Gross domestic product (GDP) grew 7.2% in 2012 and is projected to increase 7.4% in 2013. This growth will be driven by the buoyancy of the agriculture and oil sectors, largely due to implementation of government industrial, energy and agro-livestock projects. Poor weather affected harvests in 2011 and 2012, pushing inflation up to 7% in 2012. It should drop to 3.1% in 2013.

La croissance du produit intérieur brut (PIB) du Tchad a atteint 7.2 % en 2012 et se situerait à 7.4 % en 2013. L’activité économique devrait être portée par le dynamisme des secteurs agricole et pétrolier grâce notamment à la mise en oeuvre des projets de l’État en matières industrielles, énergétiques et agropastorales. À cause des aléas climatiques subis par le secteur agricole en 2011 et 2012 l’inflation a connu une accélération à 7 % en 2012. Elle pourrait retomber à 3.1 % en 2013.

Chad gross domestic product (GDP) growth is projected to reach 7% in 2012, driven by the non-oil sector as new power and cement plants come on stream, but it could slow to 3.2% in 2013 owing to a drop in oil production. Over the 2012-13 period, inflation will be held well below 3%, the convergence criterion of the Economic and Monetary Community of Central Africa (CEMAC). In 2011, Chad’s economic growth slowed sharply to 2.8%, against 14.3% in 2010, chiefly because of a drop-off in primary sector activity.

La croissaince du produit intérieur brut (PIB) du Tchad devrait atteindre 7 % en 2012, tirée par le secteur non pétrolier, grâce à la mise en service de nouvelles unités de production d’électricité et de ciment. Mais elle pourrait se ralentir en 2013 (3.2 %) du fait de la baisse de la production pétrolière. L’inflation sera maintenue sur la période 2012-13 largement en deçà de 3 %, critère de convergence retenu par la Communauté économique et monétaire de l’Afrique centrale (CEMAC). En 2011, l’économie tchadienne a connu un net ralentissement avec un taux de croissance de 2.8 %, contre 14.3 % en 2010, à cause principalement de la baisse d’activité dans le secteur primaire.

The economy did fairly well in 2010, growing an estimated 5.9% (up from 1.7% in 2009), with the better security situation a key. Growth was also driven by external factors such as higher world oil prices. The oil sector advanced by only 0.3% however, while the non-oil sector expanded strongly (6.4%, against 3.3% in 2009). As world demand picks up and construction and oil sector investment continues, overall growth is expected to be 5.7% in 2011 and 6.9% in 2012. Inflation fell sharply to 0.6%, from 10.1% in 2009. Public finance management was problematic due to poorly planned investment spending (based on domestic funding) which widely overshot budget limits and increased the primary non-oil deficit to 28.4% (up from 25.1% in 2009). Healthy oil prices substantially improved the external position and strong growth of goods exports (+33.8%) and foreign direct investment (FDI) in the oil sector (+36.8%) reduced the current account deficit to 12.8% of GDP (from 16.9% in 2009).

L’année 2009 a été marquée par un léger recul de l’activité économique compte tenu de la mauvaise performance du secteur agricole et la poursuite des effets de la crise financière internationale sur l’économie. Dans ces conditions, le produit intérieur brut (PIB) réel global a diminué de 0.8 %. L’inflation s’est accélérée pour atteindre 10.5 % en moyenne annuelle à la fin décembre 2009, en raison de l’accroissement de la masse monétaire et de la faiblesse des rendements agricoles. Pour 2010/11, les politiques de l’État viseront à respecter le critère régional Cemac d’une inflation de 3 % en moyenne annuelle. La crise financière internationale a conduit à une dépréciation de la position fiscale et extérieure du Tchad en 2009.

The year 2009 was marked by a slight decrease in economic activity owing to poor performance in the agricultural sector and the continuing effects of the international financial crisis on the economy. This resulted in total real gross domestic product (GDP) decreasing by 0.8%. Inflation accelerated and reached a yearly average of 10.5% by end-December 2009 owing to an increase in money supply and a weakening in agricultural yields. For 2010/11, government policy aims to keep average annual inflation within the regional target of 3% set by the Central African Economic and Monetary Community (CEMAC). The international financial crisis led to a depreciation in the country's fiscal and external position in 2009.
 

The population in Chad is characterised by a distinct division between ethnic groups who inhabit the north and those who live in the south, a fact that is relevant to certain gender issues. The north is home to the Arab, Peul and Hausa ethnic groups, who are Muslims and often livestock farmers; collectively, they represent half of the population. In the south, the dominant groups include Animists, who make up 39% of the population, and Christians, who make up 11%. The country’s largest ethnic group is the Saras, who live off agriculture.

L’ANNÉE 2008 A ÉTÉ UNE NOUVELLE FOIS marquée par une faible croissance du PIB global. Le produit intérieur brut n’a augmenté que de 0.2 pour cent en raison de la performance médiocre du secteur pétrolier, en dégradation depuis 2007, en dépit d’une bonne performance du secteur agricole. Les conflits persistants entre forces gouvernementales et groupes rebelles ont également pesé. La contribution à la croissance du secteur pétrolier restera faible en 2009, et cette faiblesse sera aggravée par le fléchissement de la demande et des cours mondiaux, ce qui se traduira par un ralentissement de la croissance du PIB de 0.7 points de pourcentage. Les effets attendus de l’amélioration espérée du climat politique sur une reprise de la consommation et de l’investissement ne se traduiront, le cas échéant, qu’à partir de 2010, le Tchad retrouvant alors des taux de croissance positifs.

IN 2008, OVERALL GROSS DOMESTIC product (GDP) growth remained weak. GDP rose by only 0.2 per cent owing to the poor performance of the oil industry, which had been deteriorating since 2007, despite the strong performance of the agricultural sector. Ongoing conflicts between government forces and rebel groups have also had an impact. The oil industry’s contribution to growth will remain weak in 2009, and this will be exacerbated by a decrease in demand and in world market prices, causing GDP growth to slow by 0.7 percentage points. An improved political climate is expected to cause a recovery in consumption and investment. However, even if this occurs, it will not return Chad to positive growth rates until 2010.

AFTER STAGNATING FOR MOST of 2006, Chad’s economy shrank 0.3 per cent in 2007 as activity in the oil sector declined. This was despite relatively good non-oil sector results, mainly due to a healthy performance by government services and its positive effects on the activities of non-oil branches.The oil sector contracted because of a fall in output, even though substantial investment was made to deal with premature water flooding in wells and a new oil field (Maikeri) came into production in the second half of 2007.

After a slowdown in economic growth in 1999 and 2000 and then a return to growth that was fuelled by investments in the oil sector between 1999 and 2003, the Chadian economy has now entered the oil era. The GDP growth rate accelerated to 31 per cent in 2004 from 11.3 per cent in 2003 as a result of the increase in oil output that followed the start of production in the Doba basin in July 2003. Exports of the “black gold” were the principal driving force behind growth in 2004. A marked reduction was expected in 2005, however, under the impact of a fall....