Chad:
Geography

Click to enlarge

Pages for other countries and territories

Other pages in this profile of Chad:
People, Government, Economy, Communications & Transportation, Military & Transnational Issues.


Background	Definition 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.

Location	Definition Central Africa, south of Libya
Geographic coordinates	Definition 15 00 N, 19 00 E
Map references	Definition Africa
Area	Definition - World rank and map total: 1.284 million sq km land: 1,259,200 sq km water: 24,800 sq km
Area - comparative	Definition slightly more than three times the size of California
Land boundaries	Definition 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	Definition 0 km (landlocked)
Maritime claims	Definition none (landlocked)
Climate	Definition tropical in south, desert in north
Terrain	Definition broad, arid plains in center, desert in north, mountains in northwest, lowlands in south
Elevation extremes	Definition lowest point: Djourab Depression 160 m highest point: Emi Koussi 3,415 m
Natural resources	Definition petroleum, uranium, natron, kaolin, fish (Lake Chad), gold, limestone, sand and gravel, salt
Land use	Definition - World rank and map arable land: 2.8% permanent crops: 0.02% other: 97.18% (2005)
Irrigated land	Definition 300 sq km (2003)
Total renewable water resources	Definition 43 cu km (1987)
Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural)	Definition total: 0.23 cu km/yr (17%/0%/83%) per capita: 24 cu m/yr (2000)
Natural hazards	Definition hot, dry, dusty harmattan winds occur in north; periodic droughts; locust plagues
Environment - current issues	Definition inadequate supplies of potable water; improper waste disposal in rural areas contributes to soil and water pollution; desertification
Environment - international agreements	Definition 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	Definition landlocked; Lake Chad is the most significant water body in the Sahel