Chad profile

Demography and Health

Chad’s demography is characterized by a very young and growing population. The total population is about 20,299,123 in 2024, placing Chad among populous African nations, with a continued trend of rapid growth that can create a large labor force in the future if employment and education expand. The country has an exceptionally high birth rate of 42.4 births per 1,000 people in 2023, which reinforces the youthful age structure but also implies substantial demand for health, education, and social services to support a large cohort of children and adolescents. Pairing this high fertility with life expectancy of 55.1 years (2023) and a death rate of 11 per 1,000 people, it becomes clear that health outcomes and access to care are major constraints on long-term development. Under-5 mortality is alarmingly high at 101 per 1,000 live births (2023), indicating critical challenges in maternal and child health, nutrition, vaccination coverage, and basic health infrastructure. The combination of a young population and elevated child mortality highlights a potential demographic dividend if investments in health, education, and job creation are scaled up; otherwise, it risks reinforcing intergenerational poverty and social vulnerabilities. Net migration stands at 204,040 in 2024, a sizeable numeric flow that can affect urbanization, labor markets, and demand for public services, depending on whether inflows or outflows dominate and how policy channels adapt to changing needs. The prevalence of undernourishment is 35.1% of the population (2022), underscoring widespread food insecurity and its direct impact on health, growth, and cognitive development. The healthcare workforce is thin, with physicians totaling 0.085 per 1,000 people in 2022, and current health expenditure at 4.53% of GDP (2022). Domestic government health expenditure per capita, PPP is 20.8 international US$ (2022), suggesting limited financing available per person for health services despite potential targeting of funds toward essential care. Taken together, the demographic profile—marked by rapid population growth, very high fertility, and substantial child mortality—points to a need for intensified investment in maternal and child health, nutrition, infectious disease control, and health system strengthening to translate the demographic advantage into sustainable development.

Economy, Trade and Investment

Chad’s economy reflects low-income realities with a current US$ gross domestic product per capita of 1,016 in 2024, and a GDP per capita on a purchasing-power-parity basis of 2,962 international US$ in 2024, indicating limited material living standards but a somewhat higher relative purchasing power for non-tradables. Exports of goods and services account for 28.1% of GDP in 2024, while imports represent 17.2% of GDP, suggesting Chad maintains a tradable sector focused on primary commodities and basic goods, yet remains less integrated into global value chains than more diversified economies. Inflation is relatively elevated at 8.9% in 2024, signaling macroeconomic volatility and pressures on household budgets, particularly for low-income families with limited savings. Foreign direct investment net inflows amount to 4.78% of GDP in 2023, indicating that Chad attracts some foreign capital, but not at high enough levels to drive rapid modernization, diversification, or sizable job creation without further improvements in governance, security, and infrastructure. The economy also shows a notable share of renewable energy consumption, at 70% of total final energy consumption in 2022, which may reflect reliance on traditional biomass and other renewables rather than modern energy infrastructure; this has implications for energy access, industrial growth, and the cost of doing business. The combination of moderate export activity, a fragile macroeconomic environment, and limited investment inflows suggests that Chad has potential for growth if it can strengthen governance, diversify its export base, improve energy access, and raise human capital—areas where policy reforms and targeted investments could yield compounding benefits over time.

Governance and Institutions

Chad’s governance indicators reveal a challenging institutional environment. Political Stability and Absence of Violence/Terrorism score -1.56 in 2023, with a relatively poor rank (180), indicates persistent political risk and exposure to conflict or instability that can disrupt development, investment, and service delivery. Regulatory Quality is -1.16, and Rule of Law is -1.35, signaling weak effectiveness of policies, insufficient judicial independence, and difficulties in enforcing contracts and property rights. Control of Corruption stands at -1.48, while Government Effectiveness is -1.48 as well, highlighting perceived deficiencies in public sector performance, accountability, and reform implementation. These governance gaps can undermine the business climate, deter investment, hinder public service provision, and impede the effectiveness of poverty alleviation and health initiatives. In terms of social protection, the Poverty headcount ratio at national poverty lines sits at 44.8% of the population (2022), reflecting substantial poverty and the imperative for social safety nets and inclusive growth policies. Overall, governance weaknesses are a central constraint to Chad’s development trajectory, affecting macroeconomic stability, service delivery, and resilience to shocks. Addressing these gaps—through anticorruption measures, strengthening rule of law and regulatory quality, improving public sector capacity, and expanding targeted social programs—would be foundational steps toward more inclusive and sustainable progress.

Infrastructure and Technology

Chad faces significant gaps in infrastructure and technology. Internet penetration is low, with 13.2% of the population using the Internet in 2023, reflecting limited digital connectivity that constrains access to information, education, and e-commerce, and hinders the reach of telemedicine and digital public services. The health workforce is critically limited, with physicians per 1,000 people at 0.085 in 2022, indicating severe shortages that impede timely diagnosis and treatment, especially in rural areas. Current health expenditure is 4.53% of GDP in 2022, and domestic general government health expenditure per capita, PPP stands at 20.8 international US$ (2022), suggesting modest investment in health relative to need. While Chad shows a relatively high share of renewable energy consumption—70% of total final energy consumption in 2022—this figure likely includes traditional biomass and other renewables, which does not necessarily translate into reliable electricity access for households or industry. Taken together, Chad’s infrastructure and technology indicators signal critical limitations in digital connectivity, healthcare capacity, and energy infrastructure, which limit productivity, education outcomes, and resilience to climate and health shocks. Strategic investments in digital infrastructure, health system strengthening, and energy access are essential to unlock broader development gains.

Environment and Sustainability

Chad’s environmental and sustainability profile shows a mix of abundant renewable resource themes and serious vulnerability. Total greenhouse gas emissions per capita, excluding LULUCF, are 4.94 tCO2e per person in 2023, which is modest by global standards but reflects ongoing emissions growth in a developing context. Renewable energy consumption accounts for 70% of total final energy consumption in 2022, a figure that likely mirrors continued reliance on traditional biomass and other renewables rather than modern, grid-based electricity, and underscores energy access and efficiency challenges even as renewables form a large share of energy use. The prevalence of undernourishment is 35.1% of the population in 2022, illustrating how climate vulnerability, agricultural productivity, and food security intersect with poverty and health outcomes. Water resources face scarcity pressures: the level of water stress, measured as freshwater withdrawal as a proportion of available freshwater resources, is 4.29% in 2021, with a rank of 130, indicating limited withdrawal relative to scarce water resources and highlighting vulnerability to drought and climate variability. Altogether, Chad’s environmental picture indicates a country exposed to climate-related risks—droughts, desertification, and water stress—while also possessing a certain reliance on renewable energy sources that, if paired with improved energy access and efficiency, could support sustainable development. Addressing food insecurity, expanding reliable energy access, and strengthening water and land management will be critical to advancing environmental resilience and human well-being in Chad.