The 2008 CIA World Factbook. United States. Central Intelligence Agency

gold, limestone, sand and gravel, salt

      Land use:

      arable land: 2.8% permanent crops: 0.02% other: 97.18% (2005)

      Irrigated land:

      300 sq km (2003)

      Total renewable water resources:

      43 cu km (1987)

      Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural):

      total: 0.23 cu km/yr (17%/0%/83%) per capita: 24 cu m/yr (2000)

      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, Hazardous Wastes, 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

       Chad

      Population:

      10,111,337 (July 2008 est.)

      Age structure:

      0–14 years: 47% (male 2,408,638/female 2,346,984) 15–64 years: 50.1% (male 2,317,406/female 2,746,104) 65 years and over: 2.9% (male 123,561/female 168,644) (2008 est.)

      Median age:

      total: 16.4 years male: 15.2 years female: 17.5 years (2008 est.)

      Population growth rate:

      2.195% (2008 est.)

      Birth rate:

      41.61 births/1,000 population (2008 est.)

      Death rate:

      16.39 deaths/1,000 population (2008 est.)

      Net migration rate:

      −3.27 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2008 est.)

      Sex ratio:

      at birth: 1.04 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.03 male(s)/female 15–64 years: 0.84 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.73 male(s)/female total population: 0.92 male(s)/female (2008 est.)

      Infant mortality rate:

      total: 100.36 deaths/1,000 live births male: 106.48 deaths/1,000 live births female: 94 deaths/1,000 live births (2008 est.)

      Life expectancy at birth:

      total population: 47.43 years male: 46.4 years female: 48.5 years (2008 est.)

      Total fertility rate:

      5.43 children born/woman (2008 est.)

      HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:

      4.8% (2003 est.)

      HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:

      200,000 (2003 est.)

      HIV/AIDS - deaths:

      18,000 (2003 est.)

      Major infectious diseases:

      degree of risk: very high food or waterborne diseases: bacterial and protozoal diarrhea, hepatitis A, and typhoid fever vectorborne disease: malaria water contact disease: schistosomiasis respiratory disease: meningococcal meningitis (2008)

      Nationality:

      noun: Chadian(s) adjective: Chadian

      Ethnic groups:

      Sara 27.7%, Arab 12.3%, Mayo-Kebbi 11.5%, Kanem-Bornou 9%, Ouaddai 8.7%, Hadjarai 6.7%, Tandjile 6.5%, Gorane 6.3%, Fitri-Batha 4.7%, other 6.4%, unknown 0.3% (1993 census)

      Religions:

      Muslim 53.1%, Catholic 20.1%, Protestant 14.2%, animist 7.3%, other 0.5%, unknown 1.7%, atheist 3.1% (1993 census)

      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: 25.7% male: 40.8% female: 12.8% (2000 est.)

      School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):

      total: 6 years male: 7 years female: 4 years (2005)

      Education expenditures:

      1.9% of GDP (2005)

      Government

       Chad

      Country name:

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

      Government type:

      republic

      Capital:

      name: N'Djamena geographic coordinates: 12 06 N, 15 02 E time difference: UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)

      Administrative divisions:

      18 regions (regions, singular - region); Batha,

       Borkou-Ennedi-Tibesti, Chari-Baguirmi, Guera, Hadjer-Lamis, Kanem,

       Lac, Logone Occidental, Logone Oriental, Mandoul, Mayo-Kebbi Est,

       Mayo-Kebbi Ouest, Moyen-Chari, Ouaddai, Salamat, Tandjile, Ville de

       N'Djamena, Wadi Fira

      Independence:

      11 August 1960 (from France)

      National holiday:

      Independence Day, 11 August (1960)

      Constitution:

      passed by referendum 31 March 1996; a June 2005 referendum removed constitutional term limits

      Legal system:

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

      Suffrage:

      18 years of age; universal

      Executive branch:

      chief of state: President Lt. Gen. Idriss DEBY Itno (since 4 December 1990) head of government: Prime Minister Youssof Saleh ABBAS (since 16 April 2008) 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 term; 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 3 May 2006 (next to be held by May 2011); prime minister appointed by the president election results: Lt. Gen. Idriss DEBY Itno reelected president; percent of vote - Lt. Gen. Idriss DEBY 64.7%, Delwa Kassire KOUMAKOYE 15.1%, Albert Pahimi PADACKE 7.8%, Mahamat ABDOULAYE 7.1%, Brahim KOULAMALLAH 5.3%; note - a June 2005 national referendum altered the constitution removing presidential term limits and permitting Lt. Gen. Idriss DEBY Itno to run for reelection

      Legislative branch:

      unicameral National Assembly (155 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms); note - the 1996 constitution called for a Senate that has never been formed elections: National Assembly - last held 21 April 2002 (next to be held by 2009); note - legislative elections, originally scheduled for 2006, were first delayed by National Assembly action and subsequently by an accord, signed in August 2007, between government and opposition parties election results: percent of vote by