[syn: Chad, Chadic, Chadic language]
The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48:
Shad \Shad\ (sh[a^]d), n. sing. & pl. [AS. sceadda a kind of
fish, akin to Prov. G. schade; cf. Ir. & Gael. sgadan a
herring, W. ysgadan herrings; all perhaps akin to E. skate a
fish.] (Zool.)
Any one of several species of food fishes of the Herring
family. The American species (Alosa sapidissima formerly
Clupea sapidissima), which is abundant on the Atlantic
coast and ascends the larger rivers in spring to spawn, is an
important market fish. The European allice shad, or alose
(Alosa alosa formerly Clupea alosa), and the twaite shad
(Alosa finta formerly Clupea finta), are less important
species. [Written also chad.]
[1913 Webster]
Note: The name is loosely applied, also, to several other
fishes, as the gizzard shad (see under Gizzard),
called also mud shad, white-eyed shad, and winter
shad.
[1913 Webster]
Hardboaded shad, or Yellow-tailed shad, the menhaden.
Hickory shad, or Tailor shad, the mattowacca.
Long-boned shad, one of several species of important food
fishes of the Bermudas and the West Indies, of the genus
Gerres.
Shad bush (Bot.), a name given to the North American shrubs
or small trees of the rosaceous genus Amelanchier
(Amelanchier Canadensis, and Amelanchier alnifolia).
Their white racemose blossoms open in April or May, when
the shad appear, and the edible berries (pomes) ripen in
June or July, whence they are called Juneberries. The
plant is also called service tree, and Juneberry.
Shad frog, an American spotted frog (Rana halecina); --
so called because it usually appears at the time when the
shad begin to run in the rivers.
Trout shad, the squeteague.
White shad, the common shad.
[1913 Webster]
The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48:
Chad \Chad\, n.
See Shad. [Obs.]
[1913 Webster]
WordNet (r) 3.0 (2006):
chad
n 1: a small piece of paper that is supposed to be removed when
a hole is punched in a card or paper tape
2: a lake in north central Africa; fed by the Shari river [syn:
Lake Chad, Chad]
3: a landlocked desert republic in north-central Africa; was
under French control until 1960 [syn: Chad, Republic of
Chad, Tchad]
4: a family of Afroasiatic tonal languages (mostly two tones)
spoken in the regions west and south of Lake Chad in north
central Africa [syn: Chad, Chadic, Chadic language]
The Jargon File (version 4.4.7, 29 Dec 2003):
chad
/chad/, n.
1. [common] The perforated edge strips on printer paper, after they have
been separated from the printed portion. Also called selvage, perf, and
ripoff.
2. The confetti-like paper bits punched out of cards or paper tape; this
has also been called chaff, computer confetti, and keypunch droppings. It's
reported that this was very old Army slang (associated with teletypewriters
before the computer era), and has been occasionally sighted in directions
for punched-card vote tabulators long after it passed out of live use among
computer programmers in the late 1970s. This sense of ?chad? returned to
the mainstream during the finale of the hotly disputed U.S. presidential
election in 2000 via stories about the Florida vote recounts. Note however
that in the revived mainstream usage chad is not a mass noun and ?a chad?
is a single piece of the stuff.
There is an urban legend that chad (sense 2) derives from the Chadless
keypunch (named for its inventor), which cut little u-shaped tabs in the
card to make a hole when the tab folded back, rather than punching out a
circle/rectangle; it was clear that if the Chadless keypunch didn't make
them, then the stuff that other keypunches made had to be ?chad?. However,
serious attempts to track down ?Chadless? as a personal name or U.S.
trademark have failed, casting doubt on this etymology ? and the U.S.
Patent Classification System uses ?chadless? (small c) as an adjective,
suggesting that ?chadless? derives from ?chad? and not the other way
around. There is another legend that the word was originally acronymic,
standing for ?Card Hole Aggregate Debris?, but this has all the earmarks of
a backronym. It has also been noted that the word ?chad? is Scots dialect
for gravel, but nobody has proposed any plausible reason that card chaff
should be thought of as gravel. None of these etymologies is really
plausible.
[74-12-31]
This is one way to be chadless.
The Free On-line Dictionary of Computing (30 December 2018):
chad
perf
selvage
snaf
/chad/ (Or "selvage" /sel'v*j/ (sewing and
weaving), "perf", "perfory", "snaf"). 1. The perforated
edge strips on paper for sprocket feed printers, after they
have been separated from the printed portion.
The term perf may also refer to the perforations themselves,
rather than the chad they produce when torn.
[Why "snaf"?]
2. (Or "chaff", "computer confetti", "keypunch droppings") The
confetti-like bits punched out of punched cards or paper
tape which collected in the chad box.
One of the Jargon File's correspondents believed that "chad"
derived from the chadless keypunch.
[Jargon File]
(1997-07-18)
CIA World Factbook 2002:
Chad
Introduction Chad
-----------------
Background: Chad, part of France's African
holdings until 1960, endured three
decades of ethnic warfare as well as
invasions by Libya before a
semblance of peace was finally
restored in 1990. The government
eventually suppressed or came to
terms with most political-military
groups, settled a territorial
dispute with Libya on terms
favorable to Chad, drafted a
democratic constitution, and held
multiparty presidential and National
Assembly elections in 1996 and 1997
respectively. In 1998 a new
rebellion broke out in northern
Chad, which continued to escalate
throughout 2000. A peace agreement,
signed in January 2002 between the
government and the rebels, provides
for the demobilization of the rebels
and their reintegration into the
political system. Despite movement
toward democratic reform, power
remains in the hands of a northern
ethnic oligarchy.
Geography Chad
--------------
Location: Central Africa, south of Libya
Geographic coordinates: 15 00 N, 19 00 E
Map references: Africa
Area: total: 1.284 million sq km
water: 24,800 sq km
land: 1,259,200 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 (unexploited but
exploration under way), uranium,
natron, kaolin, fish (Lake Chad)
Land use: arable land: 2.78%
permanent crops: 0.02%
other: 97.2% (1998 est.)
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 party to: Biodiversity, Climate
agreements: Change, Desertification, Endangered
Species, Nuclear Test Ban, 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
People Chad
-----------
Population: 8,997,237 (July 2002 est.)
Age structure: 0-14 years: 47.8% (male 2,162,732;
female 2,135,354)
15-64 years: 49.4% (male 2,108,134;
female 2,340,189)
65 years and over: 2.8% (male
103,683; female 147,145) (2002 est.)
Population growth rate: 3.27% (2002 est.)
Birth rate: 47.74 births/1,000 population (2002
est.)
Death rate: 15.06 deaths/1,000 population (2002
est.)
Net migration rate: 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2002
est.)
Sex ratio: at birth: 1.04 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.01 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.9 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.7 male(s)/
female
total population: 0.95 male(s)/
female (2002 est.)
Infant mortality rate: 93.46 deaths/1,000 live births (2002
est.)
Life expectancy at birth: total population: 51.27 years
female: 53.4 years (2002 est.)
male: 49.22 years
Total fertility rate: 6.5 children born/woman (2002 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: 5%-7% (2001)
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/ 300,000 (2001)
AIDS:
HIV/AIDS - deaths: 14,000 (confirmed AIDS cases, actual
number far higher but difficult to
estimate) (2001)
Nationality: noun: Chadian(s)
adjective: Chadian
Ethnic groups: 200 distinct groups; in the north
and center: Arabs, Gorane (Toubou,
Daza, Kreda), Zaghawa, Kanembou,
Ouaddai, Baguirmi, Hadjerai, Fulbe,
Kotoko, Hausa, Boulala, and Maba,
most of whom are Muslim; in the
south: Sara (Ngambaye, Mbaye,
Goulaye), Moundang, Moussei, Massa,
most of whom are Christian or
animist; about 1,000 French citizens
live in Chad
Religions: Muslim 51%, Christian 35%, animist
7%, other 7%
Languages: French (official), Arabic
(official), Sara (in south), more
than 120 different languages and
dialects
Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read
and write French or Arabic
total population: 40%
male: 49%
female: 31% (1998)
Government Chad
---------------
Country name: conventional long form: Republic of
Chad
conventional short form: Chad
local long form: Republique du Tchad
local short form: Tchad
Government type: republic
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
note: instead of 14 prefectures,
there may be a new administrative
structure of 28 departments
(departments, singular -
department), and 1 city*; Assongha,
Baguirmi, Bahr El Gazal, Bahr Koh,
Batha Oriental, Batha Occidental,
Biltine, Borkou, Dababa, Ennedi,
Guera, Hadjer Lamis, Kabia, Kanem,
Lac, Lac Iro, Logone Occidental,
Logone Oriental, Mandoul, Mayo-
Boneye, Mayo-Dallah, Monts de Lam,
N'djamena*, Ouaddai, Salamat, Sila,
Tandjile Oriental, Tandjile
Occidental, Tibesti
Independence: 11 August 1960 (from France)
National holiday: Independence Day, 11 August (1960)
Constitution: passed by referendum 31 March 1996
Legal system: based on French civil law system and
Chadian customary law; has not
accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal
Executive branch: chief of state: President Lt. Gen.
Idriss DEBY (since 4 December 1990)
head of government: Prime Minister
Nagoum YAMASSOUM (since 13 December
1999)
cabinet: Council of State, members
appointed by the president on the
recommendation of the prime minister
election results: Lt. Gen. Idriss
DEBY reelected president; percent of
vote - Lt. Gen. Idriss DEBY 63%,
Ngarlegy YORONGAR 16%, Saleh KEBZABO
7%
note: government coalition - MPS,
UNDR, and URD
elections: president elected by
popular vote to serve five-year
term; if no candidate receives at
least 50% of the total vote, the two
candidates receiving the most votes
must stand for a second round of
voting; last held 20 May 2001 (next
to be held NA 2006); prime minister
appointed by the president
Legislative branch: bicameral according to constitution,
consists of a National Assembly (155
seats; members elected by popular
vote to serve four-year terms) and a
Senate (not yet created and size
unspecified, members to serve six-
year terms, one-third of membership
renewable every two years)
election results: percent of vote by
party - NA%; seats by party - MPS
110, RDP 12, FAR 9, RNDP 5, URD 5,
UNDR 3, others 11
elections: National Assembly - last
held 25 April 2002 (next to be held
in NA April 2006)
Judicial branch: Supreme Court; Court of Appeal;
Criminal Courts; Magistrate Courts
Political parties and leaders: Federation Action for the Republic
or FAR [Ngarlejy YORONGAR]; National
Rally for Development and Progress
or RNDP [Mamadou BISSO]; National
Union for Development and Renewal or
UNDR [Saleh KEBZABO]; National Union
for Renewal and Democracy or UNRD
[leader NA]; Party for Liberty and
Democracy or PLD [Ibni Oumar Mahamat
SALEH]; Patriotic Salvation Movement
or MPS [Mahamat Saleh AHMAT,
chairman] (originally in opposition
but now the party in power and the
party of the president); Rally for
Democracy and Progress or RDP [Lal
Mahamat CHOUA]; Union for Democracy
and the Republic or UDR [Jean
Bawoyeu ALINGUE]; Union for Renewal
and Democracy or URD [Gen. Wadal
Abdelkader KAMOUGUE]; Viva Rally for
Development and Progress or Viva
RNDP [Delwa Kassire COUMAKOYE]
Political pressure groups and NA
leaders:
International organization ACCT, ACP, AfDB, BDEAC, CEEAC,
participation: CEMAC, ECA, FAO, FZ, G-77, IBRD,
ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD,
IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, Interpol, IOC,
ITU, NAM, OAU, OIC, OPCW
(signatory), UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO,
UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WHO, WIPO, WMO,
WToO, WTrO
Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador
Hassaballah Abdelhadi Ahmat SOUBIANE
chancery: 2002 R Street NW,
Washington, DC 20009
FAX: [1] (202) 265-1937
telephone: [1] (202) 462-4009
Diplomatic representation from the chief of mission: Ambassador
US: Christopher E. GOLDTHWAIT
embassy: Avenue Felix Eboue,
N'Djamena
mailing address: B. P. 413,
N'Djamena
telephone: [235] (51) 70-09
FAX: [235] (51) 56-54
Flag description: three equal vertical bands of blue
(hoist side), yellow, and red;
similar to the flag of Romania; also
similar to the flags of Andorra and
Moldova, both of which have a
national coat of arms centered in
the yellow band; design was based on
the flag of France
Economy Chad
------------
Economy - overview: Chad's primarily agricultural
economy will be boosted by major
oilfield and pipeline projects that
began in 2000. Over 80% of Chad's
population relies on subsistence
farming and stock raising for their
livelihood. Cotton, cattle, and gum
arabic provide the bulk of Chad's
export earnings, but Chad will begin
to export oil in 2004. Chad's
economy has long been handicapped by
its land-locked position, high
energy costs, and a history of
instability. Chad relies on foreign
assistance and foreign capital for
most public and private sector
investment projects. A consortium
led by two US companies is investing
$3.7 billion to develop oil reserves
estimated at 1 billion barrels in
southern Chad.
GDP: purchasing power parity - $8.9
billion (2001 est.)
GDP - real growth rate: 8% (2001 est.)
GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $1,030
(2001 est.)
GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 38%
industry: 13%
services: 49% (2001 est.)
Population below poverty line: 80% (2001 est.)
Household income or consumption by lowest 10%: NA%
percentage share: highest 10%: NA%
Inflation rate (consumer prices): 3% (2000 est.)
Labor force: NA
Labor force - by occupation: agriculture more than 80%
(subsistence farming, herding, and
fishing)
Unemployment rate: NA%
Budget: revenues: $198 million
expenditures: $218 million,
including capital expenditures of
$146 million (1998 est.)
Industries: cotton textiles, meatpacking, beer
brewing, natron (sodium carbonate),
soap, cigarettes, construction
materials
Industrial production growth rate: 5% (1995)
Electricity - production: 92 million kWh (2000)
Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 100%
hydro: 0%
other: 0% (2000)
nuclear: 0%
Electricity - consumption: 85.56 million kWh (2000)
Electricity - exports: 0 kWh (2000)
Electricity - imports: 0 kWh (2000)
Agriculture - products: cotton, sorghum, millet, peanuts,
rice, potatoes, manioc (tapioca);
cattle, sheep, goats, camels
Exports: $172 million (f.o.b., 2000 est.)
Exports - commodities: cotton, cattle, gum arabic
Exports - partners: Portugal 38%, Germany 12%, Thailand,
Costa Rica, South Africa, France,
Nigeria (2001)
Imports: $223 million (f.o.b., 2000 est.)
Imports - commodities: machinery and transportation
equipment, industrial goods,
petroleum products, foodstuffs,
textiles
Imports - partners: France 40%, Cameroon 13%, Nigeria
12%, India 5% (1999)
Debt - external: $1.1 billion (2000 est.)
Economic aid - recipient: $238.3 million (1995); note - $125
million committed by Taiwan (August
1997); $30 million committed by
African Development Bank
Currency: Communaute Financiere Africaine
franc (XAF); note - responsible
authority is the Bank of the Central
African States
Currency code: XAF
Exchange rates: Communaute Financiere Africaine
francs (XAF) per US dollar - 742.79
(January 2002), 733.04 (2001),
711.98 (2000), 615.70 (1999), 589.95
(1998), 583.67 (1997); note - from 1
January 1999, the XAF is pegged to
the euro at a rate of 655.957 XAF
per euro
Fiscal year: calendar year
Communications Chad
-------------------
Telephones - main lines in use: 10,260 (2000)
Telephones - mobile cellular: 20,000 (2002)
Telephone system: general assessment: primitive system
domestic: fair system of
radiotelephone communication
stations
international: satellite earth
station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic
Ocean)
Radio broadcast stations: AM 2, FM 3, shortwave 5 (1998)
Radios: 1.67 million (1997)
Television broadcast stations: 1 (1997)
Televisions: 10,000 (1997)
Internet country code: .td
Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 1 (2000)
Internet users: 1,000 (2000)
Transportation Chad
-------------------
Railways: 0 km
Highways: total: 33,400 km
paved: 450 km
note: probably no more than 8,000 km
of the total receive maintenance,
the remainder being desert tracks
(2000)
unpaved: 32,950 km
Waterways: 2,000 km
Ports and harbors: none
Airports: 49 (2001)
Airports - with paved runways: total: 7
over 3,047 m: 2
2,438 to 3,047 m: 3
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1
under 914 m: 1 (2001)
Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 42
1,524 to 2,437 m: 12
914 to 1,523 m: 20
under 914 m: 10 (2001)
Military Chad
-------------
Military branches: Armed Forces (including National
Army, Air Force, and Gendarmerie),
Rapid Intervention Force, National
and Nomadic Guard (GNNT),
Presidential Security Guard, Police
Military manpower - military age: 20 years of age (2002 est.)
Military manpower - availability: males age 15-49: 1,881,769 (2002
est.)
Military manpower - fit for military males age 15-49: 985,094 (2002 est.)
service:
Military manpower - reaching males: 82,003 (2002 est.)
military age annually:
Military expenditures - dollar $31 million (FY01)
figure:
Military expenditures - percent of 1.9% (FY01)
GDP:
Transnational Issues Chad
-------------------------
Disputes - international: Lake Chad Commission urges
signatories Cameroon, Chad, Niger,
and Nigeria to ratify delimitation
treaty over lake region, the site of
continuing armed clashes; Nigeria
requests and Chad rejects
redemarcation of boundary, which
lacks clear demarcation in sections
and has caused several cross-border
incidents; Chadian rebels from Aozou
reside in Libya