# Demographics of Chad

The people of Chad speak more than 100 languages and divide themselves into many ethnic groups. However, language and ethnicity are not the same. Moreover, neither element can be tied to a particular physical type.
Although the possession of a common language shows that its speakers have lived together and have a common history, peoples also change languages. This is particularly so in Chad, where the openness of the terrain, marginal rainfall, frequent drought and famine, and low population densities have encouraged physical and linguistic mobility. Slave raids among non-Muslim peoples, internal slave trade, and exports of captives northward from the ninth to the twentieth centuries also have resulted in language changes.
Anthropologists view ethnicity as being more than genetics. Like language, ethnicity implies a shared heritage, partly economic, where people of the same ethnic group may share a livelihood, and partly social, taking the form of shared ways of doing things and organizing relations among individuals and groups. Ethnicity also involves a cultural component made up of shared values and a common worldview. Like language, ethnicity is not immutable. Shared ways of doing things change over time and alter a group's perception of its own identity.
Not only do the social aspects of ethnic identity change but the biological composition (or gene pool) also may change over time. Although most ethnic groups emphasize intermarriage, people are often proscribed from seeking partners among close relatives—a prohibition that promotes biological variation. In all groups, the departure of some individuals or groups and the integration of others also changes the biological component.
The Chadian government has avoided official recognition of ethnicity. With the exception of a few surveys conducted shortly after independence, little data were available on this important aspect of Chadian society. Nonetheless, ethnic identity was a significant component of life in Chad.
The peoples of Chad carry significant ancestry from Eastern, Central, Western, and Northern Africa.
Chad's languages fall into ten major groups, each of which belongs to either the Nilo-Saharan, Afro-Asiatic, or Niger–Congo language family. These represent three of the four major language families in Africa; only the Khoisan languages of southern Africa are not represented. The presence of such different languages suggests that the Lake Chad Basin may have been an important point of dispersal in ancient times.

## Population

According to the 2022 revision of the World Population Prospects the total population was 17,179,740 in 2021, compared to only 2 429 000 in 1950. The proportion of children below the age of 15 in 2010 was 45.4%, 51.7% was between 15 and 65 years of age, while 2.9% was 65 years or the country is projected to have a population of 34 millions peoples in 2050 and 61 millions peoples in 2100 .
| Year | Total population | Population percentage in age bracket | Population percentage in age bracket | Population percentage in age bracket |
| Year | Total population | aged 0–14 | aged 15–64 | aged 65+ |
| 1950 | 2 429 000 | 37.8% | 57.8% | 4.4% |
| 1955 | 2 671 000 | 39.1% | 56.8% | 4.1% |
| 1960 | 2 954 000 | 40.3% | 55.9% | 3.8% |
| 1965 | 3 289 000 | 41.5% | 54.7% | 3.8% |
| 1970 | 3 656 000 | 42.0% | 54.2% | 3.8% |
| 1975 | 4 114 000 | 42.8% | 53.4% | 3.8% |
| 1980 | 4 554 000 | 44.0% | 52.3% | 3.7% |
| 1985 | 5 151 000 | 45.2% | 51.2% | 3.6% |
| 1990 | 6 011 000 | 45.8% | 50.7% | 3.5% |
| 1995 | 6 998 000 | 45.9% | 50.8% | 3.3% |
| 2000 | 8 222 000 | 45.9% | 51.0% | 3.1% |
| 2005 | 9 786 000 | 45.8% | 51.2% | 3.0% |
| 2010 | 11 227 000 | 45.4% | 51.7% | 2.9% |
| Age Group | Male | Female | Total | % |
| Total | 5 452 483 | 5 587 390 | 11 039 873 | 100 |
| 0–4 | 1 129 693 | 1 100 985 | 2 230 678 | 20.21 |
| 5–9 | 1 012 471 | 987 297 | 1 999 768 | 18.11 |
| 10–14 | 700 015 | 650 633 | 1 350 648 | 12.23 |
| 15–19 | 502 894 | 557 494 | 1 060 388 | 9.61 |
| 20–24 | 382 122 | 482 768 | 864 890 | 7.83 |
| 25–29 | 320 063 | 433 622 | 753 685 | 6.83 |
| 30–34 | 277 322 | 335 402 | 612 724 | 5.55 |
| 35–39 | 241 971 | 260 515 | 502 485 | 4.55 |
| 40–44 | 215 887 | 214 181 | 430 068 | 3.90 |
| 45–49 | 163 952 | 139 357 | 303 308 | 2.75 |
| 50–54 | 147 725 | 133 019 | 280 744 | 2.54 |
| 55–59 | 84 938 | 62 817 | 147 755 | 1.34 |
| 60–64 | 92 696 | 85 024 | 177 720 | 1.61 |
| 65–69 | 48 054 | 37 398 | 85 452 | 0.77 |
| 70–74 | 56 059 | 49 289 | 105 348 | 0.95 |
| 75–79 | 24 148 | 17 371 | 41 518 | 0.38 |
| 80–84 | 24 947 | 21 486 | 46 433 | 0.42 |
| 85–89 | 9 086 | 5 833 | 14 919 | 0.14 |
| 90–94 | 6 852 | 5 465 | 12 317 | 0.11 |
| 95–99 | 5 113 | 3 609 | 8 722 | 0.08 |
| 100+ | 1 323 | 1 200 | 2 523 | 0.02 |
| Age group | Male | Female | Total | Percent |
| 0–14 | 2 842 179 | 2 738 915 | 5 581 094 | 50.55 |
| 15–64 | 2 429 569 | 2 704 199 | 5 133 768 | 46.50 |
| 65+ | 175 582 | 141 651 | 317 233 | 2.87 |
| Unknown | 5 153 | 2 625 | 7 778 | 0.07 |

## Vital statistics

Registration of vital events is in Chad not complete. The Population Departement of the United Nations prepared the following estimates.
| | Population | Live births per year | Deaths per year | Natural change per year | CBR | CDR | NC | TFR | IMR | Life expectancy (years) |
| 1950 | | 117,000 | 70,000 | 47,000 | 46.7 | 27.8 | 18.9 | 6.06 | 197.6 | 36.21 |
| 1951 | | 119,000 | 72,000 | 47,000 | 46.5 | 28.1 | 18.4 | 6.07 | 196.5 | 36.34 |
| 1952 | | 121,000 | 73,000 | 48,000 | 46.4 | 28.1 | 18.3 | 6.09 | 194.4 | 36.50 |
| 1953 | | 123,000 | 74,000 | 49,000 | 46.4 | 27.9 | 18.5 | 6.11 | 192.3 | 36.84 |
| 1954 | | 125,000 | 75,000 | 50,000 | 46.3 | 27.7 | 18.5 | 6.13 | 190.3 | 37.03 |
| 1955 | | 127,000 | 76,000 | 51,000 | 46.2 | 27.6 | 18.6 | 6.15 | 188.3 | 37.21 |
| 1956 | | 130,000 | 77,000 | 53,000 | 46.1 | 27.3 | 18.8 | 6.17 | 186.3 | 37.45 |
| 1957 | | 132,000 | 78,000 | 54,000 | 46.0 | 27.1 | 18.9 | 6.19 | 184.3 | 37.66 |
| 1958 | | 134,000 | 78,000 | 56,000 | 45.9 | 26.8 | 19.1 | 6.21 | 182.3 | 37.94 |
| 1959 | | 136,000 | 79,000 | 57,000 | 45.9 | 26.5 | 19.3 | 6.23 | 180.3 | 38.19 |
| 1960 | | 139,000 | 80,000 | 59,000 | 45.7 | 26.3 | 19.4 | 6.25 | 178.4 | 38.37 |
| 1961 | | 141,000 | 80,000 | 61,000 | 45.7 | 26.0 | 19.6 | 6.27 | 176.5 | 38.63 |
| 1962 | | 144,000 | 81,000 | 62,000 | 45.6 | 25.8 | 19.8 | 6.29 | 174.6 | 38.84 |
| 1963 | | 146,000 | 82,000 | 64,000 | 45.5 | 25.6 | 19.9 | 6.30 | 172.8 | 39.07 |
| 1964 | | 149,000 | 83,000 | 66,000 | 45.4 | 25.3 | 20.2 | 6.32 | 171.0 | 39.33 |
| 1965 | | 152,000 | 85,000 | 67,000 | 45.4 | 25.4 | 20.0 | 6.34 | 169.7 | 39.12 |
| 1966 | | 155,000 | 86,000 | 69,000 | 45.4 | 25.3 | 20.2 | 6.36 | 166.8 | 39.15 |
| 1967 | | 158,000 | 87,000 | 71,000 | 45.6 | 25.0 | 20.6 | 6.39 | 164.2 | 39.48 |
| 1968 | | 162,000 | 87,000 | 75,000 | 45.8 | 24.6 | 21.2 | 6.43 | 161.3 | 39.90 |
| 1969 | | 166,000 | 88,000 | 79,000 | 46.2 | 24.3 | 21.9 | 6.48 | 158.3 | 40.27 |
| 1970 | | 172,000 | 88,000 | 83,000 | 46.7 | 24.1 | 22.6 | 6.53 | 155.2 | 40.60 |
| 1971 | | 177,000 | 92,000 | 85,000 | 47.2 | 24.4 | 22.7 | 6.58 | 153.5 | 40.19 |
| 1972 | | 188,000 | 90,000 | 97,000 | 49.0 | 23.6 | 25.4 | 6.85 | 149.1 | 41.40 |
| 1973 | | 192,000 | 92,000 | 100,000 | 49.0 | 23.5 | 25.5 | 6.87 | 148.7 | 41.78 |
| 1974 | | 196,000 | 94,000 | 102,000 | 48.8 | 23.5 | 25.4 | 6.86 | 147.8 | 41.79 |
| 1975 | | 200,000 | 96,000 | 104,000 | 48.7 | 23.4 | 25.4 | 6.88 | 147.0 | 41.87 |
| 1976 | | 203,000 | 97,000 | 107,000 | 48.6 | 23.1 | 25.5 | 6.89 | 145.5 | 42.04 |
| 1977 | | 206,000 | 98,000 | 109,000 | 48.4 | 22.9 | 25.5 | 6.90 | 144.6 | 42.26 |
| 1978 | | 209,000 | 98,000 | 111,000 | 48.2 | 22.7 | 25.5 | 6.89 | 143.6 | 42.50 |
| 1979 | | 212,000 | 99,000 | 113,000 | 48.1 | 22.4 | 25.7 | 6.91 | 142.6 | 42.81 |
| 1980 | | 218,000 | 100,000 | 118,000 | 48.2 | 22.1 | 26.1 | 6.91 | 141.4 | 43.06 |
| 1981 | | 205,000 | 97,000 | 108,000 | 46.3 | 21.9 | 24.5 | 6.94 | 141.0 | 43.31 |
| 1982 | | 212,000 | 97,000 | 115,000 | 46.9 | 21.4 | 25.5 | 6.96 | 139.5 | 43.73 |
| 1983 | | 242,000 | 102,000 | 140,000 | 49.8 | 21.1 | 28.8 | 6.98 | 138.0 | 44.18 |
| 1984 | | 252,000 | 105,000 | 147,000 | 50.4 | 21.0 | 29.4 | 7.02 | 136.2 | 44.52 |
| 1985 | | 245,000 | 103,000 | 142,000 | 49.3 | 20.7 | 28.5 | 7.04 | 135.0 | 45.05 |
| 1986 | | 252,000 | 104,000 | 148,000 | 49.4 | 20.4 | 28.9 | 7.07 | 132.1 | 45.21 |
| 1987 | | 268,000 | 116,000 | 153,000 | 50.7 | 21.8 | 28.8 | 7.11 | 130.4 | 42.80 |
| 1988 | | 283,000 | 110,000 | 173,000 | 51.7 | 20.2 | 31.5 | 7.15 | 128.9 | 45.79 |
| 1989 | | 295,000 | 114,000 | 182,000 | 52.1 | 20.1 | 32.0 | 7.19 | 127.0 | 45.88 |
| 1990 | | 307,000 | 121,000 | 185,000 | 52.4 | 20.7 | 31.6 | 7.22 | 125.3 | 44.69 |
| 1991 | | 312,000 | 120,000 | 192,000 | 52.1 | 20.0 | 32.0 | 7.26 | 124.2 | 45.94 |
| 1992 | | 336,000 | 125,000 | 211,000 | 53.3 | 19.9 | 33.4 | 7.30 | 122.5 | 46.10 |
| 1993 | | 349,000 | 129,000 | 221,000 | 53.5 | 19.7 | 33.8 | 7.34 | 120.9 | 46.32 |
| 1994 | | 343,000 | 129,000 | 214,000 | 52.1 | 19.5 | 32.5 | 7.31 | 119.6 | 46.45 |
| 1995 | | 355,000 | 131,000 | 224,000 | 52.1 | 19.2 | 32.9 | 7.29 | 118.2 | 46.71 |
| 1996 | | 381,000 | 136,000 | 245,000 | 53.0 | 18.9 | 34.0 | 7.29 | 117.0 | 47.01 |
| 1997 | | 390,000 | 139,000 | 251,000 | 52.4 | 18.7 | 33.7 | 7.27 | 115.6 | 47.22 |
| 1998 | | 403,000 | 143,000 | 260,000 | 52.2 | 18.5 | 33.7 | 7.27 | 114.0 | 47.22 |
| 1999 | | 413,000 | 146,000 | 267,000 | 51.7 | 18.3 | 33.4 | 7.26 | 112.4 | 47.37 |
| 2000 | | 424,000 | 149,000 | 275,000 | 51.3 | 18.1 | 33.2 | 7.25 | 110.7 | 47.44 |
| 2001 | | 436,000 | 151,000 | 285,000 | 51.1 | 17.7 | 33.4 | 7.23 | 108.8 | 47.85 |
| 2002 | | 444,000 | 154,000 | 290,000 | 50.3 | 17.4 | 32.9 | 7.20 | 106.8 | 47.95 |
| 2003 | | 457,000 | 157,000 | 300,000 | 49.9 | 17.1 | 32.8 | 7.18 | 105.1 | 48.21 |
| 2004 | | 481,000 | 162,000 | 318,000 | 50.3 | 17.0 | 33.3 | 7.16 | 103.4 | 48.23 |
| 2005 | | 503,000 | 168,000 | 335,000 | 50.3 | 16.8 | 33.5 | 7.13 | 101.5 | 48.31 |
| 2006 | | 517,000 | 173,000 | 344,000 | 49.9 | 16.7 | 33.2 | 7.12 | 99.7 | 48.29 |
| 2007 | | 533,000 | 175,000 | 359,000 | 49.7 | 16.3 | 33.4 | 7.09 | 97.5 | 48.75 |
| 2008 | | 546,000 | 177,000 | 368,000 | 49.2 | 16.0 | 33.2 | 7.06 | 95.4 | 49.02 |
| 2009 | | 562,000 | 181,000 | 381,000 | 48.9 | 15.8 | 33.2 | 7.02 | 93.2 | 49.20 |
| 2010 | | 580,000 | 183,000 | 397,000 | 48.8 | 15.4 | 33.3 | 6.99 | 91.1 | 49.58 |
| 2011 | | 595,000 | 185,000 | 410,000 | 48.4 | 15.1 | 33.3 | 6.95 | 88.9 | 50.01 |
| 2012 | | 612,000 | 187,000 | 426,000 | 48.0 | 14.6 | 33.4 | 6.91 | 86.6 | 50.54 |
| 2013 | | 626,000 | 190,000 | 437,000 | 47.5 | 14.4 | 33.1 | 6.84 | 84.5 | 50.78 |
| 2014 | | 643,000 | 192,000 | 451,000 | 47.0 | 14.0 | 33.0 | 6.78 | 82.6 | 51.20 |
| 2015 | | 657,000 | 194,000 | 463,000 | 46.4 | 13.7 | 32.7 | 6.71 | 80.6 | 51.59 |
| 2016 | | 663,000 | 194,000 | 469,000 | 45.5 | 13.3 | 32.2 | 6.62 | 78.5 | 52.08 |
| 2017 | | 676,000 | 197,000 | 479,000 | 44.8 | 13.0 | 31.8 | 6.54 | 76.3 | 52.31 |
| 2018 | | 691,000 | 197,000 | 494,000 | 44.4 | 12.7 | 31.7 | 6.46 | 74.2 | 52.83 |
| 2019 | | 714,000 | 200,000 | 514,000 | 44.2 | 12.4 | 31.9 | 6.41 | 72.2 | 53.26 |
| 2020 | 16,936 | 754,000 | 212,000 | 541,000 | 43.8 | 12.3 | 31.4 | 6.35 | 70.1 | 53.1 |
| 2021 | 17,514 | 772,000 | 217,000 | 555,000 | 43.3 | 12.2 | 31.1 | 6.26 | 68.1 | 53.1 |
| 2022 | 18,143 | 800,000 | 212,000 | 588,000 | 43.4 | 11.5 | 31.9 | 6.22 | 66.1 | 54.5 |
| 2023 | 18,768 | 819,000 | 213,000 | 606,000 | 42.4 | 11.0 | 31.4 | 6.12 | 64.2 | 55.1 |
| 1 2 3 4 5 CBR = crude birth rate (per 1000); CDR = crude death rate (per 1000); NC = natural change (per 1000); TFR = total fertility rate (number of children per woman); IMR = infant mortality rate per 1000 births ||||||||||
Source: UN DESA, World Population Prospects, 2022

### Demographic and Health Surveys

Total Fertility Rate (TFR) (Wanted Fertility Rate) and Crude Birth Rate (CBR):
| Year | Total | Total | Urban | Urban | Rural | Rural |
| Year | CBR | TFR | CBR | TFR | CBR | TFR |
| 1996–97 | 47,8 | 6,6 (6,3) | 44,4 | 6,1 (5,7) | 48,8 | 6,8 (6,5) |
| 2004 | 44,6 | 6,3 (6,1) | 41,8 | 5,7 (5,5) | 45,3 | 6,5 (6,2) |
| 2014–15 | 40,5 | 6,4 (6,1) | 36,0 | 5,4 (5,1) | 41,8 | 6,8 (6,5) |
Fertility data as of 2014-2015 (DHS Program):
| Region | Total fertility rate | Percentage of women age 15-49 currently pregnant | Mean number of children ever born to women age 40–49 |
| Batha | 7.3 | 12.2 | 8.3 |
| Borkou, Tibesti | 5.3 | 9.6 | 6.4 |
| Chari Baguirmi | 6.6 | 16.1 | 7.7 |
| Guéra | 6.7 | 14.6 | 8.4 |
| Hadjer-Lamis | 6.8 | 14.5 | 8.4 |
| Kanem | 6.0 | 14.8 | 7.1 |
| Lac | 5.4 | 14.7 | 7.9 |
| Logone Occidental | 6.4 | 12.7 | 7.6 |
| Logone Oriental | 7.6 | 12.7 | 8.3 |
| Mandoul | 6.5 | 12.7 | 7.7 |
| Mayo Kebbi Est | 6.7 | 15.0 | 7.3 |
| Mayo Kebbi Ouest | 7.5 | 13.8 | 7.9 |
| Moyen Chari | 5.5 | 12.6 | 6.8 |
| Ouaddaï | 6.1 | 13.1 | 7.1 |
| Salamat | 6.5 | 19.7 | 8.0 |
| Tandjilé | 7.1 | 13.1 | 8.0 |
| Wadi Fira | 5.9 | 12.2 | 6.5 |
| N’Djaména | 5.2 | 9.4 | 6.5 |
| Barh El Gazal | 5.6 | 14.5 | 7.1 |
| Ennedi Est, Ennedi Ouest | 5.0 | 13.4 | 6.3 |
| Sila | 6.7 | 19.6 | 7.7 |

## Ethnic groups

The peoples of Chad carry significant ancestry from Eastern, Central, Western, and Northern Africa.
    200 distinct groups
* In the north and center: Arabs, Tubu (Daza, Teda), Zaghawa, Kanembu, Wadai, Baguirmi, Hadjarai, Fulani, Kotoko, Hausa, Bulala, and Maba, most of whom are Muslim
* In the south: Sara (Ngambaye, Mbaye, Goulaye), Mundang, Mussei, Massa, most of whom are Christian or animist

## Languages

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

## Religion

The separation of religion from social structure in Chad represents a false dichotomy, for they are perceived as two sides of the same coin. Three religious traditions coexist in Chad: traditional African religions, Islam, and Christianity. None is monolithic. The first tradition includes a variety of ancestor and/or place-oriented religions whose expression is highly specific. Islam, although characterized by an orthodox set of beliefs and observances, also is expressed in diverse ways. Christianity arrived in Chad much more recently with the arrival of Europeans. Its followers are divided into Roman Catholics and Protestants (including several denominations); as with Chadian Islam, Chadian Christianity retains aspects of pre-Christian religious belief.
The number of followers of each tradition in Chad is unknown. Estimates made in 1962 suggested that 35 percent of Chadians practiced classical African religions, 55 percent were Muslims, and 10 percent were Christians. In the 1970s and 1980s, this distribution undoubtedly changed. Observers report that Islam has spread among the Hadjarai peoples and other non-Muslim populations of the Saharan and sahelian zones. However, the proportion of Muslims may have fallen, because the birthrate among the followers of traditional religions and Christians in southern Chad is thought to be higher than that among Muslims. In addition, the upheavals since the mid-1970s have resulted in the departure of some missionaries; whether or not Chadian Christians have been numerous enough and sufficiently organized to attract more converts since that time is unknown.