branch:
chief of state: President Lt. Gen. Idriss DEBY Itno (since 4 December 1990)
head of government: Prime Minister Emmanuel NADINGAR (since 5 March 2010)
cabinet: Council of State; members are appointed by the president on the recommendation of the prime minister (For more information visit the World Leaders website ) elections: president elected by popular vote for a 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 election held on 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 on 21 April 2002 (next to be held by February 2011); 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:
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, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Mahamat Adam BECHIR
chancery: 2401 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008
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, 251–70-09, 251–77-59
FAX: [235] 251–56-54
Flag description:
three equal vertical bands of blue (hoist side), yellow, and red; the flag combines the blue and red French (former colonial) colors with the red and yellow of the Pan-African colors; blue symbolizes the sky, hope, and the south of the country, which is relatively well-watered; yellow represents the sun, as well as the desert in the north of the country; red stands for progress, unity, and sacrifice
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
National anthem:
name: "La Tchadienne" (The Chadian)
lyrics/music: Louis GIDROL and his students/Paul VILLARD
note: adopted 1960
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 are currently building a 300-km pipleline and the country's first refinery. The nation's total oil reserves are estimated at 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):
$18.56 billion (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 128 $18.2 billion (2009 est.)
$18.49 billion (2008 est.)
note: data are in 2010 US dollars
GDP (official exchange rate):
$7.592 billion (2010 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:
2% (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 148 −1.6% (2009 est.)
10.7% (2008 est.)
GDP - per capita (PPP):
$1,800 (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 192 $1,800 (2009 est.)
$1,800 (2008 est.)
note: data are in 2010 US dollars
GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 50.5%
industry:
