125 million committed by Taiwan (August 1997);
• $30 million committed by African Development Bank

total:

33,400 km

paved:

267 km

unpaved:

33,133 km (1996 est.)