Chad: Background & Geography

Introduction Chad
Background:
 Chad, part of France's African holdings until 1960, endured three decades of ethnic warfare as well as invasions by Libya before a semblance of peace was finally restored in 1990. The government eventually suppressed or came to terms with most political-military groups, settled a territorial dispute with Libya on terms favorable to Chad, drafted a democratic constitution, and held 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 - as described in UNCLOS 1982 (see Notes and Definitions):
 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: 2.78%
permanent crops: 0.02%
other: 97.2% (1998 est.)
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

See Also: