Extreme Poverty in Chad: 1800 to Today (and Tomorrow)

The story of Chad is told in the quiet accumulation of days spent surviving on less than $2.15/day, 2017 PPP. Behind the percentages lies the reality of millions of individual lives navigating the threshold of extreme poverty. For centuries, this measure of deprivation defined the daily experience of the vast majority of the population. While statistics offer a cold framework, they ultimately map the material limits of human possibility. Tracking these shifts provides a precise view of the slow, steady transformation of living standards across three centuries of history.

For the entirety of the 1800s estimate, 80 percent of the population lived in extreme poverty. This stagnation persisted through the 1900s estimate, before a gradual decline began in the 1910s estimate (79) and 1920s estimate (78). The arc of progress accelerated through the 1960s (68.33) and 1980s (55). In the 2020s, extreme poverty in Chad stands at 35 % — ranking #127 of 157 countries. Projections suggest this downward trend will continue, reaching 3.5 in the 2100s projection, marking a fundamental shift from the conditions observed two centuries ago.

If you were born in the 1800s estimate, your life was statistically tethered to the 80 percent living in extreme poverty. Contrast this with a child born in the 2030s projection, where the rate is expected to reach 26.25, or the 2090s projection, which estimates 4.67. These numbers represent the changing probability of a life defined by resource scarcity versus one with greater economic agency. Each decade captures a different horizon of opportunity. We invite you to explore the data to see where you rank among everyone ever born.