People

Population: 7 359 512 (July 1998 est.)

Age structure:

0-14 years: 44% (male 1 631 010; female 1 623 272)

15-64 years: 53% (male 1 903 012; female 1 982 257)

65 years and over: 3% (male 97 118; female 122 843) (July 1998 est.)

Population growth rate: 2.66% (1998 est.)

Birth rate: 43.45 births/1 000 population (1998 est.)

Death rate: 16.86 deaths/1 000 population (1998 est.)

Net migration rate: 0 migrant(s)/1 000 population (1998 est.)

Sex ratio:

at birth: 1.04 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 0.96 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.79 male(s)/female (1998 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 116.97 deaths/1 000 live births (1998 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:

total population: 48.22 years

male: 45.81 years

female: 50.73 years (1998 est.)

Total fertility rate: 5.74 children born/woman (1998 est.)

Nationality:

noun: Chadian(s)

adjective: Chadian

Ethnic groups: Muslims (Arabs Toubou Hadjerai Fulbe Kotoko Kanembou Baguirmi Boulala Zaghawa and Maba) non-Muslims (Sara Ngambaye Mbaye Goulaye Moundang Moussei Massa) nonindigenous 150 000 (of whom 1 000 are French)

Religions: Muslim 50% Christian 25% indigenous beliefs (mostly animism) 25%

Languages: French (official) Arabic (official) Sara and Sango (in south) more than 100 different languages and dialects

Literacy:

definition: age 15 and over can read and write in French or Arabic

total population: 48.1%

male: 41%

female: 13%