Chad Demographics

Population of Chad (2026)

View live population, charts & trends: Population of Chad

Chad Population
21,560,380
see live
Yearly Change
+2.65%
Global Share
0.26%
Global Rank
64

Median Age

The median age in Chad is 15.7 years (2026).

Fertility in Chad

A Total Fertility Rate (TFR) of 2.1 represents the Replacement-Level Fertility : the average number of children per woman needed for each generation to exactly replace itself without needing international immigration. A value below 2.1 will cause the native population to decline


Total Fertility Rate (TFR)
5.84
(Live Births per Woman, 2026)

Life Expectancy in Chad

See also: Countries in the world ranked by Life Expectancy

Both Sexes
55.6
(life expectancy at birth, both sexes combined)
Females
57.6
(life expectancy at birth, females)
Males
53.7
(life expectancy at birth, males)


Infant Mortality Rate and Deaths of Children under 5 Years Old in Chad


Infant Mortality
61.7
(infant deaths per 1,000 live births)
Deaths under age 5
96.1
(per 1,000 live births)


Chad Urban Population

Currently, 28.2% of the population of Chad is urban (6,087,129 people in 2026)


Population Density

The 2026 population density in Chad is 17 people per km² (44 people per mi2), calculated on a total land area of 1,259,200 km² (486,180 sq. miles).

Largest Cities and Urban Localities in Chad

The 30 largest of 62 cities and urban localities, ranked by population at the census of May 20, 2009 (by National Institute of Statistics and Economic and Demographic Studies, Chad).

RankCity or Urban LocalityPopulation
1Ndjamena951,418
2Moundou137,251
3Abéché97,963
4Sarh97,224
5Kélo57,859
6Am Timan52,270
7Doba49,647
8Pala49,461
9Bongor44,578
10Goz Beïda41,248
11Koumra37,867
12Mongo37,628
13Bol35,963
14Mao35,468
15Iriba33,572
16Faya-Largeau30,800
17Bitkine29,302
18Bébédjia28,195
19Massakory27,954
20Oum Hadjer26,552
21Moussoro24,564
22Biltine23,472
23Léré22,899
24Fianga22,162
25Goré21,650
26Ati20,902
27Amdjarass20,850
28Gounou Gaya20,814
29Massaguet19,876
30Laï18,945
See all 66 cities and urban localities in Chad

See also

Sources

Definitions

Population Pyramid

A Population pyramid (also called "Age-Sex Pyramid") is a graphical representation of the age and sex of a population.

Types:

  • Expansive - pyramid with a wide base (larger percentage of people in younger age groups, indicating high birth rates and high fertility rates) and narrow top (high death rate and lower life expectancies). It suggests a growing population. Example: Nigeria Population Pyramid
  • Constrictive - pyramid with a narrow base (lower percentage of younger people, indicating declining birth rates with each succeeding age group getting smaller than the previous one). Example: United States
  • Stationary - with a somewhat equal proportion of the population in each age group. The population is stable, neither increasing nor decreasing.

Stages:

Population pyramid stages

Dependency Ratio

There are three types of age dependency ratio: Youth, Elderly, and Total. All three ratios are commonly multiplied by 100.

Youth Dependency Ratio

Definition: population ages 0-15 divided by the population ages 16-64.

Formula: ([Population ages 0-15] ÷ [Population ages 16-64]) × 100

Elderly dependency ratio

Definition: population ages 65-plus divided by the population ages 16-64.

Formula: ([Population ages 65-plus] ÷ [Population ages 16-64]) × 100

Total dependency ratio

Definition: sum of the youth and old-age ratios.

Formula: (([Population ages 0-15] + [Population ages 65-plus]) ÷ [Population ages 16-64] ) × 100

NOTE: Dependency Ratio does not take into account labor force participation rates by age group. Some portion of the population counted as "working age" may actually be unemployed or not in the labor force whereas some portion of the "dependent" population may be employed and not necessarily economically dependent.