Share of population living in urban areas in Chad
Chad: Share of population living in urban areas was 51.5% in 2020. ▲ Rising
Share of population living in urban areas in Chad, 1950–2020
Source: European Commission, Joint Research Centre (JRC) (2025) – with major processing by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
Chad recorded 51.5% for share of population living in urban areas in 2020.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 2.9% over ten years.
Over the whole period, share of population living in urban areas in Chad peaked at 53.2% in 2015 and was at its lowest, 37.4%, in 1950.
That places Chad 204th out of 236 countries with data for 2020, putting it in the bottom quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 15 years of available data.
Share of population living in urban areas in Chad, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1950 | 37.4% | — |
| 1955 | 38.2% | +2.2% |
| 1960 | 39.2% | +2.7% |
| 1965 | 40.4% | +3.0% |
| 1970 | 41.6% | +2.8% |
| 1975 | 43.0% | +3.6% |
| 1980 | 44.8% | +4.1% |
| 1985 | 46.3% | +3.4% |
| 1990 | 48.4% | +4.5% |
| 1995 | 50.5% | +4.3% |
| 2000 | 52.3% | +3.4% |
| 2005 | 52.8% | +1.1% |
| 2010 | 53.0% | +0.4% |
| 2015 | 53.2% | +0.3% |
| 2020 | 51.5% | -3.2% |
Chad compared with similar countries
- Chad's 51.5% is below the median for low income countries, which is 64.4%, 80% of the median. (25 countries reporting)
- Chad's 51.5% is below the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 69.4%, 74% of the median. (48 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1950s | 37.8% | 37.4% | 38.2% | 2 |
| 1960s | 39.8% | 39.2% | 40.4% | 2 |
| 1970s | 42.3% | 41.6% | 43.0% | 2 |
| 1980s | 45.5% | 44.8% | 46.3% | 2 |
| 1990s | 49.5% | 48.4% | 50.5% | 2 |
| 2000s | 52.5% | 52.3% | 52.8% | 2 |
| 2010s | 53.1% | 53.0% | 53.2% | 2 |
| 2020s | 51.5% | 51.5% | 51.5% | 1 |
Countries ranked near Chad
More reference data data for Chad
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 0.3078 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 13.52 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 14.01 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 0.1797 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Agricultural Soils 14.01 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 1.03 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure Management 0.5525 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 58.55 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 61.14 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 0.9785 (2050)
Frequently asked questions
- What is share of population living in urban areas in Chad?
- Share of population living in urban areas in Chad was 51.5% in 2020, according to European Commission, Joint Research Centre (JRC) (2025) – with major processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest share of population living in urban areas recorded in Chad?
- The highest recorded value was 53.2% in 2015.
- What is the lowest share of population living in urban areas recorded in Chad?
- The lowest recorded value was 37.4% in 1950.
- How does Chad rank for share of population living in urban areas?
- Chad ranks 204th out of 236 countries with data for 2020.
- Is share of population living in urban areas rising or falling in Chad?
- Over the last ten years it is down 2.9%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Chad data come from?
- The figures come from European Commission, Joint Research Centre (JRC) (2025) – with major processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Share of population living in urban areas. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Estimated share of the population living in urban areas (the sum of cities and towns and suburbs). Urban areas are identified using satellite imagery and population data, applying the same definitions across countries.