Topic: Photos of Finland

Topic: Introduction
Background: Finland was a province and then a grand duchy under Sweden from the 12th to the 19th centuries, and an autonomous grand duchy of Russia after 1809. It gained complete independence in 1917. During World War II, Finland successfully defended its independence through cooperation with Germany and resisted subsequent invasions by the Soviet Union - albeit with some loss of territory. In the subsequent half century, Finland transformed from a farm/forest economy to a diversified modern industrial economy; per capita income is among the highest in Western Europe. A member of the EU since 1995, Finland was the only Nordic state to join the euro single currency at its initiation in January 1999. In the 21st century, the key features of Finland's modern welfare state are high quality education, promotion of equality, and a national social welfare system - currently challenged by an aging population and the fluctuations of an export-driven economy.Visit the Definitions and Notes page to view a description of each topic.

Topic: Geography
Location: Northern Europe, bordering the Baltic Sea, Gulf of Bothnia, and Gulf of Finland, between Sweden and Russia
Geographic coordinates: 64 00 N, 26 00 E
Map references: Europe
Area: total: 338,145 sq km

land: 303,815 sq km

water: 34,330 sq km
Area - comparative: slightly more than two times the size of Georgia; slightly smaller than Montana
Land boundaries: total: 2,563 km

border countries (3): Norway 709 km; Sweden 545 km; Russia 1,309 km
Coastline: 1,250 km
Maritime claims: territorial sea: 12 nm (in the Gulf of Finland - 3 nm)

contiguous zone: 24 nm

continental shelf: 200 m depth or to the depth of exploitation

exclusive fishing zone: 12 nm; extends to continental shelf boundary with Sweden, Estonia, and Russia
Climate: cold temperate; potentially subarctic but comparatively mild because of moderating influence of the North Atlantic Current, Baltic Sea, and more than 60,000 lakes
Terrain: mostly low, flat to rolling plains interspersed with lakes and low hills
Elevation: highest point: Halti (alternatively Haltia, Haltitunturi, Haltiatunturi) 1,328 m

lowest point: Baltic Sea 0 m

mean elevation: 164 m
Natural resources: timber, iron ore, copper, lead, zinc, chromite, nickel, gold, silver, limestone
Land use: agricultural land: 7.5% (2018 est.)

arable land: 7.4% (2018 est.)

permanent crops: 0% (2018 est.)

permanent pasture: 0.1% (2018 est.)

forest: 72.9% (2018 est.)

other: 19.6% (2018 est.)
Irrigated land: 690 sq km (2012)
Major lakes (area sq km): Fresh water lake(s): Saimaa - 1,760 sq km; Paijanne - 1,090 sq km; Inarijarvi - 1,000 sq km; Oulujarvi - 900 sq km; Pielinen - 850 sq km
Population distribution: the vast majority of people are found in the south; the northern interior areas remain sparsely poplulated
Natural hazards: severe winters in the north
Geography - note: long boundary with Russia; Helsinki is northernmost national capital on European continent; population concentrated on small southwestern coastal plain

Topic: People and Society
Population: 5,601,547 (2022 est.)
Nationality: noun: Finn(s)

adjective: Finnish
Ethnic groups: Finnish, Swedish, Russian, Estonian, Romani, Sami

note: 92% of the population has a Finnish background
Languages: Finnish (official) 86.9%, Swedish (official) 5.2%, Russian 1.5%, other 6.4% (2020 est.)

major-language sample(s):
World Factbook, korvaamaton perustietolähde. (Finnish)

The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information.
Religions: Lutheran 67.8%, Greek Orthodox 1.1%, other 1.7%, unspecified 29.4% (2020 est.)
Age structure: 0-14 years: 16.41% (male 467,220/female 447,005)

15-24 years: 10.95% (male 312,179/female 297,717)

25-54 years: 37.37% (male 1,064,326/female 1,017,545)

55-64 years: 13.02% (male 357,687/female 367,610)

65 years and over: 22.26% (male 543,331/female 697,045) (2020 est.)
Dependency ratios: total dependency ratio: 62.4

youth dependency ratio: 25.8

elderly dependency ratio: 36.6

potential support ratio: 2.7 (2020 est.)
Median age: total: 42.8 years

male: 41.3 years

female: 44.4 years (2020 est.)
Population growth rate: 0.24% (2022 est.)
Birth rate: 10.42 births/1,000 population (2022 est.)
Death rate: 10.35 deaths/1,000 population (2022 est.)
Net migration rate: 2.35 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2022 est.)
Population distribution: the vast majority of people are found in the south; the northern interior areas remain sparsely poplulated
Urbanization: urban population: 85.7% of total population (2022)

rate of urbanization: 0.42% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)
Major urban areas - population: 1.328 million HELSINKI (capital) (2022)
Sex ratio: at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female

0-14 years: 1.05 male(s)/female

15-24 years: 1.05 male(s)/female

25-54 years: 1.05 male(s)/female

55-64 years: 0.97 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.63 male(s)/female

total population: 0.97 male(s)/female (2022 est.)
Mother's mean age at first birth: 29.4 years (2019 est.)
Maternal mortality ratio: 3 deaths/100,000 live births (2017 est.)
Infant mortality rate: total: 2.13 deaths/1,000 live births

male: 2.31 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 1.94 deaths/1,000 live births (2022 est.)
Life expectancy at birth: total population: 81.76 years

male: 78.86 years

female: 84.79 years (2022 est.)
Total fertility rate: 1.74 children born/woman (2022 est.)
Contraceptive prevalence rate: 85.5% (2015)

note: percent of women aged 18-49
Drinking water source: improved: urban: 100% of population

rural: 100% of population

total: 100% of population

unimproved: urban: 0% of population

rural: 0% of population

total: 0% of population (2020 est.)
Current Health Expenditure: 9.2% (2019)
Physicians density: 3.81 physicians/1,000 population (2016)
Hospital bed density: 3.6 beds/1,000 population (2018)
Sanitation facility access: improved: urban: 100% of population

rural: 100% of population

total: 100% of population

unimproved: urban: 0% of population

rural: 0% of population

total: 0% of population (2020 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: 0.1% (2018)
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: 4,000 (2018)
HIV/AIDS - deaths: <100 (2018)
Obesity - adult prevalence rate: 22.2% (2016)
Children under the age of 5 years underweight: NA
Child marriage: women married by age 18: 0% (2017 est.)
Education expenditures: 6.3% of GDP (2018)
School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education): total: 19 years

male: 18 years

female: 20 years (2019)
Unemployment, youth ages 15-24: total: 21.4%

male: 23.2%

female: 19.4% (2020 est.)

Topic: Environment
Environment - current issues: limited air pollution in urban centers; some water pollution from industrial wastes, agricultural chemicals; habitat loss threatens wildlife populations
Environment - international agreements: party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Heavy Metals, Air Pollution-Multi-effect Protocol, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Air Pollution-Sulphur 85, Air Pollution-Sulphur 94, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds, Antarctic-Environmental Protection, Antarctic-Marine Living Resources, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping-London Convention, Marine Dumping-London Protocol, Marine Life Conservation, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 2006, Wetlands, Whaling

signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
Air pollutants: particulate matter emissions: 5.88 micrograms per cubic meter (2016 est.)

carbon dioxide emissions: 45.87 megatons (2016 est.)

methane emissions: 4.46 megatons (2020 est.)
Climate: cold temperate; potentially subarctic but comparatively mild because of moderating influence of the North Atlantic Current, Baltic Sea, and more than 60,000 lakes
Land use: agricultural land: 7.5% (2018 est.)

arable land: 7.4% (2018 est.)

permanent crops: 0% (2018 est.)

permanent pasture: 0.1% (2018 est.)

forest: 72.9% (2018 est.)

other: 19.6% (2018 est.)
Urbanization: urban population: 85.7% of total population (2022)

rate of urbanization: 0.42% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)
Revenue from forest resources: forest revenues: 0.36% of GDP (2018 est.)
Revenue from coal: coal revenues: 0% of GDP (2018 est.)
Waste and recycling: municipal solid waste generated annually: 2.738 million tons (2015 est.)

municipal solid waste recycled annually: 769,926 tons (2015 est.)

percent of municipal solid waste recycled: 28.1% (2015 est.)
Major lakes (area sq km): Fresh water lake(s): Saimaa - 1,760 sq km; Paijanne - 1,090 sq km; Inarijarvi - 1,000 sq km; Oulujarvi - 900 sq km; Pielinen - 850 sq km
Total water withdrawal: municipal: 400 million cubic meters (2017 est.)

industrial: 1.417 billion cubic meters (2017 est.)

agricultural: 50 million cubic meters (2017 est.)
Total renewable water resources: 110 billion cubic meters (2017 est.)

Topic: Government
Country name: conventional long form: Republic of Finland

conventional short form: Finland

local long form: Suomen tasavalta/Republiken Finland

local short form: Suomi/Finland

etymology: name may derive from the ancient Fenni peoples who are first described as living in northeastern Europe in the first centuries A.D.
Government type: parliamentary republic
Capital: name: Helsinki

geographic coordinates: 60 10 N, 24 56 E

time difference: UTC+2 (7 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)

daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last Sunday in October

etymology: the name may derive from the Swedish "helsing," an archaic name for "neck" ("hals"), and which may refer to a narrowing of the Vantaa River that flows into the Gulf of Finland at Helsinki; "fors" refers to "rapids," so "helsing fors" meaning becomes "the narrows' rapids"
Administrative divisions: 19 regions (maakunnat, singular - maakunta (Finnish); landskapen, singular - landskapet (Swedish)); Aland (Swedish), Ahvenanmaa (Finnish); Etela-Karjala (Finnish), Sodra Karelen (Swedish) [South Karelia]; Etela-Pohjanmaa (Finnish), Sodra Osterbotten (Swedish) [South Ostrobothnia]; Etela-Savo (Finnish), Sodra Savolax (Swedish) [South Savo]; Kanta-Hame (Finnish), Egentliga Tavastland (Swedish); Kainuu (Finnish), Kajanaland (Swedish); Keski-Pohjanmaa (Finnish), Mellersta Osterbotten (Swedish) [Central Ostrobothnia]; Keski-Suomi (Finnish), Mellersta Finland (Swedish) [Central Finland]; Kymenlaakso (Finnish), Kymmenedalen (Swedish); Lappi (Finnish), Lappland (Swedish); Paijat-Hame (Finnish), Paijanne-Tavastland (Swedish); Pirkanmaa (Finnish), Birkaland (Swedish) [Tampere]; Pohjanmaa (Finnish), Osterbotten (Swedish) [Ostrobothnia]; Pohjois-Karjala (Finnish), Norra Karelen (Swedish) [North Karelia]; Pohjois-Pohjanmaa (Finnish), Norra Osterbotten (Swedish) [North Ostrobothnia]; Pohjois-Savo (Finnish), Norra Savolax (Swedish) [North Savo]; Satakunta (Finnish and Swedish); Uusimaa (Finnish), Nyland (Swedish) [Newland]; Varsinais-Suomi (Finnish), Egentliga Finland (Swedish) [Southwest Finland]
Independence: 6 December 1917 (from Russia)
National holiday: Independence Day, 6 December (1917)
Constitution: history: previous 1906, 1919; latest drafted 17 June 1997, approved by Parliament 11 June 1999, entered into force 1 March 2000

amendments: proposed by Parliament; passage normally requires simple majority vote in two readings in the first parliamentary session and at least two-thirds majority vote in a single reading by the newly elected Parliament; proposals declared "urgent" by five-sixths of Parliament members can be passed by at least two-thirds majority vote in the first parliamentary session only; amended several times, last in 2018
Legal system: civil law system based on the Swedish model
International law organization participation: accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations; accepts ICCt jurisdiction
Citizenship: citizenship by birth: no

citizenship by descent only: at least one parent must be a citizen of Finland

dual citizenship recognized: yes

residency requirement for naturalization: 6 years
Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal
Executive branch: chief of state: President Sauli NIINISTO (since 1 March 2012)

head of government: Prime Minister Sanna MARIN (since 10 December 2019)

cabinet: Council of State or Valtioneuvosto appointed by the president, responsible to Parliament

elections/appointments: president directly elected by absolute majority popular vote in 2 rounds if needed for a 6-year term (eligible for a second term); election last held on 28 January 2018 (next to be held in January 2024); prime minister appointed by Parliament

election results: Sauli NIINISTO reelected president; percent of vote Sauli NIINISTO (independent) 62.7%, Pekka HAAVISTO (Vihr) 12.4%, Laura HUHTASAARI (PS) 6.9%, Paavo VAYRYNEN (independent) 6.2%, Matti VANHANEN (Kesk) 4.1%, other 7.7%
Legislative branch: description: unicameral Parliament or Eduskunta (200 seats; 199 members directly elected in single- and multi-seat constituencies by proportional representation vote and 1 member in the province of Aland directly elected by simple majority vote; members serve 4-year terms)

elections: last held on 14 April 2019 (next to be held in April 2023)

election results: percent of vote by party/coalition - SDP 17.7%, PS 17.5%, Kok 17.0%. Center Party  13.8%, Vihr 11.5%, Vas 8.2%, SFP 4.5%, KD 3.9%, other 5.9%; seats by party/coalition - SDP 40, PS 39, Kok 38, Centre Party 31, Vihr 20, Vas 16, SFP 9, KD 5; composition men 109, women 91, percent of women 45.5%
Judicial branch: highest courts: Supreme Court or Korkein Oikeus (consists of the court president and 18 judges); Supreme Administrative Court (consists of 21 judges, including the court president and organized into 3 chambers); note - Finland has a dual judicial system - courts with civil and criminal jurisdiction and administrative courts with jurisdiction for litigation between individuals and administrative organs of the state and communities

judge selection and term of office: Supreme Court and Supreme Administrative Court judges appointed by the president of the republic; judges serve until mandatory retirement at age 68

subordinate courts: 6 Courts of Appeal; 8 regional administrative courts; 27 district courts; special courts for issues relating to markets, labor, insurance, impeachment, land, tenancy, and water rights
Political parties and leaders: Aland Coalition (a coalition of several political parties on the Aland Islands)
Center Party or Kesk [Annika SAARIKKO]
Christian Democrats or KD [Sari ESSAYAH]
Finns Party or PS [Riikka PURRA]
Green League or Vihr [Maria OHISALO]
Left Alliance or Vas [Li ANDERSSON]
National Coalition Party or Kok [Petteri ORPO]
Social Democratic Party or SDP [Sanna MARIN]
Swedish People's Party or RKP or SFP [Anna-Maja HENRIKSSON]
International organization participation: ADB (nonregional member), AfDB (nonregional member), Arctic Council, Australia Group, BIS, CBSS, CD, CE, CERN, EAPC, EBRD, ECB, EIB, EITI (implementing country), EMU, ESA, EU, FAO, FATF, G-9, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (national committees), ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), MIGA, MINUSMA, NC, NEA, NIB, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OPCW, OSCE, Pacific Alliance (observer), Paris Club, PCA, PFP, Schengen Convention, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNIFIL, UNMIL, UNMOGIP, UNRWA, UNSOM, UNTSO, UPU, Wassenaar Arrangement, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC
Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Mikko Tapani HAUTALA (since 17 September 2020)

chancery: 3301 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008

telephone: [1] (202) 298-5800

FAX: [1] (202) 298-6030

email address and website:
sanomat.was@formin.fi

https://finlandabroad.fi/web/usa/mission

consulate(s) general: Los Angeles, New York
Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires Ian CAMPBELL (since 14 January 2021)

embassy: Itainen Puistotie 14 B, 00140 Helsinki

mailing address: 5310 Helsinki Place, Washington DC  20521-5310

telephone: [358] (9) 616-250

FAX: [358] (9) 174-681

email address and website:
HelsinkiACS@state.gov

https://fi.usembassy.gov/
Flag description: white with a blue cross extending to the edges of the flag; the vertical part of the cross is shifted to the hoist side in the style of the Dannebrog (Danish flag); the blue represents the thousands of lakes scattered across the country, while the white is for the snow that covers the land in winter
National symbol(s): lion; national colors: blue, white
National anthem: name: "Maamme" (Our Land)

lyrics/music: Johan Ludvig RUNEBERG/Fredrik PACIUS

note: in use since 1848; although never officially adopted by law, the anthem has been popular since it was first sung by a student group in 1848; Estonia's anthem uses the same melody as that of Finland
National heritage: total World Heritage Sites: 7 (6 cultural, 1 natural)

selected World Heritage Site locales: Fortress of Suomenlinna (c), Old Rauma (c), Petäjävesi Old Church (c), Verla Groundwood and Board Mill (c), Bronze Age Burial Site of Sammallahdenmäki (c), High Coast / Kvarken Archipelago (n), Struve Geodetic Arc (c)

Topic: Economy
Economic overview: Finland has a highly industrialized, largely free-market economy with per capita GDP almost as high as that of Austria and the Netherlands and slightly above that of Germany and Belgium. Trade is important, with exports accounting for over one-third of GDP in recent years. The government is open to, and actively takes steps to attract, foreign direct investment.Finland is historically competitive in manufacturing, particularly in the wood, metals, engineering, telecommunications, and electronics industries. Finland excels in export of technology as well as promotion of startups in the information and communications technology, gaming, cleantech, and biotechnology sectors. Except for timber and several minerals, Finland depends on imports of raw materials, energy, and some components for manufactured goods. Because of the cold climate, agricultural development is limited to maintaining self-sufficiency in basic products. Forestry, an important export industry, provides a secondary occupation for the rural population.Finland had been one of the best performing economies within the EU before 2009 and its banks and financial markets avoided the worst of global financial crisis. However, the world slowdown hit exports and domestic demand hard in that year, causing Finland’s economy to contract from 2012 to 2014. The recession affected general government finances and the debt ratio. The economy returned to growth in 2016, posting a 1.9% GDP increase before growing an estimated 3.3% in 2017, supported by a strong increase in investment, private consumption, and net exports. Finnish economists expect GDP to grow a rate of 2-3% in the next few years.Finland's main challenges will be reducing high labor costs and boosting demand for its exports. In June 2016, the government enacted a Competitiveness Pact aimed at reducing labor costs, increasing hours worked, and introducing more flexibility into the wage bargaining system. As a result, wage growth was nearly flat in 2017. The Government was also seeking to reform the health care system and social services. In the long term, Finland must address a rapidly aging population and decreasing productivity in traditional industries that threaten competitiveness, fiscal sustainability, and economic growth.Finland has a highly industrialized, largely free-market economy with per capita GDP almost as high as that of Austria and the Netherlands and slightly above that of Germany and Belgium. Trade is important, with exports accounting for over one-third of GDP in recent years. The government is open to, and actively takes steps to attract, foreign direct investment.Finland is historically competitive in manufacturing, particularly in the wood, metals, engineering, telecommunications, and electronics industries. Finland excels in export of technology as well as promotion of startups in the information and communications technology, gaming, cleantech, and biotechnology sectors. Except for timber and several minerals, Finland depends on imports of raw materials, energy, and some components for manufactured goods. Because of the cold climate, agricultural development is limited to maintaining self-sufficiency in basic products. Forestry, an important export industry, provides a secondary occupation for the rural population.Finland had been one of the best performing economies within the EU before 2009 and its banks and financial markets avoided the worst of global financial crisis. However, the world slowdown hit exports and domestic demand hard in that year, causing Finland’s economy to contract from 2012 to 2014. The recession affected general government finances and the debt ratio. The economy returned to growth in 2016, posting a 1.9% GDP increase before growing an estimated 3.3% in 2017, supported by a strong increase in investment, private consumption, and net exports. Finnish economists expect GDP to grow a rate of 2-3% in the next few years.Finland's main challenges will be reducing high labor costs and boosting demand for its exports. In June 2016, the government enacted a Competitiveness Pact aimed at reducing labor costs, increasing hours worked, and introducing more flexibility into the wage bargaining system. As a result, wage growth was nearly flat in 2017. The Government was also seeking to reform the health care system and social services. In the long term, Finland must address a rapidly aging population and decreasing productivity in traditional industries that threaten competitiveness, fiscal sustainability, and economic growth.
Real GDP (purchasing power parity): $261.39 billion (2020 est.)

$268.84 billion (2019 est.)

$265.46 billion (2018 est.)

note: data are in 2017 dollars
Real GDP growth rate: 1.15% (2019 est.)

1.52% (2018 est.)

3.27% (2017 est.)
Real GDP per capita: $47,300 (2020 est.)

$48,700 (2019 est.)

$48,100 (2018 est.)

note: data are in 2017 dollars
GDP (official exchange rate): $269.259 billion (2019 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices): 1% (2019 est.)

1% (2018 est.)

0.7% (2017 est.)
Credit ratings: Fitch rating: AA+ (2016)

Moody's rating: Aa1 (2016)

Standard & Poors rating: AA+ (2014)
GDP - composition, by sector of origin: agriculture: 2.7% (2017 est.)

industry: 28.2% (2017 est.)

services: 69.1% (2017 est.)
GDP - composition, by end use: household consumption: 54.4% (2017 est.)

government consumption: 22.9% (2017 est.)

investment in fixed capital: 22.1% (2017 est.)

investment in inventories: 0.4% (2017 est.)

exports of goods and services: 38.5% (2017 est.)

imports of goods and services: -38.2% (2017 est.)
Agricultural products: milk, barley, oats, wheat, potatoes, sugar beet, rye, pork, poultry, beef
Industries: metals and metal products, electronics, machinery and scientific instruments, shipbuilding, pulp and paper, foodstuffs, chemicals, textiles, clothing
Industrial production growth rate: 6.2% (2017 est.)
Labor force: 2.52 million (2020 est.)
Labor force - by occupation: agriculture: 4%

industry: 20.7%

services: 75.3% (2017 est.)
Unemployment rate: 6.63% (2019 est.)

7.38% (2018 est.)
Unemployment, youth ages 15-24: total: 21.4%

male: 23.2%

female: 19.4% (2020 est.)
Population below poverty line: 12.2% (2019 est.)
Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income: 27.4 (2017 est.)

22.2 (1995)
Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 6.7%

highest 10%: 45.2% (2013)
Budget: revenues: 134.2 billion (2017 est.)

expenditures: 135.6 billion (2017 est.)

note: Central Government Budget data; these numbers represent a significant reduction from previous official reporting
Budget surplus (+) or deficit (-): -0.6% (of GDP) (2017 est.)
Public debt: 61.3% of GDP (2017 est.)

62.9% of GDP (2016 est.)

note: data cover general government debt and include debt instruments issued (or owned) by government entities other than the treasury; the data include treasury debt held by foreign entities; the data include debt issued by subnational entities, as well as intragovernmental debt; intragovernmental debt consists of treasury borrowings from surpluses in the social funds, such as for retirement, medical care, and unemployment; debt instruments for the social funds are not sold at public auctions
Taxes and other revenues: 53.1% (of GDP) (2017 est.)
Fiscal year: calendar year
Current account balance: -$603 million (2019 est.)

-$4.908 billion (2018 est.)
Exports: $108.22 billion note: data are in current year dollars (2019 est.)

$106.01 billion note: data are in current year dollars (2018 est.)

$109.513 billion (2017 est.)
Exports - partners: Germany 14%, Sweden 10%, United States 8%, Netherlands 6%, China 6%, Russia 5% (2019)
Exports - commodities: refined petroleum, paper and wood pulp products, cars, stainless steel, lumber (2019)
Imports: $107.39 billion note: data are in current year dollars (2019 est.)

$109.45 billion note: data are in current year dollars (2018 est.)

$110.701 billion (2017 est.)
Imports - partners: Germany 16%, Sweden 14%, Russia 13%, China 6%, Netherlands 6% (2019)
Imports - commodities: crude petroleum, cars and vehicle parts, refined petroleum, broadcasting equipment, packaged medicines (2019)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: $10.51 billion (31 December 2017 est.)

$11.2 billion (31 December 2016 est.)
Debt - external: $631.549 billion (2019 est.)

$536.301 billion (2018 est.)
Exchange rates: euros (EUR) per US dollar -

0.82771 (2020 est.)

0.90338 (2019 est.)

0.87789 (2018 est.)

0.885 (2014 est.)

0.7634 (2013 est.)

Topic: Energy
Electricity access: electrification - total population: 100% (2020)
Electricity - production: 66.54 billion kWh (2016 est.)
Electricity - consumption: 82.79 billion kWh (2016 est.)
Electricity - exports: 3.159 billion kWh (2016 est.)
Electricity - imports: 22.11 billion kWh (2016 est.)
Electricity - installed generating capacity: 16.27 million kW (2016 est.)
Electricity - from fossil fuels: 41% of total installed capacity (2016 est.)
Electricity - from nuclear fuels: 17% of total installed capacity (2017 est.)
Electricity - from hydroelectric plants: 20% of total installed capacity (2017 est.)
Electricity - from other renewable sources: 23% of total installed capacity (2017 est.)
Crude oil - production: 0 bbl/day (2018 est.)
Crude oil - exports: 0 bbl/day (2015 est.)
Crude oil - imports: 236,700 bbl/day (2017 est.)
Crude oil - proved reserves: 0 bbl (1 January 2018 est.)
Refined petroleum products - production: 310,600 bbl/day (2017 est.)
Refined petroleum products - consumption: 217,100 bbl/day (2017 est.)
Refined petroleum products - exports: 166,200 bbl/day (2017 est.)
Refined petroleum products - imports: 122,200 bbl/day (2017 est.)
Natural gas - production: 0 cu m (2017 est.)
Natural gas - consumption: 2.35 billion cu m (2017 est.)
Natural gas - exports: 4 million cu m (2017 est.)
Natural gas - imports: 2.322 billion cu m (2017 est.)
Natural gas - proved reserves: NA cu m (1 January 2016 est.)

Topic: Communications
Telephones - fixed lines: total subscriptions: 225,000 (2020)

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 4.06 (2020 est.)
Telephones - mobile cellular: total subscriptions: 7.12 million (2020)

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 128.5 (2020 est.)
Telecommunication systems: general assessment: Finland’s telecom market is among most progressive in Europe through favorable regulatory action and competitive technological innovation; orientation towards high technology, research, and development with high investment in information and communication sectors; large proportion of population on 5G and most on LTE; high broadband and mobile penetration; fixed-voice density falling; government provided universal 5Mb/s broadband (2020)

domestic: fixed-line 4 per 100 subscriptions and nearly 129 per 100 mobile-cellular (2020)

international: country code - 358; landing points for Botnia, BCS North-1 & 2, SFL, SFS-4, C-Lion1, Eastern Lights, Baltic Sea Submarine Cable, FEC, and EESF-2 & 3 submarine cables that provide links to many Finland points, Estonia, Sweden, Germany, and Russia; satellite earth stations - access to Intelsat transmission service via a Swedish satellite earth station, 1 Inmarsat (Atlantic and Indian Ocean regions); note - Finland shares the Inmarsat earth station with the other Nordic countries (Denmark, Iceland, Norway, and Sweden) (2019)

note: the COVID-19 pandemic continues to have a significant impact on production and supply chains globally; since 2020, some aspects of the telecom sector have experienced downturn, particularly in mobile device production; many network operators delayed upgrades to infrastructure; progress towards 5G implementation was postponed or slowed in some countries; consumer spending on telecom services and devices was affected by large-scale job losses and the consequent restriction on disposable incomes; the crucial nature of telecom services as a tool for work and school from home became evident, and received some support from governments
Broadcast media: a mix of 3 publicly operated TV stations and numerous privately owned TV stations; several free and special-interest pay-TV channels; cable and satellite multi-channel subscription services are available; all TV signals are broadcast digitally; Internet television, such as Netflix and others, is available; public broadcasting maintains a network of 13 national and 25 regional radio stations; a large number of private radio broadcasters and access to Internet radio
Internet country code: .fi

note - Aland Islands assigned .ax.fi
Internet users: total: 5.39 million (2022 est.)

percent of population: 97% (2022 est.)
Broadband - fixed subscriptions: total: 1.846 million (2021)

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 33.32 (2021)

Topic: Transportation
National air transport system: number of registered air carriers: 3 (2020)

inventory of registered aircraft operated by air carriers: 77

annual passenger traffic on registered air carriers: 13,364,839 (2018)

annual freight traffic on registered air carriers: 957.64 million mt-km (2018)
Civil aircraft registration country code prefix: OH
Airports: total: 148 (2021)
Airports - with paved runways: total: 74

over 3,047 m: 3

2,438 to 3,047 m: 26

1,524 to 2,437 m: 10

914 to 1,523 m: 21

under 914 m: 14 (2021)
Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 74

914 to 1,523 m: 3

under 914 m: 71 (2021)
Pipelines: 1288 km gas transmission pipes, 1976 km distribution pipes (2016)
Railways: total: 5,926 km (2016)

broad gauge: 5,926 km 1.524-m gauge (3,270 km electrified) (2016)
Roadways: total: 454,000 km (2012)

highways: 78,000 km (50,000 paved, including 700 km of expressways; 28,000 unpaved) (2012)

private and forest roads: 350,000 km (2012)

urban: 26,000 km (2012)
Waterways: 8,000 km (includes Saimaa Canal system of 3,577 km; southern part leased from Russia; water transport used frequently in the summer and widely replaced with sledges on the ice in winter; there are 187,888 lakes in Finland that cover 31,500 km); Finland also maintains 8,200 km of coastal fairways (2013)
Merchant marine: total: 272

by type: bulk carrier 9, container ship 1, general cargo 74, oil tanker 4, other 184 (2021)
Ports and terminals: major seaport(s): Helsinki, Kotka, Naantali, Porvoo, Raahe, Rauma

Topic: Military and Security
Military and security forces: Finnish Defense Forces (FDF): Army (Maavoimat), Navy (Merivoimat), Air Force (Ilmavoimat); Ministry of the Interior: Border Guard (Rajavartiolaitos) (2021)

note - the Border Guard becomes part of the FDF in wartime
Military expenditures: 2% of GDP (2021 est.)

1.5% of GDP (2020)

1.4% of GDP (approximately $4.18 billion) (2019)

1.4% of GDP (approximately $4.02 billion) (2018)

1.3% of GDP (approximately $3.8 billion) (2017)
Military and security service personnel strengths: information varies; approximately 22,000 total active duty personnel (15,000 Army; 4,000 Navy; 3,000 Air Force) (2021)

note - the Army's wartime strength is about 180,000
Military equipment inventories and acquisitions: the inventory of the Finnish Defense Forces consists of a wide mix of mostly modern US, European, and domestically-produced weapons systems; since 2010, the US is the leading supplier; the Finnish defense industry produces a variety of military equipment, including wheeled armored vehicles and naval vessels (2021)
Military service age and obligation: at age 18, all Finnish men are obligated to serve 5.5-12 months of service within a branch of the military or the Border Guard (length of service depends on the type of duty), and women 18-29 may volunteer for service; there is also an option to perform non-military service which lasts for 8.5 or 11.5 months; after completing their initial conscript obligation, individuals enter the reserves and remain eligible for mobilization until the age of 50 for rank-and-file and 60 for non-commissioned and commissioned officers (2021)

note(s) - the military trains approximately 21,000 (20,000 Army) conscripts each year; since 2017, between 1,000 and 1,700 women have volunteered for military service annually; as of 2019, women made up about 4% of the military's full-time personnel
Military deployments: 160 Lebanon (UNIFIL) (Jan 2022)
Military - note: Finland is not a member of NATO, but the two actively cooperate in peace-support operations, exercise together, and exchange analysis and information; Finland joined NATO’s Partnership for Peace program in 1994; Finnish Armed Forces participated in NATO-led military operations and missions in the Balkans, Afghanistan, and Iraq Finland is a signatory of the EU’s Common Security and Defense Policy (CSDP) and actively participates in CSDP crisis management missions and operations the Finnish Armed Forces closely cooperate with the militaries of other Nordic countries through the Nordic Defense Cooperation (NORDEFCO), which consists of Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway, and Sweden; areas of cooperation include armaments, education, human resources, training and exercises, and operations; NORDEFCO was established in 2009Finland is not a member of NATO, but the two actively cooperate in peace-support operations, exercise together, and exchange analysis and information; Finland joined NATO’s Partnership for Peace program in 1994; Finnish Armed Forces participated in NATO-led military operations and missions in the Balkans, Afghanistan, and IraqFinland is a signatory of the EU’s Common Security and Defense Policy (CSDP) and actively participates in CSDP crisis management missions and operationsthe Finnish Armed Forces closely cooperate with the militaries of other Nordic countries through the Nordic Defense Cooperation (NORDEFCO), which consists of Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway, and Sweden; areas of cooperation include armaments, education, human resources, training and exercises, and operations; NORDEFCO was established in 2009

Topic: Transnational Issues
Disputes - international: various groups in Finland advocate restoration of Karelia and other areas ceded to the former Soviet Union, but the Finnish Government asserts no territorial demandsvarious groups in Finland advocate restoration of Karelia and other areas ceded to the former Soviet Union, but the Finnish Government asserts no territorial demands
Refugees and internally displaced persons: refugees (country of origin): 9,053 (Iraq) (mid-year 2021)

stateless persons: 3,416 (mid-year 2021)


Topic: Photos of Chad

Topic: Introduction
Background: Chad emerged from a collection of powerful states that controlled the Sahelian belt starting around the 9th century. These states focused on controlling trans-Saharan trade routes and profited mostly from the slave trade. The Kanem-Bornu Empire, centered around the Lake Chad Basin, existed between the 9th and 19th centuries, and during its peak, the empire controlled territory stretching from southern Chad to southern Libya and included portions of modern-day Algeria, Cameroon, Nigeria, Niger, and Sudan. The Sudanese warlord Rabih AZ-ZUBAYR used an army comprised largely of slaves to conquer the Kanem-Bornu Empire in the late 19th century. In southeastern Chad, the Bagirmi and Ouaddai (Wadai) kingdoms emerged in the 15th and 16th centuries and lasted until the arrival of the French in the 19th and 20th centuries. France began moving into the region in the late 1880s and defeated the Bagirmi kingdom in 1897, Rabih AZ-ZUBAYR in 1900, and the Ouddai kingdom in 1909. In the arid regions of northern Chad and southern Libya, an Islamic order called the Sanusiyya (Sanusi) relied heavily on the trans-Saharan slave trade and had upwards of 3 million followers by the 1880s. The French arrived in the region in the early 1900s and defeated the Sanusiyya in 1910 after years of intermittent war. By 1910, France had incorporated the northern arid region, the Lake Chad Basin, and southeastern Chad into French Equatorial Africa.   Chad achieved its independence in 1960 and saw three decades of instability, oppressive rule, civil war, and a Libyan invasion. With the help of the French military and several African countries, Chadian leaders expelled Libyan forces during the 1987 "Toyota War," so named for the use of Toyota pickup trucks as fighting vehicles. In 1990, Chadian general Idriss DEBY led a rebellion against President Hissene HABRE. Under DEBY, Chad drafted and approved a constitution and held elections in 1996. DEBY led the country until April 2021 when he was killed during a rebel incursion. Shortly after his death, a group of military officials - led by former President DEBY’s son, Mahamat Idriss DEBY - took control of the government. The military officials dismissed the National Assembly, suspended the Constitution, and formed a Transitional Military Council while pledging to hold democratic elections in October 2022. Chad faces widespread poverty, an economy severely weakened by low international oil prices, and rebel and terrorist-led insurgencies in the Lake Chad Basin. Additionally, northern Chad has seen several waves of rebellions since 1998. In late 2015, the government imposed a state of emergency in the Lake Chad Basin following multiple attacks by the terrorist group Boko Haram, now known as ISIS-West Africa. In mid-2015, Boko Haram conducted bombings in N'Djamena. In late 2019, the Chadian government also declared a state of emergency in the Sila and Ouaddai regions bordering Sudan and in the Tibesti region bordering Niger where rival ethnic groups are still fighting. The army has suffered heavy losses to Islamic terror groups in the Lake Chad Basin. In March 2020, Islamic militants attacked a Chadian military camp in the Lake Chad Basin and killed nearly 100 soldiers; it was the deadliest attack in the history of the Chadian military.Chad emerged from a collection of powerful states that controlled the Sahelian belt starting around the 9th century. These states focused on controlling trans-Saharan trade routes and profited mostly from the slave trade. The Kanem-Bornu Empire, centered around the Lake Chad Basin, existed between the 9th and 19th centuries, and during its peak, the empire controlled territory stretching from southern Chad to southern Libya and included portions of modern-day Algeria, Cameroon, Nigeria, Niger, and Sudan. The Sudanese warlord Rabih AZ-ZUBAYR used an army comprised largely of slaves to conquer the Kanem-Bornu Empire in the late 19th century. In southeastern Chad, the Bagirmi and Ouaddai (Wadai) kingdoms emerged in the 15th and 16th centuries and lasted until the arrival of the French in the 19th and 20th centuries. France began moving into the region in the late 1880s and defeated the Bagirmi kingdom in 1897, Rabih AZ-ZUBAYR in 1900, and the Ouddai kingdom in 1909. In the arid regions of northern Chad and southern Libya, an Islamic order called the Sanusiyya (Sanusi) relied heavily on the trans-Saharan slave trade and had upwards of 3 million followers by the 1880s. The French arrived in the region in the early 1900s and defeated the Sanusiyya in 1910 after years of intermittent war. By 1910, France had incorporated the northern arid region, the Lake Chad Basin, and southeastern Chad into French Equatorial Africa.  Chad achieved its independence in 1960 and saw three decades of instability, oppressive rule, civil war, and a Libyan invasion. With the help of the French military and several African countries, Chadian leaders expelled Libyan forces during the 1987 "Toyota War," so named for the use of Toyota pickup trucks as fighting vehicles. In 1990, Chadian general Idriss DEBY led a rebellion against President Hissene HABRE. Under DEBY, Chad drafted and approved a constitution and held elections in 1996. DEBY led the country until April 2021 when he was killed during a rebel incursion. Shortly after his death, a group of military officials - led by former President DEBY’s son, Mahamat Idriss DEBY - took control of the government. The military officials dismissed the National Assembly, suspended the Constitution, and formed a Transitional Military Council while pledging to hold democratic elections in October 2022.Chad faces widespread poverty, an economy severely weakened by low international oil prices, and rebel and terrorist-led insurgencies in the Lake Chad Basin. Additionally, northern Chad has seen several waves of rebellions since 1998. In late 2015, the government imposed a state of emergency in the Lake Chad Basin following multiple attacks by the terrorist group Boko Haram, now known as ISIS-West Africa. In mid-2015, Boko Haram conducted bombings in N'Djamena. In late 2019, the Chadian government also declared a state of emergency in the Sila and Ouaddai regions bordering Sudan and in the Tibesti region bordering Niger where rival ethnic groups are still fighting. The army has suffered heavy losses to Islamic terror groups in the Lake Chad Basin. In March 2020, Islamic militants attacked a Chadian military camp in the Lake Chad Basin and killed nearly 100 soldiers; it was the deadliest attack in the history of the Chadian military.Visit the Definitions and Notes page to view a description of each topic.

Topic: Geography
Location: Central Africa, south of Libya
Geographic coordinates: 15 00 N, 19 00 E
Map references: Africa
Area: total: 1.284 million sq km

land: 1,259,200 sq km

water: 24,800 sq km
Area - comparative: almost nine times the size of New York state; slightly more than three times the size of California
Land boundaries: total: 6,406 km

border countries (6): Cameroon 1,116 km; Central African Republic 1,556 km; Libya 1,050 km; Niger 1,196 km; Nigeria 85 km; Sudan 1,403 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: highest point: Emi Koussi 3,445 m

lowest point: Djourab 160 m

mean elevation: 543 m
Natural resources: petroleum, uranium, natron, kaolin, fish (Lake Chad), gold, limestone, sand and gravel, salt
Land use: agricultural land: 39.6% (2018 est.)

arable land: 3.9% (2018 est.)

permanent crops: 0% (2018 est.)

permanent pasture: 35.7% (2018 est.)

forest: 9.1% (2018 est.)

other: 51.3% (2018 est.)
Irrigated land: 300 sq km (2012)
Major lakes (area sq km): Fresh water lake(s): Lake Chad (endorheic lake shared with Niger, Nigeria, and Cameroon) - 10,360-25,900 sq km
note - area varies by season and year to year
Major watersheds (area sq km): Atlantic Ocean drainage: Niger (2,261,741 sq km)
Internal (endorheic basin) drainage: Lake Chad (2,497,738 sq km)
Major aquifers: Lake Chad Basin, Nubian Aquifer System
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 as shown in this population distribution map
Natural hazards: hot, dry, dusty harmattan winds occur in north; periodic droughts; locust plagues
Geography - note: note 1: Chad is the largest of Africa's 16 landlocked countries note 2: not long ago - geologically speaking - what is today the Sahara was green savannah teeming with wildlife; during the African Humid Period, roughly 11,000 to 5,000 years ago, a vibrant animal community, including elephants, giraffes, hippos, and antelope lived there; the last remnant of the "Green Sahara" exists in the Lakes of Ounianga (oo-nee-ahn-ga) in northern Chad, a series of 18 interconnected freshwater, saline, and hypersaline lakes now protected as a World Heritage site note 3: Lake Chad, the most significant water body in the Sahel, is a remnant of a former inland sea, paleolake Mega-Chad; at its greatest extent, sometime before 5000 B.C., Lake Mega-Chad was the largest of four Saharan paleolakes that existed during the African Humid Period; it covered an area of about 400,000 sq km (150,000 sq mi), roughly the size of today's Caspian Seanote 1: Chad is the largest of Africa's 16 landlocked countriesnote 2: not long ago - geologically speaking - what is today the Sahara was green savannah teeming with wildlife; during the African Humid Period, roughly 11,000 to 5,000 years ago, a vibrant animal community, including elephants, giraffes, hippos, and antelope lived there; the last remnant of the "Green Sahara" exists in the Lakes of Ounianga (oo-nee-ahn-ga) in northern Chad, a series of 18 interconnected freshwater, saline, and hypersaline lakes now protected as a World Heritage sitenote 3: Lake Chad, the most significant water body in the Sahel, is a remnant of a former inland sea, paleolake Mega-Chad; at its greatest extent, sometime before 5000 B.C., Lake Mega-Chad was the largest of four Saharan paleolakes that existed during the African Humid Period; it covered an area of about 400,000 sq km (150,000 sq mi), roughly the size of today's Caspian Sea

Topic: People and Society
Population: 17,963,211 (2022 est.)
Nationality: noun: Chadian(s)

adjective: Chadian
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% (2014-15 est.)
Languages: French (official), Arabic (official), Sara (in south), more than 120 different languages and dialects

major-language sample(s):
The World Factbook, une source indispensable d'informations de base. (French)

كتاب حقائق العالم، المصدر الذي لا يمكن الاستغناء عنه للمعلومات الأساسية (Arabic)

The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information.
Religions: Muslim 52.1%, Protestant 23.9%, Roman Catholic 20%, animist 0.3%, other Christian 0.2%, none 2.8%, unspecified 0.7% (2014-15 est.)
Demographic profile: Despite the start of oil production in 2003, 40% of Chad’s population lives below the poverty line. 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 – although the mortality rate is high and life expectancy is low. Chad has the world’s third highest maternal mortality rate. 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. Only about a quarter of women are literate, less than 5% use contraceptives, and more than 40% undergo genital cutting.As of October 2017, more than 320,000 refugees from Sudan and more than 75,000 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 nearly 60,000 of its citizens displaced in the eastern part of the country.Despite the start of oil production in 2003, 40% of Chad’s population lives below the poverty line. 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 – although the mortality rate is high and life expectancy is low. Chad has the world’s third highest maternal mortality rate. 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. Only about a quarter of women are literate, less than 5% use contraceptives, and more than 40% undergo genital cutting.As of October 2017, more than 320,000 refugees from Sudan and more than 75,000 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 nearly 60,000 of its citizens displaced in the eastern part of the country.
Age structure: 0-14 years: 47.43% (male 4,050,505/female 3,954,413)

15-24 years: 19.77% (male 1,676,495/female 1,660,417)

25-54 years: 27.14% (male 2,208,181/female 2,371,490)

55-64 years: 3.24% (male 239,634/female 306,477)

65 years and over: 2.43% (male 176,658/female 233,087) (2020 est.)
Dependency ratios: total dependency ratio: 96

youth dependency ratio: 91.1

elderly dependency ratio: 4.9

potential support ratio: 20.4 (2020 est.)
Median age: total: 16.1 years

male: 15.6 years

female: 16.5 years (2020 est.)
Population growth rate: 3.09% (2022 est.)
Birth rate: 40.45 births/1,000 population (2022 est.)
Death rate: 9.45 deaths/1,000 population (2022 est.)
Net migration rate: -0.13 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2022 est.)
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 as shown in this population distribution map
Urbanization: urban population: 24.1% of total population (2022)

rate of urbanization: 4.1% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)
Major urban areas - population: 1.533 million N'DJAMENA (capital) (2022)
Sex ratio: at birth: 1.04 male(s)/female

0-14 years: 1.02 male(s)/female

15-24 years: 1.01 male(s)/female

25-54 years: 0.92 male(s)/female

55-64 years: 0.77 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.69 male(s)/female

total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2022 est.)
Mother's mean age at first birth: 18.1 years (2014/15 est.)

note: median age at first birth among women 25-49
Maternal mortality ratio: 1,140 deaths/100,000 live births (2017 est.)
Infant mortality rate: total: 65.48 deaths/1,000 live births

male: 71.21 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 59.52 deaths/1,000 live births (2022 est.)
Life expectancy at birth: total population: 59.15 years

male: 57.32 years

female: 61.06 years (2022 est.)
Total fertility rate: 5.46 children born/woman (2022 est.)
Contraceptive prevalence rate: 8.1% (2019)
Drinking water source: 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 (2020 est.)
Current Health Expenditure: 4.4% (2019)
Physicians density: 0.04 physicians/1,000 population (2017)
Sanitation facility access: 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 (2020 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: 1.1% (2020 est.)
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: 110,000 (2020 est.)
HIV/AIDS - deaths: 3,000 (2020 est.)
Major infectious diseases: degree of risk: very high (2020)

food or waterborne diseases: bacterial and protozoal diarrhea, hepatitis A and E, and typhoid fever

vectorborne diseases: malaria and dengue fever

water contact diseases: schistosomiasis

animal contact diseases: rabies

respiratory diseases: meningococcal meningitis

note: on 21 March 2022, 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 polio; 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, 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% (2016)
Children under the age of 5 years underweight: 29.2% (2019)
Child marriage: women married by age 15: 24.2% (2019)

women married by age 18: 60.6% (2019)

men married by age 18: 8.1% (2019 est.)
Education expenditures: 2.4% of GDP (2019)
Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write French or Arabic

total population: 22.3%

male: 31.3%

female: 14% (2016)
School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education): total: 7 years

male: 9 years

female: 6 years (2015)
Unemployment, youth ages 15-24: total: 1.5%

male: 2.4%

female: 0.7% (2018)

Topic: Environment
Environment - current issues: inadequate supplies of potable water; improper waste disposal in rural areas and poor farming practices contribute to soil and water pollution; desertification
Environment - international agreements: party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands

signed, but not ratified: Marine Dumping-London Convention
Air pollutants: particulate matter emissions: 53.01 micrograms per cubic meter (2016 est.)

carbon dioxide emissions: 1.02 megatons (2016 est.)

methane emissions: 30.69 megatons (2020 est.)
Climate: tropical in south, desert in north
Land use: agricultural land: 39.6% (2018 est.)

arable land: 3.9% (2018 est.)

permanent crops: 0% (2018 est.)

permanent pasture: 35.7% (2018 est.)

forest: 9.1% (2018 est.)

other: 51.3% (2018 est.)
Urbanization: urban population: 24.1% of total population (2022)

rate of urbanization: 4.1% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)
Revenue from forest resources: forest revenues: 3.81% of GDP (2018 est.)
Revenue from coal: coal revenues: 0% of GDP (2018 est.)
Major infectious diseases: degree of risk: very high (2020)

food or waterborne diseases: bacterial and protozoal diarrhea, hepatitis A and E, and typhoid fever

vectorborne diseases: malaria and dengue fever

water contact diseases: schistosomiasis

animal contact diseases: rabies

respiratory diseases: meningococcal meningitis

note: on 21 March 2022, 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 polio; 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, CDC recommends that adults who previously completed the full, routine polio vaccine series receive a single, lifetime booster dose of polio vaccine
Food insecurity: widespread lack of access: due to civil insecurity - about 1.78 million people were projected to be in “Crisis” and above in the June‑August 2021 period due to persistent insecurity in the Lac and Tibesti regions, which continues to disrupt livelihood activities and to cause population displacements; about 336,124 people were displaced due to insecurity in Lake Chad Region; COVID‑19 pandemic containment measures continue to slow down the national economy, reducing employment opportunities; this downturn has contributed to a weakening of the purchasing power of poor vulnerable households, limiting their access to food (2021)
Waste and recycling: municipal solid waste generated annually: 1,358,851 tons (2010 est.)
Major lakes (area sq km): Fresh water lake(s): Lake Chad (endorheic lake shared with Niger, Nigeria, and Cameroon) - 10,360-25,900 sq km
note - area varies by season and year to year
Major watersheds (area sq km): Atlantic Ocean drainage: Niger (2,261,741 sq km)
Internal (endorheic basin) drainage: Lake Chad (2,497,738 sq km)
Major aquifers: Lake Chad Basin, Nubian Aquifer System
Total water withdrawal: municipal: 103.7 million cubic meters (2017 est.)

industrial: 103.7 million cubic meters (2017 est.)

agricultural: 672.2 million cubic meters (2017 est.)
Total renewable water resources: 45.7 billion cubic meters (2017 est.)

Topic: Government
Country name: conventional long form: Republic of Chad

conventional short form: Chad

local long form: Republique du Tchad/Jumhuriyat Tshad

local short form: Tchad/Tshad

etymology: 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
Government type: presidential republic
Capital: name: N'Djamena

geographic coordinates: 12 06 N, 15 02 E

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

etymology: name taken from the Arab name of a nearby village, Nijamina, meaning "place of rest"
Administrative divisions: 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
Independence: 11 August 1960 (from France)
National holiday: Independence Day, 11 August (1960)
Constitution: history: several previous; latest approved 30 April 2018 by the National Assembly, entered into force 4 May 2018; suspended 21 April 2021 (2021)

amendments: 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 (2021)
Legal system: mixed legal system of civil and customary law
International law organization participation: has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; accepts ICCt jurisdiction
Citizenship: citizenship by 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
Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal
Executive branch: chief of state: Interim President Mahamat Idriss DEBY; note - on 20 April 2021, newly reelected President Idriss DEBY Itno, Lt. Gen. died of injuries he sustained following clashes between government forces he was commanding and insurgents in the northern part of the country; following his death, Mahamat took control of the country and dismissed the Chadian parliament, promising elections within eighteen months

head of government: Interim President Mahamat Idriss DEBY; note - on 20 April 2021, President Idriss DEBY Itno, Lt. Gen. died of injuries he sustained following clashes between government forces he was commanding and insurgents in the northern part of the country; following his death, Mahamat took control of the country and dismissed the Chadian parliament, promising elections within eighteen months

cabinet: Council of Ministers

elections/appointments: president directly elected by absolute majority popular vote in 2 rounds if needed for a 5-year term (no term limits); election last held on 11 April 2021

election results: Lt. Gen. Idriss DEBY Itno reelected; percent of vote - Lt. Gen. Idriss DEBY (MPS) 79.3%, Pahimi PADACKET Albert (RNDT) 10.3%, Lydie BEASSEMDA (Party for Democracy and Independence) 3.16%
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); 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 24 September 2021 (next election NA)

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 1997members of the so called "National Transitional Council" were installed by Interim President DEBY on 24 September 2021 (next election NA)
Judicial branch: highest courts: Supreme Court (consists of the chief justice, 3 chamber presidents, and 12 judges or councilors and divided into 3 chambers); Constitutional Council (consists of 3 judges and 6 jurists)

judge selection and term of 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
Political parties and leaders: Chadian Convention for Peace and Development or CTPD [Laoukein Kourayo MEDAR]
Federation Action for the Republic or FAR [Ngarledjy YORONGAR]
Framework of Popular Action for Solidarity and Unity of the Republic or CAP-SUR [Joseph Djimrangar DADNADJI]
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 Liberty and Development or PLD [Ahmat ALHABO]
Party for Unity and Reconciliation
Patriotic Salvation Movement or MPS [Idriss DEBY]
Rally for Democracy and Progress or RDP [Mahamat Allahou TAHER]RNDT/Le Reveil [Albert Pahimi PADACKE]
Social Democratic Party for a Change-over of Power or PDSA [Malloum YOBODA]
Union for Renewal and Democracy or URD [Felix Romadoumngar NIALBE]
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, MINUSMA, MNJTF, NAM, OIC, OIF, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNOCI, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador NGOTE GALI Koutou (since 22 June 2018)

chancery: 2401 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008

telephone: [1] (202) 652-1312

FAX: [1] (202) 265-1937

email address and website:
info@chadembassy.us

https://chadembassy.us/
Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires David GILMOUR (since December 2020)

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 address and website:
NdjamenaACS@state.gov

https://td.usembassy.gov/
Flag description: three equal vertical bands of blue (hoist side), gold, and red; the flag combines the blue and red French (former colonial) colors with the red and yellow (gold) of the Pan-African colors; blue symbolizes the sky, hope, and the south of the country, which is relatively well-watered; gold represents the sun, as well as the desert in the north of the country; red stands for progress, unity, and sacrifice

note: almost identical to the flag of Romania but with a darker shade of blue; also similar to the flags of Andorra and Moldova, both of which have a national coat of arms centered in the yellow band; design based on the flag of France
National symbol(s): goat (north), lion (south); national colors: blue, yellow, red
National anthem: name: "La Tchadienne" (The Chadian)

lyrics/music: Louis GIDROL and his students/Paul VILLARD

note: adopted 1960
National heritage: total World Heritage Sites: 2 (1 natural, 1 mixed)

selected World Heritage Site locales: Ennedi Massif: Natural and Cultural Landscape (m)

Topic: Economy
Economic overview: Chad’s landlocked location results in high transportation costs for imported goods and dependence on neighboring countries. Oil and agriculture are 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 to repair damage to public finances and exports. The government is implementing an emergency action plan to counterbalance the drop in oil revenue and to 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 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.Chad’s landlocked location results in high transportation costs for imported goods and dependence on neighboring countries. Oil and agriculture are 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 to repair damage to public finances and exports. The government is implementing an emergency action plan to counterbalance the drop in oil revenue and to 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 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.
Real GDP (purchasing power parity): $24.97 billion (2020 est.)

$25.19 billion (2019 est.)

$24.4 billion (2018 est.)

note: data are in 2017 dollars
Real GDP growth rate: -3.1% (2017 est.)

-6.4% (2016 est.)

1.8% (2015 est.)
Real GDP per capita: $1,500 (2020 est.)

$1,600 (2019 est.)

$1,600 (2018 est.)

note: data are in 2017 dollars
GDP (official exchange rate): $10.912 billion (2019 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices): -0.9% (2019 est.)

4.2% (2018 est.)

-1.5% (2017 est.)
GDP - composition, by sector of origin: agriculture: 52.3% (2017 est.)

industry: 14.7% (2017 est.)

services: 33.1% (2017 est.)
GDP - composition, by end use: household consumption: 75.1% (2017 est.)

government consumption: 4.4% (2017 est.)

investment in fixed capital: 24.1% (2017 est.)

investment in inventories: 0.7% (2017 est.)

exports of goods and services: 35.1% (2017 est.)

imports of goods and services: -39.4% (2017 est.)
Agricultural products: sorghum, groundnuts, millet, yams, cereals, sugar cane, beef, maize, cotton, cassava
Industries: oil, cotton textiles, brewing, natron (sodium carbonate), soap, cigarettes, construction materials
Industrial production growth rate: -4% (2017 est.)
Labor force: 5.654 million (2017 est.)
Labor force - by occupation: agriculture: 80%

industry: 20% (2006 est.)
Unemployment rate: NANA
Unemployment, youth ages 15-24: total: 1.5%

male: 2.4%

female: 0.7% (2018)
Population below poverty line: 42.3% (2018 est.)
Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income: 43.3 (2011 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 2.6%

highest 10%: 30.8% (2003)
Budget: revenues: 1.337 billion (2017 est.)

expenditures: 1.481 billion (2017 est.)
Budget surplus (+) or deficit (-): -1.5% (of GDP) (2017 est.)
Public debt: 52.5% of GDP (2017 est.)

52.4% of GDP (2016 est.)
Taxes and other revenues: 13.5% (of GDP) (2017 est.)
Fiscal year: calendar year
Current account balance: -$558 million (2017 est.)

-$926 million (2016 est.)
Exports: $2.464 billion (2017 est.)

$2.187 billion (2016 est.)
Exports - partners: China 32%, United Arab Emirates 21%, India 19%, United States 10%, France 6%, Germany 5% (2019)
Exports - commodities: crude petroleum, gold, livestock, sesame seeds, gum arabic, insect resins (2019)
Imports: $2.16 billion (2017 est.)

$1.997 billion (2016 est.)
Imports - partners: China 29%, United Arab Emirates 16%, France 10%, United States 8%, India 5% (2019)
Imports - commodities: delivery trucks, paints, packaged medicines, aircraft, broadcasting equipment (2019)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: $22.9 million (31 December 2017 est.)

$20.92 million (31 December 2016 est.)
Debt - external: $1.724 billion (31 December 2017 est.)

$1.281 billion (31 December 2016 est.)
Exchange rates: Cooperation Financiere en Afrique Centrale francs (XAF) per US dollar -

605.3 (2017 est.)

593.01 (2016 est.)

593.01 (2015 est.)

591.45 (2014 est.)

494.42 (2013 est.)

Topic: Energy
Electricity access: electrification - total population: 9% (2019)

electrification - urban areas: 32% (2019)

electrification - rural areas: 1% (2019)
Electricity - production: 224.3 million kWh (2016 est.)
Electricity - consumption: 208.6 million kWh (2016 est.)
Electricity - exports: 0 kWh (2016 est.)
Electricity - imports: 0 kWh (2016 est.)
Electricity - installed generating capacity: 48,200 kW (2016 est.)
Electricity - from fossil fuels: 98% of total installed capacity (2016 est.)
Electricity - from nuclear fuels: 0% of total installed capacity (2017 est.)
Electricity - from hydroelectric plants: 0% of total installed capacity (2017 est.)
Electricity - from other renewable sources: 3% of total installed capacity (2017 est.)
Crude oil - production: 132,000 bbl/day (2018 est.)
Crude oil - exports: 70,440 bbl/day (2015 est.)
Crude oil - imports: 0 bbl/day (2015 est.)
Crude oil - proved reserves: 1.5 billion bbl (1 January 2018 est.)
Refined petroleum products - production: 0 bbl/day (2015 est.)
Refined petroleum products - consumption: 2,300 bbl/day (2016 est.)
Refined petroleum products - exports: 0 bbl/day (2015 est.)
Refined petroleum products - imports: 2,285 bbl/day (2015 est.)
Natural gas - production: 0 cu m (2017 est.)
Natural gas - consumption: 0 cu m (2017 est.)
Natural gas - exports: 0 cu m (2017 est.)
Natural gas - imports: 0 cu m (2017 est.)
Natural gas - proved reserves: 0 cu m (1 January 2014 est.)

Topic: Communications
Telephones - fixed lines: total subscriptions: 5,340 (2020)

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: less than 1 (2020 est.)
Telephones - mobile cellular: total subscriptions: 8,687,151 (2020)

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 52.89 (2020 est.)
Telecommunication systems: general assessment: Chad’s inadequate telecom infrastructure, corruption, and high taxes hinder penetration in fixed, mobile, and Internet sectors; with tax reform, operators are investing in voice and data infrastructure to 3G/4G; government approved telecom infrastructure upgrade; World Bank-funded Central African Backbone (CAB) project; Trans-Saharan Backbone project will link a fiber cable to Nigeria and Algeria (2020)

domestic: fixed-line connections less than 1 per 100 persons; mobile-cellular subscribership base of about 53 per 100 persons (2020)

international: country code - 235; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)

note: the COVID-19 pandemic continues to have a significant impact on production and supply chains globally; since 2020, some aspects of the telecom sector have experienced downturn, particularly in mobile device production; many network operators delayed upgrades to infrastructure; progress towards 5G implementation was postponed or slowed in some countries; consumer spending on telecom services and devices was affected by large-scale job losses and the consequent restriction on disposable incomes; the crucial nature of telecom services as a tool for work and school from home became evident, and received some support from governments
Broadcast media: 1 state-owned TV station; 2 privately-owned TV stations; state-owned radio network, Radiodiffusion Nationale Tchadienne (RNT), operates national and regional stations; over 10 private radio stations; some stations rebroadcast programs from international broadcasters (2017)
Internet country code: .td
Internet users: total: 3.26 million (2022 est.)

percent of population: 19% (2022 est.)
Broadband - fixed subscriptions: total: 0 (2021)

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 0 (2021 est.)

Topic: Transportation
National air transport system: number of registered air carriers: 2 (2020)

inventory of registered aircraft operated by air carriers: 3
Civil aircraft registration country code prefix: TT
Airports: total: 59 (2021)
Airports - with paved runways: total: 9

over 3,047 m: 2

2,438 to 3,047 m: 4

1,524 to 2,437 m: 2

under 914 m: 1 (2021)
Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 50

over 3,047 m: 1

2,438 to 3,047 m: 2

1,524 to 2,437 m: 14

914 to 1,523 m: 22

under 914 m: 11 (2021)
Pipelines: 582 km oil (2013)
Roadways: total: 40,000 km (2018)

note: consists of 25,000 km of national and regional roads and 15,000 km of local roads; 206 km of urban roads are paved
Waterways: (Chari and Legone Rivers are navigable only in wet season) (2012)

Topic: Military and Security
Military and security forces: Chadian National Army (Armee Nationale du Tchad, ANT): Ground Forces (l'Armee de Terre, AdT), Chadian Air Force (l'Armee de l'Air Tchadienne, AAT), General Direction of the Security Services of State Institutions (Direction Generale des Services de Securite des Institutions de l'Etat, GDSSIE); National Gendarmerie; Ministry of Public Security and Immigration: National Nomadic Guard of Chad (GNNT), national police (2021)

note(s) - the GDSSIE, formerly known as the Republican Guard, is the presidential guard force and is considered to be Chad's elite military unit; it is reportedly a division-size unit with infantry, armor, and special forces/anti-terrorism regiments (known as the Special Anti-Terrorist Group or SATG, aka Division of Special Anti-Terrorist Groups or DGSAT)
Military expenditures: 2.9% of GDP (2020 est.)

2% of GDP (approximately $320 million) (2019 est.)

2% of GDP (approximately $310 million) (2018 est.)

2% of GDP (approximately $310 million) (2017 est.)

2.5% of GDP (approximately $380 million) (2016 est.)
Military and security service personnel strengths: limited and varied information; approximately 30,000 active personnel (20-25,000 Ground Forces; 300 Air Force; 5-10,000 General Direction of the Security Services of State Institutions); approximately 5,000 National Gendarmerie; approximately 3,000 National Nomadic Guard of Chad (2021)
Military equipment inventories and acquisitions: the ANT is mostly armed with older or second-hand equipment from Belgium, France, Russia, and the former Soviet Union; since 2010, it has received equipment, including donations, from more than 10 countries, including China, Italy, Ukraine, and the US (2021)
Military service age and obligation: 20 is the legal minimum age for compulsory military service, with a 3-year service obligation; 18 is the legal minimum age for voluntary service; no minimum age restriction for volunteers with consent from a parent or guardian; women are subject to 1 year of compulsory military or civic service at age 21 (2021)
Military deployments: 1,425 Mali (MINUSMA) (Jan 2022)

note(s) - Chad is part of a five-nation anti-jihadist task force known as the G5 Sahel Group, set up in 2014 with Burkina Faso, Mali, Mauritania, and Niger; Chad has committed 550 troops and 100 gendarmes to the force; in early 2020, G5 Sahel military chiefs of staff agreed to allow defense forces from each of the states to pursue terrorist fighters up to 100 km into neighboring countries; the G5 force is backed by the UN, US, and France; G5 troops periodically conduct joint operations with French forces deployed to the Sahel under Operation Barkhane; Chad hosts the headquarters of Operation Barkhane in N’Djamena

Chad has committed approximately 1,000-1,500 troops to the Multinational Joint Task Force (MNJTF) against Boko Haram; national MNJTF troop contingents are deployed within their own territories, although cross‐border operations are conducted periodically; in 2019, Chad sent more than 1,000 troops to Nigeria’s Borno State to fight BH as part of the MNJTF mission
Military - note: as of 2021, the ANT was chiefly focused on counterterrorism and counterinsurgency operations; it was engaged with the Boko Haram (BH) and the Islamic State in West Africa (ISWA) terrorist groups in the Lake Chad Basin area (primarily the Lac Province) and in the Sahel; in 2020, it conducted a large military operation against BH in the Lake Chad region; that same year, Chad sent troops to the tri-border area with Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger to combat ISWA militants (it also contributes a large force to the UN MINUSCA mission in Mali); in addition, the ANT was conducting operations against internal anti-government militias and armed dissident groups; several Chadian rebel groups, including the Union of Resistance Forces (UFR) and the Front for Change and Concord in Chad (FACT), operate in northern Chad from bases in Libya; former Chadian President Idriss DEBY was killed in April 2021 during fighting in the northern part of the country between FACT and the Chadian Army

Topic: Terrorism
Terrorist group(s): Boko Haram; Islamic State of Iraq and ash-Sham – West Africa

note: details about the history, aims, leadership, organization, areas of operation, tactics, targets, weapons, size, and sources of support of the group(s) appear(s) in Appendix-T

Topic: Transnational Issues
Disputes - international: since 2003, ad hoc armed militia groups and the Sudanese military have driven hundreds of thousands of Darfur residents into Chad; Chad wishes to be a helpful mediator in resolving the Darfur conflict, and in 2010 established a joint border monitoring force with Sudan, which has helped to reduce cross-border banditry and violence; only Nigeria and Cameroon have heeded the Lake Chad Commission's admonition to ratify the delimitation treaty, which also includes the Chad-Niger and Niger-Nigeria boundariessince 2003, ad hoc armed militia groups and the Sudanese military have driven hundreds of thousands of Darfur residents into Chad; Chad wishes to be a helpful mediator in resolving the Darfur conflict, and in 2010 established a joint border monitoring force with Sudan, which has helped to reduce cross-border banditry and violence; only Nigeria and Cameroon have heeded the Lake Chad Commission's admonition to ratify the delimitation treaty, which also includes the Chad-Niger and Niger-Nigeria boundaries
Refugees and internally displaced persons: refugees (country of origin): 384,979 (Sudan), 122,362 (Central African Republic), 42,746 (Cameroon), 19,658 (Nigeria) (2022)

IDPs: 406,573 (majority are in the east) (2022)
Trafficking in persons: current situation: human traffickers exploit domestic and foreign victims in Chad and Chadians abroad; most trafficking is internal; some children are sent by their parents to relatives or intermediaries to receive education, an apprenticeship, goods, or money and are then forced to work in domestic service or cattle herding; children are also forced to work in agriculture, gold mines, charcoal vending, and fishing, and those attending Koranic schools are forced into begging and street vending; girls from rural areas who search for work in larger towns are exploited in sex trafficking and domestic servitude; terrorist groups abduct children to serve as soldiers, suicide bombers, brides, and forced laborers

tier rating: Tier 2 Watch List — Chad does not fully meet the minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking but is making significant efforts to do so; one trafficker was convicted, the first under a 2018 law, but the government did not report investigating or prosecuting alleged traffickers, including complicit government officials; the government adopted a formal Road Map to implement its 2108 National Action Plan but did not report executing it; authorities did not identify any victims and have not drafted victim identification and referral procedures; the government continued to make no effort to raise awareness on trafficking (2020)


US State Dept Travel Advisory: The US Department of State currently recommends US citizens RECONSIDER TRAVEL to Slovakia due to COVID-19. Consult its website via the link below for updates to travel advisories and statements on safety, security, local laws and special circumstances in this country.

https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/traveladvisories/traveladvisories.html
Passport/Visa Requirements: US citizens should make sure their passport will not expire for at least 6 months after they enter the country even if they do not intend to stay that long. They should also make sure they have at least 1 blank page in their passport for any entry stamp that will be required. A visa is not required as long as the stay is less than 90 days.
US Embassy/Consulate: +(421) (2) 5443-0861 or +(421) (2) 5443-3338; EMER: +(421) 903-703-666; US Embassy Bratislava, 814 99 Bratislava, Slovakia; consulbratislava@state.gov;
https://sk.usembassy.gov/
Telephone Code: 421
Local Emergency Phone: Ambulance: 155; Fire: 150; Police; 158
Vaccinations: See WHO recommendations

http://www.who.int/
Climate: Temperate; cool summers; cold, cloudy, humid winters
Currency (Code): Euros (EUR)
Electricity/Voltage/Plug Type(s): 230 V / 50 Hz / plug types(s): C, E

Major Languages: Slovak, Hungarian, Roma, Ruthenian
Major Religions: Roman Catholic 62%, Protestant 8.2%, Greek Catholic 3.8%
Time Difference: UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time); daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last Sunday in October
Potable Water: Yes
International Driving Permit: Suggested
Road Driving Side: Right
Tourist Destinations: Spis Castle; Slovak Paradise National Park; Pieniny Mountains; Demanovska Cave of Liberty; Vychodna Folklore Festival; Bratislava Castle; Tatra Mountains; Levoca
Major Sports: Soccer, ice hockey, cycling, hiking, soccer
Cultural Practices: Always wait to be invited before using someone’s first name. If you are invited to a Slovak’s home, take wine, flowers, or good quality chocolates for the hostess.
Tipping Guidelines: A tip of 10-20% is expected in restaurants. In other settings, tipping is expected only from tourists. In such cases, either round up a bill or leave 10% of the total.Please visit the following links to find further information about your desired destination.

World Health Organization (WHO) - To learn what vaccines and health precautions to take while visiting your destination.

US State Dept Travel Information - Overall information about foreign travel for US citizens.

To obtain an international driving permit (IDP). Only two organizations in the US issue IDPs:
American Automobile Association (AAA) and American Automobile Touring Alliance (AATA)

How to get help in an emergency?
Contact the nearest US embassy or consulate, or call one of these numbers:
from the US or Canada - 1-888-407-4747 or from Overseas - +1 202-501-4444

Page last updated: Wednesday, January 12, 2022


This entry contains an alphabetical listing of all nonindependent entities associated in some way with a particular independent state.

Topic: AustraliaAshmore and Cartier Islands, Christmas Island, Cocos (Keeling) Islands, Coral Sea Islands, Heard Island and McDonald Islands, Norfolk Island

Topic: FranceClipperton Island, French Polynesia, French Southern and Antarctic Lands, New Caledonia, Saint Barthelemy, Saint Martin, Saint Pierre and Miquelon, Wallis and Futuna

note: the US Government does not recognize claims to Antarctica; New Caledonia has been considered a "sui generis" collectivity of France since 1998, a unique status falling between that of an independent country and a French overseas department

Topic: NetherlandsAruba, Curacao, Sint Maarten

Topic: New ZealandCook Islands, Niue, Tokelau

Topic: NorwayBouvet Island, Jan Mayen, Svalbard

Topic: United KingdomAnguilla; Bermuda; British Indian Ocean Territory; British Virgin Islands; Cayman Islands; Falkland Islands; Gibraltar; Montserrat; Pitcairn Islands; Saint Helena, Ascension, and Tristan da Cunha; South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands; Turks and Caicos Islands

Topic: United StatesAmerican Samoa, Baker Island, Guam, Howland Island, Jarvis Island, Johnston Atoll, Kingman Reef, Midway Islands, Navassa Island, Northern Mariana Islands, Palmyra Atoll, Puerto Rico, Virgin Islands, Wake Island

note: from 18 July 1947 until 1 October 1994, the US administered the Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands; it entered into a political relationship with all four political entities: the Northern Mariana Islands is a commonwealth in political union with the US (effective 3 November 1986); the Republic of the Marshall Islands signed a Compact of Free Association with the US (effective 21 October 1986); the Federated States of Micronesia signed a Compact of Free Association with the US (effective 3 November 1986); Palau concluded a Compact of Free Association with the US (effective 1 October 1994)