Updated
Overview
Sudan has 2.5 times the population of Chad: 51.66 million people against 21.00 million (2025).
Sudan's economy is 2.8 times the size of Chad's, at $60.16B versus $21.47B.
Population
GDP (nominal)
GDP per capita
The full table
| Indicator | Sudan | Chad | Years | Factbook, Jan 2026 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Economy | ||||
| GDP (nominal) | Higher: $60.16B | $21.47B | 2025 | $49.91B / $20.63B |
| GDP per capita | Higher: $1,165 | $1,022 | 2025 | — / — |
| GDP growth | 3.1% | Higher: 5.6% | 2025 | — / — |
| Inflation | 138.8% | Lower: -3.9% | 2022 / 2025 | — / 8.9% |
| Unemployment | 7.5% | Lower: 1.1% | 2022 / 2025 | — / — |
| Price level (US=100) | — | 35 | — / 2025 | — / — |
| Avg monthly earnings | Higher: $284 | $206 | 2022 | — / — |
| Minimum wage | — | $99 | — / 2024 | — / — |
| People | ||||
| Population | 51.66 million | 21.00 million | 2025 | 50.47 million / 19.67 million |
| Population growth | 2.4% | 3.4% | 2025 | — / — |
| Median age | 18.5 yrs | 15.8 yrs | 2025 | — / — |
| Fertility rate | 4.19 | 5.94 | 2025 | — / — |
| Life expectancy | Higher: 66.5 yrs | 55.2 yrs | 2024 | — / — |
| Urban population | 35% | 28% | 2025 | — / — |
| Internet users | Higher: 19% | 13% | 2017 / 2024 | — / — |
| Geography | ||||
| Area | 1,886,068 km² | 1,284,000 km² | — | — / — |
| Population density | 27.4/km² | 16.4/km² | 2025 | — / — |
| Environment | ||||
| CO2 emissions | 18 Mt | Lower: 2.83 Mt | 2024 | — / — |
| CO2 per capita | 0.4 t | Lower: 0.1 t | 2024 | — / — |
| Military | ||||
| Military spending | $375.21M | $557.71M | 2021 / 2024 | — / — |
| Military spending (% GDP) | 0.9% | 3.0% | 2021 / 2024 | — / — |
| Armed forces personnel | 144,000 | 45,000 | 2020 | — / — |
Sources by row: World Bank WDI, IMF WEO, UN WPP 2024, ILOSTAT, The Economist. Emphasis marks the stronger figure where one direction is meaningfully better.
Reading the numbers
Economy
Chad is growing faster: 5.6% annual GDP growth versus 3.1%.
Inflation is a serious concern in Sudan at 138.8%, while the other economy sits at -3.9%.
Average monthly earnings favour Sudan: $284 against $206 (ILOSTAT, latest available years).
People and society
Chad is the younger society: median age 15.8 versus 18.5 years.
Life expectancy is 11.3 years longer in Sudan (66.5 vs 55.2).
Geography
By land area, Sudan is 47% larger than Chad: 1,886,068 km² versus 1,284,000 km².
The two share a land border, which shapes their trade, migration, and security relationship.
Military
Chad spends about 50% more on defence than Sudan: $557.71M versus $375.21M (World Bank/SIPRI data).
Relative to its economy, Chad carries the heavier military burden: 3.0% of GDP versus 0.9%.
Sudan fields the larger armed forces: 144,000 personnel against 45,000 (note: personnel data lags; observation years shown in the table).
Frequently asked
- Is Sudan bigger than Chad?
- Sudan is larger by land area. Sudan covers 1,886,068 km² while Chad covers 1,284,000 km², so Sudan is 47% larger than the other.
- Which has more people, Sudan or Chad?
- Sudan has the larger population: 51.66 million versus 21.00 million (World Bank, 2025).
- Is Sudan richer than Chad?
- Measured by GDP per capita, Sudan is richer: $1,165 against $1,022. Total GDP tells the same story: $60.16B for Sudan versus $21.47B for Chad.
- Who spends more on their military, Sudan or Chad?
- Chad spends more: $557.71M versus $375.21M per year (World Bank, SIPRI-derived data; observation years vary).