Chad

Branches

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

Defense expenditures

exchange rate conversion - $74 million, 11.1% of GDP (1994)

Manpower availability

males age 15-49: 1,562,052 males fit for military service: 809,210 males reach military age (20) annually: 63,254 (1996 est.)

Radio broadcast stations

AM 6, FM 1, shortwave 0

Radios

NA

Telephone system

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

Telephones

5,000 (1987 est.)

Television broadcast stations

1 (1987 est.) note: limited TV service; many facilities are inoperative

Televisions

7,000 (1991 est.) Defense

Agriculture

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

Budget

revenues: $120 million expenditures: $363 million, including capital expenditures of $104 million (1992 est.)

Currency

1 Communaute Financiere Africaine franc (CFAF) = 100 centimes

Economic aid

recipient: ODA, $NA

Economic overview

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, 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. More than 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. Of all the Francophone countries in Africa, Chad has benefited the least from the 50% devaluation of their currencies on 12 January 1994. Despite an increase in external financial aid and favorable price increases for cotton - the primary source of foreign exchange - the corrupt and enfeebled government bureaucracy continues to postpone payment of public sector salaries and to dampen economic enterprise by neglecting payments to domestic suppliers. The devaluation resulted in stepped-up inflation of 41% in 1994; in contrast to other Francophone countries, Chad continued to suffer high inflation in 1995 because of the government's lack of financial discipline. Oil production in the Lake Chad area remains a distant prospect and the subsistence-driven economy probably will continue to limp along in the near term.

Electricity

capacity: 40,000 kW production: 80 million kWh consumption per capita: 13 kWh (1993)

Exchange rates

CFA Francs (CFAF) per US$1 - 500.56 (January 1996), 499.15 (1995), 555.20 (1994), 283.16 (1993), 264.69 (1992), 282.11 (1991) 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

Exports

$132 million (f.o.b., 1993) commodities: cotton, cattle, textiles, fish partners: France, Nigeria, Cameroon, Zaire, Sudan, Central African Republic

External debt

$757 million (December 1993 )

Fiscal year

calendar year

GDP

purchasing power parity - $3.3 billion (1995 est.)

GDP composition by sector

agriculture: 49% industry: 17% services: 34%

GDP per capita

$600 (1995 est.)

GDP real growth rate

4% (1994 est.)

Imports

$201 million (f.o.b., 1993) commodities: machinery and transportation equipment 39%, industrial goods 20%, petroleum products 13%, foodstuffs 9%; textiles; note - excludes military equipment partners: US, France, Nigeria, Cameroon, Italy, Germany

Industrial production growth rate

NA%

Industries

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

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

41% (1994 est.)

Labor force

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

Unemployment rate

NA%

Area

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

tropical in south, desert in north

Coastline

0 km (landlocked)

Environment

current issues: inadequate supplies of potable water; improper waste disposal in rural areas contributes to soil and water pollution; desertification natural hazards: hot, dry, dusty harmattan winds occur in north; periodic droughts; locust plagues international agreements: party to - Biodiversity, Climate Change, Endangered Species, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands; signed, but not ratified - Desertification, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping

Geographic coordinates

15 00 N, 19 00 E

Geographic note

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

International disputes

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 has withdrawn some of its forces in response to the ICJ ruling, but still maintains part of the airfield and a small military presence at the airfield's water supply located in Chad; demarcation of international boundaries in vicinity of 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

100 sq km (1989 est.)

Land boundaries

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

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

Location

Central Africa, south of Libya

Map references

Africa

Maritime claims

none (landlocked)

Natural resources

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

Terrain

broad, arid plains in center, desert in north, mountains in northwest, lowlands in south lowest point: Djourab Depression 175 m highest point: Emi Koussi 3,415 m

Administrative divisions

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

N'Djamena

Constitution

31 March 1995, passed by referendum

Data code

CD

Diplomatic representation in US

chief of mission: Ambassador Mahamat Saleh AHMAT chancery: 2002 R Street NW, Washington, DC 20009 telephone: [1] (202) 462-4009

Executive branch

chief of state: President Lt. Gen. Idriss DEBY (since 4 December 1990, after seizing power on 3 December 1990); note - transitional government's mandate was scheduled to expire in May 1996; the first round of presidential elections was scheduled for 2 June 1996, with a runoff on 23 June if necessary head of government: Prime Minister Djimasta KOIBLA (since 9 April 1995) elected by the Sovereign National Conference cabinet: Council of State appointed by the president on recommendation of the prime minister

FAX

[1] (202) 265-1937

FAX

[235] (51) 56-54

Flag

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

Higher Transitional Council (Conseil Superieur de Transition

popular elections to the former National Consultative Council (Conceil National Consultatif) were last held 8 July 1990; this body was disbanded on 3 December 1990 by President DEBY and on 8 March 1991 replaced with the Provisional Council of the Republic having 30 members whom he appointed; this body, in turn, was replaced on 6 April 1993 by a 57-member Higher Transitional Council (Conseil Superieur de Transition) elected by a specially convened Sovereign National Conference; popular elections, formerly scheduled for April 1995, were initially postponed by mutual agreement of the parties concerned until at least May 1996 and subsequently postponed until after the rainy season (as late as October 1996); note - the name of the anticipated new legislative body has not been announced

Independence

11 August 1960 (from France)

International organization participation

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

Judicial branch

Court of Appeal

Legal system

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

Legislative branch

unicameral

Name of country

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

National holiday

Independence Day, 11 August (1960)

Other political or pressure groups

NA

Political parties and leaders

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, subsequently twice postponed these initiatives; there are numerous dissident groups and at least 45 opposition political parties

Suffrage

NA years of age; universal

Type of government

republic

US diplomatic representation

chief of mission: Ambassador Laurence E. POPE II embassy: Avenue Felix Eboue, N'Djamena mailing address: B. P. 413, N'Djamena telephone: [235] (51) 70-09, (51) 90-52, (51) 92-33

Age structure

0-14 years: 44% (male 1,543,688; female 1,535,729) 15-64 years: 53% (male 1,807,361; female 1,881,930) 65 years and over: 3% (male 91,998; female 116,139) (July 1996 est.)

Birth rate

44.25 births/1,000 population (1996 est.)

Death rate

17.44 deaths/1,000 population (1996 est.)

Ethnic divisions

nonindigenous 150,000, of whom 1,000 are French 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)

Infant mortality rate

120.4 deaths/1,000 live births (1996 est.)

Languages

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

Life expectancy at birth

total population: 47.55 years male: 45.18 years female: 50.01 years (1996 est.)

Literacy

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

Nationality

noun: Chadian(s) adjective: Chadian

Net migration rate

0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1996 est.)

Population

6,976,845 (July 1996 est.)

Population growth rate

2.68% (1996 est.)

Religions

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

Sex ratio

at birth: 1.04 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.96 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.79 male(s)/female all ages: 0.97 male(s)/female (1996 est.)

Total fertility rate

5.84 children born/woman (1996 est.)

Airports

total: 47 with paved runways 2 438 to 3 047 m: 3 with paved runways 1 524 to 2 437 m: 1 with paved runways under 914 m: 11 with unpaved runways over 3 047 m: 1 with unpaved runways 1 524 to 2 437 m: 13 with unpaved runways 914 to 1 523 m: 18 (1995 est.)

Highways

total: 31,141 km paved: 32 km unpaved: 31,109 km (1987 est.)

Ports

none

Railways

0 km

Waterways

2,000 km navigable