In December 1990, after Chad had endured three decades of ethnic
warfare 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 1996, held multiparty
national presidential elections in 1996 (DEBY won with 69% of the
vote), and held multiparty elections for the National Assembly in
1997 (DEBY's Patriotic Salvation Movement won a majority of the
seats). But by the end of 1998, DEBY was beset with numerous
problems including heavy casualties in the Democratic Republic of
the Congo where Chadian troops had been deployed to support
embattled President KABILA, a new rebellion in northern Chad, and
further delays in the Doba Basin oil project in the south.
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 160 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
People
Population: 7,557,436 (July 1999 est.)
Age structure:
0-14 years: 44% (male 1,675,394; female 1,667,717)
15-64 years: 53% (male 1,953,251; female 2,034,883)
65 years and over: 3% (male 99,783; female 126,408) (1999 est.)
Population growth rate: 2.65% (1999 est.)
Birth rate: 43.06 births/1,000 population (1999 est.)
Death rate: 16.57 deaths/1,000 population (1999 est.)
Net migration rate: 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1999 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
total population: 0.97 male(s)/female (1999 est.)
Infant mortality rate: 115.27 deaths/1,000 live births (1999 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 48.56 years
male: 46.13 years
female: 51.09 years (1999 est.)
Total fertility rate: 5.69 children born/woman (1999 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 French or Arabic
total population: 48.1%
male: 62.1%
female: 34.7% (1995 est.)
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
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)
cabinet: Council of State appointed by the president on the
recommendation of the prime minister
elections: president elected by popular vote to serve five-year
terms; 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); prime minister 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 elected by popular vote to 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 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
the party in power and the party of the president); National Union
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,
IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, ITU, MINURCA, NAM,
OAU, OIC, OPCW, UDEAC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WHO,
WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO
Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Hassaballah Abdelhadi Ahmat SOUBIANE
chancery: 2002 R Street NW, Washington, DC 20009
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
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
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 and low oil prices, however, are
stalling the development of an oil field in the Doba Basin and the
construction of a proposed oil pipeline through Cameroon.
GDP: purchasing power parity--$7.5 billion (1998 est.)
GDP--real growth rate: 2.9% (1998 est.)
GDP--per capita: purchasing power parity?$1,000 (1998 est.)
GDP--composition by sector:
agriculture: 39%
industry: 15%
services: 46% (1997)
Population below poverty line: NA%
Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: NA%
highest 10%: NA%
Inflation rate (consumer prices): 15% (1997 est.)
Labor force: NA
Labor force--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--production: 90 million kWh (1996)
Electricity--production by source:
fossil fuel: 100%
hydro: 0%
nuclear: 0%
other: 0% (1996)
Electricity--consumption: 90 million kWh (1996)
Electricity--exports: 0 kWh (1996)
Electricity--imports: 0 kWh (1996)
Agriculture--products: cotton, sorghum, millet, peanuts, rice,
potatoes, manioc (tapioca); cattle, sheep, goats, camels
Exports: $220 million (f.o.b., 1998 est.)
Exports--commodities: cotton, cattle, textiles
Exports--partners: Portugal 30%, Germany 14%, Thailand, Costa
Rica, South Africa, France (1997)
Imports: $252 million (f.o.b., 1998 est.)
Imports--commodities: machinery and transportation equipment,
industrial goods, petroleum products, foodstuffs, textiles
Imports--partners: France 41%, Nigeria 10%, Cameroon 7%, India 6%
(1997)
Debt--external: $875 million (1995 est.)
Economic aid--recipient: $238.3 million (1995); note?$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: Communaute Financiere Africaine Francs (CFAF) per
US$1--560.01 (December 1998), 589.95 (1998), 583.67 (1997), 511.55
(1996), 499.15 (1995), 555.20 (1994)
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 2, FM 3, shortwave 3 (one of the
shortwave stations has three frequencies) (1998)
Radios: NA
Television broadcast stations: 1 (broadcasts 1800 to 2100 hours,
four days per week) (1997)
Televisions: 7,000 (1991 est.)
Transportation
Railways: 0 km
Highways:
total: 33,400 km
paved: 267 km
unpaved: 33,133 km (1996 est.)
Waterways: 2,000 km navigable
Ports and harbors: none
Airports: 52 (1998 est.)
Airports--with paved runways:
total: 8
over 3,047 m: 1
2,438 to 3,047 m: 2
1,524 to 2,437 m: 2
914 to 1,523 m: 2
under 914 m: 1 (1998 est.)
Airports--with unpaved runways:
total: 44
1,524 to 2,437 m: 12
914 to 1,523 m: 22
under 914 m: 10 (1998 est.)
Military
Military branches: Armed Forces (includes Ground Force, Air
Force, and Gendarmerie), Republican Guard, Rapid Intervention Force,
Police
Military manpower--military age: 20 years of age
Military manpower--availability:
males age 15-49: 1,689,112 (1999 est.)
Military manpower--fit for military service:
males age 15-49: 875,541 (1999 est.)
Military manpower--reaching military age annually:
males: 70,464 (1999 est.)
Military expenditures--dollar figure: $39 million (1996)
Military expenditures--percent of GDP: 3.5% (1996)
Transnational Issues
Disputes--international: delimitation 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
-----
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, Whaling
signed, but not ratified: Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol
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
People
Population: 14,973,843 (July 1999 est.)
Age structure:
0-14 years: 28% (male 2,137,255; female 2,044,605)
15-64 years: 65% (male 4,845,523; female 4,885,328)
65 years and over: 7% (male 440,010; female 621,122) (1999 est.)
Population growth rate: 1.23% (1999 est.)
Birth rate: 17.81 births/1,000 population (1999 est.)
Death rate: 5.53 deaths/1,000 population (1999 est.)
Net migration rate: 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1999 est.)
Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.99 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.71 male(s)/female
total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (1999 est.)
Infant mortality rate: 10.02 deaths/1,000 live births (1999 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 75.46 years
male: 72.33 years
female: 78.75 years (1999 est.)
Total fertility rate: 2.25 children born/woman (1999 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 less than 1%
Languages: Spanish
Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 95.2%
male: 95.4%
female: 95% (1995 est.)
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
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--CPD (PDC 14, PS 4, PPD 2), UPP 17 (RN 7, UDI 10), Chile 2000
(UCCP) 1, independent 10; Chamber of Deputies--percent of vote by
party--CPD 50.55% (PDC 22.98%, PS 11.10%, PPD 12.55%, PRSD 3.13%),
UPP 36.23% (RN 16.78%, UDI 14.43%); seats by party--CPD 70 (PDC 39,
PPD 16, PRSD 4, PS 11), UPP 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
Javier ERRAZURIZ]
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, Mercosur (associate), NAM, OAS, OPANAL,
OPCW, 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 Genaro Luis ARRIAGADA Herrera
chancery: 1732 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20036
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 John O'LEARY
embassy: Avenida Andres Bello 2800, Santiago
mailing address: APO AA 34033
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
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
but fell to about half of that average in 1998 because of spillover
from the global financial crisis. Inflation has been on a downward
trend and hit a 60-year low in 1998. 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 buy-backs. 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. 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--$184.6 billion (1998 est.)
GDP--real growth rate: 3.5% (1998 est.)
GDP--per capita: purchasing power parity?$12,500 (1998 est.)
GDP--composition by sector:
agriculture: 6%
industry: 33%
services: 61% (1997)
Population below poverty line: 20.5% (1994 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: 1.4%
highest 10%: 46.1% (1994)
Inflation rate (consumer prices): 4.7% (1998)
Labor force: 5.8 million (1998 est.)
Labor force--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: 6.4% (1998)
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: -1.1% (1998)
Electricity--production: 35.81 billion kWh (1996)
Electricity--production by source:
fossil fuel: 41.89%
hydro: 58.11%
nuclear: 0%
other: 0% (1996)
Electricity--consumption: 35.81 billion kWh (1996)
Electricity--exports: 0 kWh (1996)
Electricity--imports: 0 kWh (1996)
Agriculture--products: wheat, corn, grapes, beans, sugar beets,
potatoes, fruit; beef, poultry, wool; timber; fish
Exports: $14.9 billion (f.o.b., 1998)
Exports--commodities: copper 37%, other metals and minerals 8.2%,
wood products 7.1%, fish and fishmeal 9.8%, fruits 8.4% (1994)
Exports--partners: EU 25%, US 15%, Asia 34%, Latin America 20%
(1995 est.)
Imports: $17.5 billion (f.o.b., 1998)
Imports--commodities: capital goods 25.2%, spare parts 24.8%, raw
materials 15.4%, petroleum 10%, foodstuffs 5.7% (1994)
Imports--partners: EU 18%, US 25%, Asia 16%, Latin America 26%
(1995 est.)
Debt--external: $31.5 billion (1998)
Economic aid--recipient: ODA, $50.3 million (1996 est.)
Currency: 1 Chilean peso (Ch$) = 100 centavos
Exchange rates: Chilean pesos (Ch$) per US$1--475.68 (January
1999), 460.29 (1998), 419.30 (1997), 412.27 (1996), 396.78 (1995),
420.08 (1994)
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 180 (eight inactive), FM 64,
shortwave 17 (one inactive) (1998)
Radios: NA
Television broadcast stations: 63 (in addition, there are 121
repeaters) (1997)
Televisions: 2.85 million (1992 est.)
Transportation
Railways:
total: 6,782 km
broad gauge: 3,743 km 1.676-m gauge (1,653 km electrified)
narrow gauge: 116 km 1.067-m gauge; 2,923 km 1.000-m gauge (40 km
electrified) (1995)
Highways:
total: 79,800 km
paved: 11,012 km
unpaved: 68,788 km (1996 est.)
Waterways: 725 km
Pipelines: crude oil 755 km; petroleum products 785 km; natural
gas 320 km