decades of civil warfare among ethnic groups as well as invasions by
Libya, former northern guerrilla leader Idriss DEBY seized control of
the government. His transitional government eventually suppressed or
came to terms with most political-military groups, settled the
territorial dispute with Libya on terms favorable to Chad, drafted a
democratic constitution which was ratified by popular referendum in
March 1996, held multiparty national presidential elections in June
and July 1996 (DEBY won with 67% of the vote), and held multiparty
elections for the National Assembly in January and February 1997, in
which Idriss DEBY's party, Patriotic Salvation Movement or MPS, won a
majority of the seats.
@Chad:Geography
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 175 m
highest point: Emi Koussi 3,415 m
Natural resources: petroleum (unexploited but exploration under way),
uranium, natron, kaolin, fish (Lake Chad)
Land use:
arable land: 3%
permanent crops: 0%
permanent pastures: 36%
forests and woodland: 26%
other: 35% (1993 est.)
Irrigated land: 140 sq km (1993 est.)
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, Nuclear Test Ban, 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
@Chad:People
Population: 7,359,512 (July 1998 est.)
Age structure:
0-14 years: 44% (male 1,631,010; female 1,623,272)
15-64 years: 53% (male 1,903,012; female 1,982,257)
65 years and over: 3% (male 97,118; female 122,843) (July 1998 est.)
Population growth rate: 2.66% (1998 est.)
Birth rate: 43.45 births/1,000 population (1998 est.)
Death rate: 16.86 deaths/1,000 population (1998 est.)
Net migration rate: 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1998 est.)
Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.04 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.96 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.79 male(s)/female (1998 est.)
Infant mortality rate: 116.97 deaths/1,000 live births (1998 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 48.22 years
male: 45.81 years
female: 50.73 years (1998 est.)
Total fertility rate: 5.74 children born/woman (1998 est.)
Nationality:
noun: Chadian(s)
adjective: Chadian
Ethnic groups: Muslims (Arabs, Toubou, Hadjerai, Fulbe, Kotoko,
Kanembou, Baguirmi, Boulala, Zaghawa, and Maba), non-Muslims (Sara,
Ngambaye, Mbaye, Goulaye, Moundang, Moussei, Massa), nonindigenous
150,000 (of whom 1,000 are French)
Religions: Muslim 50%, Christian 25%, indigenous beliefs (mostly
animism) 25%
Languages: French (official), Arabic (official), Sara and Sango (in
south), more than 100 different languages and dialects
Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write in French or Arabic
total population: 48.1%
male: 62.1%
female: 34.7% (1995 est.)
@Chad:Government
Country name:
conventional long form: Republic of Chad
conventional short form: Chad
local long form: Republique du Tchad
local short form: Tchad
Data code: CD
Government type: republic
National capital: N'Djamena
Administrative divisions: 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
Independence: 11 August 1960 (from France)
National holiday: Independence Day, 11 August (1960)
Constitution: 31 March 1995, passed by referendum
Legal system: based on French civil law system and Chadian customary
law; does not accept compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal
Executive branch:
chief of state: President Lt. Gen. Idriss DEBY (since 4 December 1990)
head of government: Prime Minister Nassour Guelengdouksia OUAIDOU
(since 16 May 1997); appointed by the president; note-he was
reappointed on 1 January 1998 when President DEBY named his new
government
cabinet: Council of State appointed by the president on the
recommendation of the prime minister
elections: the constitution provides for the election of a president
by direct popular vote to serve a term of five years; 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 2
June and 11 July 1996 (next to be held NA 2001); the prime minister is
appointed by the president
election results: in the first round of voting none of the 15
candidates received the required 50% of the total vote; percent of
vote, first round-Lt. Gen. Idress DEBY 47.8%; percent of vote, second
round-Lt. Gen. DEBY 69.1%, Wadal Abdelkader KAMOUGUE 30.9%
Legislative branch: unicameral National Assembly (125 seats; members
serve four-year terms); replaces the Higher Transitional Council or
the Conseil Superieur de Transition
elections: National Assembly-last held in two rounds on 5 January and
23 February 1997, (next to be held NA 2001); in the first round of
voting on 5 January 1997 some candidates won clear victories by
receiving 50% or more of the vote; where that did not happen, the two
highest scoring candidates stood for a second round of voting
election results: percent of vote by party-NA; seats by party-MPS 65,
URD 29, UNDR 15, RDP 3, others 13
Judicial branch: Supreme Court; Court of Appeal; Criminal Courts;
Magistrate Courts
Political parties and leaders: Patriotic Salvation Movement or MPS
[Maldom Bada ABBAS, chairman], originally in opposition but now the
party in power and the party of the president; National Union for
Development and Renewal or UNDR [Saleh KEBZABO, leader]; Rally for
Democracy and Progress or RDP [Lal Mahamat CHOUA, leader]; Union for
Renewal and Democracy or URD [Gen. Wadal Abdelkader KAMOUGUE, leader];
note-in mid-1996 Chad had about 60 political parties, of which these
are the most prominent in the new National Assembly
International organization participation: ACCT, ACP, AfDB, BDEAC,
CEEAC, ECA, FAO, FZ, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD,
IFRCS, ILO, IMF, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, ITU, NAM, OAU, OIC, UDEAC,
UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO
Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Mahamat Saleh AHMAT
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 David C. HALSTED
embassy: Avenue Felix Eboue, N'Djamena
mailing address: B. P. 413, N'Djamena
telephone: [235] (51) 70-09, (51) 90-52, (51) 92-33
FAX: [235] (51) 56-54
Flag description: three equal vertical bands of blue (hoist side),
yellow, and red; similar to the flag of Romania; also similar to the
flag of Andorra, which has a national coat of arms featuring a
quartered shield centered in the yellow band; design was based on the
flag of France
@Chad:Economy
Economy-overview: Landlocked Chad's economic development suffers from
it's geographic remoteness, drought, lack of infrastructure, and
political turmoil. About 85% of the population depends on agriculture,
including the herding of livestock. Of Africa's Francophone countries,
Chad benefited least from the 50% devaluation of their currencies in
January 1994. Financial aid from the World Bank, the African
Development Fund, and other sources is directed largely at the
improvement of agriculture, especially livestock production. Lack of
financing, however, is stalling the development of a southern oil
field and the construction of a proposed oil pipeline through
Cameroon.
GDP: purchasing power parity-$4.3 billion (1997 est.)
GDP-real growth rate: 5.5% (1997 est.)
GDP-per capita: purchasing power parity-$600 (1997 est.)
GDP-composition by sector:
agriculture: 48%
industry: 18%
services: 34% (1995)
Inflation rate-consumer price index: 15% (1997 est.)
Labor force: NA
by occupation: agriculture 85% (subsistence farming, herding, and
fishing)
Unemployment rate: NA%
Budget:
revenues: $198 million
expenditures: $218 million, including capital expenditures of $146
million (1998 est.)
Industries: cotton textiles, meat packing, beer brewing, natron
(sodium carbonate), soap, cigarettes, construction materials
Industrial production growth rate: 5% (1995)
Electricity-capacity: 29,000 kW (1995)
Electricity-production: 80 million kWh (1995)
Electricity-consumption per capita: 14 kWh (1995)
Agriculture-products: cotton, sorghum, millet, peanuts, rice,
potatoes, manioc (tapioca); cattle, sheep, goats, camels
Exports:
total value: $259 million (f.o.b., 1996 est.)
commodities: cotton, cattle, textiles
partners: Portugal 30%, Germany 18%, South Africa 16%, France 7%
Imports:
total value: $301 million (f.o.b., 1996 est.)
commodities: machinery and transportation equipment 39%, industrial
goods 20%, petroleum products 13%, foodstuffs 9%; textiles;
note-excludes military equipment
partners: France 34%, Cameroon 24%, Nigeria 7%, US 6%
Debt-external: $875 million (1995 est.)
Economic aid:
recipient: $125 million committed by Taiwan (August 1997); $30 million
committed by African Development Bank
Currency: 1 Communaute Financiere Africaine franc (CFAF) = 100
centimes
Exchange rates: CFA Francs (CFAF) per US$1-608.36 (January 1998),
583.67 (1997), 511.55 (1996), 499.15 (1995), 555.20 (1994), 283.16
(1993)
note: beginning 12 January 1994 the CFA franc was devalued to CFAF 100
per French franc from CFAF 50 at which it had been fixed since 1948
Fiscal year: calendar year
Communications
Telephones: 5,000 (1987 est.)
Telephone system: primitive system
domestic: fair system of radiotelephone communication stations
international: satellite earth station-1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)
Radio broadcast stations: AM 6, FM 1, shortwave 0
Radios: NA
Television broadcast stations: 1 (1987 est.)
note: limited TV service; many facilities are inoperative
Televisions: 7,000 (1991 est.)
@Chad:Transportation
Railways: 0 km
Highways:
total: 32,700 km
paved: 262 km
unpaved: 32,438 km (1995 est.)
Waterways: 2,000 km navigable
Ports and harbors: none
Airports: 53 (1997 est.)
Airports-with paved runways:
total: 6
over 3,047 m: 1
2,438 to 3,047 m: 2
1,524 to 2,437 m: 2
under 914 m: 1 (1997 est.)
Airports-with unpaved runways:
total: 47
1,524 to 2,437 m: 16
914 to 1,523 m: 21
under 914 m: 10 (1997 est.)
@Chad:Military
Military branches: Armed Forces (includes Ground Force, Air Force, and
Gendarmerie), Republican Guard, Police
Military manpower-military age: 20 years of age
Military manpower-availability:
males age 15-49: 1,645,295 (1998 est.)
Military manpower-fit for military service:
males: 852,705 (1998 est.)
Military manpower-reaching military age annually:
males: 68,343 (1998 est.)
Military expenditures-dollar figure: $74 million (1994)
Military expenditures-percent of GDP: 11.1% (1994)
@Chad:Transnational Issues
Disputes-international: demarcation of international boundaries in the
vicinity of Lake Chad, the lack of which led to border incidents in
the past, is completed and awaits ratification by Cameroon, Chad,
Niger, and Nigeria
______________________________________________________________________
CHILE
@Chile:Geography
Location: Southern South America, bordering the South Atlantic Ocean
and South Pacific Ocean, between Argentina and Peru
Geographic coordinates: 30 00 S, 71 00 W
Map references: South America
Area:
total: 756,950 sq km
land: 748,800 sq km
water: 8,150 sq km
note: includes Easter Island (Isla de Pascua) and Isla Sala y Gomez
Area-comparative: slightly smaller than twice the size of Montana
Land boundaries:
total: 6,171 km
border countries: Argentina 5,150 km, Bolivia 861 km, Peru 160 km
Coastline: 6,435 km
Maritime claims:
contiguous zone: 24 nm
continental shelf: 200 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
territorial sea: 12 nm
Climate: temperate; desert in north; cool and damp in south
Terrain: low coastal mountains; fertile central valley; rugged Andes
in east
Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
highest point: Cerro Aconcagua 6,962 m
Natural resources: copper, timber, iron ore, nitrates, precious
metals, molybdenum
Land use:
arable land: 5%
permanent crops: 0%
permanent pastures: 18%
forests and woodland: 22%
other: 55% (1993 est.)
Irrigated land: 12,650 sq km (1993 est.)
Natural hazards: severe earthquakes; active volcanism; tsunamis
Environment-current issues: air pollution from industrial and vehicle
emissions; water pollution from raw sewage; deforestation contributing
to loss of biodiversity; soil erosion; desertification
Environment-international agreements:
party to: Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic Treaty,
Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species,
Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine
Dumping, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution,
Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
Geography-note: strategic location relative to sea lanes between
Atlantic and Pacific Oceans (Strait of Magellan, Beagle Channel, Drake
Passage); Atacama Desert is one of world's driest regions
@Chile:People
Population: 14,787,781 (July 1998 est.)
Age structure:
0-14 years: 28% (male 2,134,701; female 2,043,112)
15-64 years: 65% (male 4,768,366; female 4,811,403)
65 years and over: 7% (male 426,924; female 603,275) (July 1998 est.)
Population growth rate: 1.27% (1998 est.)
Birth rate: 18.28 births/1,000 population (1998 est.)
Death rate: 5.55 deaths/1,000 population (1998 est.)
Net migration rate: 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1998 est.)
Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.99 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.71 male(s)/female (1998 est.)
Infant mortality rate: 10.39 deaths/1,000 live births (1998 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 75.16 years
male: 72.01 years
female: 78.48 years (1998 est.)
Total fertility rate: 2.3 children born/woman (1998 est.)
Nationality:
noun: Chilean(s)
adjective: Chilean
Ethnic groups: white and white-Amerindian 95%, Amerindian 3%, other 2%
Religions: Roman Catholic 89%, Protestant 11%, Jewish
Languages: Spanish
Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 95.2%
male: 95.4%
female: 95% (1995 est.)
@Chile:Government
Country name:
conventional long form: Republic of Chile
conventional short form: Chile
local long form: Republica de Chile
local short form: Chile
Data code: CI
Government type: republic
National capital: Santiago
Administrative divisions: 13 regions (regiones, singular-region);
Aisen del General Carlos Ibanez del Campo, Antofagasta, Araucania,
Atacama, Bio-Bio, Coquimbo, Libertador General Bernardo O'Higgins, Los
Lagos, Magallanes y de la Antartica Chilena, Maule, Region
Metropolitana, Tarapaca, Valparaiso
note: the US does not recognize claims to Antarctica
Independence: 18 September 1810 (from Spain)
National holiday: Independence Day, 18 September (1810)
Constitution: 11 September 1980, effective 11 March 1981; amended 30
July 1989
Legal system: based on Code of 1857 derived from Spanish law and
subsequent codes influenced by French and Austrian law; judicial
review of legislative acts in the Supreme Court; does not accept
compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal and compulsory
Executive branch:
chief of state: President Eduardo FREI Ruiz-Tagle (since 11 March
1994); note-the president is both the chief of state and head of
government
head of government: President Eduardo FREI Ruiz-Tagle (since 11 March
1994); note-the president is both the chief of state and head of
government
cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president
elections: president elected by popular vote for a six-year term;
election last held 11 December 1993 (next to be held NA December 1999)
election results: Eduardo FREI Ruiz-Tagle elected president; percent
of vote-Eduardo FREI Ruiz-Tagle (PDC) 58%, Arturo ALESSANDRI 24.4%,
other 17.6%
Legislative branch: bicameral National Congress or Congreso Nacional
consists of the Senate or Senado (48 seats, 38 elected by popular
vote; members serve eight-year terms-one-half elected every four
years) and the Chamber of Deputies or Camara de Diputados (120 seats;
members are elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms)
elections: Senate-last held 11 December 1997 (next to be held NA
December 2001); Chamber of Deputies-last held 11 December 1997 (next
to be held NA December 2001)
election results: Senate-percent of vote by party-NA; seats by
party-Coalition of Parties for Democracy 20 (PDC 14, PS 4, PPD 2),
Union for the Progress of Chile 17 (RN 7, UDI 10), independent 10;
Chamber of Deputies-percent of vote by party-Coalition of Parties for
Democracy 50.55% (PDC 22.98%, PS 11.10%, PPD 12.55%, PRSD 3.13%),
Union for the Progress of Chile 36.23% (RN 16.78%, UDI 14.43%); seats
by party-Coalition of Parties for Democracy 70 (PDC 39, PPD 16, PRSD
4, PS 11), Union for the Progress of Chile 46 (RN 24, UDI 21, Party of
the South 1), right-wing independents 4
Judicial branch: Supreme Court (Corte Suprema), judges are appointed
by the president and ratified by the Senate from lists of candidates
provided by the court itself; the president of the Supreme Court is
elected by the 21-member court
Political parties and leaders: Coalition of Parties for Democracy or
CPD consists mainly of: Christian Democratic Party or PDC [Enrique
KRAUSS]; Socialist Party or PS [Camilo ESCALONA]; Party for Democracy
or PPD [Sergio BITAR]; Radical Social Democratic Party or PRSD
[Anselmo SULE]; Union for the Progress of Chile or UPP consists mainly
of two parties: National Renewal or RN [Alberto ESPINA]; Independent
Democratic Union or UDI [Jovino NOVOA]
Political pressure groups and leaders: revitalized university student
federations at all major universities; United Labor Central or CUT
includes trade unionists from the country's five largest labor
confederations; Roman Catholic Church
International organization participation: APEC, CCC, ECLAC, FAO, G-11,
G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS,
IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Inmarsat, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU,
LAES, LAIA, NAM, OAS, OPANAL, PCA, RG, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO,
UNITAR, UNMIBH, UNMOGIP, UNTSO, UNU, UPU, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO,
WToO, WTrO
Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador John BIEHL Del Rios
chancery: 1732 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20036
telephone: [1] (202) 785-1746
FAX: [1] (202) 887-5579
consulate(s) general: Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, New York,
Philadelphia, San Francisco, and San Juan (Puerto Rico)
Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Gabriel GUERRA-MONDRAGON
embassy: Avenida Andres Bello 2800, Santiago
mailing address: APO AA 34033
telephone: [56] (2) 232-2600
FAX: [56] (2) 330-3710
Flag description: two equal horizontal bands of white (top) and red;
there is a blue square the same height as the white band at the
hoist-side end of the white band; the square bears a white
five-pointed star in the center; design was based on the US flag
@Chile:Economy
Economy-overview: Chile has a prosperous, essentially free market
economy. Civilian governments - which took over from the military in
March 1990-have continued to reduce the government's role in the
economy while shifting the emphasis of public spending toward social
programs. Growth in real GDP averaged more than 7.0% in 1991-1997, and
inflation is nearing a 40-year low. Chile's currency and foreign
reserves also are strong, as sustained foreign capital
inflows-including significant direct investment-have more than offset
current account deficits and public debt buybacks. President FREI, who
took office in March 1994, has placed improving Chile's education
system and developing foreign export markets at the top of his
economic agenda. Despite this progress, the Chilean economy remains
largely dependent on a few sectors-particularly copper mining,
fishing, and forestry. Success in meeting the government's goal of
sustained annual economic growth of 5% depends largely on world prices
for these commodities, continued foreign investor confidence, and the
government's ability to maintain a conservative fiscal stance. In
1996, Chile became an associate member of Mercosur and concluded a
Free Trade Agreement with Canada.
GDP: purchasing power parity-$168.5 billion (1997 est.)
GDP-real growth rate: 7.1% (1997 est.)
GDP-per capita: purchasing power parity-$11,600 (1997 est.)
GDP-composition by sector:
agriculture: 8%
industry: 33%
services: 59% (1995 est.)
Inflation rate-consumer price index: 6% (1997)
Labor force:
total: 5.7 million (1997 est.)
by occupation: services 38.3% (includes government 12%), industry and
commerce 33.8%, agriculture, forestry, and fishing 19.2%, mining 2.3%,
construction 6.4% (1990)
Unemployment rate: 6.1% (1997)
Budget:
revenues: $17 billion
expenditures: $17 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (1996
est.)
Industries: copper, other minerals, foodstuffs, fish processing, iron
and steel, wood and wood products, transport equipment, cement,
textiles
Industrial production growth rate: 4.2% (1997)
Electricity-capacity: 5.504 million kW (1995)
Electricity-production: 24.5 billion kWh (1995)
Electricity-consumption per capita: 1,730 kWh (1995)
Agriculture-products: wheat, corn, grapes, beans, sugar beets,
potatoes, fruit; beef, poultry, wool; timber; 1991 fish catch of 6.6
million metric tons
Exports:
total value: $16.9 billion (f.o.b., 1997)
commodities: copper 37%, other metals and minerals 8.2%, wood products
7.1%, fish and fishmeal 9.8%, fruits 8.4% (1994)
partners: EU 25%, US 15%, Asia 34%, Latin America 20% (1995 est.)
Imports:
total value: $18.2 billion (f.o.b., 1997)
commodities: capital goods 25.2%, spare parts 24.8%, raw materials
15.4%, petroleum 10%, foodstuffs 5.7% (1994)
partners: EU 18%, US 25%, Asia 16%, Latin America 26% (1995 est.)
Debt-external: $26.7 billion (1997 est.)
Economic aid:
recipient: ODA, $50.3 million (1996 est.)
Currency: 1 Chilean peso (Ch$) = 100 centavos
Exchange rates: Chilean pesos (Ch$) per US$1-452.60 (January 1998),
419.30 (1997), 412.27 (1996), 396.78 (1995), 420.08 (1994), 404.35
(1993)
Fiscal year: calendar year
Communications
Telephones: 1.5 million (1994 est.)
Telephone system: modern system based on extensive microwave radio
relay facilities
domestic: extensive microwave radio relay links; domestic satellite
system with 3 earth stations
international: satellite earth stations-2 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)
Radio broadcast stations: AM 179, FM 614, shortwave 11
Radios: NA