A largely semi-desert country, Chad is rich in gold and uranium and stands to benefit from its recently-acquired status as an oil-exporting state.
• Full name:The Republic of Chad
• Population: 11.5 million (UN, 2010)
• Capital: N'Djamena
• Area: 1.28 million sq km (495,800 sq miles)
• Major languages: French, Arabic
• Major religions: Islam, Christianity
• Life expectancy: 49 years (men), 51 years (women) (UN)
• Monetary unit: 1 CFA (Communaute Financiere Africaine) franc = 100 centimes
• Main exports: Cotton, oil, livestock, textiles
• GNI per capita: US $610 (World Bank, 2009)
• Internet domain: .td
• International dialling code: +235
(http://news.bbcimg.co.uk/media/images/45837000/gif/_45837916_chad226.gif)
However, Africa's fifth-largest nation suffers from inadequate infrastructure and internal conflict. Poverty is rife, and health and social conditions compare unfavourably with those elsewhere in the region.
BBC (http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/country_profiles/1068700.stm)