| Introduction | Chad | Top of Page |
| Geography | Chad | Top of Page |
| Location: | Central Africa, south of Libya |
| Geographic coordinates: | 15 00 N, 19 00 E |
| Map references: | Africa |
| Area: | total: 1.284 million sq km land: 1,259,200 sq km water: 24,800 sq km |
| Area - comparative: | slightly more than three times the size of California |
| Land boundaries: | total: 5,968 km border countries: 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 |
| Coastline: | 0 km (landlocked) |
| Maritime claims: | none (landlocked) |
| Climate: | tropical in south, desert in north |
| Terrain: | broad, arid plains in center, desert in north, mountains in northwest, lowlands in south |
| Elevation extremes: | lowest point: Djourab Depression 160 m highest point: Emi Koussi 3,415 m |
| Natural resources: | petroleum, uranium, natron, kaolin, fish (Lake Chad), 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 | Top of Page |
| Government | Chad | Top of Page |
| 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 Nouradine Delwa KASSIRE Koumakoye (since 26 February 2007) 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 2007) election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - MPS 110, RDP 12, FAR 9, RNDP 5, URD 5, UNDR 3, other 11 |
| Judicial branch: | Supreme Court; Court of Appeal; Criminal Courts; Magistrate Courts |
| Political parties and leaders: | Federation Action for the Republic or FAR [Ngarledjy YORONGAR]; National Rally for Development and Progress or RNDP [Delwa Kassire KOUMAKOYE]; National Union for Democracy and Renewal or UNDR [Saleh KEBZABO]; Party for Liberty and Development or PLD [Ibni Oumar Mahamat SALEH]; Patriotic Salvation Movement or MPS [Mahamat Saleh AHMAT, chairman]; Rally for Democracy and Progress or RDP [Lol Mahamat CHOUA]; Union for Democracy and Republic or UDR [Jean ALINGUE]; Union for Renewal and Democracy or URD [Gen. Wadal Abdelkader KAMOUGUE] |
| Political pressure groups and leaders: | NA |
| International organization participation: | ACCT, ACP, AfDB? , AU, BDEAC, CEMAC, FAO, FZ, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, Interpol, IOC, ITSO, ITU, ITUC, MIGA, NAM, OIC, OIF, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNOCI, UNWTO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO |
| Diplomatic representation in the US: | chief of mission: Ambassador Mahamat Adam BECHIR chancery: 2002 R Street NW, Washington, DC 20009 telephone: [1] (202) 462-4009 FAX: [1] (202) 265-1937 |
| Diplomatic representation from the US: | chief of mission: Ambassador Louis NIGRO embassy: Avenue Felix Eboue, N'Djamena mailing address: B. P. 413, N'Djamena telephone: [235] 251-62-11, [235] 251-70-09, [235] 251-77-59 FAX: [235] 251-56-54 |
| Flag description: | three equal vertical bands of blue (hoist side), yellow, and red note: 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 |
| Economy | Chad | Top of Page |
| Communications | Chad | Top of Page |
| Transportation | Chad | Top of Page |
| Military | Chad | Top of Page |
| Transnational Issues | Chad | Top of Page |
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