Chad

Republic of ChadRepublique du Tchad/Jumhuriyat Tshad

republicIndependence 11 August 1960 (from France)

Chad as the 2006 edition of the CIA World Factbook published it: 119 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, UTC+1
Position15 00 N, 19 00 E
Area1.284 million sq km
LocationCentral Africa, south of Libya
2006

Every edition of Chad

Populationas each edition published it
9.94 million July 2006 est. · 5.02m in 1990
Population growth% a year
2.93% 2006 est. · 2.13% in 1993
Median ageyears
16 years 2006 est. · 16 yrs in 2003
Life expectancyyears at birth
47.52 years 2006 est. · 40.41 yrs in 1993
Fertility ratechildren per woman
6.25 children per woman 2006 est. · 5.3 in 1990
Infant mortalitydeaths per 1,000 live births
91.45 deaths per 1,000 live births 2006 est. · 136 in 1990
GDP per capitaeach edition's own dollars
$1,400 2005 est. · $215 in 1993
GDP real growth% a year
6% 2005 est. · 8.4% in 1993

Introduction

1 field

Background

Chad, part of France's African holdings until 1960, endured three decades of civil warfare as well as invasions by Libya before a semblance of peace was finally restored in 1990. The government eventually drafted a democratic constitution, and held flawed presidential elections in 1996 and 2001. In 1998, a rebellion broke out in northern Chad, which sporadically flares up despite several peace agreements between the government and the rebels.

In 2005 new rebel groups emerged in western Sudan and have made probing attacks into eastern Chad. Power remains in the hands of an ethnic minority. In June 2005, President Idriss DEBY held a referendum successfully removing constitutional term limits.

Geography

Central Africa, south of Libya

18 fields

Land use(2005)

arable land 2.8%permanent crops 0.02%other 97.18% (2005)irrigated 300 sq km (2003)
Area
1.284million sq km
land: 1,259,200 sq kmwater: 24,800 sq kmslightly more than three times the size of California
Coastline
0km
(landlocked)Maritime claims: none (landlocked)
Highest point
3,415m
Emi Koussilowest point: Djourab Depression 160 m
Land boundaries
5,968km
border countries: 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

Location

Central Africa, south of Libya

Geographic coordinates

15 00 N, 19 00 E

Climate

tropical in south, desert in north

Terrain

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

Natural resources

petroleum, uranium, natron, kaolin, fish (Lake Chad), gold, limestone, sand and gravel, salt

Natural hazards

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

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, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified:
Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping

Geography - note

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

People

20 fields

Age structuremale left, female right · (2006 est.)

107,665
65 and over2.7%
164,407
2,355,940
15-6449.3%
2,550,535
2,396,393
0-1447.9%
2,369,261
MaleFemale
Population
9,944,201
(July 2006 est.)growth rate: 2.93% (2006 est.)

Per 1,000 population(2006 est.)

Birth
45.73Death
16.38Net migration
-0.11

Male · female

TotalMale · femaleLife expectancy years (2006 est.)47.52
45.88 · 49.21Infant mortality deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)91.45
100.12 · 82.43
TotalMale · femaleLiteracy (2003 est.)47.5%
56% · 39.3%Median age years (2006 est.)16
15.3 · 16.6
MaleFemaleLiteracy definition: age 15 and over can read and write French or Arabic

Religions

Muslim 51%Christian 35%animist 7%other 7%

Sex ratio

at birth:
1.04 male(s)/female
under 15 years:
1.01 male(s)/female
15-64 years:
0.92 male(s)/female
65 years and over:
0.66 male(s)/female
total population:
0.96 male(s)/female (2006 est.)

Total fertility rate

6.25 children born/woman (2006 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths

18,000 (2003 est.)

Major infectious diseases

degree of risk:
very high
food or waterborne diseases:
bacterial and protozoal diarrhea, hepatitis A, and typhoid fever
vectorborne disease:
malaria
water contact disease:
schistosomiasis
respiratory disease:
meningococcal meningitis (2005)

Nationality

noun:
Chadian(s)
adjective:
Chadian

Ethnic groups

  • 200 distinct groups;
  • in the north and center: Arabs, Gorane (Toubou, Daza, Kreda), Zaghawa, Kanembou, Ouaddai, Baguirmi, Hadjerai, Fulbe, Kotoko, Hausa, Boulala, and Maba, most of whom are Muslim;
  • in the south: Sara (Ngambaye, Mbaye, Goulaye), Moundang, Moussei, Massa, most of whom are Christian or animist;
  • about 1,000 French citizens live in Chad

Languages

French (official), Arabic (official), Sara (in south), more than 120 different languages and dialects

Government

Republic; President Lt. Gen. Idriss DEBY Itno (since 4 December 1990); Prime Minister Pascal YOADIMNADJI (since 3 February 2005)

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Presidential electionpercent of vote

64.7%
Lt. Gen. Idriss DEBY 64.7%Delwa Kassire COUMAKOYE 15.1%Albert Pahimi PADACKE 7.8%Mahamat ABDOULAYE 7.1%Brahim KOULAMALLAH 5.3%last held 3 May 2006 (next to be held by May 2011)

Legislature, 155 seatsone dot, one seat

MPS 110RDP 12FAR 9RNDP 5URD 5UNDR 3other 11

Country name

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

Capital

name:
N'Djamena
geographic coordinates:
12 07 N, 15 03 E
time difference:
UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)

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

note: instead of 14 prefectures, there may be a new administrative structure of 28 departments (departments, singular - department) and 1 city*; Assongha,

Baguirmi, Bahr El Gazal, Bahr Koh, Batha Oriental, Batha Occidental, Biltine, Borkou, Dababa, Ennedi, Guera, Hadjer Lamis, Kabia, Kanem, Lac, Lac Iro, Logone Occidental, Logone Oriental, Mandoul, Mayo-Boneye, Mayo-Dallah, Monts de Lam, N'Djamena*, Ouaddai, Salamat, Sila, Tandjile Oriental, Tandjile Occidental, Tibesti

Independence

11 August 1960 (from France)

National holiday

Independence Day, 11 August (1960)

Constitution

passed by referendum 31 March 1996; a June 2005 referendum removed constitutional term limits

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

Executive branch

chief of state:
President Lt. Gen. Idriss DEBY Itno (since 4 December 1990)
head of government:
Prime Minister Pascal YOADIMNADJI (since 3 February 2005)
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 term;
  • 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 3 May 2006 (next to be held by May 2011);
  • prime minister appointed by the president
election results:
Lt. Gen. Idriss DEBY Itno reelected president; percent of vote - Lt. Gen. Idriss DEBY 64.7%, Delwa Kassire COUMAKOYE 15.1%, Albert Pahimi PADACKE 7.8%, Mahamat ABDOULAYE 7.1%, Brahim KOULAMALLAH 5.3%; note - a June 2005 national referendum altered the constitution removing presidential term limits and permitting Lt. Gen. Idriss DEBY Itno to run for reelection

Legislative branch

bicameral according to constitution, consists of a National Assembly (155 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms) and a Senate (not yet created and size unspecified, members to serve six-year terms, one-third of membership renewable every two years)

elections:
National Assembly - last held 21 April 2002 (next to be held by April 2007)
election results:
percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - MPS 110, RDP 12, FAR 9, RNDP 5, URD 5, UNDR 3, other 11

Judicial branch

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

Political parties and leaders

Federation Action for the Republic or FAR [Ngarledjy YORONGAR]; National Rally for Development and Progress or RNDP [Delwa Kassire COUMAKOYE]; National Union for Democracy and Renewal or UNDR [Saleh KEBZABO]; Party for Liberty and Development or PLD [Ibni Oumar Mahamat SALEH]; Patriotic Salvation Movement or MPS [Mahamat Saleh AHMAT, chairman];

Rally for Democracy and Progress or RDP [Lol Mahamat CHOUA]; Union for Democracy and Republic or UDR [Jean ALINGUE]; Union for Renewal and Democracy or URD [Gen. Wadal Abdelkader KAMOUGUE]

International organization participation

ACCT, ACP, AfDB, AU, BDEAC, CEMAC, FAO, FZ, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt (signatory), ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, Interpol, IOC, ITU, MIGA, NAM, OIC, OIF, ONUB, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNOCI, UPU, WCL, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO

Diplomatic representation in the US

chief of mission:
Ambassador Mahamat Adam BECHIR
chancery:
2002 R Street NW, Washington, DC 20009
telephone:
[1] (202) 462-4009
FAX:
[1] (202) 265-1937

Diplomatic representation from the US

chief of mission:
Ambassador Marc M. WALL
embassy:
Avenue Felix Eboue, N'Djamena
mailing address:
B. P. 413, N'Djamena
telephone:
[235] 516-211
FAX:
[235] 515-654

Flag description

  • 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

Economy

Chad's primarily agricultural economy will continue to be boosted by major foreign direct investment projects in the oil sector that began in 2000.

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GDP, purchasing power parity
$13.98billion
(2005 est.)official exchange rate: $4.799 billion (2005 est.)
GDP per capita, PPP
$1,400
(2005 est.)
Real growth rate
6%
(2005 est.)industrial production growth: 5% (1995)

GDP - composition by sector(2005 est.)

agriculture 33.5%industry 25.9%services 40.6% (2005 est.)

Trading partnersexports left, imports right

78.1%
US
12.1%
France
21.1%
Cameroon
15.5%
9.9%
China
Belgium
6.8%
Portugal
4.6%
Saudi Arabia
4.3%
4.1%
Taiwan
Netherlands
4.1%
Exports $3.016 billion f.o.b. (2005 est.)Imports $749.1 million f.o.b. (2005 est.)(2005)

Budget

Revenues
$765.2 millionExpenditures
$653.3 million (2005 est.)
expenditures including capital expenditures of $146 million

Electricity

Electricity production
120 million (2003)Electricity consumption
111.6 million (2003)

Economy - overview

Chad's primarily agricultural economy will continue to be boosted by major foreign direct investment projects in the oil sector that began in 2000. Over 80% of Chad's population relies on subsistence farming and livestock raising for its livelihood. Chad's economy has long been handicapped by its landlocked position, high energy costs, and a history of instability.

Chad relies on foreign assistance and foreign capital for most public and private sector investment projects. A consortium led by two US companies has been investing $3.7 billion to develop oil reserves - estimated at 1 billion barrels - in southern Chad. The nation's total oil reserves has been estimated to be 2 billion barrels.

Oil production came on stream in late 2003. Chad began to export oil in 2004. Cotton, cattle, and gum arabic provide the bulk of Chad's non-oil export earnings.

Labor force

2.719 million

Labor force - by occupation

agriculture:
80% (subsistence farming, herding, and fishing)
industry and services:
20%

Investment (gross fixed)

18.2% of GDP (2005 est.)

Agriculture - products

cotton, sorghum, millet, peanuts, rice, potatoes, manioc (tapioca); cattle, sheep, goats, camels

Industries

oil, cotton textiles, meatpacking, beer brewing, natron (sodium carbonate), soap, cigarettes, construction materials

Oil - production

225,000 bbl/day (2005 est.)

Oil - consumption

1,450 bbl/day (2003 est.)

Oil - exports

NA bbl/day

Oil - imports

NA bbl/day

Natural gas - production

0 cu m (2003 est.)

Natural gas - consumption

0 cu m (2003 est.)

Current account balance

$-602 million (2005 est.)

Exports

$3.016 billion f.o.b. (2005 est.)

Exports - commodities

cotton, cattle, gum arabic, oil

Imports

$749.1 million f.o.b. (2005 est.)

Imports - commodities

machinery and transportation equipment, industrial goods, foodstuffs, textiles

Debt - external

$1.5 billion (2003 est.)

Economic aid - recipient

  • $238.3 million received;
  • note - $125 million committed by Taiwan (August 1997);
  • $30 million committed by African Development Bank;
  • ODA $246.9 million (2003 est.)

Currency (code)

Communaute Financiere Africaine franc (XAF); note - responsible authority is the Bank of the Central African States

Exchange rates

Communaute Financiere Africaine francs (XAF) per US dollar - 527.47 (2005), 528.29 (2004), 581.2 (2003), 696.99 (2002), 733.04 (2001)

Fiscal year

calendar year

Communications

8 fields
Mobile cellular
210,000
(2005)
Fixed lines
13,000
(2004) · country code .td

Telephone system

general assessment:
primitive system
domestic:
fair system of radiotelephone communication stations
international:
country code - 235; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)

Radio broadcast stations

AM 2, FM 4, shortwave 5 (2002)

Internet users

35,000 (2005)

Transportation

6 fields

Airports by runway lengthpaved left, unpaved right

2
over 3,047 m
3
2,438 to 3,047 m
1
1,524 to 2,437 m
14
1
under 914 m
10
914 to 1,523 m
21
Paved 7Unpaved 45

Airports

52 (2006)

Pipelines

oil 205 km (2006)

Roadways

total:
33,400 km
paved:
267 km
unpaved:
33,133 km (1999)

Waterways

Chari and Legone rivers are navigable only in wet season (2002)

Military

Chadian National Army (Armee Nationale Tchadienne, ANT), Air Force, Gendarmerie (2004)

6 fields

Military branches

Chadian National Army (Armee Nationale Tchadienne, ANT), Air Force, Gendarmerie (2004)

Military service age and obligation

  • 20 years of age for conscripts, with three-year service obligation;
  • 18 years of age for volunteers;
  • no minimum age restriction for volunteers with consent from a guardian;
  • women are subject to one year of compulsory military or civic service at age of 21 (2004)

Manpower available for military service

males age 20-49:
1,527,580
females age 20-49:
1,629,510 (2005 est.)

Manpower fit for military service

males age 20-49:
794,988
females age 20-49:
849,500 (2005 est.)

Manpower reaching military service age annually

males age 18-49:
94,536
females age 20-49:
93,521 (2005 est.)

Transnational Issues

2 fields

Disputes - international

  • since the expulsions of residents from Darfur in 2003 by Janjawid armed militia and Sudanese military, about 200,000 refugees remain in eastern Chad;
  • Chad remains an important mediator in the Sudanese civil conflict, reducing tensions with Sudan arising from cross-border banditry;
  • Chadian Aozou rebels reside in southern Libya;
  • only Nigeria and Cameroon have heeded the Lake Chad Commission's admonition to ratify the delimitation treaty, which also includes the Chad-Niger and Niger-Nigeria boundaries

Refugees and internally displaced persons

refugees (country of origin): 224,924 (Sudan), 29,683 (Central African Republic) (2005)

Central Intelligence Agency. “Chad.” The World Factbook 2006. Archived by The Factbook, thefactbook.org/chad/2006.

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