Chad - TD - TCD - CHA - Africa

Last updated: July 16, 2025
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Diplomatic representation from the US

chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Chargé d’Affaires Rick SWART (since 28 February 2025)

embassy: Rond-Point Chagoua, B.P. 413, N’Djamena

mailing address: 2410 N'Djamena Place, Washington DC  20521-2410

telephone: [235] 6885-1065

FAX: [235] 2253-9102

email address and website:
NdjamenaACS@state.gov

https://td.usembassy.gov/

Age structure

0-14 years: 45.8% (male 4,428,132/female 4,323,398)

15-64 years: 51.7% (male 4,831,744/female 5,031,383)

65 years and over: 2.5% (2024 est.) (male 204,823/female 274,115)
2024 population pyramid
This is the population pyramid for Chad. A population pyramid illustrates the age and sex structure of a country's population and may provide insights about political and social stability, as well as economic development. The population is distributed along the horizontal axis, with males shown on the left and females on the right. The male and female populations are broken down into 5-year age groups represented as horizontal bars along the vertical axis, with the youngest age groups at the bottom and the oldest at the top. The shape of the population pyramid gradually evolves over time based on fertility, mortality, and international migration trends.

For additional information, please see the entry for Population pyramid on the Definitions and Notes page.

Geographic coordinates

15 00 N, 19 00 E

Sex ratio

at birth: 1.04 male(s)/female

0-14 years: 1.02 male(s)/female

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

65 years and over: 0.75 male(s)/female

total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2024 est.)

Natural hazards

hot, dry, dusty harmattan winds occur in north; periodic droughts; locust plagues

Area - comparative

almost nine times the size of New York state; slightly more than three times the size of California
Area comparison map

almost nine times the size of New York state; slightly more than three times the size of California


Military service age and obligation

20 is the legal minimum age for compulsory military service for men with an 18-36 month service obligation (information varies); women are subject to 12 months of compulsory military or civic service at age 21; 18-35 for voluntary service (18-25 for officer recruits); soldiers released from active duty are in the reserves until the age of 50 (2023)

Background

Chad emerged from a collection of powerful states that controlled the Sahelian belt starting around the 9th century. These states focused on controlling trans-Saharan trade routes and profited mostly from the slave trade. The Kanem-Bornu Empire, centered around the Lake Chad Basin, existed between the 9th and 19th centuries, and at its peak, the empire controlled territory stretching from southern Chad to southern Libya and included portions of modern-day Algeria, Cameroon, Niger, Nigeria, and Sudan. The Sudanese warlord Rabih AZ-ZUBAYR used an army comprised largely of slaves to conquer the Kanem-Bornu Empire in the late 19th century. In southeastern Chad, the Bagirmi and Ouaddai (Wadai) kingdoms emerged in the 15th and 16th centuries and lasted until the arrival of the French in the 19th and 20th centuries. France began moving into the region in the late 1880s and defeated the Bagirmi kingdom in 1897, Rabih AZ-ZUBAYR in 1900, and the Ouddai kingdom in 1909. In the arid regions of northern Chad and southern Libya, an Islamic order called the Sanusiyya (Sanusi) relied heavily on the trans-Saharan slave trade and had upwards of 3 million followers by the 1880s. The French defeated the Sanusiyya in 1910 after years of intermittent war. By 1910, France had incorporated the northern arid region, the Lake Chad Basin, and southeastern Chad into French Equatorial Africa.  

Chad achieved its independence in 1960 and then saw three decades of instability, oppressive rule, civil war, and a Libyan invasion. With the help of the French military and several African countries, Chadian leaders expelled Libyan forces during the 1987 "Toyota War," so named for the use of Toyota pickup trucks as fighting vehicles. In 1990, Chadian general Idriss DEBY led a rebellion against President Hissene HABRE. Under DEBY, Chad approved a constitution and held elections in 1996. Shortly after DEBY was killed during a rebel incursion in 2021, a group of military officials -- led by DEBY’s son, Mahamat Idriss DEBY -- took control of the government. The military officials dismissed the National Assembly, suspended the Constitution, and formed a Transitional Military Council (TMC), while pledging to hold democratic elections by October 2022. A national dialogue in August-October 2022 culminated in decisions to extend the transition for up to two years, dissolve the TMC, and appoint Mahamat DEBY as Transitional President; the transitional authorities held a constitutional referendum in December 2023 and claimed 86 percent of votes were in favor of the new constitution. The transitional authorities have announced plans to hold elections by October 2024.

Chad has faced widespread poverty, an economy severely weakened by volatile international oil prices, terrorist-led insurgencies in the Lake Chad Basin, and several waves of rebellions in northern and eastern Chad. In 2015, the government imposed a state of emergency in the Lake Chad Basin following multiple attacks by the terrorist group Boko Haram, now known as ISIS-West Africa. The same year, Boko Haram conducted bombings in N'Djamena. In 2019, the Chadian government also declared a state of emergency in the Sila and Ouaddai regions bordering Sudan and in the Tibesti region bordering Niger, where rival ethnic groups are still fighting. The army has suffered heavy losses to Islamic terror groups in the Lake Chad Basin. 


Environment - current issues

inadequate supplies of potable water; soil and water pollution from improper waste disposal in rural areas and poor farming practices; desertification

Environment - international agreements

party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands

signed, but not ratified: Marine Dumping-London Convention

Military expenditures

3% of GDP (2024 est.)
2.9% of GDP (2023 est.)
2.6% of GDP (2022 est.)
2.5% of GDP (2021 est.)
2.9% of GDP (2020 est.)

Population below poverty line

42.3% (2018 est.)

note: % of population with income below national poverty line

Household income or consumption by percentage share

lowest 10%: 2.8% (2022 est.)

highest 10%: 29.5% (2022 est.)

note: % share of income accruing to lowest and highest 10% of population

Exports - commodities

crude petroleum, gold, oil seeds, gum resins, cotton (2023)

note: top five export commodities based on value in dollars

Exports - partners

UAE 26%, China 19%, Germany 17%, Netherlands 13%, France 10% (2023)

note: top five export partners based on percentage share of exports

Administrative divisions

23 provinces; Barh-El-Gazel, Batha, Borkou, Chari-Baguirmi, Ennedi-Est, Ennedi-Ouest, Guera, Hadjer-Lamis, Kanem, Lac, Logone Occidental, Logone Oriental, Mandoul, Mayo-Kebbi-Est, Mayo-Kebbi-Ouest, Moyen-Chari, N'Djamena, Ouaddai, Salamat, Sila, Tandjile, Tibesti, Wadi-Fira

Agricultural products

sorghum, groundnuts, millet, beef, cereals, yams, sugarcane, maize, cassava, milk (2023)

note: top ten agricultural products based on tonnage

Military and security forces

Chadian National Army (Armee Nationale du Tchad, ANT): Ground Forces (l'Armee de Terre, AdT), Chadian Air Force (l'Armee de l'Air Tchadienne, AAT), Chadian National Gendarmerie; General Direction of the Security Services of State Institutions (Direction Generale des Services de Securite des Institutions de l'Etat, GDSSIE)

Ministry of Public Security and Immigration: National Nomadic Guard of Chad (GNNT) (2025)

note 1: the GDSSIE is the presidential guard force and is considered to be Chad's elite military unit; it is reportedly a division-sized force with infantry, armor, and special forces/anti-terrorism regiments (known as the Special Anti-Terrorist Group or SATG, aka Division of Special Anti-Terrorist Groups or DGSAT); it reports directly to the president

note 2: the Chadian National Police are under the Ministry of Public Security and Immigration; border security duties are shared by the ANT, Customs (Ministry of Public Security and Immigration), the National Gendarmerie, and the GNNT

Budget

revenues: $2.29 billion (2020 est.)

expenditures: $2.12 billion (2020 est.)

Capital

name: N'Djamena

geographic coordinates: 12 06 N, 15 02 E

time difference: UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)

etymology: said to derive its name from a local word meaning "place of rest"

Imports - commodities

jewelry, broadcasting equipment, packaged medicine, cars, refined petroleum (2023)

note: top five import commodities based on value in dollars

Climate

tropical in south, desert in north

Coastline

0 km (landlocked)

Constitution

history: several previous; latest adopted by National Transitional Council 27 June 2023, approved by referendum 17 December, verified by Chad Supreme Court 28 December, promulgated 1 January 2024

amendment process: previous process: proposed as a revision by the president of the republic after a Council of Ministers (cabinet) decision or by the National Assembly; approval for consideration of a revision requires at least three-fifths majority vote by the Assembly; passage requires approval by referendum or at least two-thirds majority vote by the Assembly

Exchange rates

Cooperation Financiere en Afrique Centrale francs (XAF) per US dollar -

Exchange rates:
606.345 (2024 est.)
606.57 (2023 est.)
623.76 (2022 est.)
554.531 (2021 est.)
575.586 (2020 est.)

Executive branch

chief of state: President Mahamat Idriss DÉBY (since 6 May 2024)

head of government: Prime Minister Allamaye HALINA (since 23 May 2024)

cabinet: Council of Ministers

election/appointment process: president directly elected by absolute-majority popular vote in 2 rounds, if needed, for a 5-year term (no term limits)

most recent election date: 6 May 2024

election results:
2024:
Mahamat Idriss DÉBY elected president; percent of vote - Mahamat Idriss DÉBY (MPS) 61%, Succes MASRA (Transformers) 18.5%, Albert PADACKE 16.9%, other 3.6%

2021:
Lt. Gen. Idriss DÉBY reelected transitional president; percent of vote - Lt. Gen. Idriss DÉBY (MPS) 79.3%, Pahimi PADACKET Albert (RNDT) 10.3%, Lydie BEASSEMDA (Party for Democracy and Independence) 3.2%, other 7.2%


Flag description

three equal vertical bands of blue (hoist side), gold, and red; the flag combines the blue and red French (former colonial) colors with the red and yellow of the Pan-African colors; blue symbolizes the sky, hope, and the south of the country; gold represents the sun and the desert in the north; red stands for progress, unity, and sacrifice

note: almost identical to the flag of Romania but with a darker shade of blue; also similar to the flags of Andorra and Moldova, both of which have a national coat of arms centered in the yellow band; design based on France's flag

Independence

11 August 1960 (from France)

Industries

oil, cotton textiles, brewing, natron (sodium carbonate), soap, cigarettes, construction materials

Judicial branch

highest court(s): Supreme Court (consists of the chief justice, 3 chamber presidents, and 12 judges or councilors and divided into 3 chambers); Supreme Council of the Judiciary (consists of the Judiciary president, vice president and 13 members)

judge selection and term of office: Supreme Court chief justice selected by the president; councilors - 8 designated by the president and 7 by the speaker of the National Assembly; chief justice and councilors appointed for life; Supreme Council of the Judiciary - with the exception of the Judiciary president and vice president, members are elected for single renewable 4-year terms

subordinate courts: High Court of Justice; Courts of Appeal; tribunals; justices of the peace

Land boundaries

total: 6,406 km

border countries (6): Cameroon 1,116 km; Central African Republic 1,556 km; Libya 1,050 km; Niger 1,196 km; Nigeria 85 km; Sudan 1,403 km

Land use

agricultural land: 40% (2022 est.)

arable land: 4.2% (2022 est.)

permanent crops: 0% (2022 est.)

permanent pasture: 35.7% (2022 est.)

forest: 3.2% (2022 est.)

other: 56.8% (2022 est.)

Legal system

mixed system of civil and customary law

Legislative branch

legislature name: Parliament

legislative structure: bicameral

Literacy

total population: 30.6% (2019 est.)

male: 44.5% (2019 est.)

female: 18.6% (2019 est.)

Maritime claims

none (landlocked)

International organization participation

ACP, AfDB, AU, BDEAC, CEMAC, EITI (compliant country), FAO, FZ, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), LCBC, MIGA, MNJTF, NAM, OIC, OIF, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNOCI, UNOOSA, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

National holiday

Independence Day, 11 August (1960)

Nationality

noun: Chadian(s)

adjective: Chadian

Natural resources

petroleum, uranium, natron, kaolin, fish (Lake Chad), gold, limestone, sand and gravel, salt

Geography - note

note 1: Chad is the largest of Africa's 16 landlocked countries

note 2: a wide variety of animals lived in modern-day Chad during the African Humid Period, including elephants, giraffes, hippos, and antelope; the last remnant of this "Green Sahara" exists in the Lakes of Ounianga in northern Chad, a series of 18 interconnected freshwater, saline, and hypersaline lakes 

note 3: Lake Chad, the most significant water body in the Sahel, is a remnant of a former inland sea, paleolake Mega-Chad; at its greatest extent, sometime before 5000 B.C., Lake Mega-Chad was the largest of four Saharan paleolakes that existed during the African Humid Period; it covered an area of about 400,000 sq km (150,000 sq mi), roughly the size of today's Caspian Sea

Economic overview

oil-dependent economy challenged by market fluctuations, regional instability, refugee influx, and climate vulnerability; high levels of extreme poverty and food insecurity; recent growth driven by oil and agricultural recovery; debt-restructuring agreement under G20 Common Framework


Political parties

Chadian Convention for Peace and Development or CTPD
Federation Action for the Republic or FAR
National Rally for Development and Progress or Viva-RNDP
National Union for Democracy and Renewal or UNDR
Party for Unity and Reconstruction or PUR
Patriotic Salvation Movement or MPS 
Rally for Democracy and Progress or RDP
Rally of Chadian Nationalists/Awakening or RNDT/Le Reveil
Social Democratic Party for a Change-over of Power or PDSA
Union for Democracy and the Republic or UDR
Union for Renewal and Democracy or URD
Transformers


note 1:  19 additional parties each contributed one member

note 2: 
on 5 October 2021, Interim President Mahamat Idriss DEBY appointed 93 members to the interim National Transitional Council (NTC); 30% of the NTC members were retained from parties previously represented in the National Assembly

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

Terrain

broad, arid plains in center, desert in north, mountains in northwest, lowlands in south

Government type

presidential republic

Country name

conventional long form: Republic of Chad

conventional short form: Chad

local long form: République du Tchad/Jumhuriyat Tshad

local short form: Tchad/Tshad

etymology: named for Lake Chad, which lies along the country's western border; taken from a local word meaning "large body of water" or "lake"

note: the only country whose name is composed of a single syllable with a single vowel

Location

Central Africa, south of Libya

Map references

Africa

Irrigated land

300 sq km (2012)

Diplomatic representation in the US

chief of mission: Ambassador KITOKO GATA Ngoulou (since 30 June 2023)

chancery: 2401 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008

telephone: [1] (202) 652-1312

FAX: [1] (202) 578-0431

email address and website:
info@chadembassy.us

https://chadembassy.us/

Internet users

percent of population: 13% (2023 est.)

Internet country code

.td

Refugees and internally displaced persons

refugees (country of origin): 694,569 (Sudan) (includes refugees since 15 April 2023), 26,692 (Cameroon) (2023); 134,015 (Central African Republic), 21,381 (Nigeria) (2024)

IDPs: 215,918 (majority are in the east) (2023)

GDP (official exchange rate)

$13.149 billion (2023 est.)

note: data in current dollars at official exchange rate

Total renewable water resources

45.7 billion cubic meters (2020 est.)

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education)

total: 7 years

male: 9 years

female: 6 years (2015)

Urbanization

urban population: 24.4% of total population (2023)

rate of urbanization: 4.1% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)

Broadcast media

1 state-owned TV station; 2 privately-owned TV stations; state-owned radio network, Radiodiffusion Nationale Tchadienne (RNT), operates national and regional stations; over 10 private radio stations; some stations rebroadcast programs from international broadcasters (2017)

Drinking water source

improved:

urban: 90.2% of population

rural: 51.9% of population

total: 60.9% of population

unimproved:

urban: 9.8% of population

rural: 48.1% of population

total: 39.1% of population (2020 est.)

National anthem

name: "La Tchadienne" (The Chadian)

lyrics/music: Louis GIDROL and his students/Paul VILLARD

note: adopted 1960

Major urban areas - population

1.592 million N'DJAMENA (capital) (2023)

International law organization participation

has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; accepts ICCt jurisdiction

Physician density

0.09 physicians/1,000 population (2023)

National symbol(s)

goat (north), lion (south)

Mother's mean age at first birth

18.1 years (2014/15 est.)

note: data represents median age at first birth among women 20-49

Contraceptive prevalence rate

8.1% (2019)

GDP - composition, by end use

household consumption: 74.6% (2023 est.)

government consumption: 4.2% (2023 est.)

investment in fixed capital: 25.8% (2023 est.)

investment in inventories: 0% (2023 est.)

exports of goods and services: 43.5% (2023 est.)

imports of goods and services: -48.1% (2023 est.)

note: figures may not total 100% due to rounding or gaps in data collection

Dependency ratios

total dependency ratio: 93.6 (2024 est.)

youth dependency ratio: 88.7 (2024 est.)

elderly dependency ratio: 4.9 (2024 est.)

potential support ratio: 20.6 (2024 est.)

Citizenship

citizenship by birth: no

citizenship by descent only: both parents must be citizens of Chad

dual citizenship recognized: Chadian law does not address dual citizenship

residency requirement for naturalization: 15 years

Population distribution

the population is unevenly distributed due to contrasts in climate and physical geography; the highest density is found in the southwest, particularly around Lake Chad and points south; the dry Saharan zone to the north is the least densely populated, as shown in this population distribution map

Electricity access

electrification - total population: 11.7% (2022 est.)

electrification - urban areas: 46.3%

electrification - rural areas: 1.3%

Sanitation facility access

improved:

urban: 57.5% of population

rural: 4.9% of population

total: 17.3% of population

unimproved:

urban: 42.5% of population

rural: 95.1% of population

total: 82.7% of population (2020 est.)

Ethnic groups

Sara (Ngambaye/Sara/Madjingaye/Mbaye) 30.5%, Kanembu/Bornu/Buduma 9.8%, Arab 9.7%, Wadai/Maba/Masalit/Mimi 7%, Gorane 5.8%, Masa/Musseye/Musgum 4.9%, Bulala/Medogo/Kuka 3.7%, Marba/Lele/Mesme 3.5%, Mundang 2.7%, Bidiyo/Migaama/Kenga/Dangleat 2.5%, Dadjo/Kibet/Muro 2.4%, Tupuri/Kera 2%, Gabri/Kabalaye/Nanchere/Somrai 2%, Fulani/Fulbe/Bodore 1.8%, Karo/Zime/Peve 1.3%, Baguirmi/Barma 1.2%, Zaghawa/Bideyat/Kobe 1.1%, Tama/Assongori/Mararit 1.1%, Mesmedje/Massalat/Kadjakse 0.8%, other  4.6%, unspecified 1.7% (2014-15 est.)

Religions

Muslim 52.1%, Protestant 23.9%, Roman Catholic 20%, animist 0.3%, other Christian 0.2%, none 2.8%, unspecified 0.7% (2014-15 est.)

Languages

French (official), Arabic (official), Sara (in south), more than 120 languages and dialects

major-language sample(s):
The World Factbook, une source indispensable d'informations de base. (French)

كتاب حقائق العالم، المصدر الذي لا يمكن الاستغناء عنه للمعلومات الأساسية (Arabic)

The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information.
French audio sample
Arabic audio sample

Imports - partners

China 28%, UAE 23%, Turkey 10%, France 9%, India 5% (2023)

note: top five import partners based on percentage share of imports

Elevation

highest point: Emi Koussi 3,445 m

lowest point: Djourab 160 m

mean elevation: 543 m

Hospital bed density

0.4 beds/1,000 population (2017 est.)

Health expenditure

5.2% of GDP (2021)

7.3% of national budget (2022 est.)

Military - note

internal security is the primary focus of the Chadian National Army, and it is actively engaged in counterinsurgency operations against multiple terrorist and rebel groups; the terrorist groups Boko Haram and Islamic State of Iraq and ash-Sham in West Africa operate in the Lake Chad Basin area; meanwhile, a number of anti-government militias operate in northern Chad, some from bases in southern Libya, including the FACT (Front pour le Changement et la Concorde au Tchad), the Military Command Council for the Salvation of the Republic (le Conseil de Commandement Militaire pour le salut de la République or CCSMR), the Union of Forces for Democracy and Development (le Union des Forces pour la Démocratie et le Développement or UFDD), and the Union of Resistance Forces (le Union des Forces de la Résistance UFR); former Chadian President Idriss DEBY was killed in April 2021 during fighting between the FACT and government forces (2025)

Military and security service personnel strengths

estimated 35-40,000 active Chadian National Army (2025)

note:  in 2021, Chad pledged to increase the size of the military to 60,000

Military equipment inventories and acquisitions

the ANT is armed with a mix of older, secondhand, and some more modern weapons and equipment from a wide variety of suppliers, including Brazil, China, France, Russia/former Soviet Union, Turkey, Ukraine, and the US (2024)

Military deployments

Chad has committed approximately 1,000-1,500 troops to the Multinational Joint Task Force (MNJTF) against Boko Haram and other terrorist groups operating in the general area of the Lake Chad Basin and along Nigeria's northeast border; national MNJTF troop contingents are deployed within their own territories, although cross‐border operations are conducted periodically (2024)

Trafficking in persons

tier rating: Tier 2 Watch List — Chad does not fully meet the minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking but is making significant efforts to do so, therefore Chad was upgraded to Tier 2 Watch List; for more details, go to:  https://www.state.gov/reports/2024-trafficking-in-persons-report/chad/

Terrorist group(s)

Terrorist group(s): Boko Haram; Islamic State of Iraq and ash-Sham - West Africa (ISIS-WA)

note: details about the history, aims, leadership, organization, areas of operation, tactics, targets, weapons, size, and sources of support of the group(s) appear(s) in the Terrorism reference guide

Total water withdrawal

municipal: 100 million cubic meters (2020 est.)

industrial: 100 million cubic meters (2020 est.)

agricultural: 670 million cubic meters (2020 est.)

Waste and recycling

municipal solid waste generated annually: 1,358,851 tons (2010 est.)

Air pollutants

particulate matter emissions: 41.15 micrograms per cubic meter (2019 est.)

carbon dioxide emissions: 1.02 megatons (2016 est.)

methane emissions: 30.69 megatons (2020 est.)

Civil aircraft registration country code prefix

TT

Major aquifers

Lake Chad Basin, Nubian Aquifer System

Major watersheds (area sq km)

Atlantic Ocean drainage: Niger (2,261,741 sq km)
Internal (endorheic basin) drainage: Lake Chad (2,497,738 sq km)

Major lakes (area sq km)

fresh water lake(s): Lake Chad (endorheic lake shared with Niger, Nigeria, and Cameroon) - 10,360-25,900 sq km
note - area varies by season and year to year

National heritage

total World Heritage Sites: 2 (1 natural, 1 mixed)

selected World Heritage Site locales: Lakes of Ounianga (n); Ennedi Massif: Natural and Cultural Landscape (m)

Child marriage

women married by age 15: 24.2% (2019)

women married by age 18: 60.6% (2019)

men married by age 18: 8.1% (2019)

Coal

imports: 20 metric tons (2023 est.)

Electricity generation sources

fossil fuels: 94.3% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)

solar: 0.8% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)

wind: 2.3% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)

biomass and waste: 2.6% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)

Petroleum

total petroleum production: 124,000 bbl/day (2023 est.)

refined petroleum consumption: 15,000 bbl/day (2023 est.)

crude oil estimated reserves: 1.5 billion barrels (2021 est.)

Gross reproduction rate

2.57 (2024 est.)

Currently married women (ages 15-49)

70.6% (2023 est.)

Remittances

0% of GDP (2023 est.)
0% of GDP (2022 est.)
0% of GDP (2021 est.)

Legislative branch - lower chamber

chamber name: National Assembly (Conseil national de transition)

number of seats: 188 (all directly elected)

electoral system: mixed system

scope of elections: full renewal

term in office: 5 years

most recent election date: 12/29/2024

parties elected and seats per party: Patriotic Salvation Movement (MPS) (124); Rally of Chadian Nationalists/Awakening (RNDT/ Le Réveil) (12); Others (27); Other (25)

percentage of women in chamber: 33.5%

expected date of next election: December 2029

Legislative branch - upper chamber

chamber name: Senate (Senate)

number of seats: 69 (46 indirectly elected; 23 appointed)

scope of elections: full renewal

term in office: 6 years

most recent election date: 2/25/2025

percentage of women in chamber: 36.2%

expected date of next election: February 2031

National color(s)

blue, yellow, red

Labor force

6.6 million (2024 est.)

note: number of people ages 15 or older who are employed or seeking work

Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24)

total: 1.5% (2024 est.)

male: 2.1% (2024 est.)

female: 0.7% (2024 est.)

note: % of labor force ages 15-24 seeking employment

Net migration rate

-0.1 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2024 est.)

Median age

total: 16.7 years (2024 est.)

male: 16.3 years

female: 17.2 years

Debt - external

$2.286 billion (2023 est.)

note: present value of external debt in current US dollars

Maternal mortality ratio

748 deaths/100,000 live births (2023 est.)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold

$1.05 billion (2023 est.)
$1.013 billion (2022 est.)
$211.591 million (2021 est.)

note: holdings of gold (year-end prices)/foreign exchange/special drawing rights in current dollars

Public debt

52.5% of GDP (2017 est.)

Total fertility rate

5.24 children born/woman (2024 est.)

Unemployment rate

1.1% (2024 est.)
1.1% (2023 est.)
1.1% (2022 est.)

note: % of labor force seeking employment

Population

total: 19,093,595 (2024 est.)

male: 9,464,699

female: 9,628,896

Carbon dioxide emissions

2.054 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)

from coal and metallurgical coke: 2 metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)

from petroleum and other liquids: 2.054 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)

Area

total : 1.284 million sq km

land: 1,259,200 sq km

water: 24,800 sq km

Taxes and other revenues

13.5% (of GDP) (2017 est.)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity)

$32.446 billion (2023 est.)
$31.161 billion (2022 est.)
$30.311 billion (2021 est.)

note: data in 2021 dollars

Airports

44 (2025)

Infant mortality rate

total: 62.5 deaths/1,000 live births (2024 est.)

male: 68.1 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 56.7 deaths/1,000 live births

Telephones - mobile cellular

total subscriptions: 12.1 million (2022 est.)

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 68 (2022 est.)

Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income

37.4 (2022 est.)

note: index (0-100) of income distribution; higher values represent greater inequality

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

8.9% (2024 est.)
10.8% (2023 est.)
5.8% (2022 est.)

note: annual % change based on consumer prices

Current account balance

-$558 million (2017 est.)
-$926 million (2016 est.)

Real GDP per capita

$1,700 (2023 est.)
$1,700 (2022 est.)
$1,700 (2021 est.)

note: data in 2021 dollars

Broadband - fixed subscriptions

total: 0 (2022 est.)

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: (2022 est.) less than 1

Tobacco use

total: 6.5% (2025 est.)

male: 11.8% (2025 est.)

female: 1.3% (2025 est.)

Obesity - adult prevalence rate

6.1% (2016)

Energy consumption per capita

1.502 million Btu/person (2023 est.)

Death rate

9 deaths/1,000 population (2024 est.)

Birth rate

39.2 births/1,000 population (2024 est.)

Electricity

installed generating capacity: 167,000 kW (2023 est.)

consumption: 282.103 million kWh (2023 est.)

transmission/distribution losses: 109.04 million kWh (2023 est.)

Children under the age of 5 years underweight

18.9% (2022)

Imports

$6.321 billion (2023 est.)
$5.009 billion (2022 est.)
$5.211 billion (2021 est.)

note: GDP expenditure basis - imports of goods and services in current dollars

Exports

$5.721 billion (2023 est.)
$6.114 billion (2022 est.)
$4.565 billion (2021 est.)

note: GDP expenditure basis - exports of goods and services in current dollars

Telephones - fixed lines

total subscriptions: 5,000 (2022 est.)

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: (2022 est.) less than 1

Alcohol consumption per capita

total: 0.55 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

beer: 0.37 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

wine: 0.01 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

spirits: 0.01 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

other alcohols: 0.16 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

Life expectancy at birth

total population: 60 years (2024 est.)

male: 58.1 years

female: 62 years

Real GDP growth rate

4.12% (2023 est.)
2.8% (2022 est.)
-1.17% (2021 est.)

note: annual GDP % growth based on constant local currency

Industrial production growth rate

3.27% (2023 est.)

note: annual % change in industrial value added based on constant local currency

GDP - composition, by sector of origin

agriculture: 25.1% (2023 est.)

industry: 44.4% (2023 est.)

services: 28.7% (2023 est.)

note: figures may not total 100% due to non-allocated consumption not captured in sector-reported data

Education expenditure

3.2% of GDP (2023 est.)

16.5% national budget (2023 est.)

Population growth rate

3.01% (2024 est.)