chad - some interesting facts
Chad is a land-locked country in the heart of Africa, with a population of around 10 million. It is a politically volatile place, and its citizens struggle to do their best in a nation that is regarded as the most corrupt in the world.
Its natural resources include petroleum, uranium and gold. But the Chadian population see few benefits from these multi-billion-dollar industries. Instead, 80% of its people live below the poverty line, mostly relying on subsistence farming for their livelihood.
There were promises to improve health, welfare and education systems, rural development, infrastructure and water resources when an oil pipeline was built through Chad and Cameroon, which the World Bank helped to finance. It looks unlikely that all of these promises will be kept. Chad has been exporting oil since 2004.
Chad’s citizens are suffering twice over. First, because their government considers arms more important than health, education and clean water. Second, because outside aid agencies often consider Chad to be too corrupt to receive large-scale assistance.
Some
facts about Chad
Area: 1,284 million square km
Climate: tropical in north, desert in south
Environmental issues: inadequate clean drinking water; improper
waste disposal, leading to soil and water pollution; desertification
Birth rate: 45.98 births per 1,000 population (UK: 10.78/1,000)
Death rate: 16.41 deaths per 1,000 population (UK: 10.18/1,000)
Maternal mortality rate: 11 deaths per 1000 population
Infant mortality rate: 93.82 deaths per 1,000 live births (UK: 5.6/1,000)
Life expectancy (combined): 47.18 years (UK: 78.38)
Total fertility rate: 6.32 children born per woman (UK: 1.66/woman)
Religion: Muslim (51%), Christian (35%), animist (7%), other (7%)
Languages: French and Arabic (official), plus more than 120 languages
and dialects
Literacy: 56% of males, 39.3% of females (UK: 99%)
Source: The World Factbook