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Communications

Airports [time series]

total: 68 usable: 58 with permanent-surface runways: 5 with runways over 3,659 m: 1 with runways 2,440-3,659 m: 3 with runways 1,220-2,439 m: 27

Roadways (Highways) [time series]

total: 31,322 km paved: bituminous 32 km unpaved: gravel, crushed stone 7,300 km; earth 23,990 km

Waterways (Inland waterways) [time series]

2,000 km navigable

Telecommunication systems (Telecommunications) [time series]

fair system of radiocommunication stations for intercity links; broadcast stations - 6 AM, 1 FM, limited TV service; many facilities are inoperative; 1 Atlantic Ocean INTELSAT earth station

Defense Forces

Military and security forces (Branches) [time series]

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

Military expenditures (Defense expenditures) [time series]

exchange rate conversion - $58 million, 5.6% of GDP (1989)

Manpower availability [time series]

males age 15-49 1,276,167; fit for military service 663,326; reach military age (20) annually 54,027 (1994 est.)

Geography

Area [time series]

total area: 1.284 million sq km land area: 1,259,200 sq km comparative area: slightly more than three times the size of California

Climate [time series]

tropical in south, desert in north

Coastline [time series]

0 km (landlocked)

Environment - current issues (Environment) [time series]

current issues: desertification natural hazards: hot, dry, dusty harmattan winds occur in north; periodic droughts; subject to locust plagues international agreements: party to - Endangered Species, Nuclear Test Ban, Wetlands; signed, but not ratified - Biodiversity, Climate Change, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping

Disputes - international (International disputes) [time series]

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km Aozou Strip between Chad and Libya belongs to Chad, and that Libya must withdraw from it by 31 May 1994; Libya had withdrawn its forces in response to the ICJ ruling, but as of June 1994 still maintained an airfield in the disputed area; demarcation of international boundaries in 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

Irrigated land [time series]

100 sq km (1989 est.)

Land boundaries [time series]

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

Land use [time series]

arable land: 2% permanent crops: 0% meadows and pastures: 36% forest and woodland: 11% other: 51%

Location [time series]

Central Africa, between the Central African Republic and Libya

Map references [time series]

Africa, Standard Time Zones of the World

Maritime claims [time series]

none; landlocked

Natural resources [time series]

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

Note [time series]

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

Terrain [time series]

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

Government

Administrative divisions [time series]

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

Agricultural products (Agriculture) [time series]

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

Budget [time series]

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

Capital [time series]

N'Djamena

Constitution [time series]

22 December 1989, suspended 3 December 1990; Provisional National Charter 1 March 1991; constitutional commission drafting new constitution to submit to transitional parliament for ratification in April 1994

Consultatif) [time series]

elections last held 8 July 1990; disbanded 3 December 1990 and replaced by the Provisional Council of the Republic having 30 members appointed by President DEBY on 8 March 1991; this, in turn, was replaced by a 57-member Higher Transitional Council (Conseil Superieur de Transition) elected by a specially convened Sovereign National Conference on 6 April 1993

Exchange rates (Currency) [time series]

1 CFA franc (CFAF) = 100 centimes

Digraph [time series]

Diplomatic representation in the US (Diplomatic representation in US) [time series]

chief of mission: (vacant); Ambassador KOUMBARIA Laoumaye Mekonyo died on 16 May 1994 chancery: 2002 R Street NW, Washington, DC 20009 telephone: (202) 462-4009

Economic aid [time series]

recipient: US commitments, including Ex-Im (FY70-89), $198 million; Western (non-US) countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments (1970-89), $1.5 billion; OPEC bilateral aid (1979-89), $28 million; Communist countries (1970-89), $80 million

Electricity [time series]

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

Exchange rates [time series]

Communaute Financiere Africaine Francs (CFAF) per US$1 - 592.05 (January 1994), 283.16 (1993), 264.69 (1992), 282.11 (1991), 272.26 (1990), 319.01 (1989) 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

Executive branch [time series]

chief of state: President Col. Idriss DEBY, since 4 December 1990 (after seizing power on 3 December 1990 - transitional government's mandate expires April 1995) head of government: Prime Minister Kassire Delwa KOUMAKOYE (since 17 November 1993) cabinet: Council of State; appointed by the president on recommendation of the prime minister

Exports [time series]

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

Debt - external (External debt) [time series]

$492 million (December 1990 est.)

Diplomatic representation in the US (FAX) [time series]

(202) 265-1937

Diplomatic representation in the US (FAX) [time series]

[235] (51) 33-72

Fiscal year [time series]

calendar year

Flag [time series]

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

Imports [time series]

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

Independence [time series]

11 August 1960 (from France)

Industrial production growth rate (Industrial production) [time series]

growth rate 12.9% (1989 est.); accounts for nearly 15% of GDP

Industries [time series]

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

Inflation rate (consumer prices) [time series]

2%-3% (1991 est.)

Judicial branch [time series]

Court of Appeal

Legal system [time series]

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

Legislative branch [time series]

unicameral

International organization participation (Member of) [time series]

ACCT, ACP, AfDB, BDEAC, CEEAC, ECA, FAO, FZ, G-77, GATT, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, IDA, IDB, IFAD, ILO, IMF, INTELSAT, INTERPOL, IOC, ITU, LORCS, NAM, OAU, OIC, UDEAC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Country name (Names) [time series]

conventional long form: Republic of Chad conventional short form: Chad local long form: Republique du Tchad local short form: Tchad

National holiday [time series]

Independence Day 11 August (1960)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) (National product) [time series]

GDP - purchasing power equivalent - $2.7 billion (1993 est.)

Real GDP per capita (National product per capita) [time series]

$500 (1993 est.)

Real GDP growth rate (National product real growth rate) [time series]

8.4% (1991 est.)

Political parties (Other political or pressure groups) [time series]

Economic overview (Overview) [time series]

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, conflict with Libya, 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. Over 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. The government hopes that discovery of several oil deposits near Lake Chad will lead to economic revival and a windfall in government revenues by 2000.

Political parties (Political parties and leaders) [time series]

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, has postponed these initiatives for another year; there are numerous dissident groups and 26 opposition political parties

Suffrage [time series]

universal at age NA

Government type (Type) [time series]

republic

Diplomatic representation from the US (US diplomatic representation) [time series]

chief of mission: Ambassador Lawrence POPE embassy: Avenue Felix Eboue, N'Djamena mailing address: B. P. 413, N'Djamena telephone: [235] (51) 62-18, 40-09, or 62-11

Unemployment rate [time series]

NA%

People

Birth rate [time series]

42.12 births/1,000 population (1994 est.)

Death rate [time series]

20.59 deaths/1,000 population (1994 est.)

Ethnic groups (Ethnic divisions) [time series]

north and center: Muslims (Arabs, Toubou, Hadjerai, Fulbe, Kotoko, Kanembou, Baguirmi, Boulala, Zaghawa, and Maba) south: non-Muslims (Sara, Ngambaye, Mbaye, Goulaye, Moundang, Moussei, Massa) nonindigenous 150,000, of whom 1,000 are French

Infant mortality rate [time series]

131.8 deaths/1,000 live births (1994 est.)

Labor force [time series]

NA by occupation: agriculture 85% (engaged in unpaid subsistence farming, herding, and fishing)

Languages [time series]

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

Life expectancy at birth [time series]

total population: 40.79 years male: 39.7 years female: 41.94 years (1994 est.)

Literacy [time series]

age 15 and over can read and write French or Arabic (1990 est.) total population: 30% male: 42% female: 18%

Nationality [time series]

noun: Chadian(s) adjective: Chadian

Net migration rate [time series]

0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1994 est.)

Population [time series]

5,466,771 (July 1994 est.)

Population growth rate [time series]

2.15% (1994 est.)

Religions [time series]

Muslim 50%, Christian 25%, indigenous beliefs, animism 25%

Total fertility rate [time series]

5.33 children born/woman (1994 est.)