ld 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 a northern ethnic oligarchy.

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
water: 24,800 sq km
land: 1,259,200 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)

Land use:
arable land: 2.86%
permanent crops: 0.02%
other: 97.12% (2001)

Irrigated land:
200 sq km (1998 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, 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:
9,538,544 (July 2004 est.)

Age structure:
0-14 years: 47.9% (male 2,297,490; female 2,269,801)
15-64 years: 49.3% (male 2,245,586; female 2,459,796)
65 years and over: 2.8% (male 107,594; female 158,277) (2004 est.)

Median age:
total: 16 years
male: 15.3 years
female: 16.7 years (2004 est.)

Population growth rate:
3% (2004 est.)

Birth rate:
46.5 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Death rate:
16.38 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Net migr