Republic of Chad

National name: République du Tchad

President: Idriss Déby (1990)

Prime Minister: Pascal Yoadimnadji (2005)

Land area: 486,178 sq mi (1,259,201 sq km); total area: 495,755 sq mi (1,284,000 sq km)

Population (2006 est.): 9,944,201 (growth rate: 2.9%); birth rate: 45.7/1000; infant mortality rate: 91.5/1000; life expectancy: 47.5; density per sq mi: 20

Capital and largest city (2003 est.): N'Djamena, 609,600

Monetary unit: CFA Franc

Languages: French, Arabic (both official); Sara; more than 120 languages and dialects

Ethnicity/race: 200 distinct groups. North and center, mostly Muslim: Arabs, Gorane (Toubou, Daza, Kreda), Zaghawa, Kanembou, Ouaddai, Baguirmi, Hadjerai, Fulbe, Kotoko, Hausa, Boulala, and Maba. South, mostly Christian or animist: Sara (Ngambaye, Mbaye, Goulaye), Moundang, Moussei, Massa

Religions: Islam 51%, Christian 35%, animist 7%, other 7%

Literacy rate: 48% (2003 est.)

Economic summary: GDP/PPP (2005 est.): $17.73 billion; per capita $1,800. Real growth rate: 18%. Inflation: 5.5%. Unemployment: n.a. Arable land: 3%. Agriculture: cotton, sorghum, millet, peanuts, rice, potatoes, manioc (tapioca); cattle, sheep, goats, camels. Labor force: n.a.; agriculture 80%; industry and services 20% (subsistence farming, herding, and fishing). Industries: oil, cotton textiles, meatpacking, beer brewing, natron (sodium carbonate), soap, cigarettes, construction materials. Natural resources: petroleum (unexploited but exploration under way), uranium, natron, kaolin, fish (Lake Chad), gold, limestone, sand and gravel, salt. Exports: $3.016 billion f.o.b. (2005 est.): cotton, cattle, gum arabic, oil. Imports: $749.1 million f.o.b. (2005 est.): machinery and transportation equipment, industrial goods, foodstuffs, textiles. Major trading partners: U.S., China, Portugal, France, Cameroon, Germany, Belgium (2004).

Communications: Telephones: main lines in use: 11,800 (2002); mobile cellular: 65,000 (2003). Radio broadcast stations: AM 2, FM 4, shortwave 5 (2002). Television broadcast stations: 1 (2002). Internet hosts: 8 (2004). Internet users: 15,000 (2002).

Transportation: Railways: 0 km. Highways: total: 33,400 km; paved: 267 km; unpaved: 33,133 km (1999 est.). Waterways: Chari and Legone rivers are navigable only in wet season (2002). Ports and harbors: none. Airports: 50 (2004 est.).

International disputes: since 2003, Janjawid armed militia and Sudanese military have driven about 200,000 Darfur region refugees into eastern Chad; Chad remains an important mediator in the Sudanese civil conflict; Chadian Aozou rebels reside in southern Libya; only Nigeria and Cameroon have heeded the Lake Chad Commission's admonition to ratify the delimitation treaty which also includes Chad and Niger.


 

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