Chad
Introduction Geography People Government Economy Communications Transportation Military Transnational Issues
Introduction	Back To Top
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 has sporadically flared up despite several peace agreements between the government and the rebels. In 2005, new rebel groups emerged in western Sudan and made probing attacks into eastern Chad, despite signing peace agreements in December 2006 and October 2007. Power remains in the hands of an ethnic minority. In June 2005, President Idriss DEBY held a referendum successfully removing constitutional term limits and won another controversial election in 2006. Sporadic rebel campaigns continued throughout 2006 and 2007, and the capital experienced a significant rebel threat in early 2008.
Geography	Back To Top
Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural): total: 0.23 cu km/yr (17%/0%/83%) per capita: 24 cu m/yr (2000) Total renewable water resources: 43 cu km (1987) Land boundaries: total: 5,968 km 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 Environment - international agreements: party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping Climate: tropical in south, desert in north Map references: Africa Geographic coordinates: 15 00 N, 19 00 E Natural resources: petroleum, uranium, natron, kaolin, fish (Lake Chad), gold, limestone, sand and gravel, salt Elevation extremes: lowest point: Djourab Depression 160 m highest point: Emi Koussi 3,415 m Terrain: broad, arid plains in center, desert in north, mountains in northwest, lowlands in south Geography - note: landlocked; Lake Chad is the most significant water body in the Sahel Area: total: 1.284 million sq km land: 1,259,200 sq km water: 24,800 sq km Location: Central Africa, south of Libya Coastline: 0 km (landlocked) Area - comparative: slightly more than three times the size of California Irrigated land: 300 sq km (2003) Environment - current issues: inadequate supplies of potable water; improper waste disposal in rural areas contributes to soil and water pollution; desertification Maritime claims: none (landlocked) Natural hazards: hot, dry, dusty harmattan winds occur in north; periodic droughts; locust plagues Land use: arable land: 2.8% permanent crops: 0.02% other: 97.18% (2005)
People	Back To Top
Total fertility rate: 5.43 children born/woman (2008 est.) Sex ratio: at birth: 1.04 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.03 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.84 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.73 male(s)/female total population: 0.92 male(s)/female (2008 est.) HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: 4.8% (2003 est.) HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: 200,000 (2003 est.) Life expectancy at birth: total population: 47.43 years male: 46.4 years female: 48.5 years (2008 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 (2008) Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write French or Arabic total population: 25.7% male: 40.8% female: 12.8% (2000 est.) Net migration rate: -3.27 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2008 est.) Ethnic groups: Sara 27.7%, Arab 12.3%, Mayo-Kebbi 11.5%, Kanem-Bornou 9%, Ouaddai 8.7%, Hadjarai 6.7%, Tandjile 6.5%, Gorane 6.3%, Fitri-Batha 4.7%, other 6.4%, unknown 0.3% (1993 census) Median age: total: 16.4 years male: 15.2 years female: 17.5 years (2008 est.) Population: 10,111,337 (July 2008 est.) Education expenditures: 1.9% of GDP (2005) Population growth rate: 2.195% (2008 est.) Languages: French (official), Arabic (official), Sara (in south), more than 120 different languages and dialects Death rate: 16.39 deaths/1,000 population (2008 est.) Infant mortality rate: total: 100.36 deaths/1,000 live births male: 106.48 deaths/1,000 live births female: 94 deaths/1,000 live births (2008 est.) HIV/AIDS - deaths: 18,000 (2003 est.) School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education): total: 6 years male: 7 years female: 4 years (2005) Age structure: 0-14 years: 47% (male 2,408,638/female 2,346,984) 15-64 years: 50.1% (male 2,317,406/female 2,746,104) 65 years and over: 2.9% (male 123,561/female 168,644) (2008 est.) Birth rate: 41.61 births/1,000 population (2008 est.) Religions: Muslim 53.1%, Catholic 20.1%, Protestant 14.2%, animist 7.3%, other 0.5%, unknown 1.7%, atheist 3.1% (1993 census) Nationality: noun: Chadian(s) adjective: Chadian
Government	Back To Top
Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Louis NIGRO embassy: Avenue Felix Eboue, N'Djamena mailing address: B. P. 413, N'Djamena telephone: [235] 251-62-11, [235] 251-70-09, [235] 251-77-59 FAX: [235] 251-56-54 National holiday: Independence Day, 11 August (1960) Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal Government type: republic Political pressure groups and leaders: rebel groups 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 International organization participation: ACCT, ACP, AfDB, AU, BDEAC, CEMAC, FAO, FZ, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, Interpol, IOC, ITSO, ITU, ITUC, MIGA, NAM, OIC, OIF, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNOCI, UNWTO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO Legislative branch: unicameral National Assembly (155 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms); note - the 1996 constitution called for a Senate that has never been formed elections: National Assembly - last held 21 April 2002 (next to be held by 2009); note - legislative elections, originally scheduled for 2006, were first delayed by National Assembly action and subsequently by an accord, signed in August 2007, between government and opposition parties election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - MPS 110, RDP 12, FAR 9, RNDP 5, UNDR 5, URD 3, other 11 Legal system: based on French civil law system and Chadian customary law; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction Flag description: three equal vertical bands of blue (hoist side), yellow, and red note: 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 Independence: 11 August 1960 (from France) Country name (Goverment): conventional long form: Republic of Chad conventional short form: Chad local long form: Republique du Tchad/Jumhuriyat Tshad local short form: Tchad/Tshad Political parties and leaders: Federation Action for the Republic or FAR [Ngarledjy YORONGAR]; National Rally for Development and Progress or RNDP [Delwa Kassire KOUMAKOYE]; 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 Renewal and Democracy or URD [Gen. Wadal Abdelkader KAMOUGUE] Capital: name: N'Djamena geographic coordinates: 12 06 N, 15 02 E time difference: UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time) Constitution: passed by referendum 31 March 1996; a June 2005 referendum removed constitutional term limits Executive branch: chief of state: President Lt. Gen. Idriss DEBY Itno (since 4 December 1990) head of government: Prime Minister Youssof Saleh ABBAS (since 16 April 2008) 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 KOUMAKOYE 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 Administrative divisions: 18 regions (regions, singular - region); Batha, Borkou-Ennedi-Tibesti, Chari-Baguirmi, Guera, Hadjer-Lamis, Kanem, Lac, Logone Occidental, Logone Oriental, Mandoul, Mayo-Kebbi Est, Mayo-Kebbi Ouest, Moyen-Chari, Ouaddai, Salamat, Tandjile, Ville de N'Djamena, Wadi Fira Judicial branch: Supreme Court; Court of Appeal; Criminal Courts; Magistrate Courts
Economy	Back To Top
Exports - partners: US 89.5%, Japan 3.7%, China 3.4% (2007) Electricity - consumption: 88.35 million kWh (2006 est.) Central bank discount rate: 5.25% (31 December 2007) Electricity - imports: 0 kWh (2007 est.) Current account balance: $527 million (2008 est.) Debt - external: $1.6 billion (2005 est.) Unemployment rate: NA% Oil - exports: 176,700 bbl/day (2005) GDP - per capita (PPP): $1,600 (2008 est.) Investment (gross fixed): 8.5% of GDP (2008 est.) Stock of domestic credit: $82.81 million (31 December 2007) GDP (purchasing power parity): $16.19 billion (2008 est.) GDP (official exchange rate): $9.106 billion (2008 est.) Exchange rates: Communaute Financiere Africaine francs (XAF) per US dollar 438.77 (2008 est.), 480.1 (2007), 522.59 (2006), 527.47 (2005), 528.29 (2004) GDP - real growth rate: 1.7% (2008 est.) Stock of money: $874.5 million (31 December 2007) Labor force: 3.747 million (2006) Imports - partners: France 20.4%, Cameroon 16.1%, US 10.9%, China 10%, Germany 7.5%, Saudi Arabia 4.4% (2007) Inflation rate (consumer prices): 10% (2008 est.) GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 20.5% industry: 48% services: 31.5% (2008 est.) Oil - imports: 1,492 bbl/day (2005) Exports: $5.501 billion f.o.b. (2008 est.) Natural gas - consumption: 0 cu m (2007 est.) Currency (code): Communaute Financiere Africaine franc (XAF); note - responsible authority is the Bank of the Central African States 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. At least 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. Chinese companies are also expanding exploration efforts and plan to build a refinery. The nation's total oil reserves have been estimated to be 1.5 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. Natural gas - exports: 0 cu m (2007 est.) Imports - commodities: machinery and transportation equipment, industrial goods, foodstuffs, textiles Industries: oil, cotton textiles, meatpacking, brewing, natron (sodium carbonate), soap, cigarettes, construction materials Electricity - exports: 0 kWh (2007 est.) Population below poverty line: 80% (2001 est.) Commercial bank prime lending rate: 15% (31 December 2007) Stock of quasi money: $55.23 million (31 December 2007) Electricity - production: 95 million kWh (2006 est.) Imports: $1.47 billion f.o.b. (2008 est.) Oil - proved reserves: 1.5 billion bbl (1 January 2008 est.) Labor force - by occupation: agriculture: 80% (subsistence farming, herding, and fishing) industry and services: 20% (2006 est.) Natural gas - proved reserves: 0 cu m (1 January 2006 est.) Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: $1.12 billion (31 December 2008 est.) Oil - consumption: 1,352 bbl/day (2006 est.) Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad: $NA Stock of direct foreign investment - at home: $4.5 billion (2006 est.) Market value of publicly traded shares: $NA Currency code: XAF Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA% Exports - commodities: oil, cattle, cotton, gum arabic Economic aid - recipient: ODA, $379.8 million (2005) Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 100% hydro: 0% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001) Natural gas - imports: 0 cu m (2007 est.) Natural gas - production: 0 cu m (2007 est.) Budget: revenues: $2.142 billion expenditures: $2.125 billion (2008 est.) Fiscal year: calendar year Oil - production: 156,000 bbl/day (2008 est.)
Communications	Back To Top
Internet users: 60,000 (2006) Telephones - main lines in use: 13,000 (2006) Televisions: 10,000 (1997) Internet country code: .td Radio broadcast stations: AM 2, FM 4, shortwave 5 (2001) Radios: 1.67 million (1997) Telephones - mobile cellular: 918,400 (2007) Television broadcast stations: 1 (2001) Telephone system: general assessment: primitive system with high costs and low telephone density; fixed-line connections for only about 1 per 1000 persons coupled with mobile-cellular usage of only about 9 per 100 persons domestic: fair system of radiotelephone communication stations international: country code - 235; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) (2007) Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 1 (2002) Internet hosts: 5 (2008)
Transportation	Back To Top
Waterways: Chari and Legone rivers are navigable only in wet season (2008) Pipelines: oil 250 km (2007) Airports - with paved runways: total: 7 over 3,047 m: 2 2,438 to 3,047 m: 3 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 under 914 m: 1 (2007) Roadways: total: 33,400 km paved: 267 km unpaved: 33,133 km (2002) Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 48 1,524 to 2,437 m: 16 914 to 1,523 m: 21 under 914 m: 11 (2007) Airports: 55 (2007)
Military	Back To Top
Military service age and obligation: 20 years of age for conscripts, with 3-year service obligation; 18 years of age for volunteers; no minimum age restriction for volunteers with consent from a guardian; women are subject to 1 year of compulsory military or civic service at age of 21 (2004) Manpower available for military service: males age 16-49: 1,906,545 females age 16-49: 2,258,758 (2008 est.) Manpower fit for military service: males age 16-49: 1,066,565 females age 16-49: 1,279,318 (2008 est.) Military branches: Armed Forces: Chadian National Army (Armee Nationale du Tchad, ANT), Chadian Air Force (Force Aerienne Tchadienne, FAT), Gendarmerie (2008) Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually: male: 116,824 female: 117,831 (2008 est.) Military expenditures: 4.2% of GDP (2006)
Transnational Issues	Back To Top
Disputes - international: since 2003, Janjawid armed militia and the Sudanese military have driven hundreds of thousands of Darfur residents into 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): 234,000 (Sudan); 54,200 (Central African Republic) IDPs: 178,918 (2007) Trafficking in persons: current situation: Chad is a source, transit, and destination country for children trafficked for the purposes of forced labor and commercial sexual exploitation; the majority of children are trafficked within Chad for involuntary domestic servitude, forced cattle herding, forced begging, forced labor in petty commerce or the fishing industry, or for commercial sexual exploitation; to a lesser extent, Chadian children are also trafficked to Cameroon, the Central African Republic, and Nigeria for cattle herding; children may also be trafficked from Cameroon and the Central African Republic to Chad's oil producing regions for sexual exploitation tier rating: Tier 2 Watch List - Chad is on the Tier 2 Watch List for its failure to provide evidence of increasing efforts to combat human trafficking in 2007; Chad was destabilized during 2007 by civil conflict leading to a declared state of emergency in February 2008, and a steady influx of refugees fleeing Sudan and the Central African Republic; the government demonstrated insufficient overall efforts to combat trafficking; Chad has not ratified the 2000 UN TIP Protocol (2008)

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