Chad

This article is an from the CIA World Factbook 2002. It's a starting point for creating a real Wikitravel country article according to our . Please and edit it.

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. The 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 2000. A peace agreement, signed in January 2002 between the government and the rebels, provides for the demobilization of the rebels and their reintegration into the political system. Despite movement toward democratic reform, power remains in the hands of a northern ethnic oligarchy.

Location

Central Africa, south of Libya

Geographic coordinates

15 00 N, 19 00 E

Map references

Africa

Area

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

Area - comparative

slightly more than three times the size of California

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

Coastline

0 km (landlocked)

Maritime claims

none (landlocked)

Climate

tropical in far south, Sahelian scrubland in central region, desert in north

Terrain

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

Elevation extremes

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

Natural resources

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

Land use

arable land: 2.78%
permanent crops: 0.02%
other: 97.2% (1998 est.)

Irrigated land

200 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards

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

Environment - current issues

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

Environment - international agreements

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

Geography - note

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

People

Population

8,997,237 (July 2002 est.)

Age structure

0-14 years: 47.8% (male 2,162,732; female 2,135,354)
15-64 years: 49.4% (male 2,108,134; female 2,340,189)
65 years and over: 2.8% (male 103,683; female 147,145) (2002 est.)

Population growth rate

3.27% (2002 est.)

Birth rate

47.74 births/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Death rate

15.06 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Net migration rate

0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Sex ratio

at birth: 1.04 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.01 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.9 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.7 male(s)/female
total population: 0.95 male(s)/female (2002 est.)

Infant mortality rate

93.46 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.)

Life expectancy at birth

total population: 51.27 years
female: 53.4 years (2002 est.)
male: 49.22 years

Total fertility rate

6.5 children born/woman (2002 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate

5%-7% (2001), higher in South (particularly around the oil area near Doba) and pushing northwards

Nationality

noun: Chadian(s)
adjective: Chadian

Ethnic groups

200 distinct groups; in the north and center: Arabs, Gorane (Toubou, Daza, Kreda), Zaghawa, Kanembou, Ouaddai, Baguirmi, Hadjerai, Fulbe, Kotoko, Hausa, Boulala, and Maba, most of whom are Muslim; in the south: Sara (Ngambaye, Mbaye, Goulaye), Moundang, Moussei, Massa, most of whom are Christian or animist; about 1,000 French citizens live in Chad

Religions

Muslim 51%, Christian 35%, animist 7%, other 7%

Languages

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

Literacy

definition: age 15 and over can read and write French or Arabic
total population: 40%
male: 49%
female: 31% (1998)

Government

Country name

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

Government type

republic

Capital

N'Djamena

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
note: instead of 14 prefectures, there may be a new administrative structure of 28 departments (departments, singular - department), and 1 city

• ; Assongha, Baguirmi, Bahr El Gazal, Bahr Koh, Batha Oriental, Batha Occidental, Biltine, Borkou, Dababa, Ennedi, Guera, Hadjer Lamis, Kabia, Kanem, Lac, Lac Iro, Logone Occidental, Logone Oriental, Mandoul, Mayo-Boneye, Mayo-Dallah, Monts de Lam, N'djamena*, Ouaddai, Salamat, Sila, Tandjile Oriental, Tandjile Occidental, Tibesti

Independence

11 August 1960 (from France)

National holiday

Independence Day, 11 August (1960)

Constitution

passed by referendum 31 March 1996

Legal system

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

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

Flag description

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

Economy

Economy - overview

Chad's primarily agricultural economy will be boosted by major oilfield and pipeline projects that began in 2000. Over 80% of Chad's population relies on subsistence farming and stock raising for their livelihood. Cotton, cattle, and gum arabic provide the bulk of Chad's export earnings, but Chad will begin to export oil in 2004. Chad's economy has long been handicapped by its land-locked 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 is investing $3.7 billion to develop oil reserves estimated at 1 billion barrels in southern Chad.

Population below poverty line

80% (2001 est.)

Labor force - by occupation

agriculture more than 80% (subsistence farming, herding, and fishing)

Unemployment rate

NA%

Industries

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

Industrial production growth rate

5% (1995)

Electricity - production

92 million kWh (2000)

Electricity - production by source

fossil fuel: 100%
hydro: 0%
other: 0% (2000)
nuclear: 0%

Electricity - consumption

85.56 million kWh (2000)

Agriculture - products

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

Exports - commodities

cotton, cattle, gum arabic

Imports - commodities

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

Currency

Communaute Financiere Africaine franc (XAF); note - responsible authority is the Bank of the Central African States

Currency code

XAF

Exchange rates

Communaute Financiere Africaine francs (XAF) per US dollar - 742.79 (January 2002), 733.04 (2001), 711.98 (2000), 615.70 (1999), 589.95 (1998), 583.67 (1997); note - from 1 January 1999, the XAF is pegged to the euro at a rate of 655.957 XAF per euro

Fiscal year

calendar year

Communications

Telephones - main lines in use

9,700 (1999)

Telephones - mobile cellular

5,500 (2000)

Telephone system

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

Radio broadcast stations

AM 2, FM 4, shortwave 5 (2002)

Radios

1.67 million (1997)

Television broadcast stations

1 (2002)

Televisions

10,000 (1997)

Internet country code

.td

Internet Service Providers (ISPs)

1 (2002)

Internet users

4,000 (2002)

Transportation

Railways

0 km

Highways

total: 33,400 km
paved: 450 km
note: probably no more than 8,000 km of the total receive maintenance, the remainder being desert tracks (2000)
unpaved: 32,950 km

Waterways

2,000 km

Ports and harbors

none

Airports

49 (2001)

Airports - with paved runways

total: 7
over 3,047 m: 2
2,438 to 3,047 m: 3
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1
under 914 m: 1 (2002)

Airports - with unpaved runways

total: 43
1,524 to 2,437 m: 13
914 to 1,523 m: 20
under 914 m: 10 (2002)

Transnational Issues

Disputes - international

Lake Chad Commission urges signatories Cameroon, Chad, Niger, and Nigeria to ratify delimitation treaty over lake region, the site of continuing armed clashes; Nigeria requests and Chad rejects redemarcation of boundary, which lacks clear demarcation in sections and has caused several cross-border incidents; Chadian rebels from Aozou reside in Libya

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