connections for well less than 1 per 100 persons coupled with
mobile-cellular usage of only about 3 per 100 persons; most
fixed-line and cellular telephone services are concentrated in Bangui
domestic: network consists principally of microwave radio relay and
low-capacity, low-powered radiotelephone communication
international: country code - 236; satellite earth station - 1
Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) (2007)
Radio broadcast stations:
AM 1, FM 5, shortwave 1 (2001)
Radios:
283,000 (1997)
Television broadcast stations:
1 (2001)
Televisions:
18,000 (1997)
Internet country code:
.cf
Internet hosts:
21 (2008)
Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
1 (2002)
Internet users:
13,000 (2006)
Transportation
Central African Republic
Airports:
51 (2007)
Airports - with paved runways:
total: 3
2,438 to 3,047 m: 1
1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 (2007)
Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 48
2,438 to 3,047 m: 1
1,524 to 2,437 m: 10
914 to 1,523 m: 24
under 914 m: 13 (2007)
Roadways:
total: 24,307 km (2000)
Waterways:
2,800 km (primarily on the Oubangui and Sangha rivers) (2006)
Ports and terminals:
Bangui, Nola, Salo, Nzinga
Military
Central African Republic
Military branches:
Central African Armed Forces (Forces Armees Centrafricaines, FACA):
Ground Forces, General Directorate of Gendarmerie Inspection (DGIG),
Military Air Service, National Police (2008)
Military service age and obligation:
18 years of age for compulsory and voluntary military service;
2-year conscript service obligation (2006)
Manpower available for military service:
males age 16-49: 1,032,828
females age 16-49: 999,330 (2008 est.)
Manpower fit for military service:
males age 16-49: 534,141
females age 16-49: 495,303 (2008 est.)
Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:
male: 54,655
female: 54,420 (2008 est.)
Military expenditures:
1.1% of GDP (2006 est.)
Transnational Issues
Central African Republic
Disputes - international:
periodic skirmishes over water and grazing rights among related
pastoral populations along the border with southern Sudan persist
Refugees and internally displaced persons:
refugees (country of origin): 7,900 (Sudan); 3,700 (Democratic
Republic of the Congo); note - UNHCR resumed repatriation of
Southern Sudanese refugees in 2006
IDPs: 197,000 (ongoing unrest following coup in 2003) (2007)
Trafficking in persons:
current situation: Central African Republic is a source, transit,
and destination country for men, women, and children trafficked for
the purposes of forced labor and sexual exploitation; the majority
of victims are children trafficked within the country for sexual
exploitation, domestic servitude, street vending, and forced
agricultural, mine, market and restaurant labor; to a lesser extent,
children are trafficked from the Central African Republic to
Cameroon, Nigeria, and the Democratic Republic of Congo; rebels
conscript children into armed forces within the country
tier rating: Tier 2 Watch List - Central African Republic is on the
Tier 2 Watch List for the third consecutive year for its failure to
show evidence of increasing efforts to combat trafficking in 2007;
efforts to address trafficking through vigorous law enforcement
measures and victim protection efforts were minimal, though
awareness about trafficking appeared to be increasing in the
country; the government does not actively investigate cases, work to
identify trafficking victims among vulnerable populations, or rescue
and provide care to victims; the government has not taken measures
to reduce demand for commercial sex acts (2008)
This page was last updated on 18 December, 2008
======================================================================
@Chad
Introduction
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 drafted a democratic constitution, and held flawed
presidential elections in 1996 and 2001. In 1998, a rebellion broke
out in northern Chad, which has sporadically flared up despite
several peace agreements between the government and the rebels. In
2005, new rebel groups emerged in western Sudan and made probing
attacks into eastern Chad, despite signing peace agreements in
December 2006 and October 2007. Power remains in the hands of an
ethnic minority. In June 2005, President Idriss DEBY held a
referendum successfully removing constitutional term limits and won
another controversial election in 2006. Sporadic rebel campaigns
continued throughout 2006 and 2007, and the capital experienced a
significant rebel threat in early 2008.
Geography
Chad
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
Population:
10,111,337 (July 2008 est.)
Age structure:
0-14 years: 47% (male 2,408,638/female 2,346,984)
15-64 years: 50.1% (male 2,317,406/female 2,746,104)
65 years and over: 2.9% (male 123,561/female 168,644) (2008 est.)
Median age:
total: 16.4 years
male: 15.2 years
female: 17.5 years (2008 est.)
Population growth rate:
2.195% (2008 est.)
Birth rate:
41.61 births/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Death rate:
16.39 deaths/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Net migration rate:
-3.27 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.04 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.03 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.84 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.73 male(s)/female
total population: 0.92 male(s)/female (2008 est.)
Infant mortality rate:
total: 100.36 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 106.48 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 94 deaths/1,000 live births (2008 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 47.43 years
male: 46.4 years
female: 48.5 years (2008 est.)
Total fertility rate:
5.43 children born/woman (2008 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
4.8% (2003 est.)
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
200,000 (2003 est.)
HIV/AIDS - deaths:
18,000 (2003 est.)
Major infectious diseases:
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 (2008)
Nationality:
noun: Chadian(s)
adjective: Chadian
Ethnic groups:
Sara 27.7%, Arab 12.3%, Mayo-Kebbi 11.5%, Kanem-Bornou 9%, Ouaddai
8.7%, Hadjarai 6.7%, Tandjile 6.5%, Gorane 6.3%, Fitri-Batha 4.7%,
other 6.4%, unknown 0.3% (1993 census)
Religions:
Muslim 53.1%, Catholic 20.1%, Protestant 14.2%, animist 7.3%, other
0.5%, unknown 1.7%, atheist 3.1% (1993 census)
Languages:
French (official), Arabic (official), Sara (in south), more than 120
different languages and dialects
Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write French or Arabic
total population: 25.7%
male: 40.8%
female: 12.8% (2000 est.)
School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):
total: 6 years
male: 7 years
female: 4 years (2005)
Education expenditures:
1.9% of GDP (2005)
Government
Chad
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 Youssof Saleh ABBAS (since 16
April 2008)
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 2009); note - legislative elections, originally scheduled
for 2006, were first delayed by National Assembly action and
subsequently by an accord, signed in August 2007, between government
and opposition parties
election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party -
MPS 110, RDP 12, FAR 9, RNDP 5, UNDR 5, URD 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 Renewal and Democracy or URD [Gen. Wadal
Abdelkader KAMOUGUE]
Political pressure groups and leaders:
rebel groups
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, WFTU, 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
Economy - overview:
Chad's primarily agricultural economy will continue to be boosted by
major foreign direct investment projects in the oil sector that
began in 2000. At least 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. Chinese companies are also
expanding exploration efforts and plan to build a refinery. The
nation's total oil reserves have been estimated to be 1.5 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.
GDP (purchasing power parity):
$15.26 billion (2007 est.)
GDP (official exchange rate):
$7.095 billion (2007 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:
1.3% (2007 est.)
GDP - per capita (PPP):
$1,500 (2007 est.)
GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 21.5%
industry: 47.8%
services: 30.6% (2007 est.)
Labor force:
3.747 million (2006)
Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture: 80% (subsistence farming, herding, and fishing)
industry and services: 20% (2006 est.)
Unemployment rate:
NA%
Population below poverty line:
80% (2001 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: NA%
highest 10%: NA%
Investment (gross fixed):
11.4% of GDP (2007 est.)
Budget:
revenues: $1.864 billion
expenditures: $1.749 billion (2007 est.)
Fiscal year:
calendar year
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
4% (2007 est.)
Central bank discount rate:
5.25% (31 December 2007)
Commercial bank prime lending rate:
15% (31 December 2007)
Stock of money:
$874.5 million (31 December 2007)
Stock of quasi money:
$55.23 million (31 December 2007)
Stock of domestic credit:
$82.81 million (31 December 2007)
Agriculture - products:
cotton, sorghum, millet, peanuts, rice, potatoes, manioc (tapioca);
cattle, sheep, goats, camels
Industries:
oil, cotton textiles, meatpacking, brewing, natron (sodium
carbonate), soap, cigarettes, construction materials
Industrial production growth rate:
2% (2007 est.)
Electricity - production:
95 million kWh (2006 est.)
Electricity - consumption:
88.35 million kWh (2006 est.)
Electricity - exports:
0 kWh (2007 est.)
Electricity - imports:
0 kWh (2007 est.)
Electricity - production by source:
fossil fuel: 100%
hydro: 0%
nuclear: 0%
other: 0% (2001)
Oil - production:
156,000 bbl/day (2008 est.)
Oil - consumption:
1,352 bbl/day (2006 est.)
Oil - exports:
176,700 bbl/day (2005)
Oil - imports:
1,492 bbl/day (2005)
Oil - proved reserves:
1.5 billion bbl (1 January 2008 est.)
Natural gas - production:
0 cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - consumption:
0 cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - exports:
0 cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - imports:
0 cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - proved reserves:
0 cu m (1 January 2006 est.)
Current account balance:
-$171 million (2007 est.)
Exports:
$4.201 billion f.o.b. (2007 est.)
Exports - commodities:
oil, cattle, cotton, gum arabic
Exports - partners:
US 89.5%, Japan 3.7%, China 3.4% (2007)
Imports:
$1.158 billion f.o.b. (2007 est.)
Imports - commodities:
machinery and transportation equipment, industrial goods,
foodstuffs, textiles
Imports - partners:
France 20.4%, Cameroon 16.1%, US 10.9%, China 10%, Germany 7.5%,
Saudi Arabia 4.4% (2007)
Economic aid - recipient:
ODA, $379.8 million (2005)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
$969 million (31 December 2007 est.)
Debt - external:
$1.6 billion (2005 est.)
Stock of direct foreign investment - at home:
$4.5 billion (2006 est.)
Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad:
$NA
Market value of publicly traded shares:
$NA
Currency (code):
Communaute Financiere Africaine franc (XAF); note - responsible
authority is the Bank of the Central African States
Currency code:
XAF
Exchange rates:
Communaute Financiere Africaine francs (XAF) per US dollar - 480.1
(2007), 522.59 (2006), 527.47 (2005), 528.29 (2004), 581.2 (2003)
Communications
Chad
Telephones - main lines in use:
13,000 (2006)
Telephones - mobile cellular:
918,400 (2007)
Telephone system:
general assessment: primitive system with high costs and low
telephone density; fixed-line connections for only about 1 per 1000
persons coupled with mobile-cellular usage of only about 9 per 100
persons
domestic: fair system of radiotelephone communication stations
international: country code - 235; satellite earth station - 1
Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) (2007)
Radio broadcast stations:
AM 2, FM 4, shortwave 5 (2001)
Radios:
1.67 million (1997)
Television broadcast stations:
1 (2001)
Televisions:
10,000 (1997)
Internet country code:
.td
Internet hosts:
5 (2008)
Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
1 (2002)
Internet users:
60,000 (2006)
Transportation
Chad
Airports:
55 (2007)
Airports - with paved runways:
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 (2007)
Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 48
1,524 to 2,437 m: 16
914 to 1,523 m: 21
under 914 m: 11 (2007)
Pipelines:
oil 250 km (2007)
Roadways:
total: 33,400 km
paved: 267 km
unpaved: 33,133 km (2002)
Waterways:
Chari and Legone rivers are navigable only in wet season (2006)
Military
Chad
Military branches:
Armed Forces: Chadian National Army (Armee Nationale du Tchad, ANT),
Chadian Air Force (Force Aerienne Tchadienne, FAT), Gendarmerie
(2008)
Military service age and obligation:
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; women are subject to 1 year
of compulsory military or civic service at age of 21 (2004)
Manpower available for military service:
males age 16-49: 1,906,545
females age 16-49: 2,258,758 (2008 est.)
Manpower fit for military service:
males age 16-49: 1,066,565
females age 16-49: 1,279,318 (2008 est.)
Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:
male: 116,824
female: 117,831 (2008 est.)
Military expenditures:
4.2% of GDP (2006)
Transnational Issues
Chad
Disputes - international:
since 2003, Janjawid armed militia and the Sudanese military have
driven hundreds of thousands of Darfur residents into 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
Refugees and internally displaced persons:
refugees (country of origin): 234,000 (Sudan); 54,200 (Central
African Republic)
IDPs: 178,918 (2007)
Trafficking in persons:
current situation: Chad is a source, transit, and destination
country for children trafficked for the purposes of forced labor and
commercial sexual exploitation; the majority of children are
trafficked within Chad for involuntary domestic servitude, forced
cattle herding, forced begging, forced labor in petty commerce or
the fishing industry, or for commercial sexual exploitation; to a
lesser extent, Chadian children are also trafficked to Cameroon, the
Central African Republic, and Nigeria for cattle herding; children
may also be trafficked from Cameroon and the Central African
Republic to Chad's oil producing regions for sexual exploitation
tier rating: Tier 2 Watch List - Chad is on the Tier 2 Watch List
for its failure to provide evidence of increasing efforts to combat
human trafficking in 2007; Chad was destabilized during 2007 by
civil conflict leading to a declared state of emergency in February
2008, and a steady influx of refugees fleeing Sudan and the Central
African Republic; the government demonstrated insufficient overall
efforts to combat trafficking; Chad has not ratified the 2000 UN TIP
Protocol (2008)
This page was last updated on 18 December, 2008
======================================================================
@Chile
Introduction
Chile
Background:
Prior to the coming of the Spanish in the 16th century, northern
Chile was under Inca rule while Araucanian Indians (also known as
Mapuches) inhabited central and southern Chile. Although Chile
declared its independence in 1810, decisive victory over the Spanish
was not achieved until 1818. In the War of the Pacific (1879-83),
Chile defeated Peru and Bolivia and won its present northern
regions. It was not until the 1880s that the Araucanian Indians were
completely subjugated. A three-year-old Marxist government of
Salvador ALLENDE was overthrown in 1973 by a military coup led by
Augusto PINOCHET, who ruled until a freely elected president was
installed in 1990. Sound economic policies, maintained consistently
since the 1980s, have contributed to steady growth, reduced poverty
rates by over half, and have helped secure the country's commitment
to democratic and representative government. Chile has increasingly
assumed regional and international leadership roles befitting its
status as a stable, democratic nation.
Geography
Chile
Location:
Southern South America, bordering the 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: 6,339 km
border countries: Argentina 5,308 km, Bolivia 860 km, Peru 171 km
Coastline:
6,435 km
Maritime claims:
territorial sea: 12 nm
contiguous zone: 24 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
continental shelf: 200/350 nm
Climate:
temperate; desert in north; Mediterranean in central region; 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: Nevado Ojos del Salado 6,880 m
Natural resources:
copper, timber, iron ore, nitrates, precious metals, molybdenum,
hydropower
Land use:
arable land: 2.62%
permanent crops: 0.43%
other: 96.95% (2005)
Irrigated land:
19,000 sq km (2003)
Total renewable water resources:
922 cu km (2000)
Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural):
total: 12.55 cu km/yr (11%/25%/64%)
per capita: 770 cu m/yr (2000)
Natural hazards:
severe earthquakes; active volcanism; tsunamis
Environment - current issues:
widespread deforestation and mining threaten natural resources; air
pollution from industrial and vehicle emissions; water pollution
from raw sewage
Environment - international agreements: