Capital: N'Djamena
Administrative divisions: 14 prefectures (prefectures, singular - prefecture); Batha, Biltine, Borkou-Ennedi-Tibesti, Chari-Baguirmi, Guera, Kanem, Lac, Logone Occidental, Logone Oriental, Mayo-Kebbi, Moyen-Chari, Ouaddai, Salamat, Tandjile

Independence: 11 August 1960 (from France)
National holiday: Independence Day 11 August (1960)

Constitution: 22 December 1989, suspended 3 December 1990; Provisional National Charter 1 March 1991; constitutional commission drafting new constitution to submit to transitional parliament for ratification in April 1994

Legal system: based on French civil law system and Chadian customary law; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
Suffrage: universal at age NA

Executive branch:
chief of state: President Col. Idriss DEBY, since 4 December 1990 (after seizing power on 3 December 1990 - transitional government's mandate expires April 1995)
head of government: Prime Minister Kassire Delwa KOUMAKOYE (since 17 November 1993)
cabinet: Council of State; appointed by the president on recommendation of the prime minister

Legislative branch: unicameral National Consultative Council (Conceil National
Consultatif): elections last held 8 July 1990; disbanded 3 December 1990 and replaced by the Provisional Council of the Republic having 30 members appointed by President DEBY on 8 March 1991; this, in turn, was replaced by a 57-member Higher Transitional Council (Conseil Superieur de Transition) elected by a specially convened Sovereign National Conference on 6 April 1993

Judicial branch: Court of Appeal

Political parties and leaders: Patriotic Salvation Movement (MPS; former dissident group), Idriss DEBY, chairman
note: President DEBY, who promised political pluralism, a new constitution, and free elections by April 1994, has postponed these initiatives for another year; there are numerous dissident groups and 26 opposition political parties
Other political or pressure groups: NA
Member of: ACCT, ACP, AfDB, BDEAC, CEEAC, ECA, FAO, FZ, G-77, GATT, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, IDA, IDB, IFAD, ILO, IMF, INTELSAT, INTERPOL, IOC, ITU, LORCS, NAM, OAU, OIC, UDEAC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Diplomatic representation in US:
chief of mission: (vacant); Ambassador KOUMBARIA Laoumaye Mekonyo died on 16 May 1994
chancery: 2002 R Street NW, Washington, DC 20009
telephone: (202) 462-4009
FAX: (202) 265-1937
US diplomatic representation:
chief of mission: Ambassador Lawrence POPE
embassy: Avenue Felix Eboue, N'Djamena
mailing address: B. P. 413, N'Djamena
telephone: [235] (51) 62-18, 40-09, or 62-11
FAX: [235] (51) 33-72

Flag: three equal vertical bands of blue (hoist side), yellow, and red; similar to the flag of Romania; also similar to the flag of Andorra, which has a national coat of arms featuring a quartered shield centered in the yellow band; design was based on the flag of France

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 Government 1995 information contained here. All suggestions for corrections of any errors about Chad Government 1995 should be addressed to the CIA.