Chad

Chad Geography

Location
Central Africa, south of Libya

Geographic coordinates
15 00 N, 19 00 E

Area
total: 1.284 million sq km
land: 1,259,200 sq km
water: 24,800 sq km

Area - comparative
slightly more than three times the size of California

Land boundaries
total: 5,968 km
border countries: 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)

Climate
tropical in south, desert in north

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

Elevation extremes
lowest point: Djourab Depression 160 m
highest point: Emi Koussi 3,415 m

Natural resources
petroleum, uranium, natron, kaolin, fish (Lake Chad)

Land use
arable land: 2.86%
permanent crops: 0.02%
other: 97.12% (2001)

Irrigated land
200 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards
hot, dry, dusty harmattan winds occur in north; periodic droughts; locust plagues

Environment - current issues
inadequate supplies of potable water; improper waste disposal in rural areas contributes to soil and water pollution; desertification

Environment - international agreements
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping

Geography - note
landlocked; Lake Chad is the most significant water body in the Sahel



- Info Provided by the CIA World Factbook -