Location: Central Africa, between the Central African Republic and Libya

Map references: Africa, Standard Time Zones of the World

Area:
total area: 1.284 million sq km
land area: 1,259,200 sq km
comparative area: slightly more than three times the size of California

Land boundaries: total 5,968 km, Cameroon 1,094 km, Central African Republic 1,197 km, Libya 1,055 km, Niger 1,175 km, Nigeria 87 km, Sudan 1,360 km

Coastline: 0 km (landlocked)

Maritime claims: none; landlocked

International disputes: the International Court of Justice (ICJ) ruled in February 1994 that the 100,000 sq km Aozou Strip between Chad and Libya belongs to Chad, and that Libya must withdraw from it by 31 May 1994; Libya had withdrawn its forces in response to the ICJ ruling, but as of June 1994 still maintained an airfield in the disputed area; demarcation of international boundaries in Lake Chad, the lack of which has led to border incidents in the past, is completed and awaiting ratification by Cameroon, Chad, Niger, and Nigeria

Climate: tropical in south, desert in north

Terrain: broad, arid plains in center, desert in north, mountains in northwest, lowlands in south

Natural resources: petroleum (unexploited but exploration under way), uranium, natron, kaolin, fish (Lake Chad)

Land use:
arable land: 2%
permanent crops: 0%
meadows and pastures: 36%
forest and woodland: 11%
other: 51%

Irrigated land: 100 sq km (1989 est.)

Environment:
current issues: desertification
natural hazards: hot, dry, dusty harmattan winds occur in north; periodic droughts; subject to locust plagues
international agreements: party to - Endangered Species, Nuclear Test Ban, Wetlands; signed, but not ratified - Biodiversity, Climate Change, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping

Note: landlocked; Lake Chad is the most significant water body in the Sahel

NOTE: The information regarding Chad on this page is re-published from the 1995 World Fact Book of the United States Central Intelligence Agency. No claims are made regarding the accuracy of Chad Geography 1995 information contained here. All suggestions for corrections of any errors about Chad Geography 1995 should be addressed to the CIA.