]! ^! 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 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 elections in 1996 and 1997. In 1998, a new rebellion broke out in northern Chad, which sporadically flares up despite two peace agreements signed in 2002 and 2003 between the government and the rebels. Despite movement toward democratic reform, power remains in the hands of an ethnic minority. 
]" ^" Central Africa, south of Libya ^# 15 00 N, 19 00 E ^$ Africa ^% `! 1.284 million sq km `" 1,259,200 sq km `# 24,800 sq km ^& slightly more than three times the size of California ^' `! 5,968 km `U 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 ^( 0 km (landlocked) ^) none (landlocked) ^* tropical in south, desert in north ^+ broad, arid plains in center, desert in north, mountains in northwest, lowlands in south ^, `% Djourab Depression 160 m `& Emi Koussi 3,415 m ^- petroleum, uranium, natron, kaolin, fish (Lake Chad), gold, limestone, sand and gravel, salt ^. `' 2.86% `( 0.02% `) 97.12% (2001) ^/ 200 sq km (1998 est.) ^0 hot, dry, dusty harmattan winds occur in north; periodic droughts; locust plagues ^1 inadequate supplies of potable water; improper waste disposal in rural areas contributes to soil and water pollution; desertification _J `K Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands `L Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping ^2 landlocked; Lake Chad is the most significant water body in the Sahel 
]# ^3 9,826,419 (July 2005 est.) ^4 `* 47.9% (male 2,365,277/female 2,337,388) `+ 49.4% (male 2,323,110/female 2,528,086) `, 2.8% (male 109,535/female 163,023) (2005 est.) ^5 `! 16.02 years `- 15.32 years `. 16.71 years (2005 est.) ^6 2.95% (2005 est.) ^7 45.98 births/1,000 population (2005 est.) ^8 16.41 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.) ^9 -0.11 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.) ^: `/ 1.04 male(s)/female `0 1.01 male(s)/female `+ 0.92 male(s)/female `, 0.67 male(s)/female `1 0.95 male(s)/female (2005 est.) ^; `! 93.82 deaths/1,000 live births `- 103.03 deaths/1,000 live births `. 84.24 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.) ^< `1 47.18 years `- 45.55 years `. 48.87 years (2005 est.) ^= 6.32 children born/woman (2005 est.) ^> 4.8% (2003 est.) ^? 200,000 (2003 est.) ^@ 18,000 (2003 est.) __ 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 (2004) ^A `2 Chadian(s) `3 Chadian ^B 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 ^C Muslim 51%, Christian 35%, animist 7%, other 7% ^D French (official), Arabic (official), Sara (in south), more than 120 different languages and dialects ^E `M age 15 and over can read and write French or Arabic `1 47.5% `- 56% `. 39.3% (2003 est.) 
]$ ^F `4 Republic of Chad `5 Chad `V Republique du Tchad `W Tchad ^H republic ^I N'Djamena ^J 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 ^K 11 August 1960 (from France) ^L Independence Day, 11 August (1960) ^M passed by referendum 31 March 1996 ^N based on French civil law system and Chadian customary law; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction ^O 18 years of age; universal ^P `6 President Lt. Gen. Idriss DEBY (since 4 December 1990) `7 Prime Minister Pascal YOADIMNADJI (since 3 February 2005) `8 Council of State, members appointed by the president on the recommendation of the prime minister `9 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 20 May 2001 (next to be held NA 2006); prime minister appointed by the president `: Lt. Gen. Idriss DEBY reelected president; percent of vote - Lt. Gen. Idriss DEBY 63%, Ngarlegy YORONGAR 16%, Saleh KEBZABO 7% ^Q bicameral according to constitution, consists of a National Assembly (155 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms) and a Senate (not yet created and size unspecified, members to serve six-year terms, one-third of membership renewable every two years) `9 National Assembly - last held 21 April 2002 (next to be held in April 2006) `: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - MPS 110, RDP 12, FAR 9, RNDP 5, URD 5, UNDR 3, others 11 ^R Supreme Court; Court of Appeal; Criminal Courts; Magistrate Courts ^S Federation Action for the Republic or FAR [Ngarlejy YORONGAR]; National Rally for Development and Progress or RNDP [Mamadou BISSO]; National Union for Democracy and Renewal or UNDR [Saleh KEBZABO]; Patriotic Salvation Movement or MPS [Mahamat Saleh AHMAT, chairman]; Rally for Democracy and Progress or RDP [Lol Mahamat CHOUA]; Union for Renewal and Democracy or URD [Gen. Wadal Abdelkader KAMOUGUE]; Viva Rally for Development and Progress or Viva RNDP [Delwa Kassire COUMAKOYE] ^T NA ^U ACCT, ACP, AfDB, AU, BDEAC, CEMAC, FAO, FZ, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt (signatory), ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, Interpol, IOC, ITU, MIGA, NAM, OIC, ONUB, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNOCI, UPU, WCL, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO ^V `N Ambassador Mahamat Adam BECHIR `O 2002 R Street NW, Washington, DC 20009 `P [1] (202) 462-4009 `Q [1] (202) 265-1937 ^W `N Ambassador Marc WALL `Z Avenue Felix Eboue, N'Djamena `[ B. P. 413, N'Djamena `P [235] (51) 70-09 `Q [235] (51) 56-54 ^X 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 
]% ^Y Chad's primarily agricultural economy will continue to be boosted by major oilfield and pipeline projects that began in 2000. Over 80% of Chad's population relies on subsistence farming and livestock raising for its livelihood. Cotton, cattle, and gum arabic provide the bulk of Chad's export earnings; Chad began to export oil in 2004. 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. Oil production came on stream in late 2003. ^Z $15.66 billion (2004 est.) ^[ 38% (2004 est.) ^\ purchasing power parity - $1,600 (2004 est.) ^] `; 22.6% `< 35.6% `= 41.7% (2004 est.) ^^ NA ^_ agriculture more than 80% (subsistence farming, herding, and fishing) ^` NA ^a 80% (2001 est.) _! `> NA `? NA _" 8% (2004 est.) _P 24.7% of GDP (2004 est.) _# `@ $1.131 billion `A $957.7 million, including capital expenditures of $146 million (2004 est.) _$ cotton, sorghum, millet, peanuts, rice, potatoes, manioc (tapioca); cattle, sheep, goats, camels _% oil, cotton textiles, meatpacking, beer brewing, natron (sodium carbonate), soap, cigarettes, construction materials _& 5% (1995) _' 96.13 million kWh (2002) _( 89.4 million kWh (2002) _) 0 kWh (2002) _* 0 kWh (2002) _+ 200,000 bbl/day (2004 est.) _, 1,500 bbl/day (2001 est.) _- NA _. NA _X $330.2 million (2004 est.) _/ $365 million f.o.b. (2003 est.) _0 cotton, cattle, gum arabic _1 US 67.8%, China 21.5%, Portugal 4.3% (2004) _2 $500.7 million f.o.b. (2004 est.) _3 machinery and transportation equipment, industrial goods, petroleum products, foodstuffs, textiles _4 France 21.9%, Cameroon 16.1%, US 10.8%, Portugal 10.4%, Germany 6.4%, Belgium 4.6% (2004) _Y $652.7 million (2004 est.) _5 $1.1 billion (2000 est.) _6 $238.3 million received; note - $125 million committed by Taiwan (August 1997); $30 million committed by African Development Bank; ODA $150 million (2001 est.) _7 Communaute Financiere Africaine franc (XAF); note - responsible authority is the Bank of the Central African States _8 Communaute Financiere Africaine francs (XAF) per US dollar - 528.29 (2004), 581.2 (2003), 696.99 (2002), 733.04 (2001), 711.98 (2000) _9 calendar year 
]& _: 11,800 (2002) _; 65,000 (2003) _< `B primitive system `C fair system of radiotelephone communication stations `D country code - 235; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) _= AM 2, FM 4, shortwave 5 (2002) _> 1 (2002) _? .td _@ 8 (2004) _A 15,000 (2002) 
]' _B `! 33,400 km `E 267 km `F 33,133 km (1999 est.) _b Chari and Legone rivers are navigable only in wet season (2002) _[ oil 205 km (2004) _D 50 (2004 est.) _E `! 7 `] 2 `G 3 `^ 1 `T 1 (2004 est.) _L `! 44 `^ 14 `_ 20 `T 10 (2004 est.) 
]( _F Chadian National Army (Armee Nationale Tchadienne, ANT), Air Force, Gendarmerie (2004) _M 20 years of age for conscripts, with 3-year service obligation; 18 years of age for volunteers; no minimum age restriction for volunteers with consent from a guardian (2004) _] males age 20-49: 1,559,382 (2005 est.) Manpower fit for military service: males age 20-49: 834,695 (2005 est.) _^ `` 95,228 (2005 est.) _N $101.3 million (2004) _O 2.1% (2004) 
]) _H 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 _c `d 200,000 (Sudan) 30,000 (Central African Republic) (2004) 