The 1999 CIA World Factbook. United States. Central Intelligence Agency

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: 3%

       permanent crops: 0%

       permanent pastures: 36%

       forests and woodland: 26%

       other: 35% (1993 est.)

      Irrigated land: 140 sq km (1993 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: 7,557,436 (July 1999 est.)

      Age structure:

       0–14 years: 44% (male 1,675,394; female 1,667,717)

       15–64 years: 53% (male 1,953,251; female 2,034,883)

       65 years and over: 3% (male 99,783; female 126,408) (1999 est.)

      Population growth rate: 2.65% (1999 est.)

      Birth rate: 43.06 births/1,000 population (1999 est.)

      Death rate: 16.57 deaths/1,000 population (1999 est.)

      Net migration rate: 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1999 est.)

      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

       total population: 0.97 male(s)/female (1999 est.)

      Infant mortality rate: 115.27 deaths/1,000 live births (1999 est.)

      Life expectancy at birth: total population: 48.56 years male: 46.13 years female: 51.09 years (1999 est.)

      Total fertility rate: 5.69 children born/woman (1999 est.)

      Nationality: noun: Chadian(s) adjective: Chadian

      Ethnic groups: Muslims (Arabs, Toubou, Hadjerai, Fulbe, Kotoko,

       Kanembou, Baguirmi, Boulala, Zaghawa, and Maba), non-Muslims (Sara,

       Ngambaye, Mbaye, Goulaye, Moundang, Moussei, Massa), nonindigenous

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

      Religions: Muslim 50%, Christian 25%, indigenous beliefs (mostly

       animism) 25%

      Languages: French (official), Arabic (official), Sara and Sango

       (in south), more than 100 different languages and dialects

      Literacy:

       definition: age 15 and over can read and write French or Arabic

       total population: 48.1%

       male: 62.1%

       female: 34.7% (1995 est.)

      Government

      Country name:

       conventional long form: Republic of Chad

       conventional short form: Chad

       local long form: Republique du Tchad

       local short form: Tchad

      Data code: CD

      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

      Independence: 11 August 1960 (from France)

      National holiday: Independence Day, 11 August (1960)

      Constitution: 31 March 1995, passed by referendum

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

      Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

      Executive branch:

       chief of state: President Lt. Gen. Idriss DEBY (since 4 December

       1990)

       head of government: Prime Minister Nassour Guelengdouksia OUAIDOU

       (since 16 May 1997)

       cabinet: Council of State 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

       NA 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. Idress DEBY 47.8%; percent of vote,

       second round—Lt. Gen. DEBY 69.1%, Wadal Abdelkader KAMOUGUE 30.9%

      Legislative branch: 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

      Judicial branch: Supreme Court; Court of Appeal; Criminal Courts;

       Magistrate Courts

      Political parties and leaders: Patriotic Salvation Movement or the party in power and the party of the president); National Union mid-1996 Chad had about 60 political parties, of which these are the most prominent in the new National Assembly

      International organization participation: 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, MINURCA, NAM,

       OAU, OIC, OPCW, UDEAC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WHO,

       WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO

      Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Hassaballah Abdelhadi Ahmat SOUBIANE chancery: 2002 R Street NW, Washington, DC 20009

      Diplomatic