Moving to Chad: visas, cost of living & immigrant guide

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Population

19,093,595

Population Growth Rate

3.01%

Population Distribution

• the population is unevenly distributed due to contrasts in climate and physical geography
• the highest density is found in the southwest, particularly around Lake Chad and points south
• the dry Saharan zone to the north is the least densely populated

Urban Population

• population: 24.4% of total population rate of
• urbanization: 4.1% annual rate of change

Population in Major Urban Areas

1.592 million N'DJAMENA (capital)

Population: Male/Female

• male: 9,464,699
• female: 9,628,896

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Age Structure

• years: 45.8% (male 4,428,132/female 4,323,398) 15-64
• years: 51.7% (male 4,831,744/female 5,031,383) 65 years and
• over: 2.5% (male 204,823/female 274,115)

Median Age

• total: 16.7 years
• male: 16.3 years
• female: 17.2 years

Birth Rate - births/1,000 population

39

Death Rate - deaths/1,000 population

9

Total Fertility Rate - children born/woman

5.24

Gross reproduction rate

3

Child Marriage

women married by age 15: 24.2% women married by age 18: 60.6% men married by age 18: 8.1%

Contraceptive Prevalance Rate - female 12-49

8.1%

Contraceptive Prevalence Rate - female 12-49

8.1%

Currently married women (ages 15-49)

70.6%

Mean Age for Mother's First Birth (age 25-49)

18.1

Mother's mean age at first birth

18.1

Sex Ratio at Birth - male/female

• birth: 1.04 male(s)/female 0-14
• years: 1.02 male(s)/female 15-64
• years: 0.96 male(s)/female 65 years and
• over: 0.75 male(s)/female total
• population: 0.98 male(s)/female

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Net Migration Rate - migrant(s)/1,000 population

-0.1

Demographic profile

Despite the start of oil production in 2003, around 40% of Chad’s population lived below the poverty line as of 2018.

The population will continue to grow rapidly because of the country’s very high fertility rate and large youth cohort – more than 65% of the populace is under the age of 25 as of 2022 – although the mortality rate is high and life expectancy is low.

Chad has the world’s second highest maternal mortality rate as of 2017.

Among the primary risk factors are poverty, anemia, rural habitation, high fertility, poor education, and a lack of access to family planning and obstetric care.

Impoverished, uneducated adolescents living in rural areas are most affected.

To improve women’s reproductive health and reduce fertility, Chad will need to increase women’s educational attainment, job participation, and knowledge of and access to family planning.

Less than a quarter of women are literate, less than 10% use contraceptives, and more than 40% undergo genital cutting.

As of December 2022, more than 403,000 refugees from Sudan and more than 120,000 from the Central African Republic strain Chad’s limited resources and create tensions in host communities.

Thousands of new refugees fled to Chad in 2013 to escape worsening violence in the Darfur region of Sudan.

The large refugee populations are hesitant to return to their home countries because of continued instability.

Chad was relatively stable in 2012 in comparison to other states in the region, but past fighting between government forces and opposition groups and inter-communal violence have left more than 380,000 of its citizens displaced in the eastern part of the country as of 2022.

Ethnic Groups

Sara (Ngambaye/Sara/Madjingaye/Mbaye) 30.5%, Kanembu/Bornu/Buduma 9.8%, Arab 9.7%, Wadai/Maba/Masalit/Mimi 7%, Gorane 5.8%, Masa/Musseye/Musgum 4.9%, Bulala/Medogo/Kuka 3.7%, Marba/Lele/Mesme 3.5%, Mundang 2.7%, Bidiyo/Migaama/Kenga/Dangleat 2.5%, Dadjo/Kibet/Muro 2.4%, Tupuri/Kera 2%, Gabri/Kabalaye/Nanchere/Somrai 2%, Fulani/Fulbe/Bodore 1.8%, Karo/Zime/Peve 1.3%, Baguirmi/Barma 1.2%, Zaghawa/Bideyat/Kobe 1.1%, Tama/Assongori/Mararit 1.1%, Mesmedje/Massalat/Kadjakse 0.8%, other Chadian ethnicities 3.4%, Chadians of foreign ethnicities 0.9%, foreign nationals 0.3%, unspecified 1.7%

Language Note

French (official), Arabic (official), Sara (in south), more than 120 different languages and dialects

Nationality Noun

• noun: Chadian(s)
• adjective: Chadian

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Literacy - total population

26.8%

Literacy - male

35.4%

Literacy - female

18.2%

Literacy Definition

age 15 and over can read and write French or Arabic

Education Expenditures - percent of GDP

2.9%

Total School Life Expectancy - (primary to tertiary)

• total: 7 years
• male: 9 years
• female: 6 years

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Life Expectancy at Birth

• population: 60 years
• male: 58.1 years
• female: 62 years

Infant Mortality Rate

• total: 62.5 deaths/1,000 live births
• male: 68.1 deaths/1,000 live births
• female: 56.7 deaths/1,000 live births

Infant Mortality Rate - total deaths/1,000 live births

• total: 62.5 deaths/1,000 live births
• male: 68.1 deaths/1,000 live births
• female: 56.7 deaths/1,000 live births

Maternal Mortality Rate - deaths/100,000 live births

1,063

Physicians Density - physicians/1,000 population

.06

Hospital Bed Density - beds/1,000 population

.43

Health Expenditures - percent of GDP

5.4%

Major Infectious Diseases - degree of risk

• risk: very high food or waterborne
• diseases: bacterial and protozoal diarrhea, hepatitis A and E, and typhoid fever vectorborne
• diseases: malaria, dengue fever, and sexually transmitted
• diseases: hepatitis B (2024) water contact
• diseases: schistosomiasis animal contact
• diseases: rabies respiratory
• diseases: meningococcal meningitis
• note: on 31 August 2023, the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) issued a Travel Alert for polio in Africa; Chad is currently considered a high risk to travelers for circulating vaccine-derived polioviruses (cVDPV); vaccine-derived poliovirus (VDPV) is a strain of the weakened poliovirus that was initially included in oral polio vaccine (OPV) and that has changed over time and behaves more like the wild or naturally occurring virus; this means it can be spread more easily to people who are unvaccinated against polio and who come in contact with the stool or respiratory secretions, such as from a sneeze, of an “infected” person who received oral polio vaccine; the CDC recommends that before any international travel, anyone unvaccinated, incompletely vaccinated, or with an unknown polio vaccination status should complete the routine polio vaccine series; before travel to any high-risk destination, the CDC recommends that adults who previously completed the full, routine polio vaccine series receive a single, lifetime booster dose of polio vaccine

Obesity - adult prevalence rate

6.1%

Tobacco Use

• total: 8.3%
• male: 13.8%
• female: 2.7%

Alcohol consumption per capita

• total: 0.55 liters of pure alcohol
• beer: 0.37 liters of pure alcohol
• wine: 0.01 liters of pure alcohol
• spirits: 0.01 liters of pure alcohol other
• alcohols: 0.16 liters of pure alcohol

Drinking Water Source - percent of urban population improved

• improved: urban: 90.2% of population
• rural: 51.9% of population
• total: 60.9% of population
• unimproved: urban: 9.8% of population
• rural: 48.1% of population
• total: 39.1% of population

Sanitation Facility Access - percent of urban population improved

• improved: urban: 57.5% of population
• rural: 4.9% of population
• total: 17.3% of population
• unimproved: urban: 42.5% of population
• rural: 95.1% of population
• total: 82.7% of population

Underweight - percent of children under five years

18.9%

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Economic Overview

Chad’s landlocked location results in high transportation costs for imported goods and dependence on neighboring countries.

Oil and agriculture are the mainstays of Chad’s economy.

Oil provides about 60% of export revenues, while cotton, cattle, livestock, and gum arabic provide the bulk of Chad's non-oil export earnings.

The services sector contributes less than one-third of GDP and has attracted foreign investment mostly through telecommunications and banking.

Nearly all of Chad’s fuel is provided by one domestic refinery, and unanticipated shutdowns occasionally result in shortages.

The country regulates the price of domestic fuel, providing an incentive for black market sales.

Although high oil prices and strong local harvests supported the economy in the past, low oil prices now stress Chad’s fiscal position and have resulted in significant government cutbacks.

Chad relies on foreign assistance and foreign capital for most of its public and private sector investment.

Investment in Chad is difficult due to its limited infrastructure, lack of trained workers, extensive government bureaucracy, and corruption.

Chad obtained a three-year extended credit facility from the IMF in 2014 and was granted debt relief under the Heavily Indebted Poor Countries Initiative in April 2015.

In 2018, economic policy will be driven by efforts that started in 2016 to reverse the recession and repair damage to public finances and exports.

The government is implementing an emergency action plan to counterbalance the drop in oil revenue and diversify the economy.

Chad’s national development plan (NDP) cost just over $9 billion with a financing gap of $6.7 billion.

The NDP emphasized the importance of private sector participation in Chad’s development, as well as the need to improve the business environment, particularly in priority sectors such as mining and agriculture.

The Government of Chad reached a deal with Glencore and four other banks on the restructuring of a $1.45 billion oil-backed loan in February 2018, after a long negotiation.

The new terms include an extension of the maturity to 2030 from 2022, a two-year grace period on principal repayments, and a lower interest rate of the London Inter-bank Offer Rate (Libor) plus 2% - down from Libor plus 7.5%.

The original Glencore loan was to be repaid with crude oil assets, however, Chad's oil sales were hit by the downturn in the price of oil.

Chad had secured a $312 million credit from the IMF in June 2017, but the release of those funds hinged on restructuring the Glencore debt.

Chad had already cut public spending to try to meet the terms of the IMF program, but that prompted strikes and protests in a country where nearly 40% of the population lives below the poverty line.

Multinational partners, such as the African Development Bank, the EU, and the World Bank are likely to continue budget support in 2018, but Chad will remain at high debt risk, given its dependence on oil revenue and pressure to spend on subsidies and security.

Industries

Oil, cotton textiles, brewing, natron (sodium carbonate), soap, cigarettes, construction materials

GDP - per capita (PPP)

$2,600.00 (USD)

GDP - real growth rate

-1.1%

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GDP - Gross Domestic Product (PPP)

$24,970,000,000 (USD)

GDP Per Capita

$2,600.00 (USD)

GDP - real growth rate

-1.1%

GDP - official exchange rate

$10,440,000,000 (USD)

GDP - composition, by end use

• consumption: 71.4% Government
• consumption: 4.4% Investment in fixed
• capital: 30.8% Investment in
• inventories: 0.4% Exports of goods and
• services: 25.3% Imports of goods and
• services: -32.3%

GDP by Sector- agriculture

53%

GDP by Sector- Industry

12.8%

GDP by Sector- services

34.2%

Industrial Growth Rate

-5%

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Inflation Rate

3.8%

Exchange Rate per US Dollar

605.7

Currency Name and Code

Cooperation Financiere en Afrique Centrale francs (XAF)

Fiscal Year

Calendar Year

Commercial Bank Prime Lending Rate

15.5%

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Labor Force

5,457,000

Major Industries

Oil, cotton textiles, brewing, natron (sodium carbonate), soap, cigarettes, construction materials

Agriculture Products

Cotton, sorghum, millet, peanuts, sesame, corn, rice, potatoes, onions, cassava (manioc, tapioca), cattle, sheep, goats, camels

Population Below Poverty Line

46.7%

Child Labor - # of children ages 5-14

1,475,960

Child Labor - % of children ages 5-14

48%

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Labor Force By Occupation - industry and services

20%

Labor Force By Occupation- agriculture

80%

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Annual Budget

$1,626,000,000 (USD)

Public Debt (% of GDP)

35.4%

Budget Surplus or Deficit - percent of GDP

-5.1%

Taxes and other revenues - percent of GDP

15.6%

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Full Country Name

Republic of Chad

Country Name

Chad

Local - Long

Republique du Tchad/Jumhuriyat Tshad

Local - Short

Tchad/Tshad

Etymology- history of name

named for Lake Chad, which lies along the country's western border; the word "tsade" means "large body of water" or "lake" in several local native languages note: the only country whose name is composed of a single syllable with a single vowel

Independence

11 August 1960 (from France)

National Holiday

Independence Day, 11 August (1960)

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Government Type

presidential republic

Constitution

• history: several previous; latest adopted by National Transitional Council 27 June 2023, approved by referendum 17 December, verified by Chad Supreme Court 28 December, promulgated 1 January 2024
• amendments: previous
• process: proposed as a revision by the president of the republic after a Council of Ministers (cabinet) decision or by the National Assembly; approval for consideration of a revision requires at least three-fifths majority vote by the Assembly; passage requires approval by referendum or at least two-thirds majority vote by the Assembly

Legal System:

mixed legal system of civil and customary law

Executive Branch:

• chief of state: President Mahamat Idriss DÉBY (since 6 May 2024)
• head of government: Prime Minister Allamaye HALINA (since 23 May 2024)
• cabinet: Council of Ministers election/appointment
• process: president directly elected by absolute-majority popular vote in 2 rounds, if needed, for a 5-year term (no term limits) most recent election
• date: 6 May 2024
• election results: 2024: Mahamat Idriss DÉBY elected president; percent of vote - Mahamat Idriss DÉBY (MPS) 61%, Succes MASRA (Transformers) 18.5%, Albert PADACKE 16.9%, other 3.6% 2021: Lt. Gen. Idriss DÉBY reelected transitional president; percent of vote - Lt. Gen. Idriss DÉBY (MPS) 79.3%, Pahimi PADACKET Albert (RNDT) 10.3%, Lydie BEASSEMDA (Party for Democracy and Independence) 3.2%, other 7.2%

Legislative Branch:

• Description: formerly a unicameral National Assembly or Assemblée Nationale (188 seats; 163 directly elected in multi-seat constituencies by proportional representation vote and 25 directly elected in single-seat constituencies by absolute majority vote with a second round if needed; members serve 4-year terms);
• Note: on 5 October 2021, Interim President Mahamat Idriss DEBY installed 93 members of an interim parliament, called the National Transitional Council (NTC), replacing the National Assembly, which was disbanded after he took control of the country on 20 April 2021; according to DEBY, the NTC will act as a national assembly of transition until the country’s next elections take place
• Elections: members of the so called "National Transitional Council" were installed by Interim President DEBY on 5 October 2021 (next parliamentary elections to be held September 2022)
• Election Results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - NA;
• Composition: men 64, women 29, percent of women 31.2%
• Note: the National Assembly mandate was extended to 2020, reportedly due to a lack of funding for the scheduled 2015 election; the MPS has held a majority in the NA since 1997

Judicial Branch:

• office: Supreme Court chief justice selected by the president; councilors - 8 designated by the president and 7 by the speaker of the National Assembly; chief justice and councilors appointed for life; Constitutional Council judges - 2 appointed by the president and 1 by the speaker of the National Assembly; jurists - 3 each by the president and by the speaker of the National Assembly; judges appointed for 9-year terms
• subordinate courts: High Court of Justice; Courts of Appeal; tribunals; justices of the peace

Regions or States:

• Summary: 23 provinces (provinces
• singular - province) Barh-El-Gazel
• Batha
• Borkou
• Chari-Baguirmi
• Ennedi-Est
• Ennedi-Ouest
• Guera
• Hadjer-Lamis
• Kanem
• Lac
• Logone Occidental
• Logone Oriental
• Mandoul
• Mayo-Kebbi-Est
• Mayo-Kebbi-Ouest
• Moyen-Chari
• N'Djamena
• Ouaddai
• Salamat
• Sila
• Tandjile
• Tibesti
• Wadi-Fira

Political Parties and Leaders:

• Chadian Convention for Peace and Development or CTPD [Laoukein Kourayo MEDARD]
• Federation Action for the Republic or FAR [Ngarledjy YORONGAR]
• National Rally for Development and Progress or Viva-RNDP [Dr. Nouradine Delwa Kassire COUMAKOYE]
• National Union for Democracy and Renewal or UNDR [Saleh KEBZABO]
• Party for Unity and Reconstruction or PUR Patriotic Salvation Movement or MPS [formerly Idriss DEBY]
• Rally for Democracy and Progress or RDP [Mahamat Allahou TAHER]
• Rally of Chadian Nationalists/Awakening or RNDT/Le Reveil [Albert Pahimi PADACKE]
• Social Democratic Party for a Change-over of Power or PDSA [Malloum YOBODA]
• Union for Democracy and the Republic or UDR Union for Renewal and Democracy or URD [Felix Romadoumngar NIALBE]
• Transformers [Succès MASRA] note 1: 19 additional parties each contributed one member note 2: only parties with at least two seats in the last elected National Assembly (February 2011) included
• Note: on 5 October 2021, Interim President Mahamat Idriss DEBY appointed 93 members to the interim National Transitional Council (NTC); 30% of the NTC members were retained from parties previously represented in the National Assembly

Suffrage:

18 years of age; universal

Citizenship Criteria:

• birth: no citizenship by descent
• only: both parents must be citizens of Chad dual citizenship
• recognized: Chadian law does not address dual citizenship residency requirement for
• naturalization: 15 years

Capital Name

N'Djamena

Capital - geographic coordinate

12 06 N, 15 02 E

Capital Time Difference

UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)

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International Organization Participation:

• ACP
• AfDB
• AU
• BDEAC
• CEMAC
• EITI (compliant country)
• FAO
• FZ
• G-77
• IAEA
• IBRD
• ICAO
• ICCt
• ICRM
• IDA
• IDB
• IFAD
• IFC
• IFRCS
• ILO
• IMF
• Interpol
• IOC
• IOM
• IPU
• ITSO
• ITU
• ITUC (NGOs)
• LCBC
• MIGA
• MNJTF
• NAM
• OIC
• OIF
• OPCW
• UN
• UNCTAD
• UNESCO
• UNIDO
• UNOCI
• UNOOSA
• UNWTO
• UPU
• WCO
• WHO
• WIPO
• WMO
• WTO

International Law Organization Participation:

has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; accepts ICCt jurisdiction

Diplomatic Representation from US:

• Chief of Mission: Ambassador Alexander LASKARIS (since 18 August 2022)
• Embassy: Rond-Point Chagoua, B.P. 413, N’Djamena
• Mailing Address: 2410 N'Djamena Place, Washington DC 20521-2410
• Telephone: [235] 2251-5017
• FAX: [235] 2253-9102
• Email: NdjamenaACS@state.gov
• Website: https://td.usembassy.gov/

Diplomatic Representation in the US:

• Chief of Mission: Ambassador KITOKO GATA Ngoulou (since 30 June 2023)
• Chancery: 2401 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008
• Telephone: [1] (202) 652-1312
• FAX: [1] (202) 578-0431
• Email: info@chadembassy.us
• Website: https://chadembassy.us/

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Geographic Location

Africa

Geographic Coordinates

15 00 N, 19 00 E

Total Area

495,752 Square Miles 1,284,000 Square Kilometers

Land Area

486,177 Square Miles 1,259,200 Square Kilometers

Water Area

9,575 Square Miles 24,800 Square Kilometers

Land Boundaries

3,708 Miles 5,968 Kilometers

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

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Terrain

Broad, arid plains in the center, desert in the north, mountains in the northwest, lowlands in the south

Highest Point

3,415 Meters

Highest Point Location

Emi Koussi 3,415 m

Lowest Point

160 Meters

Lowest Point Location

Djourab Depression 160 m

Natural Resources

Petroleum, uranium, natron, kaolin, fish (Lake Chad)

Irrigated Land

117 Square Miles 302 Square Kilometers

Time Zone

UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)

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Climate

The capital, N'Djamena, which is located in the Sahelian Zone, has a rainy season extending from June to October, characterized by sporadic, heavy rains and increased humidity with high temperatures in excess of 90°F.

The remaining 8 months of the year are dry and generally hot, with a brief respite from November to February when daytime temperatures seldom exceed 90°F and lows at night descend to the 60s.

Northeasterly winds off the desert, called the "harmattan," blow regularly during the dry season and envelop the town in a shroud of thick dust.

April/May temperatures regularly exceed 110°F.

Terrain

Broad, arid plains in the center, desert in the north, mountains in the northwest, lowlands in the south

Location

Central Africa, south of Libya

Total Area

495,752 Square Miles 1,284,000 Square Kilometers

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

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, Hazardous Wastes, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping

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Exports

$4,053,000,000 (USD)

Imports

$3,075,000,000 (USD)

Major Exports

Oil, livestock, cotton, sesame, gum arabic, shea butter

Major Imports

Machinery and transportation equipment, industrial goods, foodstuffs, textiles

Top Export Partners

United States 58.5%, India 13.3%, Japan 11.3%, China 4.1%

Top Import Partners

France 16.5%, China 14.2%, Cameroon 11%, United States 6.4%, India 6%, Belgium 5.7%, Italy 4.8%

Export Partners

United States 58.5%, India 13.3%, Japan 11.3%, China 4.1%

Import Partners

France 16.5%, China 14.2%, Cameroon 11%, United States 6.4%, India 6%, Belgium 5.7%, Italy 4.8%

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Country Description

Chad is a developing country in north-central Africa with one of the lowest per capita incomes in the world and has historically faced challenges in the areas of political stability and economic development.

Years of war, drought, and regional instability have severely damaged the country's infrastructure and hampered the development of its institutions.

Facilities for tourism are limited.

The capital is N'Djamena.

French and Arabic are the official languages.

Safety & Security

U.S. citizens planning to travel to Chad should read the current Worldwide Caution Travel Alert and the Travel Warning for Chad, which warns U.S. citizens of the risks of traveling to Chad.

Due to the insecurity caused by high levels of violent crime, the potential risk of clashes between Chadian security forces and criminal or other armed groups, and the risk of a sudden, unanticipated outbreak of conflict among the populations living in these areas, we caution against all travel to eastern Chad, the Chad/Sudan border area, and the Chad/Central African Republic border area.

The U.S.

Embassy in Chad reviews each request for official government travel outside the capital and prohibits travel to eastern Chad and most border regions without express authorization.

If you are affiliated with humanitarian relief efforts, you should review security precautions and consider measures to mitigate your exposure to violent crime.

The Government of Chad requires travel authorization (autorisation de circuler) for anyone traveling to a humanitarian zone or refugee camp.

If you are residing in Chad, you should exercise caution throughout the country.

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Crime

U.S. citizens and many foreigners are perceived to be wealthy and should take precautions to avoid becoming crime victims.

You should not leave cash or valuables unsecured in your hotel room, nor should you wear expensive jewelry or show large amounts of cash.

You should dress modestly, walk outside only during daylight hours, and lock your car doors.

Petty crimes such as purse snatching, pick-pocketing, and theft from vehicles do occur, particularly in areas frequented by expatriates.

The potential for violent crime against expatriates remains a concern.

Carjacking, burglary, and vehicle thefts increase during times of political instability.

Historically, expatriate residences have been targeted for armed robbery, and some foreigners have been assaulted in the process, although there have been no recent incidents reported.

Criminal Penalties

While you are traveling in Chad, you are subject to its laws even if you are a U.S. citizen.

Foreign laws and legal systems can be vastly different than our own.

In some places, you may be taken in for questioning if you don’t have your passport with you.

In some places, it is illegal to take pictures of certain buildings.

In some places driving under the influence could land you immediately in jail.

These criminal penalties will vary from country to country.

There are also some things that might be legal in the country you visit, but still illegal in the United States.

You can be prosecuted under U.S. law if you buy pirated goods.

Engaging in sexual conduct with children or using or disseminating child pornography in a foreign country is a crime prosecutable in the United States.

If you break local laws in Chad, your U.S. passport won’t help you avoid arrest or prosecution.

It’s very important to know what’s legal and what’s not where you are going.

Based on the Vienna Convention on Consular Relations, bilateral agreements with certain countries, and customary international law, if you are arrested in Chad, you have the option to request that the police, prison officials, or other authorities alert the nearest U.S. embassy or consulate of your arrest, and to have communications from you forwarded to the nearest U.S. embassy or consulate.

Languages French (official), Arabic (official), Sara (in south), more than 120 different languages and dialects

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Medical Facilities

• care: International SOS and Europ-Assistance. These are not walk-in clinics and advance membership is required to access services. This information is provided for informational purposes only and in no way constitutes an endorsement, expressed or implied, by the United States Department of State Malaria is a serious and sometimes fatal disease. Plasmodium falciparum malaria, the type that predominates in Chad, is resistant to the antimalarial drug chloroquine. Because travelers to Chad are at high risk for contracting malaria, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) advise that travelers should take one of the following antimalarial
• drugs: mefloquine (Lariam - TM), doxycycline, or atovaquone/proguanil (Malarone -TM). Travelers who become ill with a fever or flu-like illness while traveling in a malaria-risk area, and up to one year after returning home, should seek prompt medical attention and tell the physician their travel history and what antimalarials they have been taking. For additional information on malaria, including protective measures, visit the CDC Travelers’ Health website. Other widespread illnesses in Chad include diarrhea and upper respiratory infections. HIV/AIDS is becoming an increasingly serious problem as infection rates are at alarming levels (up to 25 percent in high-risk groups). Meningitis outbreaks usually occur annually and several other diseases (cholera, diphtheria, chicken pox, typhoid) periodically appear.

Traffic Safety

While in a foreign country, you may encounter road conditions that differ significantly from those in the United States.

The information below concerning Chad is provided for general reference only, and may not be totally accurate in a particular location or circumstance.

Roads are in poor condition and dangerous.

In the capital city of N'Djamena, only the main roads are paved; although the government continues with its construction program, hard surface highways are still limited in number and distance in Chad; the rest of the roads are either hard-packed dirt or looser dirt and sand.

During the rainy season (mid-June to mid-September) many roads become impassable or are restricted by rain barriers, while during the dryer season, clouds of dust rising from the roads reduce visibility.

Visitors should take great care while driving.

Both paved and unpaved roads are poorly maintained, and often have large ruts and potholes.

All drivers should adjust their speed accordingly.

At night, streets are not lit and drivers frequently operate cars or motorcycles without lighting headlights; it is imperative to watch for pedestrians, bicyclists, motorcyclists, and livestock, as they may not be visible until they are in very close proximity.

Driving in Chad tends to be erratic both in cities and in rural areas.

In cities, particularly N'Djamena, motorists share the roads with bicycles, motor scooters, pedestrians, and non-motorized wheelchairs.

Lanes are not marked, and it is not uncommon for a normally two-lane thoroughfare to become a four-lane road during rush hours (generally 7:00 a.m. - 9:00 a.m. and 3:00 p.m. - 6:00 p.m.

Monday - Thursday; 7:00 a.m. - 9:00 a.m. and 11:00 a.m. - 12:30 p.m. on Friday).

Drivers are urged to be particularly observant at these times because motorists often attempt to overtake slower traffic by moving into oncoming lanes, usually at high speeds.

There are only a few traffic lights in N'Djamena, they are often out of service, and drivers frequently do not obey those traffic lights that are in service.

Drivers yield to traffic on their right, particularly when entering the many traffic circles.

In rural areas, drivers should watch for livestock crossing the roads, and for large hawks that rest on the roads.

These birds can be fearless, and cause damage by smashing into drivers' windshields; drivers may avoid this by slowing down when approaching the hawks and allowing them sufficient time to fly away.

Finally, drivers should be alert to older transport trucks traveling between cities, which do not always have functioning headlights.

No emergency services exist, so drivers should exercise extreme caution.

Travelers should always wear seat belts.

When traveling by car, be sure to carry a spare tire.

Roadside service is limited to good Samaritans and children who will help push cars to the side or out of holes.

When traveling outside the capital, it is imperative to carry sufficient quantities of drinking water.

Drivers should ensure that their gas tanks are at least half-full at all times, as gas stations are not widely available.

Gas may be purchased in an emergency in bottles from roadside stands, but it is generally of poor quality.

Travelers on roads in all areas of the country are subject to attack by armed bandits.

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Airports - total

59

Airports with Paved Runways

9

Roadways- total

24,855 Miles 40,000 Kilometers

Ports and Terminals

None

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Pipelines: Oil

362 Miles 582 Kilometers

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Telephones

13,000

Cell Phones

918,400

Internet Users

60,000

Internet Country Code

.td

Internet Hosts

5

Broadcast Media

• 1 state-owned TV station
• a state-owned radio network, Radiodiffusion Nationale Tchadienne (RNT), operates national and regional stations
• about 10 private radio stations
• some stations rebroadcast programs from international broadcasters

Telephone System

• assessment: an inadequate system of radiotelephone communication stations with high costs and low telephone density
• domestic: fixed-line connections for less than 1 per 100 persons coupled with a mobile-cellular subscribership base of only about 35 per 100 persons
• international: country code - 235; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)

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Electricity Consumption- Kilowatt Hours (kWh)

93,000,000

Electricity Production- Kilowatt Hours (kWh)

100,000,000

Natural Gas Reserves- Cubic Meters (cu m)

999,500,000,000

Oil Consumption- Barrels Per Day (bbl/day)

1,817

Oil Exports- Barrels Per Day (bbl/day)

125,700

Oil Production- Barrels Per Day (bbl/day)

225,000

Oil Reserves- Barrels Per Day (bbl/day)

1,500,000,000

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Anthem History

La Tchadienne is the national anthem of Chad. Written by Louis Gidrol and his student group and composed by Paul Villard, it has been the official anthem since independence in 1960.

Anthem Lyrics

La Tchadienne Peuple Tchadien, debout et à l'ouvrage!

Tu as conquis la terre et ton droit; Ta liberté naîtra de ton courage.

Lève les yeux, l'avenir est à Toi.

O mon Pays, que Dieu te prenne en garde, Que tes voisins admirent tes enfants.

Joyeux, pacifique, avance en chantant, Fidèle à tes anciens te regardent.

Peuple Tchadien, debout et à l'ouvrage!

Tu as conquis la terre et ton droit; Ta liberté naîtra de ton courage.

Lève les yeux, l'avenir est à Toi.

Anthem Lyrics English

People of Chad, arise and take up the task!

You have conquered the soil and won your rights; Your freedom will be born of your courage.

Lift up your eyes, the future is yours Oh, my Country, may God protect you, May your neighbors admire your children.

Joyful, peaceful, advance as you sing, Faithful to your fathers who are watching you.