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.
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 total population was in , 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 older. The country is projected to have a population of 34 million people in 2050 and 61 million people in 2100 .Population Division of the Department of Economic and Social Affairs of the United Nations Secretariat, World Population Prospects: The 2010 Revision YearTotal populationPopulation percentage in age bracketaged 0–14aged 15–64aged 65+ 19502 429 000 19552 671 000 19602 954 000 19653 289 000 19703 656 000 19754 114 000 19804 554 000 19855 151 000 19906 011 000 19956 998 000 20008 222 000 20059 786 000 201011 227 000
Age groupMaleFemaleTotal% 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 0.02Age groupMaleFemaleTotalPercent 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. PopulationLive births per yearDeaths per yearNatural change per yearCBRCDRNCTFRIMRLife expectancy (years)1950 117,000 70,000 47,00046.727.818.96.06197.636.211951 119,000 72,000 47,00046.528.118.46.07196.536.341952 121,000 73,000 48,00046.428.118.36.09194.436.501953 123,000 74,000 49,00046.427.918.56.11192.336.841954 125,000 75,000 50,00046.327.718.56.13190.337.031955 127,000 76,000 51,00046.227.618.66.15188.337.211956 130,000 77,000 53,00046.127.318.86.17186.337.451957 132,000 78,000 54,00046.027.118.96.19184.337.661958 134,000 78,000 56,00045.926.819.16.21182.337.941959 136,000 79,000 57,00045.926.519.36.23180.338.191960 139,000 80,000 59,00045.726.319.46.25178.438.371961 141,000 80,000 61,00045.726.019.66.27176.538.631962 144,000 81,000 62,00045.625.819.86.29174.638.841963 146,000 82,000 64,00045.525.619.96.30172.839.071964 149,000 83,000 66,00045.425.320.26.32171.039.331965 152,000 85,000 67,00045.425.420.06.34169.739.121966 155,000 86,000 69,00045.425.320.26.36166.839.151967 158,000 87,000 71,00045.625.020.66.39164.239.481968 162,000 87,000 75,00045.824.621.26.43161.339.901969 166,000 88,000 79,00046.224.321.96.48158.340.271970 172,000 88,000 83,00046.724.122.66.53155.240.601971 177,000 92,000 85,00047.224.422.76.58153.540.191972 188,000 90,000 97,00049.023.625.46.85149.141.401973 192,000 92,000 100,00049.023.525.56.87148.741.781974 196,000 94,000 102,00048.823.525.46.86147.841.791975 200,000 96,000 104,00048.723.425.46.88147.041.871976 203,000 97,000 107,00048.623.125.56.89145.542.041977 206,000 98,000 109,00048.422.925.56.90144.642.261978 209,000 98,000 111,00048.222.725.56.89143.642.501979 212,000 99,000 113,00048.122.425.76.91142.642.811980 218,000 100,000 118,00048.222.126.16.91141.443.061981 205,000 97,000 108,00046.321.924.56.94141.043.311982 212,000 97,000 115,00046.921.425.56.96139.543.731983 242,000 102,000 140,00049.821.128.86.98138.044.181984 252,000 105,000 147,00050.421.029.47.02136.244.521985 245,000 103,000 142,00049.320.728.57.04135.045.051986 252,000 104,000 148,00049.420.428.97.07132.145.211987 268,000 116,000 153,00050.721.828.87.11130.442.801988 283,000 110,000 173,00051.720.231.57.15128.945.791989 295,000 114,000 182,00052.120.132.07.19127.045.881990 307,000 121,000 185,00052.420.731.67.22125.344.691991 312,000 120,000 192,00052.120.032.07.26124.245.941992 336,000 125,000 211,00053.319.933.47.30122.546.101993 349,000 129,000 221,00053.519.733.87.34120.946.321994 343,000 129,000 214,00052.119.532.57.31119.646.451995 355,000 131,000 224,00052.119.232.97.29118.246.711996 381,000 136,000 245,00053.018.934.07.29117.047.011997 390,000 139,000 251,00052.418.733.77.27115.647.221998 403,000 143,000 260,00052.218.533.77.27114.047.221999 413,000 146,000 267,00051.718.333.47.26112.447.372000 424,000 149,000 275,00051.318.133.27.25110.747.442001 436,000 151,000 285,00051.117.733.47.23108.847.852002 444,000 154,000 290,00050.317.432.97.20106.847.952003 457,000 157,000 300,00049.917.132.87.18105.148.212004 481,000 162,000 318,00050.317.033.37.16103.448.232005 503,000 168,000 335,00050.316.833.57.13101.548.312006 517,000 173,000 344,00049.916.733.27.1299.748.292007 533,000 175,000 359,00049.716.333.47.0997.548.752008 546,000 177,000 368,00049.216.033.27.0695.449.022009 562,000 181,000 381,00048.915.833.27.0293.249.202010 580,000 183,000 397,00048.815.433.36.9991.149.582011 595,000 185,000 410,00048.415.133.36.9588.950.012012 612,000 187,000 426,00048.014.633.46.9186.650.542013 626,000 190,000 437,00047.514.433.16.8484.550.782014 643,000 192,000 451,00047.014.033.06.7882.651.202015 657,000 194,000 463,00046.413.732.76.7180.651.592016 663,000 194,000 469,00045.513.332.26.6278.552.082017 676,000 197,000 479,00044.813.031.86.5476.352.312018 691,000 197,000 494,00044.412.731.76.4674.252.832019 714,000 200,000 514,00044.212.431.96.4172.253.262020 16,936 754,000 212,000 541,00043.812.331.46.3570.153.12021 17,514 772,000 217,000 555,00043.312.231.16.2568.153.12022 18,143 800,000 212,000 588,00043.411.531.96.2266.154.52023 18,768 819,000 213,000 606,00042.411.031.46.1264.255.12024 43.311.132.26.032025 43.211.132.15.94 Source: UN DESA, World Population Prospects, 2022
Fertility Total Fertility Rate (TFR) (Wanted Fertility Rate) and Crude Birth Rate (CBR):
Year Total Urban Rural 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 40–49Batha 7.3 12.2 8.3Borkou, Tibesti 5.3 9.6 6.4Chari Baguirmi 6.6 16.1 7.7Guéra 6.7 14.6 8.4Hadjer-Lamis 6.8 14.5 8.4Kanem 6.0 14.8 7.1Lac 5.4 14.7 7.9Logone Occidental 6.4 12.7 7.6Logone Oriental 7.6 12.7 8.3Mandoul 6.5 12.7 7.7Mayo Kebbi Est 6.7 15.0 7.3Mayo Kebbi Ouest 7.5 13.8 7.9Moyen Chari 5.5 12.6 6.8Ouaddaï 6.1 13.1 7.1Salamat 6.5 19.7 8.0Tandjilé 7.1 13.1 8.0Wadi Fira 5.9 12.2 6.5N’Djaména 5.2 9.4 6.5Barh El Gazal 5.6 14.5 7.1Ennedi Est, Ennedi Ouest 5.0 13.4 6.3Sila 6.7 19.6 7.7
Years 1925192619271928192919301931193219331934Total Fertility Rate in Chad6.066.066.066.066.066.066.066.066.066.06 Years 1935193619371938193919401941194219431944Total Fertility Rate in Chad6.066.066.066.066.066.066.066.066.066.06 Years 19451946194719481949Total Fertility Rate in Chad6.066.066.066.066.06
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.
Notes
References
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