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. The capital experienced a significant rebel threat in early 2008.

Geographic coordinates: 15 00 N 19 00 E

Map reference: Africa

Area
Total: 1.284 million km²
Rank: 21
Land: 1,259,200 km²
Water: 24,800 km²
Comparative: slightly more than three times the size of California

Land boundaries
Total: 5,968 km
Border countries: (6) Cameroon 1094 km; Central African Republic 1197 km; Libya 1055 km; Niger 1175 km; Nigeria 87 km; Sudan 1360 km

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
Extremes lowest point: Djourab 160 m
Extremes highest point: Emi Koussi 3,415 m

Natural resources: petroleum uranium natron kaolin fish (Lake Chad) gold limestone sand and gravel salt

Land use
Arable land: 2.8%
Permanent crops: 0.02%
Other: 97.18% (2005)

Irrigated land: 300 km² (2008)

Total renewable water resources: 43 km³ (1987)

Natural hazards: hot dry dusty harmattan winds occur in north; periodic droughts; locust plagues

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

Population: 10,758,945 (July 2011 est.)
Rank: 77
Growth rate: 2.009% (2011 est.)
Growth rate rank: 49
Below poverty line: 80% (2001 est.)

Nationality
Noun: Chadian
Adjective: Chadian

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)

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

Religions: Muslim 53.1% Catholic 20.1% Protestant 14.2% animist 7.3% other 0.5% unknown 1.7% atheist 3.1% (1993 census)

Age structure
0-14 years: 46%
15-64 years: 51% (male 2,531,896/female 2,960,406)
65 years and over: 2.9% (male 131,805/female 182,402) (2011 est.)

Median age
Total: 16.8 years
Male: 15.6 years
Female: 17.9 years (2011 est.)

Population growth rate: 2.009% (2011 est.)
Rank: 49

Birth rate: 39.4 births/1000 population (2011 est.)
Rank: 13

Death rate: 15.47 deaths/1000 population (July 2011 est.)
Rank: 7

Net migration rate: -3.84 migrant(s)/1000 population (2011 est.)
Rank: 188

Urbanization
Urban population: 28% of total population
Rate of urbanization: 4.6% annual rate of change (2010-15 est.)

Environment
Current issues: inadequate supplies of potable water; improper waste disposal in rural areas contributes to soil and water pollution; desertification
International agreements party to: Biodiversity Climate Change Desertification Endangered Species Hazardous Wastes Ozone Layer Protection Wetlands
International agreements signed but not ratified: Law of the Sea Marine Dumping

Sex ratio
At birth: 1.04 male/female
Under 15 years: 1.03 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.85 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.73 male(s)/female
Total population: 0.92 male(s)/female (2011 est.)

Infant mortality rate
Total: 95.31 deaths/1000 live births
Rank: 9
Male: 101.18 deaths/1000 live births
Female: 89.22 deaths/1000 live births (2011 est.)

Life expectancy at birth
Total population: 48.33 years
Rank: 218
Male: 47.28 years
Female: 49.43 years (2011 est.)

Total fertility rate: 5.05 children born/woman (2011 est.)
Rank: 19

Drinking water source:

Physicians density: 0.04 physicians/1000 population (2004)
Rank: 180

Hospital bed density: 0.43 beds/1000 population (2005)
Rank: 171

Sanitation facility access:

Hivaids
Adult prevalence rate: 3.4% (2009 est.)
Adult prevalence rate rank: 19
People living with hivaids: 210,000 (2009 est.)
People living with hivaids rank: 26
Deaths: 11,000 (2009 est.)
Deaths rank: 24

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
Animal contact disease: rabies (2009)

Children under the age of 5 years underweight: 33.9% (2004)
Rank: 12

Education expenditures: 3.2% of GDP (2009)
Rank: 124

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.)

School life expectancy primary to tertiary education
Total: 7 years
Male: 9 years
Female: 5 years (2009)

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

Government type: republic

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)

Administrative divisions: 22 regions (regions singular - region); Barh el Gazel Batha Borkou Chari-Baguirmi Ennedi Guera Hadjer-Lamis Kanem Lac Logone Occidental Logone Oriental Mandoul Mayo-Kebbi Est Mayo-Kebbi Ouest Moyen-Chari Ouaddai Salamat Sila Tandjile Tibesti Ville de N'Djamena Wadi Fira

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

Legal system: mixed legal system of civil and customary law

International law organization participation: has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; accepts ICCt jurisdiction

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch
Chief of state: President Lt. Gen. Idriss DEBY Itno
Head of government: Prime Minister Emmanuel NADINGAR (since 5 March 2010)
Cabinet: Council of State; members are appointed by the president on the recommendation of the prime minister
Elections: president elected by popular vote for a 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 election held on 25 April 2011 (next to be held by 2016); prime minister appointed by the president
Election results: Lt. Gen. Idriss DEBY Itno reelected president; percent of vote - Lt. Gen. Idriss DEBY 83.6% Albert Pahimi PADACKE 8.6% Nadji Madou 7.8%

Legislative branch: unicameral National Assembly (188 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms)
Elections: National Assembly - last held on 13 February 2011 (next to be held by 2015); 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 - ART 133 UNDR 11 others 44

Judicial branch: Supreme Court; Constitutional Council; High Court of Justice; Court of Appeal; Criminal Courts; Magistrate Courts

Political parties and leaders: Alliance for the Renaissance of Chad or ART an alliance among the ruling MPS RDP and Viva-RNDP; Federation Action for the Republic or FAR [Ngarledjy YORONGAR]; National Rally for Development and Progress or Viva-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]

International organization participation: ACP AfDB AU BDEAC CEMAC FAO FZ G-77 IAEA IBRD ICAO 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 WCO WHO WIPO WMO WTO

Diplomatic representation
In the us chief of mission: Ambassador Mahamoud Adam BECHIR
In the us chancery: 2,401 Massachusetts Avenue NW Washington DC 20,008
In the us telephone: [1] (202) 462-4,009
In the us fax: [1] (202) 265-1937
From the us chief of mission: Ambassador Mark M. BOULWARE
From the us embassy: Avenue Felix Eboue N'Djamena
From the us mailing address: B. P. 413 N'Djamena
From the us telephone: [235] 251-62-11 251-70-09 251-77-59
From the us fax: [235] 251-56-54

Flag description: three equal vertical bands of blue (hoist side) yellow and red; the flag combines the blue and red French (former colonial) colors with the red and yellow of the Pan-African colors; blue symbolizes the sky hope and the south of the country which is relatively well-watered; yellow represents the sun as well as the desert in the north of the country; red stands for progress unity and sacrifice
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

National symbols: goat (north); lion (south)

National anthem
Name: 'La Tchadienne'
Lyricsmusic: Louis GIDROL and his students/Paul VILLARD
Note: adopted 1960

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 are currently building a 300-km pipeline and the country's first refinery. The nation's total oil reserves are estimated at 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.

Real gdp purchasing power parity:
Rank: 131
Note: data are in 2010 US dollars

Real gdp growth rate:
Rank: 68

Real gdp per capita:
Rank: 198
Note: data are in 2010 US dollars

Gdp composition by sector of origin
Agriculture: 52%
Industry: 7%
Services: 41.1% (2010 est.)

Agriculture products: cotton sorghum millet peanuts rice potatoes manioc (tapioca); cattle sheep goats camels

Industries: oil cotton textiles meatpacking brewing natron (sodium carbonate) soap cigarettes construction materials

Industrial production growth rate: 3% (2010 est.)
Rank: 117

Labor force: 4.293 million (2007)
Rank: 83
By occupation agriculture: 80%
By occupation industry and services: 20% (2006 est.)

Unemployment rate: NA%

Population below poverty line: 80% (2001 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share
Lowest 10: 2.6%
Highest 10: 30.8% (2003)

Budget
Revenues: $2.019 billion
Expenditures: $2.928 billion (2010 est.)
Surplus or deficit: -11.6% of GDP (2010 est.)
Surplus or deficit rank: 198

Taxes and other revenues: 25.7% of GDP (2010 est.)
Rank: 122

Inflation rate consumer prices: 10% (2009 est.)
Rank: 3

Central bank discount rate: 4.75% (31 December 2008)
Rank: 77

Commercial bank prime lending rate: 15% (31 December 2009 est.)
Rank: 58

Stock of narrow money: $972.5 million (31 December 2009 est.)
Rank: 139

Stock of broad money: $1.045 billion (31 December 2009 est.)
Rank: 160

Stock of domestic credit: $587.8 million (31 December 2009 est.)
Rank: 160

Market value of publicly traded shares: $NA

Current account balance: -$2.305 billion (2009 est.)
Rank: 165

Exports: $2.709 billion (2009 est.)
Rank: 120
Commodities: oil cattle cotton gum arabic
Partners: US 71.9% China 16.9% Netherlands 4.6% (2010)

Imports: $2.539 billion (2009 est.)
Rank: 141
Commodities: machinery and transportation equipment industrial goods foodstuffs textiles
Partners: China 29.4% France 14.3% Cameroon 12.2% US 8.1% (2010)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: $616.7 million (31 December 2009 est.)
Rank: 146

Debt external: $1.743 billion (31 December 2009 est.)
Rank: 142

Stock of direct foreign investment at home:

Stock of direct foreign investment abroad: $NA

Exchange rates:

Electricity
Production: 100 million kWh (2008 est.)
Production rank: 194
Consumption: 93 million kWh (2008 est.)
Consumption rank: 194
Exports: 0 kWh (2009 est.)
Imports: 0 kWh (2009 est.)

Natural gas
Production: 0 m³ (2009 est.)
Production rank: 164
Consumption: 0 m³ (2009 est.)
Consumption rank: 163
Exports: 0 m³ (2009 est.)
Exports rank: 72
Imports: 0 m³ (2009 est.)
Imports rank: 98
Proven reserves: 0 m³ (1 January 2011 est.)
Proven reserves rank: 120

Telephones
Main lines in use: 51,200 (2010)
Main lines in use rank: 161
Mobile cellular: 2.614 million (2010)
Mobile cellular rank: 127

Telephone system
General assessment: inadequate system of radiotelephone communication stations with high costs and low telephone density
Domestic: fixed-line connections for only about 1 per 1000 persons coupled with mobile-cellular subscribership base of only about 25 per 100 persons
International: country code - 235; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) (2009)

Broadcast media: 1 state-owned TV broadcast station; state-owned radio network Radiodiffusion Nationale Tchadienne (RNT) operates national and regional stations; about 10 private radio stations; some stations rebroadcast programs from international broadcasters (2007)

Internet
Country code: .td
Hosts: 5 (2010)
Hosts rank: 226
Users: 168,100 (2009)
Users rank: 145

Military expenditures: 1.7% of GDP (2009)
Rank: 86

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 parent or guardian; women are subject to 1 year of compulsory military or civic service at age of 21 (2004)

Airports: 56 (2010)
Rank: 83
With paved runways total: 8
With paved runways over 3047 m: 2
With paved runways 2438 to 3047 m: 3
With paved runways 15-24 to 2437 m: 2
With paved runways under 914 m: 1 (2010)
With unpaved runways total: 48
With unpaved runways 2438 to 3047 m: 2
With unpaved runways 15-24 to 2437 m: 15
With unpaved runways 914 to 1523 m: 21
With unpaved runways under 914 m: 10 (2010)

Pipelines: oil 265 km (2010)

Roadways
Total: 40,000 km
Rank: 90

Waterways: (Chari and Legone rivers are navigable only in wet season) (2010)

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: 234,000 (Sudan); 54,200 (Central African Republic)
Idps: 178,918 (2007)