Contents

Country Overview

Chad is a landlocked republic stretching from the Sahara Desert in the north through the Sahel to the savannas of Central Africa. Its capital is N’Djamena. The modern state arose under French colonial rule, became an autonomous republic in November 1958 and achieved independence on August 11, 1960. Petroleum exports, agriculture and livestock are fundamental to its economy. French and Arabic are the official languages in a highly multilingual society. President Mahamat Idriss Déby Itno and Prime Minister Allamaye Halina lead the government under a constitution adopted in 2023 and revised in 2025. [2] [7] [4] [5] [6] [9]

Reference status: Contemporary edition • Verified: November 5, 2026 • Each statistic identifies its underlying reference year.

CapitalN’DjamenaNational capital
Population21.00 million2025 World Bank [1]
Total area1.284 million km²UNdata [2]
Nominal GDPUS$21.47 billion2025 World Bank [1]
GDP per capitaUS$1,0222025 current dollars [1]
CurrencyCFA francXAF; Central African currency union

Data-year clarification: The 21.00-million population estimate and US$21.47-billion GDP refer to 2025 World Bank series. The detailed US$4.50-billion merchandise-export figure refers to UNCTAD’s estimated 2024 goods trade; it is neither a 2025 observation nor a goods-and-services total. [1] [3]

Identity and State Formation

Official name
Republic of Chad; République du Tchad (French); جمهورية تشاد (Arabic). [5]
Common name
Chad; Tchad in French; Tšād / Tshad in Arabic transliteration.
Capital
N’Djamena (historically Fort-Lamy), on the Chari River near the border with Cameroon. [5] [2]
Continent / UN M49 subregion
Africa / Middle Africa (commonly Central Africa and the Sahel). [18]
Precolonial history
The Lake Chad and Saharan–Sahelian regions supported diverse communities, trans-Saharan exchanges, and states including Kanem-Bornu, Baguirmi and Wadai; the present state does not have a single precolonial founding date. [8]
French colonization
French expansion into the territory occurred around the turn of the twentieth century; Chad became part of French Equatorial Africa in 1910. [8]
Republic proclaimed
November 28, 1958, as an autonomous republic within the French Community; separate from full sovereignty in 1960. [8] [5]
Independence
August 11, 1960, from France; proclaimed under François Tombalbaye. [7] [5]
First president
François Tombalbaye, the leading independence-era political figure and head of the new republic. [7] [8]
National day
Independence Day, August 11. [5]
Postindependence political turning points
The 1975 overthrow of Tombalbaye, civil conflict around 1979–1982, Hissène Habré’s rule from 1982, and Idriss Déby’s takeover in 1990 profoundly shaped national institutions. [8]
1996 constitutional order
A new constitution followed the 1993 Sovereign National Conference and introduced a multiparty constitutional framework, later repeatedly amended or replaced. [5] [8]
Petroleum export era
Commercial petroleum production and exports expanded from 2003, increasing hydrocarbon dependence and government revenues. [4]
2021 transition
Idriss Déby died in April 2021; a military-led transition under his son Mahamat Idriss Déby followed. [5] [21]
Current constitutional foundation
A new constitution was approved in the December 17, 2023 referendum and entered into force that month; amendments were promulgated October 8, 2025. [5] [6]
2024 presidential election
Mahamat Idriss Déby won the May 2024 presidential election; opposition groups contested aspects of the electoral process. [4] [21]
2025 constitutional revision
Presidential mandates were extended from five to seven years and the two-term limit was removed; the revision also altered parliamentary tenure. [6]
National motto
Unité – Travail – Progrès (Unity – Work – Progress). [5]
National anthem
La Tchadienne. [5]
ISO 3166-1 country codes
TD (alpha-2); TCD (alpha-3); 148 (numeric). [18]
Internet country-code domain
.td
International calling code
+235

Historical interpretation: November 28, 1958 (republic within the French Community) and August 11, 1960 (full independence) identify different stages of state formation. The 2023 Constitution and 2025 constitutional amendment are also distinct legal milestones. [8] [7] [5] [6]

Geography and Population

Location
Landlocked country at the meeting point of the Sahara, Sahel and Central African savanna belts. [2] [22]
Total surface area
1,284,000 km² (approximately 495,755 sq. mi.), including inland water; national constitutional and UN reference figure. [2] [5]
Land area
Approximately 1,259,200 km² (about 486,180 sq. mi.); excludes inland-water areas under the UNCTAD convention. [3] [22]
Resident population
21,003,705 (2025 World Bank estimate; modeled midyear population, not a census enumeration). [1]
UN population estimate
Approximately 21.004 million (2025; UNdata); rounded output is close to the World Bank figure. [2]
Historic census
11,039,873 counted in the 2009 population census (May 20, 2009); an older enumeration rather than an alternative estimate for 2025. [19]
Population density
About 16.7 residents per km² of land (2025 UNdata; geography and reference-year dependent). [2]
Population growth
Approximately 3.4% per year (2025; World Bank estimate). [1]
Neighboring countries
Libya (north), Sudan (east), Central African Republic (south), Cameroon (southwest), Nigeria (west, short Lake Chad boundary) and Niger (west). [22]
Coastline
None; international cargo depends on overland corridors and ports outside Chad, especially routes through Cameroon. [4]
Principal ecological zones
Sahara Desert in the north; Sahelian semi-arid belt in the center; more humid Sudanian savannas and farming regions in the south. [4] [22]
Major mountain regions
Tibesti Mountains in the northwestern Sahara; Ennedi Massif in the northeast. [22] [15]
Highest summit
Emi Koussi in the Tibesti Mountains, approximately 3,445 m above sea level (historic Factbook reference). [22]
Major rivers
Chari and Logone river systems, central to the southern basin and inflow toward Lake Chad. [22]
Major lake
Lake Chad, an internationally shared lake and wetland system with highly variable water extent and levels. [4] [22]
Climate
Hot desert conditions in the north, semi-arid Sahelian climate in the middle, and seasonal tropical wet–dry conditions in the south. [4]
Natural hazards
Severe drought, river flooding, locust and other agricultural pressures, changing rainfall patterns, and land degradation. [4]
Protected cultural landscapes
Lakes of Ounianga (UNESCO World Heritage, 2012) and Ennedi Massif (mixed cultural–natural heritage, 2016). [15]
Time zone
West Africa Time (WAT), UTC+01:00 throughout the year. [22]

Population and area: The 2009 census is a historical count, whereas the 2025 population is a modeled estimate. Total area includes inland waters; land area excludes them. Density depends on which denominator is used. [19] [1] [2] [3]

Economy and International Trade

Economic classification
Low-income economy reliant on oil production, agriculture, livestock and commerce; high informal employment and vulnerability to climate and regional security shocks. [4]
Nominal GDP
Approximately US$21.47 billion (2025; current U.S. dollars, World Bank). [1]
Nominal GDP per capita
Approximately US$1,022.3 (2025; World Bank, current U.S. dollars). This is GDP divided by population, not average wages or income. [1]
Real GDP growth
5.6% in 2025 (World Bank published annual series; later revisions possible). [1]
Consumer price inflation
Approximately −3.9% (2025; World Bank annual consumer-price series); other official series may have different coverage and vintages. [1]
Currency
Central African CFA franc (XAF), issued by the Bank of Central African States (BEAC); shared with five other CEMAC member states. [17] [2]
Monetary arrangement
XAF belongs to the CEMAC regional currency union; it is distinct from the West African CFA franc (XOF), despite the common CFA-franc name. [17]
Main economic activities
Crude-oil production and related services, rain-fed farming, livestock raising, cotton production, trade, transport and public services. [4]
Oil dependence
The oil sector contributes an outsized share of merchandise exports and fiscal receipts; production and world oil prices substantially influence national accounts. [4]
Merchandise exports
Approximately US$4.50 billion (2024; UNCTAD estimate, goods only; data vintage December 2025). [3]
Merchandise imports
Approximately US$2.10 billion (2024; UNCTAD estimate, goods only). [3]
Merchandise trade balance
Approximately US$2.40 billion surplus (2024; estimated merchandise exports minus estimated merchandise imports; excludes services). [3]
Services exports
Approximately US$542 million (2024; UNCTAD estimate); distinct from merchandise exports. [3]
Services imports
Approximately US$1.255 billion (2024; UNCTAD estimate), resulting in an estimated services-trade deficit. [3]
Reported export structure
UNCTAD’s 2024 broad classification: fuels about 64% of merchandise exports, food items about 4%, and other goods about 32%; broad classifications do not establish precise commodity rankings. [3]
Leading reported 2024 goods-export destinations
United Arab Emirates, Germany, France, China, and Taiwan (listed separately by UNCTAD for 2024; reported partner definitions can differ). [3]
Agricultural exports
Cotton, livestock-related products and other agricultural commodities form part of Chad’s non-oil export economy; their relative shares vary by year. [4] [22]
Major economic vulnerabilities
Commodity-price swings, limited infrastructure and electricity access, climate and rainfall shocks, political insecurity, and the economic costs of mass displacement. [4] [14]

Principal Export Categories (2024)

Representative merchandise and services exports; group shares refer to UNCTAD’s 2024 estimates and are not an item-level commodity ranking.
CategoryProducts and significance
Petroleum and fuelsCrude oil is the main export driver. Fuels account for about 64% of reported 2024 merchandise-export value in UNCTAD’s broad classification.
Cotton and textile raw materialsCotton is an established non-oil agricultural export. Annual values and competitiveness change with harvests, global prices and transport conditions.
Livestock and animal productsCattle and other livestock support pastoral trade; informal cross-border flows can be difficult to measure in customs statistics.
Other mineral and nonfuel goodsOther goods, including some precious and manufactured categories, are included in a broad 'other' group rather than treated here as a verified item-by-item ranking.
Food itemsFood commodities comprise about 4% of 2024 reported merchandise-export value in UNCTAD’s broad product-group presentation.
Commercial servicesAbout US$542 million in 2024 estimated services exports, reported separately from merchandise trade; includes transactions outside goods customs totals.

Trade data note: UNCTAD’s 2024 estimates of US$4.50 billion merchandise exports and US$2.10 billion merchandise imports exclude services. Other compilers may publish larger totals for goods and services or different customs/valuation concepts; the figures are not interchangeable. [3]

People and Society

Federal / national official languages
French and Arabic are the two official languages under Article 10 of the 2023 Constitution; the 2025 amendments did not repeal this provision. [5]
Spoken Arabic varieties
Chadian Arabic is widely used as a lingua franca alongside Standard Arabic in education and administration in some settings; usage varies by community and region. [22]
Other languages spoken
Sara varieties, Kanembu, Zaghawa, Maba, Daza, Ngambay, Hausa and numerous other local languages; local languages vary significantly by region. [22]
Language diversity
Chad is home to more than one hundred languages and speech varieties. Official-language designation does not mean that French or Standard Arabic is the majority home language. [5] [22]
Religion: Muslim
Approximately 52.1% under a 2014–2015 estimate cited by the U.S. Department of State; not a 2026 count. [13]
Religion: Protestant
Approximately 23.9% in the same 2014–2015 source estimate. [13]
Religion: Roman Catholic
Approximately 20.0% in the same 2014–2015 source estimate. [13]
Other beliefs / no religion
Remaining respondents in that historical series included other Christians, practitioners of traditional religions, the unaffiliated and unspecified categories; some indigenous practices coexist with major faiths. [13]
Religious geography
Muslim communities are particularly numerous in much of northern and central Chad; Christian and traditional communities are more prevalent in parts of the south, with substantial regional overlap. [13]
Religious freedom and state
Chad’s constitution defines the republic as secular and provides for separation of religion and state, although implementation and intercommunal relations vary in practice. [5] [13]
Ethnolinguistic diversity
Population encompasses many communities, including Sara-related populations in the south and numerous Arab, Kanembu, Zaghawa, Toubou and other communities across the center and north; no simple ethnic list is exhaustive. [22]
Settlement pattern
N’Djamena is the largest metropolitan concentration; most areas outside the main cities are rural, with agricultural and pastoral livelihoods. [2] [4]
Life expectancy
About 55 years at birth in the 2024 World Bank series; not a 2026 observation. [1]
Displacement: refugees and asylum seekers
About 1.56 million hosted in Chad at the end of July 2026, according to the dated UNHCR dashboard; includes refugees fleeing Sudan and other neighboring countries. [14]
Displacement: internally displaced people
Roughly 219,600 IDPs in the Lake region in the same July 2026 UNHCR reporting; distinct from cross-border refugees. [14]
Returnees
About 494,643 vulnerable returnees described in the July 2026 UNHCR snapshot; this category should not be conflated with refugees or IDPs. [14]
Education and human development
Access to schooling, healthcare, electricity, clean water and social services remains uneven, particularly in remote and displacement-affected areas. [4] [14]
Cultural traditions
Diverse Arabic, Saharan, Sahelian and Central African traditions of music, oral history, craft, food and customary authority; community practices vary widely. [22]

Demographic caution: Religion percentages are drawn from an earlier estimate summarized in a 2022 report, not from a verified 2026 survey. Refugees, internally displaced persons and returnees are separately defined humanitarian categories recorded for July 2026; they must not be added into a replacement national population estimate. [13] [14]

Government and Institutions

Form of government
Unitary, secular republic with president and prime minister, under a constitution generally described as semi-presidential; actual political power remains concentrated in the presidency. [5] [21]
Current president
Mahamat Idriss Déby Itno; elected in May 2024 after leading the 2021–2024 transition (status reviewed November 5, 2026). [9] [4]
Prime minister
Allamaye Halina (status reviewed November 5, 2026). [9]
Constitution
Constitution approved December 17, 2023 and amended in October 2025. [5] [6]
Head of state
The president of the republic exercises constitutional powers as head of state and central executive authority. [5] [21]
Head of government
The prime minister leads the government under the constitutional distribution of powers. [5] [21]
Presidential term
Seven years under the October 2025 amended Constitution, with no constitutional cap on the number of reelections; the revised duration is specified prospectively. [6] [21]
Presidential election milestone
May 6, 2024 presidential vote after the transitional period; election administration and opposition allegations require separate treatment from official results. [4] [21]
Legislature
Bicameral Parliament: National Assembly (lower house) and Senate (upper house). [10] [11]
National Assembly
188 statutory directly elected seats; election held December 29, 2024. The October 2025 amendments established six-year deputy terms. [10] [6]
Senate
69 statutory seats, comprising 46 indirectly elected and 23 appointed by the president. [11]
Judiciary
Supreme Court, constitutional adjudicatory institutions, lower courts, and customary-justice arrangements governed by national law. [5]
Administrative divisions
23 provinces, including the capital territory N’Djamena; subprovincial structure has been revised in 2024 and reported in the 2025 statistical yearbook. [12]
Local administration
Provinces are divided into departments and communes, with customary and local institutions also playing roles; subdivision totals should be sourced to a dated administrative enactment. [12] [5]
Constitutional rights
Formal guarantees include civil liberties, equality before the law, freedom of religion and political participation; these legal provisions do not alone measure implementation. [5]
Political context
The May 2024 election and October 2025 constitutional revision were contested by opposition groups; the latter removed presidential term limits. [6] [4]
Defense and security
National military, gendarmerie and police institutions operate alongside regional border-security challenges linked to armed conflict and displacement. [5] [4]

Legal status versus observed politics: The 2023 constitutional document is the original baseline; October 2025 amendments changed presidential and parliamentary terms. The same distinction applies to constitutional guarantees and the reported realities of political competition. Chad’s 23 provinces are a dated administrative count. [5] [6] [21] [12]

International Profile

United Nations membership
Admitted September 20, 1960, shortly after independence. [20] [2]
African Union
Member of the African Union and its predecessor pan-African diplomatic frameworks. [4]
World Trade Organization
WTO member since October 19, 1996; previously a GATT contracting party from July 12, 1963. [16]
Regional currency and economic union
Member of the Economic and Monetary Community of Central Africa (CEMAC), using the BEAC-issued XAF currency. [17]
Other regional cooperation
Participates in Central African and Lake Chad Basin regional diplomacy, including cross-border water, displacement and security coordination. [4]
Neighboring states
Libya, Sudan, Central African Republic, Cameroon, Nigeria and Niger. [22]
Trade corridor dependence
Landlocked geography makes international shipping dependent on roads, border crossings and neighboring countries’ transport infrastructure. [4]
Sudan refugee response
Chad hosts a large and changing population displaced by the war in Sudan; UNHCR July 2026 reporting offers a dated count. [14]
World Heritage properties
Lakes of Ounianga (2012) and Ennedi Massif (2016). [15]
International dialing code
+235
Country internet domain
.td
Civil time standard
UTC+01:00 (West Africa Time), with no regular daylight-saving time change. [22]

Sources and Verification

Editorial cutoff: November 5, 2026. This page combines 2025 World Bank estimates, 2024 UNCTAD estimated international trade, historic census and independence records, the original 2023 Constitution with documented October 2025 amendments, and dated international institutional references. Time-sensitive figures are not described as full-year 2026 results.

  1. World Bank, Chad Country Data — 2025 population estimate (21,003,705), GDP (US$21.47 billion), GDP per capita (US$1,022.3), real GDP growth (5.6%), 2025 inflation, and latest reported life expectancy.
  2. United Nations Statistics Division, UNdata: Chad — 2025 UN population, surface area (1,284,000 km²), land area convention, capital, CFA franc, United Nations admission date and UN geographic classification.
  3. UN Trade and Development (UNCTAD), General Profile: Chad, 2024 — 2024 estimated merchandise exports (US$4.5 billion), imports (US$2.1 billion), trade surplus, estimated services trade, broad export groups and export markets; figures labelled estimates.
  4. World Bank Group, Chad Overview — Dependence on petroleum, agriculture, employment, poverty, regional conflict, climate shocks and October 2025 constitutional revision.
  5. Republic of Chad, Constitution Approved by Referendum December 17, 2023 (primary text hosted by WHO) — 2023 constitutional baseline: secular republic, official languages, flag, motto, anthem, national day, executive and legislative institutions; amended in October 2025.
  6. Library of Congress, Chad: Revised Constitution Allows President to Seek Reelection Without Term Limits — October 2025 amendment creating seven-year presidential terms without a term limit, six-year Assembly terms and other institutional changes.
  7. U.S. Department of State, Office of the Historian: Chad — Independence and U.S. recognition on August 11, 1960, and diplomatic chronology.
  8. Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, Heads of Government: Chad — Current head of state Mahamat Idriss Déby Itno and prime minister Allamaye Halina.
  9. Inter-Parliamentary Union, PARLINE: Chad National Assembly — Bicameral system, 188 Assembly seats, December 2024 legislative election and October 2025 six-year legislative-term amendment.
  10. Inter-Parliamentary Union, PARLINE: Chad Senate — 69-member upper chamber; 46 indirectly elected senators and 23 presidential appointees.
  11. National Institute of Statistics, Economic and Demographic Studies (INSEED), Statistical Yearbook 2024 (September 2025) — National statistical institute documentation of 23 provinces and administrative restructuring; subordinate-unit totals can differ across legislation and reporting vintages.
  12. U.S. Department of State, 2022 Report on International Religious Freedom: Chad — Older 2014–15 religious-demography estimates: Muslim 52.1%, Protestant 23.9%, Catholic 20.0%, other categories; distinct from the 2009 census.
  13. UNHCR, Chad Forcibly Displaced Persons, July 2026 — July 2026 displacement snapshot: roughly 1.56 million refugees and asylum seekers, 219,600 IDPs in the Lake area and 494,643 vulnerable returnees; non-overlapping categories.
  14. UNESCO World Heritage Centre, Chad State Party Profile — Lakes of Ounianga (2012) and Ennedi Massif: Natural and Cultural Landscape (2016).
  15. World Trade Organization, Chad Member Information — WTO member since October 19, 1996; predecessor GATT membership since July 12, 1963.
  16. Banque de France, Africa–France Partnerships — CEMAC members including Chad use the BEAC-issued Central African CFA franc (XAF).
  17. United Nations Statistics Division, M49 Country and Area Codes — Placement in Middle Africa and country code 148 (ISO code TD/TCD).
  18. United Nations Statistics Division, Demographic Yearbook: Chad 2009 Census — May 20, 2009 census population of 11,039,873, a separate historical enumerated population rather than the 2025 population estimate.
  19. United Nations, UNdata Chad Profile — Admission to the United Nations on September 20, 1960.
  20. International IDEA, Restoring Constitutional Order after Coups: Chad — 2023 constitution and October 2025 amendments; semi-presidential institutional architecture and distinction between constitutional provisions and political practice.
  21. The Factbook, Historical CIA World Factbook Chad 2025 Edition — Reference geography, approximate land area, languages, historical background and historic figures; an archive, not a live official source.

Data conventions: Nominal GDP uses current U.S. dollars; GDP per capita is total GDP divided by population, not average personal earnings. Merchandise trade refers only to goods; services are separate. Estimates, censuses, historical religious surveys and administrative data may have different reference dates, valuation bases, and source revisions. Changes in political office or governing law should be reverified on a later update.