Map of Chad | Geography | People | Government | Economy | Energy | Communication
Military | Transportation | Transnational Issues | Year: Guide19891990199119921993199419951996199719981999200020012002200320042005200620072008200920102011201220132014201520162017201820192020202120222023 | More stats

top of page


Background: After enduring decades of civil warfare among ethnic groups as well as invasions by Libya, Chad got started toward a more stable state with the seizure of the government in early December 1990 by former northern guerrilla leader Idress DEBY. His transitional government eventually suppressed armed rebellion in all quarters of the country.


top of page


Location: Central Africa, between the Central African Republic and Libya

Geographic coordinates

Map reference: Africa, Standard Time Zones of the World

Area
Total: 1.284 million km²
Land: 1,259,200 km²

Land boundaries:

Coastline: 0 km (landlocked)

Maritime claims: none; landlocked

Climate: tropical in south, desert in north

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

Elevation

Natural resources: petroleum (unexploited but exploration under way), uranium, natron, kaolin, fish (Lake Chad)

Land use
Arable land: 2%
Permanent crops: 0%
Meadows and pastures: 36%
Forest and woodland: 11%
Other: 51%

Irrigated land

Major rivers

Major watersheds area km²

Total water withdrawal

Total renewable water resources

Natural hazards

Geography


top of page


Population: 5,350,971 (July 1993 est.)
Growth rate: 2.13% (1993 est.)

Nationality
Noun: Chadian(s)
Adjective: Chadian north and center: Muslims (Arabs, Toubou, Hadjerai, Fulbe, Kotoko,
Kanembou Baguirmi Boulala Zaghawa and Maba south:

Ethnic groups

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

Religions: Muslim 44%, Christian 33%, indigenous beliefs, animism 23%

Demographic profile

Age structure

Dependency ratios

Median age

Population growth rate: 2.13% (1993 est.)

Birth rate: 42.21 births/1000 population (1993 est.)

Death rate: 20.93 deaths/1000 population (1993 est.)

Net migration rate: 0 migrant(s)/1000 population (1993 est.)

Population distribution

Urbanization

Major urban areas

Environment
Current issues: hot, dry, dusty harmattan winds occur in north; drought and desertification adversely affecting south; subject to plagues of locusts
Current issues note: landlocked; Lake Chad is the most significant water body in the Sahel

Air pollutants

Sex ratio

Mothers mean age at first birth

Maternal mortality ratio

Infant mortality rate: 134 deaths/1000 live births (1993 est.)

Life expectancy at birth
Total population: 40.41 years
Male: 39.36 years
Female: 41.5 years (1993 est.)

Total fertility rate: 5.33 children born/woman (1993 est.)

Contraceptive prevalence rate

Drinking water source

Current health expenditure

Physicians density

Hospital bed density

Sanitation facility access

Hiv/Aids

Major infectious diseases

Obesity adult prevalence rate

Alcohol consumption

Tobacco use

Children under the age of 5 years underweight

Education expenditures

Literacy: age 15 and over can read and write French or Arabic (1990)
Total population: 30%
Male: 42%
Female: 18%

School life expectancy primary to tertiary education

Youth unemployment


top of page


Country name
Conventional long form: Republic of Chad
Conventional short form: Chad
Local long form: Republique du Tchad
Local short form: Tchad

Government type: republic

Capital: N'Djamena

Administrative divisions:

Dependent areas

Independence: 11 August 1960 (from France)

National holiday: 11 August

Constitution:

Legal system: based on French civil law system and Chadian customary law; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

International law organization participation

Citizenship

Suffrage: universal at age NA

Executive branch: president, Council of State (cabinet)

Legislative branch: unicameral National Consultative Council (Conseil National Consultatif) was disbanded 3 December 1990 and replaced by the Provisional Council of the Republic, with 30 members appointed by President

Judicial branch: Court of Appeal

Political parties and leaders

International organization participation:

Diplomatic representation
In the us chief of mission: Ambassador Kombaria Loumaye MEKONYO
In the us chancery: 2002 R Street NW, Washington, DC 20,009
In the us telephone: (202) 462-4,009
From the us chief of mission: Ambassador Richard W. BOGOSIAN
From the us embassy: Avenue Felix Eboue, N'Djamena
From the us mailing address: B. P. 413, N'Djamena
From the us telephone: 235 (51) 62-18, 40-09, or 51-62-11
From the us fax: 235 51-33-72

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

National symbols

National anthem

National heritage


top of page


Economy overview: The climate, geographic location, and lack of infrastructure and natural resources make Chad one of the most underdeveloped countries in the world. Its economy is burdened by the ravages of civil war, conflict with Libya, drought, and food shortages. In 1986 real GDP returned to its 1977 level, with cotton, the major cash crop, accounting for 48% of exports. Over 80% of the work force is employed in subsistence farming and fishing. Industry is based almost entirely on the processing of agricultural products, including cotton, sugarcane, and cattle. Chad is highly dependent on foreign aid, with its economy in trouble and many regions suffering from shortages. Oil companies are exploring areas north of Lake Chad and in the Doba basin in the south. Good crop weather led to 8.4% growth in 1991.

Real gdp purchasing power parity

Real gdp growth rate: 8.4% (1991 est.)

Real gdp per capita ppp

Gross national saving

Gdp composition by end use

Gdp composition by sector of origin

Agriculture products: 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

Industries: cotton textile mills, slaughterhouses, brewery, natron (sodium carbonate), soap, cigarettes

Industrial production growth rate: growth rate 12.9% (1989 est.), accounts for nearly 15% of GDP

Labor force: NA
By occupation agriculture: 85% (engaged in unpaid subsistence farming
By occupation herding and fishing: 15%

Unemployment rate

Youth unemployment

Population below poverty line

Gini index

Household income or consumption by percentage share

Distribution of family income gini index

Budget: revenues $115 million; expenditures $412 million, including capital expenditures of $218 million (1991 est.)

Public debt

Taxes and other revenues

Revenue

Fiscal year: calendar year

Current account balance

Inflation rate consumer prices

Central bank discount rate

Commercial bank prime lending rate

Stock of narrow money

Stock of broad money

Stock of domestic credit

Market value of publicly traded shares

Current account balance

Exports: $193.9 million (f.o.b., 1991)
Commodoties: cotton 48%, cattle 35%, textiles 5%, fish
Partners: France, Nigeria, Cameroon

Imports: $294.1 million (f.o.b., 1991)
Commodoties: machinery and transportation equipment 39%, industrial goods 20%, petroleum products 13%, foodstuffs 9%; note - excludes military equipment
Partners: US, France, Nigeria, Cameroon

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold

Debt external

Stock of direct foreign investment at home

Stock of direct foreign investment abroad

Exchange rates: Communaute Financiere Africaine Francs (CFAF) per US$1 - 274.06 (January 1993), 264.69 (1992), 282.11 (1991), 272.26 (1990), 319.01 (1989), 297.85 (1988)


top of page


Electricity access

Electricity production: 40,000 kW capacity; 70 million kWh produced, 15 kWh per capita (1991)

Electricity consumption

Electricity exports

Electricity imports

Electricity installed generating capacity

Electricity transmission distribution losses

Electricity generation sources

Petroleum

Refined petroleum

Natural gas

Carbon dioxide emissions

Energy consumption per capita


top of page


Telephones fixed lines

Telephones mobile cellular

Telephone system

Broadcast media

Internet country code

Internet users

Broadband fixed subscriptions


top of page


Military expenditures
Percent of gdp: exchange rate conversion - $58 million, 5.6% of GDP (1989)

Military and security forces

Military service age and obligation

Space program

Terrorist groups


top of page


National air transport system

Civil aircraft registration country code prefix

Airports: 69
Usable: 55
With permanentsurface runways: 5
With runways 2440-3659 m: 4
With runways 1220-2439 m: 24

Airports with paved runways

Airports with unpaved runways

Heliports

Pipelines

Railways

Roadways

Waterways: 2,000 km navigable

Merchant marine

Ports and terminals


top of page


Disputes international:

Refugees and internally displaced persons

Illicit drugs