Chad has a population density of 44.7 people per square mile compared to 690 people in Nigeria. Chad has 680,860 sq ft of land per person vs 42,734 sq ft in Nigeria. Chad and Nigeria rank 178th and 41st by population density, respectively.
Population density is calculated as the ratio of population to land area. Chad has 0.25% of the world's population and 0.85% of all countries' land area, compared to 2.86% of the population and 0.61% of the land area for Nigeria, making the population density in Chad 93.5% lower than in Nigeria.
Population density by year
people per square mile
| Year | Population density | |
|---|---|---|
Chad
|
Nigeria
|
|
| 2026 | 44.7 | 690 |
| 2025 | 43.6 | 676 |
| 2024 | 41.8 | 662 |
| 2023 | 39.7 | 648 |
| 2022 | 38 | 635 |
| 2021 | 36.7 | 621 |
| 2020 | 35.4 | 609 |
| 2019 | 34.3 | 596 |
| 2018 | 33.2 | 583 |
| 2017 | 32.1 | 569 |
| 2016 | 31.1 | 556 |
| 2015 | 30.1 | 542 |
| 2014 | 29.2 | 529 |
| 2013 | 28.2 | 515 |
| 2012 | 27.2 | 501 |
| 2011 | 26.2 | 487 |
| 2010 | 25.3 | 474 |
| 2009 | 24.5 | 461 |
| 2008 | 23.6 | 448 |
| 2007 | 22.8 | 436 |
| 2006 | 22 | 424 |
| 2005 | 21.2 | 412 |
| 2004 | 20.4 | 401 |
| 2003 | 19.5 | 390 |
| 2002 | 18.8 | 380 |
| 2001 | 18.1 | 369 |
| 2000 | 17.5 | 359 |
| 1999 | 16.9 | 350 |
| 1998 | 16.3 | 341 |
| 1997 | 15.8 | 332 |
| 1996 | 15.2 | 323 |
| 1995 | 14.6 | 315 |
| 1994 | 14 | 307 |
| 1993 | 13.6 | 298.9 |
| 1992 | 13.3 | 291.1 |
| 1991 | 12.8 | 283.6 |
| 1990 | 12.3 | 276.2 |
| 1989 | 12 | 268.8 |
| 1988 | 11.6 | 261.7 |
| 1987 | 11.2 | 254.8 |
| 1986 | 10.8 | 248.1 |
| 1985 | 10.5 | 241.4 |
| 1984 | 10.4 | 234.7 |
| 1983 | 10.2 | 228.7 |
| 1982 | 9.75 | 222.9 |
| 1981 | 9.3 | 216.3 |
| 1980 | 9.29 | 209.8 |
| 1979 | 9.27 | 203.3 |
| 1978 | 9.07 | 197.1 |
| 1977 | 8.91 | 191.2 |
| 1976 | 8.74 | 185.6 |
| 1975 | 8.57 | 180.3 |
| 1974 | 8.39 | 175.4 |
| 1973 | 8.19 | 170.9 |
| 1972 | 8 | 166.6 |
| 1971 | 7.83 | 162.7 |
| 1970 | 7.66 | 158.9 |
| 1969 | 7.51 | 155.4 |
| 1968 | 7.36 | 151.9 |
| 1967 | 7.21 | 148.7 |
| 1966 | 7.07 | 145.6 |
| 1965 | 6.94 | 142.4 |
| 1964 | 6.8 | 139.4 |
| 1963 | 6.66 | 136.4 |
| 1962 | 6.53 | 133.6 |
| 1961 | 6.4 | 130.8 |
Data sources: World Bank | Agriculture & Rural Development (1961–2026, retrieved 2026-04-06); United Nations | World Population Prospects (2025–2026, retrieved 2026-03-10).
GeoRank.org/population-density/chad/nigeria | CC BY 
From 2006 to 2026, population density in Chad increased by 103%, compared to a 62.7% growth in Nigeria.
In 2006, Chad ranked 180th by population density and is 178th now. Nigeria was 53rd in 2006 and ranks 41st out of 197 currently.
Population density comparison
|
Chad
|
Nigeria
|
|
|---|---|---|
| Population density | 44.7 ppl/mi² | 690 ppl/mi² |
| Population density rank | 178/197 | 41/197 |
| Population |
21893857
|
243824469
|
| Land area | 486,180 sq mi | 351,650 sq mi |
| Land area per capita | 667,709 sq ft | 42,133 sq ft |
| Rural population | 73.1% | 37% |
| Urban population | 26.9% | 63% |
| Living in agglomerations of 1M+ people | 4.99% | 13.8% |
Share of urban population by year
| Year | Urban population | |
|---|---|---|
|
Chad
|
Nigeria
|
|
| 2024 | 26.9% | 63% |
| 2023 | 26.3% | 62.2% |
| 2022 | 25.8% | 61.4% |
| 2021 | 25.2% | 60.6% |
| 2020 | 24.7% | 59.8% |
| 2019 | 24.3% | 59% |
| 2018 | 23.8% | 58.2% |
| 2017 | 23.5% | 57.3% |
| 2016 | 23.1% | 56.5% |
| 2015 | 22.8% | 55.7% |
| 2014 | 22.5% | 54.9% |
| 2013 | 22.3% | 54.1% |
| 2012 | 22.1% | 53.3% |
| 2011 | 22% | 52.5% |
| 2010 | 21.8% | 51.7% |
| 2009 | 21.8% | 50.9% |
| 2008 | 21.8% | 50.1% |
| 2007 | 21.8% | 49.2% |
| 2006 | 21.8% | 48.4% |
| 2005 | 21.8% | 47.6% |
| 2004 | 21.7% | 46.7% |
| 2003 | 21.7% | 45.8% |
| 2002 | 21.7% | 45% |
| 2001 | 21.7% | 44.1% |
| 2000 | 21.7% | 43.3% |
| 1999 | 21.6% | 42.4% |
| 1998 | 21.6% | 41.6% |
| 1997 | 21.6% | 40.8% |
| 1996 | 21.5% | 40% |
| 1995 | 21.5% | 39.1% |
| 1994 | 21.5% | 38.3% |
| 1993 | 21.4% | 37.5% |
| 1992 | 21.4% | 36.7% |
| 1991 | 21.3% | 36% |
| 1990 | 21.2% | 35.2% |
| 1989 | 21.1% | 34.4% |
| 1988 | 21% | 33.6% |
| 1987 | 20.8% | 32.8% |
| 1986 | 20.6% | 32.1% |
| 1985 | 20.4% | 31.3% |
| 1984 | 20.2% | 30.5% |
| 1983 | 20% | 29.7% |
| 1982 | 19.7% | 28.9% |
| 1981 | 19.4% | 28.2% |
| 1980 | 19.1% | 27.4% |
| 1979 | 18.7% | 26.7% |
| 1978 | 18.4% | 25.9% |
| 1977 | 17.8% | 25.2% |
| 1976 | 16.8% | 24.4% |
| 1975 | 15.7% | 23.7% |
| 1974 | 14.5% | 23% |
| 1973 | 13.3% | 22.3% |
| 1972 | 12.5% | 21.6% |
| 1971 | 11.9% | 20.9% |
| 1970 | 11.3% | 20.2% |
| 1969 | 10.7% | 19.6% |
| 1968 | 10.1% | 18.9% |
| 1967 | 9.49% | 18.3% |
| 1966 | 8.93% | 17.7% |
| 1965 | 8.41% | 17.1% |
| 1964 | 7.97% | 16.5% |
| 1963 | 7.6% | 15.9% |
| 1962 | 7.26% | 15.4% |
| 1961 | 6.92% | 14.8% |
| 1960 | 6.59% | 14.2% |
Data sources: World Bank | Health (1960–2024, retrieved 2026-04-06).
GeoRank.org/population-density/chad/nigeria | CC BY
From 2004 to 2024, the share of urban population changed from 21.7% to 26.9% in Chad and from 46.7% to 63% in Nigeria.
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Population density in other countries
Data sources: World Bank | Agriculture & Rural Development (1961–2026, retrieved 2026-04-06); United Nations | World Population Prospects (1961–2026, retrieved 2026-03-10); U.S. Census Bureau (1961–2025, retrieved 2026-02-08); Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) (2000–2019, retrieved 2026-02-20).
GeoRank.org/population-density/chad/nigeria | CC BY
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Data sources:
- World Bank | Agriculture & Rural Development (1961–2026, retrieved 2026-04-06)
- United Nations | World Population Prospects (1961–2026, retrieved 2026-03-10)
- U.S. Census Bureau (1961–2025, retrieved 2026-02-08)
- Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) (2000–2019, retrieved 2026-02-20)
- Wikidata (2006–2024, retrieved 2026-02-08)
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