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 insurgents. 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. 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 insurrection in early 2008 but has had no significant rebel threats since then in part due to Chad's 2010 rapprochement with Sudan which previously used Chadian rebels as proxies. DEBY in 2011 was reelected to his fourth term in an election that international observers described as proceeding without incident. Power remains in the hands of an ethnic minority.

Geographic coordinates: 15 00 N 19 00 E

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

Land boundaries
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 highest point: Emi Koussi 3,415 m

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

Land use
Permanent crops: 0.02%
Other: 96.16% (2011)

Irrigated land: 302.7 km² (2003)

Total renewable water resources: 43 km³ (2011)

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: 11,193,452 (July 2013 est.)
Rank: 75
Growth rate: 1.95% (2013 est.)
Growth rate rank: 58
Below poverty line: 80% (2001 est.)

Nationality
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
15-24 years: 20.4% (male 1,107,121/female 1,178,946)
25-54 years: 27.6% (male 1,393,498/female 1,693,233)
55-64 years: 3.9% (male 188,558/female 242,559)
65 years and over: 2.9% (male 137,590/female 192,314) (2013 est.)

Dependency ratios
Youth dependency ratio: 98.4 %
Elderly dependency ratio: 4.9 %
Potential support ratio: 20.4 (2013)

Median age
Male: 15.9 years
Female: 18.1 years (2013 est.)

Population growth rate: 1.95% (2013 est.)
Rank: 58

Birth rate: 37.99 births/1000 population (2013 est.)
Rank: 16

Death rate: 14.85 deaths/1000 population (2013 est.)
Rank: 4

Net migration rate: -3.64 migrant(s)/1000 population (2013 est.)
Rank: 187

Urbanization
Rate of urbanization: 3% annual rate of change (2010-15 est.)

Major urban areas
Population: N'DJAMENA (capital) 1.079 million (2011)

Environment
Current issues: inadequate supplies of potable water; improper waste disposal in rural areas contributes to soil and water pollution; desertification
International agreements signed but not ratified: Law of the Sea Marine Dumping

Sex ratio
0-14 years: 1.03 male(s)/female
15-24 years: 0.93 male(s)/female
25-54 years: 0.82 male(s)/female
55-64 years: 0.78 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.72 male(s)/female
Total population: 0.93 male(s)/female (2013 est.)

Mothers mean age at first birth: 18.2 (2004 est.)

Infant mortality rate
Rank: 6
Male: 97.64 deaths/1000 live births
Female: 86.01 deaths/1000 live births (2013 est.)

Life expectancy at birth
Rank: 223
Male: 47.95 years
Female: 50.22 years (2013 est.)

Total fertility rate: 4.8 children born/woman (2013 est.)
Rank: 24

Contraceptive prevalence rate: 4.8% (2010)

Drinking water source:

Physicians density: 0.04 physicians/1000 population (2006)

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

Sanitation facility access:

Hivaids
Adult prevalence rate: 3.4% (2009 est.)
Adult prevalence rate rank: 20
People living with hivaids: 210,000 (2009 est.)
People living with hivaids rank: 26
Deaths: 11,000 (2009 est.)
Deaths rank: 25

Major infectious diseases
Food or waterborne diseases: bacterial and protozoal diarrhea hepatitis A and E and typhoid fever
Vectorborne diseases: malaria and dengue fever
Water contact disease: schistosomiasis
Respiratory disease: meningococcal meningitis
Animal contact disease: rabies (2013)

Obesity adult prevalence rate: 2.7% (2008)
Rank: 177

Children under the age of 5 years underweight: 33.9% (2004)
Rank: 9

Education expenditures: 2.9% of GDP (2011)
Rank: 146

Literacy
Total population: 35.4%
Male: 45.6%
Female: 25.4% (2011 est.)

School life expectancy primary to tertiary education
Male: 10 years
Female: 6 years (2011)

Country name
Conventional short form: Chad
Local long form: Republique du Tchad/Jumhuriyat Tshad
Local short form: Tchad/Tshad

Government type: republic

Capital
Geographic coordinates: 12 06 N 15 02 E
Time difference: UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington DC during Standard Time)

Administrative divisions: 23 regions (regions singular - region); Barh el Gazel Batha Borkou Chari-Baguirmi Ennedi-Est Ennedi-Quest 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: several previous; latest passed by referendum 31 March 1996 entered into force 8 April 1996; amended 2005 (2010)

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
Head of government: Prime Minister Kalzeube Pahimi DEUBET (since 21 November 2013)
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
Judge selection and term of office: Supreme Court chief justice selected by the president; councilors - 8 designated by the president and 7 by the speaker of the National Assembly; chief justice and councilors appointed for life; Constitutional Council judges - 2 appointed by the president and 1 by the speaker of the National Assembly; jurists - 3 each by the president and by the speaker of the National Assembly; judges term NA
Subordinate courts: High Court of Justice; Courts of Appeal; tribunals; justices of the peace

Political parties and leaders:

International organization participation: ACP AfDB AU BDEAC CEMAC EITI (candidate country) FAO FZ G-77 IAEA IBRD ICAO ICRM IDA IDB IFAD IFC IFRCS ILO IMF Interpol IOC IOM IPU ITSO ITU ITUC (NGOs) MIGA NAM OIC OIF OPCW UN UNCTAD UNESCO UNIDO UNOCI UNWTO UPU WCO WHO WIPO WMO WTO

Diplomatic representation
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 embassy: Avenue Felix Eboue N'Djamena
From the us mailing address: B. P. 413 N'Djamena
From the us telephone: [235] 2,251-70-09
From the us FAX: [235] 2,251-56-54

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

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

National anthem
Lyrics and music: Louis GIDROL and his students/Paul VILLARD

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. Economic conditions have been positive in recent years with real GDP growth reaching 13% in 2010 because of high international prices for oil and a strong local harvest. GDP growth for 2012 was 5%. However Chad's investment climate remains challenging due to limited infrastructure a lack of trained workers extensive government bureaucracy and corruption. At least 80% of Chad's population relies on subsistence farming and livestock raising for its livelihood. The government of Chad is determined to improve agricultural production through modernization and mechanization over the next three years and hosted a national Rural Development Forum in 2012 to promote investment in agriculture. 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. Remittances are also an important source of income. The Libyan conflict disrupted inflows of remittances to Chad's impoverished western region that relies on income from Chadians living in Libya. A consortium led by two US companies has been investing $3.7 billion to develop oil reserves - estimated at 1.5 billion barrels - in southern Chad. Chinese companies are also expanding exploration efforts and have completed a 311-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: 116

Real gdp growth rate:
Rank: 13

Real gdp per capita:
Rank: 182

Gross national saving:
Rank: 8

Gdp composition by end use
Government consumption: 11.9%
Investment in fixed capital: 31.9%
Investment in inventories: 0.7%
Exports of goods and services: 41%
Imports of goods and services: -52.1%: (2012 est.)

Gdp composition by sector of origin
Industry: 9.4%
Services: 42.6% (2012 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: 10.6% (2012 est.)
Rank: 12

Labor force: 4.293 million (2007)
Rank: 88
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
Highest 10: 30.8% (2003)

Budget
Expenditures: $2.979 billion (2012 est.)
Surplus or deficit: -1.8% of GDP (2012 est.)
Surplus or deficit rank: 83

Taxes and other revenues: 21.6% of GDP (2012 est.)
Rank: 157

Public debt: 38.9% of GDP (2011 est.)
Rank: 116

Fiscal year: calendar year

Inflation rate consumer prices: -4.9% (2011 est.)
Rank: 201

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

Commercial bank prime lending rate: 15% (31 December 2011 est.)
Rank: 46

Stock of narrow money: $1.235 billion (31 December 2011 est.)
Rank: 136

Stock of broad money: $1.335 billion (31 December 2011 est.)
Rank: 156

Stock of domestic credit: $553.5 million (31 December 2011 est.)
Rank: 162

Market value of publicly traded shares: $N/A

Current account balance: $-96.5 million (2011 est.)
Rank: 97

Exports: $4.306 billion (2011 est.)
Rank: 120
Commodities: oil cattle cotton gum arabic
Partners: US 81.9% China 6.7% (2012)

Imports: $2.696 billion (2011 est.)
Rank: 152
Commodities: machinery and transportation equipment industrial goods foodstuffs textiles
Partners: China 20.2% Cameroon 18.2% France 16.1% Saudi Arabia 5.6% US 4.2% (2012)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: $968.1 million (31 December 2011 est.)
Rank: 131

Debt external: $1.821 billion (31 December 2011 est.)
Rank: 145

Stock of direct foreign investment at home: $4.5 billion (2006 est.)

Stock of direct foreign investment abroad: $N/A

Exchange rates:

Electricity
Production: 98 million kWh (2010 est.)
Production rank: 198
Consumption: 91.14 million kWh (2010 est.)
Consumption rank: 198
Exports: 0 kWh (2012 est.)
Exports rank: 175
Imports: 0 kWh (2012 est.)
Imports rank: 168
Installed generating capacity: 31,000 kW (2010 est.)
Installed generating capacity rank: 196
Generation sources fossil fuels: 100% of total installed capacity (2010 est.)
Generation sources fossil fuels rank: 10
Generation sources nuclear: 0% of total installed capacity (2010 est.)
Generation sources nuclear rank: 59
Generation sources hydroelectricity: 0% of total installed capacity (2010 est.)
Generation sources hydroelectricity rank: 161
Generation sources other renewable sources: 0% of total installed capacity (2010 est.)
Generation sources other renewable sources rank: 164

Petroleum
Petroleum total petroleum production: 104,500 bbl/day (2012 est.)
Petroleum total petroleum production rank: 48
Crude oil exports: 125,700 bbl/day (2010 est.)
Crude oil exports rank: 36
Crude oil imports: 0 bbl/day (2010 est.)
Crude oil imports rank: 169
Crude oil proven reserves: 1.5 billion bbl (1 January 2013 es)
Crude oil proven reserves rank: 38

Refined petroleum
Products production: 0 bbl/day (2010 est.)
Products production rank: 161
Products consumption: 1817 bbl/day (2011 est.)
Products consumption rank: 190
Products exports: 0 bbl/day (2010 est.)
Products exports rank: 160
Products imports: 1754 bbl/day (2010 est.)
Products imports rank: 183

Natural gas
Production: 0 m³ (2011 est.)
Production rank: 112
Consumption: 0 m³ (2010 est.)
Consumption rank: 127
Exports: 0 m³ (2011 est.)
Exports rank: 76
Imports: 0 m³ (2011 est.)
Imports rank: 171
Proven reserves: 999.5 billion m³ (1 January 2012 es)
Proven reserves rank: 27

Carbon dioxide emissions
From consumption of energy: 289,800 Mt (2011 est.)
From consumption of energy rank: 190

Telephones
Main lines in use: 29,900 (2012)
Main lines in use rank: 176
Mobile cellular: 4.2 million (2012)
Mobile cellular rank: 119

Telephone system
Domestic: fixed-line connections for less than 1 per 100 persons coupled with mobile-cellular subscribership base of only about 35 per 100 persons
International: country code - 235; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) (2011)

Broadcast media: 1 state-owned TV 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: 6 (2012)
Hosts rank: 229
Users: 168,100 (2009)
Users rank: 145

Military expenditures: 1.6% of GDP (2011)
Rank: 93

Military service age and obligation: 20 is the legal minimum age for compulsory military service with a 3-year service obligation; 18 is the legal minimum age for voluntary service; 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 (2012)

Airports: 59 (2013)
Rank: 82
With paved runways over 3047 m: 2
With paved runways 2438 to 3047 m: 4
With paved runways 15-24 to 2437 m: 2
With paved runways under 914 m: 1 (2013)
With unpaved runways over 3047 m: 1
With unpaved runways 2438 to 3047 m: 2
With unpaved runways 15-24 to 2437 m: 14
With unpaved runways 914 to 1523 m: 22
With unpaved runways: 11 (2013)

Pipelines: oil 582 km (2013)

Roadways
Rank: 87

Waterways: (Chari and Legone rivers are navigable only in wet season) (2012)

Disputes international: since 2003 ad hoc armed militia groups and the Sudanese military have driven hundreds of thousands of Darfur residents into Chad; Chad wishes to be a helpful mediator in resolving the Darfur conflict and in 2010 established a joint border monitoring force with Sudan which has helped to reduce cross-border banditry and violence; 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
IDPs: 90,000 (majority are in the east) (2012)