What is the population of Chad in 2026?
Chad has a population of 21,003,705 people (2025 estimate), which is 64th in the world and about 0.25% of the global total.
Officially Republic of Chad
Population 2025
21,003,705
0.25% of world population
World Bank, 2025Annual Growth
+3.41%
+716,646 people a year
World Bank, 2025Density
15/km²
1,259,200 km² land area
World Bank, 2023Median Age
15.8 years
Life expectancy 55.2 years
Our World in Data, 2025About Chad
With a population of 21,003,705, Chad ranks 64th globally and covers 1,259,200 km² across north-central Africa. The country borders Cameroon, the Central African Republic, Libya, Niger, Nigeria, and Sudan. N'Djamena serves as the capital, and the official languages are Arabic and French. Chad adopted the Central African CFA franc as its currency and gained independence in 1960.
The population grows at 3.4% annually, driven by a fertility rate of 6 births per woman and a median age of just 15.8 years, indicating a predominantly young demographic. Urban settlement accounts for 28% of the population, leaving most residents in rural areas. Population density remains sparse at 15 people per km². Life expectancy stands at 55.2 years, and GDP per capita is $1,022.
This summary is AI-generated from the indicators on this page. The figures themselves come from the sources cited beside each value.
Country Facts
- Capital
- N'Djamena
- Continent
- Africa
- ISO codes
- TD · TCD
- Demonym
- Chadian
- Currency
- Central African CFA franc (XAF Fr)
- State inception
- 1960
- Time zone
- UTC+01:00
- Driving side
- Right
- Calling code
- +235
- Internet TLD
- .td
- Land neighbours
- 6
Languages
- Arabic
- French
Demographics
Economy
Health
Education
Not published for Chad: Mean Years of Schooling.
Environment
Infrastructure
Quality of Life
Geography
Military
Age & Gender Distribution
Population by five-year age band, UN World Population Prospects 2024.
Male Female
- Age 0–14
- 46.1%
- Age 15–64
- 51.8%
- Age 65+
- 2.1%
| Age band | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|
| 100+ | 101 | 89 |
| 95-99 | 440 | 467 |
| 90-94 | 1,178 | 1,750 |
| 85-89 | 4,578 | 6,553 |
| 80-84 | 13,043 | 17,183 |
| 75-79 | 28,439 | 35,186 |
| 70-74 | 56,249 | 67,459 |
| 65-69 | 89,987 | 103,692 |
| 60-64 | 135,203 | 150,823 |
| 55-59 | 190,297 | 205,767 |
| 50-54 | 260,079 | 272,894 |
| 45-49 | 327,461 | 338,000 |
| 40-44 | 390,098 | 398,490 |
| 35-39 | 489,201 | 494,303 |
| 30-34 | 630,160 | 630,471 |
| 25-29 | 778,140 | 773,898 |
| 20-24 | 929,161 | 916,809 |
| 15-19 | 1,119,033 | 1,091,728 |
| 10-14 | 1,320,616 | 1,285,846 |
| 5-9 | 1,547,536 | 1,508,383 |
| 0-4 | 1,870,359 | 1,817,975 |
Population History & Projection (1950–2100)
Observed population to 2024, then the UN medium-variant projection.
| Year | Population |
|---|---|
| 1950 | 2,525,454 |
| 1960 | 3,049,838 |
| 1970 | 3,727,828 |
| 1980 | 4,515,453 |
| 1990 | 5,982,833 |
| 2000 | 8,512,093 |
| 2010 | 12,312,575 |
| 2020 | 17,224,679 |
| 2030 | 24,207,479 |
| 2040 | 31,307,342 |
| 2050 | 38,857,686 |
| 2060 | 46,632,974 |
| 2070 | 53,842,126 |
| 2080 | 60,327,438 |
| 2090 | 65,661,962 |
| 2100 | 69,546,607 |
How Chad Compares
Population against the ten most populous countries.
| Name | Population |
|---|---|
| India | 1.46B |
| China | 1.41B |
| United States | 341.8M |
| Indonesia | 285.7M |
| Pakistan | 255.2M |
| Nigeria | 237.5M |
| Brazil | 212.8M |
| Bangladesh | 175.7M |
| Russia | 143.5M |
| Ethiopia | 135.5M |
| Chad | 21M |
Countries Bordering Chad
6 land borders.
Chad Population FAQ
Is the population of Chad growing or shrinking?
Chad's population is growing at +3.41% per year, a change of roughly 716,646 people annually.
What is the capital of Chad?
The capital of Chad is N'Djamena.
How densely populated is Chad?
Chad has 15/km² across 1,259,200 km² of land area.
What is life expectancy in Chad?
Life expectancy at birth in Chad is 55.2 years (2024).
What is the median age in Chad?
The median age in Chad is 15.8 years, meaning half the population is younger than that and half older.
Which continent is Chad in?
Chad is in Africa.