Western Sahara (2001) | Chad (2006) | |
Administrative divisions | none (under de facto control of Morocco) | 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 |
Age structure | 0-14 years:
NA% 15-64 years: NA% 65 years and over: NA% |
0-14 years: 47.9% (male 2,396,393/female 2,369,261)
15-64 years: 49.3% (male 2,355,940/female 2,550,535) 65 years and over: 2.7% (male 107,665/female 164,407) (2006 est.) |
Agriculture - products | fruits and vegetables (grown in the few oases); camels, sheep, goats (kept by nomads) | cotton, sorghum, millet, peanuts, rice, potatoes, manioc (tapioca); cattle, sheep, goats, camels |
Airports | 11 (2000 est.) | 52 (2006) |
Airports - with paved runways | total:
3 2,438 to 3,047 m: 3 (2000 est.) |
total: 7
over 3,047 m: 2 2,438 to 3,047 m: 3 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 under 914 m: 1 (2006) |
Airports - with unpaved runways | total:
8 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 4 under 914 m: 3 (2000 est.) |
total: 45
1,524 to 2,437 m: 14 914 to 1,523 m: 21 under 914 m: 10 (2006) |
Area | total:
266,000 sq km land: 266,000 sq km water: 0 sq km |
total: 1.284 million sq km
land: 1,259,200 sq km water: 24,800 sq km |
Area - comparative | about the size of Colorado | slightly more than three times the size of California |
Background | Morocco virtually annexed the northern two-thirds of Western Sahara (formerly Spanish Sahara) in 1976, and the rest of the territory in 1979, following Mauritania's withdrawal. A guerrilla war with the Polisario Front contesting Rabat's sovereignty ended in a 1991 cease-fire; a referendum on final status has been repeatedly postponed and is not expected to occur until at least 2002. | 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. |
Birth rate | - | 45.73 births/1,000 population (2006 est.) |
Budget | revenues:
$NA expenditures: $NA, including capital expenditures of $NA |
revenues: $765.2 million
expenditures: $653.3 million; including capital expenditures of $146 million (2005 est.) |
Capital | none | name: N'Djamena
geographic coordinates: 12 07 N, 15 03 E time difference: UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time) |
Climate | hot, dry desert; rain is rare; cold offshore air currents produce fog and heavy dew | tropical in south, desert in north |
Coastline | 1,110 km | 0 km (landlocked) |
Constitution | - | passed by referendum 31 March 1996; a June 2005 referendum removed constitutional term limits |
Country name | conventional long form:
none conventional short form: Western Sahara former: Spanish Sahara |
conventional long form: Republic of Chad
conventional short form: Chad local long form: Republique du Tchad/Jumhuriyat Tshad local short form: Tchad/Tshad |
Currency | Moroccan dirham (MAD) | - |
Death rate | - | 16.38 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.) |
Debt - external | $NA | $1.5 billion (2003 est.) |
Diplomatic representation from the US | none | chief of mission: Ambassador Marc M. WALL
embassy: Avenue Felix Eboue, N'Djamena mailing address: B. P. 413, N'Djamena telephone: [235] 516-211 FAX: [235] 515-654 |
Diplomatic representation in the US | none | 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 |
Disputes - international | claimed and administered by Morocco, but sovereignty is unresolved and the UN is attempting to hold a referendum on the issue; the UN-administered cease-fire has been in effect since September 1991 | since the expulsions of residents from Darfur in 2003 by Janjawid armed militia and Sudanese military, about 200,000 refugees remain in eastern Chad; Chad remains an important mediator in the Sudanese civil conflict, reducing tensions with Sudan arising from cross-border banditry; 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 the Chad-Niger and Niger-Nigeria boundaries |
Economic aid - recipient | $NA | $238.3 million received; note - $125 million committed by Taiwan (August 1997); $30 million committed by African Development Bank; ODA $246.9 million (2003 est.) |
Economy - overview | Western Sahara, a territory poor in natural resources and lacking sufficient rainfall, depends on pastoral nomadism, fishing, and phosphate mining as the principal sources of income for the population. Most of the food for the urban population must be imported. All trade and other economic activities are controlled by the Moroccan Government. Incomes and standards of living are substantially below the Moroccan level. | 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. |
Electricity - consumption | 83.7 million kWh (1999) | 111.6 million kWh (2003) |
Electricity - exports | 0 kWh (1999) | 0 kWh (2003) |
Electricity - imports | 0 kWh (1999) | 0 kWh (2003) |
Electricity - production | 90 million kWh (1999) | 120 million kWh (2003) |
Electricity - production by source | fossil fuel:
100% hydro: 0% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (1999) |
- |
Elevation extremes | lowest point:
Sebjet Tah -55 m highest point: unnamed location 463 m |
lowest point: Djourab Depression 160 m
highest point: Emi Koussi 3,415 m |
Environment - current issues | sparse water and lack of arable land | inadequate supplies of potable water; improper waste disposal in rural areas contributes to soil and water pollution; desertification |
Environment - international agreements | party to:
none of the selected agreements signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements |
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping |
Ethnic groups | Arab, Berber | 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 |
Exchange rates | Moroccan dirhams per US dollar - 10.590 (January 2001), 10.626 (2000), 9.804 (1999), 9.604 (1998), 9.527 (1997), 8.716 (1996) | Communaute Financiere Africaine francs (XAF) per US dollar - 527.47 (2005), 528.29 (2004), 581.2 (2003), 696.99 (2002), 733.04 (2001) |
Executive branch | none | chief of state: President Lt. Gen. Idriss DEBY Itno (since 4 December 1990)
head of government: Prime Minister Pascal YOADIMNADJI (since 3 February 2005) 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 COUMAKOYE 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 |
Exports | $NA | NA bbl/day |
Exports - commodities | phosphates 62% | cotton, cattle, gum arabic, oil |
Exports - partners | Morocco claims and administers Western Sahara, so trade partners are included in overall Moroccan accounts | US 78.1%, China 9.9%, Taiwan 4.1% (2005) |
Fiscal year | calendar year | calendar year |
Flag description | - | 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 |
GDP | purchasing power parity - $NA | - |
GDP - composition by sector | agriculture:
NA% industry: NA% services: 40%-45% (1996 est.) |
agriculture: 33.5%
industry: 25.9% services: 40.6% (2005 est.) |
GDP - per capita | purchasing power parity - $NA | - |
GDP - real growth rate | NA% | 6% (2005 est.) |
Geographic coordinates | 24 30 N, 13 00 W | 15 00 N, 19 00 E |
Geography - note | - | landlocked; Lake Chad is the most significant water body in the Sahel |
Heliports | 1 (2000 est.) | - |
Highways | total:
6,200 km paved: 1,350 km unpaved: 4,850 km (1991 est.) |
- |
Household income or consumption by percentage share | lowest 10%:
NA% highest 10%: NA% |
lowest 10%: NA%
highest 10%: NA% |
Imports | $NA | NA bbl/day |
Imports - commodities | fuel for fishing fleet, foodstuffs | machinery and transportation equipment, industrial goods, foodstuffs, textiles |
Imports - partners | Morocco claims and administers Western Sahara, so trade partners are included in overall Moroccan accounts | France 21.1%, Cameroon 15.5%, US 12.1%, Belgium 6.8%, Portugal 4.6%, Saudi Arabia 4.3%, Netherlands 4.1% (2005) |
Independence | - | 11 August 1960 (from France) |
Industrial production growth rate | NA% | 5% (1995) |
Industries | phosphate mining, handicrafts | oil, cotton textiles, meatpacking, beer brewing, natron (sodium carbonate), soap, cigarettes, construction materials |
Infant mortality rate | - | total: 91.45 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 100.12 deaths/1,000 live births female: 82.43 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.) |
Inflation rate (consumer prices) | NA% | 3% (2005 est.) |
International organization participation | none | ACCT, ACP, AfDB, AU, BDEAC, CEMAC, FAO, FZ, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt (signatory), ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, Interpol, IOC, ITU, MIGA, NAM, OIC, OIF, ONUB, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNOCI, UPU, WCL, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO |
Internet Service Providers (ISPs) | 1 (2000) | - |
Irrigated land | NA sq km | 300 sq km (2003) |
Judicial branch | - | Supreme Court; Court of Appeal; Criminal Courts; Magistrate Courts |
Labor force | 12,000 | 2.719 million |
Labor force - by occupation | animal husbandry and subsistence farming 50% | agriculture: 80% (subsistence farming, herding, and fishing)
industry and services: 20% |
Land boundaries | total:
2,046 km border countries: Algeria 42 km, Mauritania 1,561 km, Morocco 443 km |
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 |
Land use | arable land:
0% permanent crops: 0% permanent pastures: 19% forests and woodland: 0% other: 81% |
arable land: 2.8%
permanent crops: 0.02% other: 97.18% (2005) |
Languages | Hassaniya Arabic, Moroccan Arabic | French (official), Arabic (official), Sara (in south), more than 120 different languages and dialects |
Legal system | - | based on French civil law system and Chadian customary law; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction |
Legislative branch | - | 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)
elections: National Assembly - last held 21 April 2002 (next to be held by April 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 |
Life expectancy at birth | - | total population: 47.52 years
male: 45.88 years female: 49.21 years (2006 est.) |
Literacy | definition:
NA total population: NA% male: NA% female: NA% |
definition: age 15 and over can read and write French or Arabic
total population: 47.5% male: 56% female: 39.3% (2003 est.) |
Location | Northern Africa, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean, between Mauritania and Morocco | Central Africa, south of Libya |
Map references | Africa | Africa |
Maritime claims | contingent upon resolution of sovereignty issue | none (landlocked) |
Military branches | NA | Chadian National Army (Armee Nationale Tchadienne, ANT), Air Force, Gendarmerie (2004) |
Military expenditures - dollar figure | $NA | $68.95 million (2005 est.) |
Military expenditures - percent of GDP | NA% | 1% (2005 est.) |
National holiday | - | Independence Day, 11 August (1960) |
Nationality | noun:
Sahrawi(s), Sahraoui(s) adjective: Sahrawian, Sahraouian |
noun: Chadian(s)
adjective: Chadian |
Natural hazards | hot, dry, dust/sand-laden sirocco wind can occur during winter and spring; widespread harmattan haze exists 60% of time, often severely restricting visibility | hot, dry, dusty harmattan winds occur in north; periodic droughts; locust plagues |
Natural resources | phosphates, iron ore | petroleum, uranium, natron, kaolin, fish (Lake Chad), gold, limestone, sand and gravel, salt |
Net migration rate | - | -0.11 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.) |
Pipelines | - | oil 205 km (2006) |
Political parties and leaders | - | Federation Action for the Republic or FAR [Ngarledjy YORONGAR]; National Rally for Development and Progress or RNDP [Delwa Kassire COUMAKOYE]; 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 | none | NA |
Population | 250,559 (July 2001 est.) | 9,944,201 (July 2006 est.) |
Population below poverty line | NA% | 80% (2001 est.) |
Population growth rate | - | 2.93% (2006 est.) |
Ports and harbors | Ad Dakhla, Cabo Bojador, Laayoune (El Aaiun) | - |
Radio broadcast stations | AM 2, FM 0, shortwave 0 (1998) | AM 2, FM 4, shortwave 5 (2002) |
Radios | 56,000 (1997) | - |
Railways | 0 km | - |
Religions | Muslim | Muslim 51%, Christian 35%, animist 7%, other 7% |
Sex ratio | - | at birth: 1.04 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.01 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.92 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.66 male(s)/female total population: 0.96 male(s)/female (2006 est.) |
Suffrage | none; a UN-sponsored voter identification campaign has yet to be completed | 18 years of age; universal |
Telephone system | general assessment:
sparse and limited system domestic: NA international: tied into Morocco's system by microwave radio relay, tropospheric scatter, and satellite; satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) linked to Rabat, Morocco |
general assessment: primitive system
domestic: fair system of radiotelephone communication stations international: country code - 235; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) |
Telephones - main lines in use | about 2,000 (1999 est.) | 13,000 (2004) |
Telephones - mobile cellular | 0 (1999) | 210,000 (2005) |
Television broadcast stations | NA | 1 (2002) |
Terrain | mostly low, flat desert with large areas of rocky or sandy surfaces rising to small mountains in south and northeast | broad, arid plains in center, desert in north, mountains in northwest, lowlands in south |
Total fertility rate | - | 6.25 children born/woman (2006 est.) |
Unemployment rate | NA% | NA% |
Waterways | none | Chari and Legone rivers are navigable only in wet season (2002) |