Internet users (Internet Service Providers (ISPs)) [time series]

1 (1999)

Broadcast media (Radio broadcast stations) [time series]

AM 2, FM 3, shortwave 5 (1998)

Radios [time series]

1.67 million (1997)

Telecommunication systems (Telephone system) [time series]

primitive system domestic: fair system of radiotelephone communication stations international: satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)

Telephones - fixed lines (Telephones - main lines in use) [time series]

5,000 (1995)

Telephones - mobile cellular [time series]

0 (1995)

Broadcast media (Television broadcast stations) [time series]

1 (1997)

Televisions [time series]

10,000 (1997)

Agricultural products (Agriculture - products) [time series]

cotton, sorghum, millet, peanuts, rice, potatoes, manioc (tapioca); cattle, sheep, goats, camels

Budget [time series]

revenues: $198 million expenditures: $218 million, including capital expenditures of $146 million (1998 est.)

Exchange rates (Currency) [time series]

1 Communaute Financiere Africaine franc (CFAF) = 100 centimes

Debt - external [time series]

$1 billion (1999 est.)

Economic aid (Economic aid - recipient) [time series]

$238.3 million (1995); note - $125 million committed by Taiwan (August 1997); $30 million committed by African Development Bank

Economic overview (Economy - overview) [time series]

Landlocked Chad's economic development suffers from it's geographic remoteness, drought, lack of infrastructure, and political turmoil. About 85% of the population depends on agriculture, including the herding of livestock. Of Africa's Francophone countries, Chad benefited least from the 50% devaluation of their currencies in January 1994. Financial aid from the World Bank, the African Development Fund, and other sources is directed largely at the improvement of agriculture, especially livestock production. Due to lack of financing, the development of the Doba Basin oil fields, originally due to finish in 2000, has been substantially delayed.

Electricity - consumption [time series]

93 million kWh (1998)

Electricity - exports [time series]

0 kWh (1998)

Electricity - imports [time series]

0 kWh (1998)

Electricity - production [time series]

100 million kWh (1998)

Electricity - production by source [time series]

fossil fuel: 100% hydro: 0% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (1998)

Exchange rates [time series]

Communaute Financiere Africaine Francs (CFAF) per US$1 - 647.25 (January 2000), 615.70 (1999), 589.95 (1998), 583.67 (1997), 511.55 (1996), 499.15 (1995) note: since 1 January 1999, the CFAF is pegged to the euro at a rate of 655.957 CFA francs per euro

Exports [time series]

$288 million (f.o.b., 1999 est.)

Exports - commodities [time series]

cotton, cattle, textiles

Exports - partners [time series]

Portugal 30%, Germany 14%, Thailand, Costa Rica, South Africa, France (1997)

Fiscal year [time series]

calendar year

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

purchasing power parity - $7.6 billion (1999 est.)

GDP - composition, by sector of origin (GDP - composition by sector) [time series]

agriculture: 38% industry: 14% services: 48% (1998)

Real GDP per capita (GDP - per capita) [time series]

purchasing power parity - $1,000 (1999 est.)

Real GDP growth rate (GDP - real growth rate) [time series]

0.6% (1999 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share [time series]

lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA%

Imports [time series]

$359 million (f.o.b., 1999 est.)

Imports - commodities [time series]

machinery and transportation equipment, industrial goods, petroleum products, foodstuffs, textiles

Imports - partners [time series]

France 41%, Nigeria 10%, Cameroon 7%, India 6% (1997)

Industrial production growth rate [time series]

5% (1995)

Industries [time series]

cotton textiles, meat packing, beer brewing, natron (sodium carbonate), soap, cigarettes, construction materials

Inflation rate (consumer prices) [time series]

12% (1998 est.)

Labor force [time series]

NA

Labor force - by occupation [time series]

agriculture 85% (subsistence farming, herding, and fishing)

Population below poverty line [time series]

NA%

Unemployment rate [time series]

NA%

Area [time series]

total: 1.284 million sq km land: 1,259,200 sq km water: 24,800 sq km

Area - comparative [time series]

slightly more than three times the size of California

Climate [time series]

tropical in south, desert in north

Coastline [time series]

0 km (landlocked)

Elevation (Elevation extremes) [time series]

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

Environment - current issues [time series]

inadequate supplies of potable water; improper waste disposal in rural areas contributes to soil and water pollution; desertification

International environmental agreements (Environment - international agreements) [time series]

party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping

Geographic coordinates [time series]

15 00 N, 19 00 E

Geography - note [time series]

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

Irrigated land [time series]

140 sq km (1993 est.)

Land boundaries [time series]

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

Land use [time series]

arable land: 3% permanent crops: 0% permanent pastures: 36% forests and woodland: 26% other: 35% (1993 est.)

Location [time series]

Central Africa, south of Libya

Map references [time series]

Africa

Maritime claims [time series]

none (landlocked)

Natural hazards [time series]

hot, dry, dusty harmattan winds occur in north; periodic droughts; locust plagues

Natural resources [time series]

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

Terrain [time series]

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

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

Capital [time series]

N'Djamena

Constitution [time series]

passed by referendum 31 March 1995

Country name [time series]

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

Data code [time series]

CD

Diplomatic representation from the US [time series]

chief of mission: Ambassador Christopher GOLDTHWAIT embassy: Avenue Felix Eboue, N'Djamena mailing address: B. P. 413, N'Djamena telephone: [235] (51) 70-09, (51) 90-52, (51) 92-33 FAX: [235] (51) 56-54

Diplomatic representation in the US [time series]

chief of mission: Ambassador Hassaballah Abdelhadi Ahmat SOUBIANE chancery: 2002 R Street NW, Washington, DC 20009 telephone: [1] (202) 462-4009 FAX: [1] (202) 265-1937

Executive branch [time series]

chief of state: President Lt. Gen. Idriss DEBY (since 4 December 1990) head of government: Prime Minister Nagdum YAMASSOUM (since 13 December 1999) 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 terms; 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 2 June and 11 July 1996 (next to be held June 2001); prime minister appointed by the president election results: in the first round of voting none of the 15 candidates received the required 50% of the total vote; percent of vote, first round - Lt. Gen. Idriss DEBY 43.8%, Wadal Abdelkader KAMOUGUE 12.4%; percent of vote, second round - Lt. Gen. Idriss DEBY 69.1%, Wadal Abdelkader KAMOUGUE 30.9% note: government coalition - MPS, UNDR, and URD

Flag (Flag description) [time series]

three equal vertical bands of blue (hoist side), yellow, and red; 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

Government type [time series]

republic

Independence [time series]

11 August 1960 (from France)

International organization participation [time series]

ACCT, ACP, AfDB, BDEAC, CEEAC, ECA, FAO, FZ, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, ITU, NAM, OAU, OIC, OPCW, UDEAC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO

Judicial branch [time series]

Supreme Court; Court of Appeal; Criminal Courts; Magistrate Courts

Legal system [time series]

based on French civil law system and Chadian customary law; does not accept compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Legislative branch [time series]

unicameral National Assembly (125 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms); replaces the Higher Transitional Council or the Conseil Superieur de Transition elections: National Assembly - last held in two rounds on 5 January and 23 February 1997 (next to be held NA 2001); in the first round of voting some candidates won clear victories by receiving 50% or more of the vote; where that did not happen, the two highest scoring candidates stood for a second round of voting election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - MPS 65, URD 29, UNDR 15, RDP 3, others 13

National holiday [time series]

Independence Day, 11 August (1960)

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

National Union for Development and Renewal or UNDR [Saleh KEBZABO]; Patriotic Salvation Movement or MPS [Maldom Bada ABBAS, chairman] (originally in opposition but now the party in power and the party of the president); Rally for Democracy and Progress or RDP [Lal Mahamat CHOUA]; Union for Renewal and Democracy or URD [Gen. Wadal Abdelkader KAMOUGUE]

Suffrage [time series]

18 years of age; universal

Background [time series]

Chad, part of France's African holdings until 1960, endured three decades of ethnic warfare as well as invasions by Libya before a semblance of peace was finally restored in 1990. A transitional government eventually suppressed or came to terms with most political-military groups, settled a territorial dispute with Libya on terms favorable to Chad, drafted a democratic constitution, and held multiparty presidential and National Assembly elections in 1996 and 1997 respectively. In 1998 a new rebellion broke out in northern Chad, which continued to escalate throughout 1999. Despite movement toward democratic reform, power remains in the hands of a northern ethnic oligarchy.

Military and security forces (Military branches) [time series]

Armed Forces (includes Ground Force, Air Force, and Gendarmerie), Republican Guard, Rapid Intervention Force, Police, Rural and Nomadic Guard (GNNT)

Military expenditures - dollar figure [time series]

$39 million (FY96)

Military expenditures (Military expenditures - percent of GDP) [time series]

3.5% (FY96)

Military manpower - availability [time series]

males age 15-49: 1,749,033 (2000 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service [time series]

males age 15-49: 915,664 (2000 est.)

Military manpower - military age [time series]

20 years of age

Military manpower - reaching military age annually [time series]

males: 79,596 (2000 est.)

Age structure [time series]

0-14 years: 48% (male 2,022,339; female 1,994,978) 15-64 years: 49% (male 1,964,216; female 2,204,902) 65 years and over: 3% (male 99,459; female 138,610) (2000 est.)

Birth rate [time series]

48.81 births/1,000 population (2000 est.)

Death rate [time series]

15.71 deaths/1,000 population (2000 est.)

Ethnic groups [time series]

Muslims, commonly referred to as "northerners" or "gorane" (Arabs, Toubou, Hadjerai, Fulbe, Kotoko, Kanembou, Baguirmi, Boulala, Zaghawa, and Maba); non-Muslims, commonly referred to as "southerners" (Sara, Ngambaye, Mbaye, Goulaye, Moundang, Moussei, Massa) including nonindigenous 150,000 (of whom 1,000 are French) note: ethnicity and regional background more commonly used to identify Chadians than religious affiliation

Infant mortality rate [time series]

96.66 deaths/1,000 live births (2000 est.)

Languages [time series]

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

Life expectancy at birth [time series]

total population: 50.49 years male: 48.5 years female: 52.56 years (2000 est.)

Literacy [time series]

definition: age 15 and over can read and write French or Arabic total population: 48.1% male: 62.1% female: 34.7% (1995 est.)

Nationality [time series]

noun: Chadian(s) adjective: Chadian

Net migration rate [time series]

0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2000 est.)

Population [time series]

8,424,504 (July 2000 est.)

Population growth rate [time series]

3.31% (2000 est.)

Religions [time series]

Muslim 50%, Christian 25%, indigenous beliefs (mostly animism) 25%

Sex ratio [time series]

at birth: 1.04 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.01 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.89 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.72 male(s)/female total population: 0.94 male(s)/female (2000 est.)

Total fertility rate [time series]

6.63 children born/woman (2000 est.)

Disputes - international [time series]

delimitation of international boundaries in the vicinity of Lake Chad, the lack of which led to border incidents in the past, has been completed and awaits ratification by Cameroon, Chad, Niger, and Nigeria [Country Listing] [ The World Factbook Home]

Airports [time series]

49 (1999 est.)

Airports - with paved runways [time series]

total: 7 over 3,047 m: 1 2,438 to 3,047 m: 3 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 1 under 914 m: 1 (1999 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways [time series]

total: 42 1,524 to 2,437 m: 13 914 to 1,523 m: 19 under 914 m: 10 (1999 est.)

Roadways (Highways) [time series]

total: 33,400 km paved: 267 km unpaved: 33,133 km (1996 est.)

Ports (Ports and harbors) [time series]

none

Railways [time series]

0 km

Waterways [time series]

2,000 km navigable