Chad is slightly bigger by total area compared to Niger: 495,755 sq mi vs 489,191 sq mi. Without inland water, the land area of Niger is 489,076 sq mi vs 486,180 sq mi for Chad.
- Chad ranks 20/197 by total surface area vs 21/197 for Niger.
- Chad occupies 0.85% of the land mass of all countries, compared with 0.85% for Niger.
- 40% of Chad's area is agricultural land vs 36.8% in Niger.
- Chad has 1.05% of the world's agricultural land area — Niger has 0.98%.
- 3.16% of Chad is covered by forests, compared to 0.82% in Niger.
- 0.1% of the world's forests are in Chad, and 0.03% are in Niger.
Total size and land area comparison
Chad
|
Niger
|
|
|---|---|---|
| Total area |
495,755 sq mi |
489,191 sq mi |
| Size difference ratio | 1.01 | 1 |
| Total area rank | 20/197 | 21/197 |
| Share of all countries' surface area | 0.25% | 0.25% |
| Land area |
486,180 sq mi |
489,076 sq mi |
| Land area difference ratio | 1 | 1.01 |
| Land area rank | 21/197 | 20/197 |
| Share of all countries' land area | 0.85% | 0.85% |
| Population | 20,299,123 | 27,032,412 |
| Population density | 44.7 ppl/mi² | 59 ppl/mi² |
Surface area by type
|
Chad
|
Niger
|
|
|---|---|---|
| Forest area |
15,368 sq mi |
4,025 sq mi |
| Forest area as share of land | 3.16% | 0.82% |
| Forest area rank | 76/196 | 124/196 |
| World's forests share | 0.1% | 0.03% |
Agricultural land area
|
194,353 sq mi |
179,918 sq mi |
| Agricultural land share | 40% | 36.8% |
| Agricultural land area rank | 17/194 | 19/194 |
| Share of global agricultural land | 1.05% | 0.98% |
|
Arable land
|
20,463 sq mi |
68,340 sq mi |
| Arable land share | 4.21% | 14% |
| Arable land area rank | 48/191 | 17/191 |
|
Permanent cropland
|
144 sq mi |
450 sq mi |
| Permanent cropland share | 0.03% | 0.09% |
| Permanent cropland area rank | 133/192 | 100/192 |
|
Water area
|
9,575 sq mi |
115.8 sq mi |
| Water as share of total area | 1.93% | 0.02% |
| Water area rank | 22/197 | 124/197 |
| Roads length |
24,855 mi |
11,774 mi |
| Land borders length |
3,981 mi |
3,625 mi |
| Coastline length |
0 mi |
0 mi |
Chad vs Niger size on the map
Data sources: World Bank | Agriculture & Rural Development (2026, retrieved 2026-04-06).
GeoRank.org/size/chad/niger | CC BY
The map above outlines the borders of Chad and Niger but is not accurate for size comparison because it's a 2d map with Mercator projection that distorts territories near the poles. The farther a country is from the equator, the more magnified it appears. More about country size projections.
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Data sources:
- World Bank | Agriculture & Rural Development (2023–2026, retrieved 2026-04-06)
- Wikidata (2026, retrieved 2026-02-08)
- Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) (2025, retrieved 2026-02-20)
- United Nations | World Population Prospects (2026, retrieved 2026-03-10)
Total agricultural land encompasses all areas used for agriculture: territories under permanent and temporary crops and pastures. It includes land under flowering shrubs, fruit and nut trees, and vineyards, but excludes sites utilized for timber production.
Arable land encompasses fields utilized for temporary crop production, pastures, market or kitchen gardens, and temporarily fallowed land. Land abandoned due to shifting cultivation practices is not included.
Permanent cropland refers to farmland for the long-term cultivation of crops, such as coffee, cocoa, and rubber, which do not require replanting after each harvest. This category encompasses land with permanent crops like flowering shrubs, fruit and nut trees, and vines, but does not include land under trees for timber production.
Inland areas under water, such as large rivers, lakes, and some coastal waterways.
Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY) — you’re free to copy, share, remix, adapt, and use even commercially as long as you give appropriate credit and clearly indicate if you made changes. Other sources may be subject to different license terms.