Chad

Chad

 

Geography                 Economy                 Defense Forces
 

People                    Transportation          Government



Communications            History      	          Travel

GEOGRAPHY

Location

Central Africa, south of Libya

Area

Land Boundaries

Total 5,968 km, 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

Coastline

0 km (landlocked)

Maritime Claims

None; landlocked

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sq km Aozou Strip between Chad and Libya belongs to Chad and that Libya must withdraw from it by 31 May 1994; Libya has withdrawn some of its forces in response to the ICJ ruling, but still maintains part of the airfield and a small military presence at the airfield's water supply located in Chad; demarcation of international boundaries in 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

Climate

Tropical in south, desert in north

Terrain

Broad, arid plains in center, desert in north, mountains in northwest, lowlands in south
lowest point: Djourab Depression 175 m
highest point: Emi Koussi 3,415 m

Natural Resources

Land Use

Irrigated Land

100 sq km (1989 est.)

Environment

Note: Landlocked; Lake Chad is the most significant water body in the Sahel

PEOPLE

Population

6,976,845 (July 1996 est.)
5,586,505 (July 1995 est.)

Age Structure

0-14 Years

44% (male 1,543,688; female 1,535,729) (July 1996 est.)
44% (male 1,267,470; female 1,198,619) (July 1995 est.)

15-64 Years

53% (male 1,807,361; female 1,881,930) (July 1996 est.)
54% (male 1,456,481; female 1,563,678) (July 1995 est.)

65 Years and Over

3% (male 91,998; female 116,139) (July 1996 est.)
2% (male 28,286; female 71,971) (July 1995 est.)

Population Growth Rate

2.68% (1996 est.)
2.18% (1995 est.)

Birth Rate

44.25 births/1,000 population (1996 est.)
42.05 births/1,000 population (1995 est.)

Death Rate

17.44 deaths/1,000 population (1996 est.)
20.26 deaths/1,000 population (1995 est.)

Net Migration Rate

0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1996 est.)
0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1995 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
all ages: 0.97 male(s)/female (1996 est.)

Infant Mortality Rate

120.4 deaths/1,000 live births (1996 est.)
129.7 deaths/1,000 live births (1995 est.)

Life Expectancy at Birth

Total Fertility Rate

5.84 children born/woman (1996 est.)
5.33 children born/woman (1995 est.)

Nationality

Ethnic Divisions

Religions

Languages

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

Literacy

Age 15 and over that can read and write in French and Arabic (1995 est.)

Labor Force

NA

By occupation:

GOVERNMENT

Names

Digraph

CD

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

31 March 1995, passed by referendum

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

Legislative Branch

Unicameral

National Consultative Council (Conceil National Consultatif)

Popular elections to the former National Consultative Council (Conceil National Consultatif) were last held 8 July 1990; this body was disbanded on 3 December 1990 by President DEBY and on 8 March 1991 replaced with the Provisional Council of the Republic having 30 members whom he appointed; this body, in turn, was replaced on 6 April 1993 by a 57-member Higher Transitional Council (Conseil Superieur de Transition) elected by a specially convened Sovereign National Conference; popular elections, formerly scheduled for April 1995, were initially postponed by mutual agreement of the parties concerned until at least May 1996 and subsequently postponed until after the rainy season (as late as October 1996); note - the name of the anticipated new legislative body has not been announced

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

Other Political or Pressure Groups

NA

Member of

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, UNAMIR, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO

National Anthem

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

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, 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 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; in contrast to other Francophone countries, Chad continued to suffer high inflation in 1995 because of the government's lack of financial discipline. 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 - $3.3 billion (1995 est.), $2.8 billion (1993 est.)

National Product Real Growth Rate

4% (1994 est.)
3.5% (1993 est.)

National Product Per Capita

$600 (1995 est.)
$530 (1993 est.)

Inflation Rate (consumer Prices)

41% (1994 est.)
-4.1% (1992)

Unemployment Rate

NA

Budget

Exports

$132 million (f.o.b., 1993)
$190 million (f.o.b., 1992)

Commodities:

Partners:

Imports

$201 million (f.o.b., 1993)
$261 million (f.o.b., 1992)

Commodities:

Partners:

External Debt

$757 million (December 1993 )
$492 million (December 1990 est.)

Industrial Production

Growth rate 2.7% (1992 est.); accounts for nearly 15% of GDP

Electricity

Industries

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

Currency

1 CFA franc (CFAF) = 100 centimes

Exchange Rates

Communaute Financiere Africaine Francs (CFAF) per US$1 - 500.56 (January 1996), 499.15 (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

Fiscal Year

Calendar year

TRANSPORTATION

Railroads

0 km

Highways

Inland Waterways

2,000 km navigable

Ports

None

Airports

COMMUNICATIONS

Telephone System

5,000 telephones (1987 est.); primitive system

Radio

Television

DEFENSE FORCES

Branches

Armed Forces (includes Ground Force, Air Force, and Gendarmerie), Republican Guard, Police

Manpower Availability

Males age 15-49 1,562,052; males fit for military service 809,210; males reach military age (20) annually 63,254 (1996 est.)

Defense Expenditures

Exchange rate conversion - $74 million, 11.1% of GDP (1994)

History
World Atlas

Last updated: 25 november 1997