Independence Year : 1960
Population : 7651000
Life Expectancy : 50.5
Capital : 3337
GNP : 1208.00
GNP Old : 1102.00
Local Name : Tchad/Tshad
Government Form : Republic
Location : North central Africa, south of Libya
Terrain : Chad has of three distinct zones. In the South, a tropical zone with wooded savannas and large equatorial forest. The Center, is dominated by the Sahel zone with steppes, thorn-bushes and baobab trees; in the North, the Saharan desert zone
Climate : The Northern desert is very dry throughout the year; the central plain is hot and dry, with brief rainy season mid-June to mid-Sept.; southern lowlands are warm and more humid with seasonal rains from late May to early October.
Ethnic Group : 200 distinct groups. In the north and center: Gorane (Toubou, Daza, Kreda), Zaghawa, Kanembou, Ouaddai, Arabs, Baguirmi, Hadjerai, Fulbe, Kotoko, Hausa, Boulala, and Maba, most of whom are Muslim.
Religions : Muslim 51%, Christian 35%, animist 7%, other indigenous beliefs 7%.
Official Website :
www.primature-tchad.org
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General Information - Chad
Background
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.
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