C H A D
Republic of Chad National name: République du Tchad President: Idriss Déby (1990) Prime Minister: Pascal Yoadimnadji (2005) Current government officials 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.) |
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Chad (Arabic: تشاد (Tšad); French: Tchad), officially the Republic
of Chad, is a landlocked country in central Africa. It is listed by
Foreign Policy as one of the world's top 10 failed states. It borders
Libya to the north, Sudan to the east, the Central African Republic
to the south, Cameroon and Nigeria to the southwest, and Niger to
the west. Due to its distance from the sea and its largely desert
climate, the country is sometimes referred to as the "Dead Heart
of Africa". In the north, it contains the Tibesti Mountains,
the largest mountain chain in the Sahara desert. Chad was formerly
part of the Federation of French Equatorial Africa. |
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 Chad,
part of France's African holdings until 1960, endured three decades
of civil warfare as well as invasions by Libya before a semblance
of peace was finally restored in 1990. The government eventually drafted
a democratic constitution, and held flawed presidential elections
in 1996 and 2001. In 1998, a rebellion broke out in northern Chad,
which sporadically flares up despite several peace agreements between
the government and the rebels. In 2005 new rebel groups emerged in
western Sudan and have made probing attacks into eastern Chad. Power
remains in the hands of an ethnic minority. In June 2005, President
Idriss DEBY held a referendum successfully removing constitutional
term limits. |
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Chad's primarily agricultural economy will continue to be boosted
by major foreign direct investment projects in the oil sector that
began in 2000. Over 80% of Chad's population relies on subsistence
farming and livestock raising for its livelihood. Chad's economy has
long been handicapped by its landlocked 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 has been investing $3.7 billion
to develop oil reserves - estimated at 1 billion barrels - in southern
Chad. The nation's total oil reserves has been estimated to be 2 billion
barrels. Oil production came on stream in late 2003. Chad began to
export oil in 2004. Cotton, cattle, and gum arabic provide the bulk
of Chad's non-oil export earnings. |
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