Chad vs US size comparison
How Big Is Chad Compared to the US?
The US is about 7.7 times the size of Chad. Drag Chad over the US below to see the difference at true size.
Hawaii and the territories are not drawn.
Printable Chad vs US size comparison
Free to print or share: Chad laid over the US at true size, with both areas, on one landscape A4 or US Letter page.
Key facts
- Area of Chad
- 1,284,000 km² (495,755 sq mi)
- Area of the US
- 9,833,517 km² (3,796,741 sq mi)
- Size difference
- The US is about 7.7 times bigger
- Closest US state in size
- Alaska (1,724,220 km²)
- Population (2025)
- Chad 21,003,705; the US 341,784,857
- Chad's rank by area
- 20th-largest of 197
How big Chad is compared with the US
The US is about 7.7 times the size of Chad: 9,833,517 km² (3,796,741 sq mi) against 1,284,000 km² (495,755 sq mi). Even the 48 contiguous states alone, without Alaska, could hold Chad about 6.3 times. Chad is bigger than every US state except Alaska. It is the 20th-largest of the world's 197 countries, and the fifth-largest of 54 in Africa; the US is the third-largest.
Chad has about 21 million people (2025), the 64th-most populous country in the world, against 342 million in the US. With 16.4 people per km² it is far emptier than the US (35 per km²): the US is about 2.12 times as crowded.
Chad and the US on a world map
Chad reaches from 7°N to 23°N; the US from 19°N to 71°N, with Hawaii in the south and Alaska in the far north. Most world maps use the Mercator projection, which enlarges places more the further they are from the Equator. It draws Chad about 1.08 times its real size and the US about 2.3 times (Alaska far more than Florida). So on a normal world map the US looks about 16 times the size of Chad, when it is really about 7.7 times. The equal-area map above shows the real difference.
Where Chad is
Chad's capital, N'Djamena, is 9,340 km (5,810 miles) from Washington, D.C. as the crow flies. Chad borders 6 countries: Central African Republic, Cameroon, Libya, Niger, Nigeria and Sudan. It has no coast.
Chad and US in numbers
| Chad | US | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Area | 1,284,000 km² 495,755 sq mi | 9,833,517 km² 3,796,741 sq mi | The US is 7.7× bigger |
| Population (2025) | 21,003,705 | 341,784,857 | The US has 16× more |
| Rank by area | 20th-largest | Third-largest | of 197 countries |
| People per km² | 16 | 35 | The US is 2.12× denser |
| Capital | N'Djamena | Washington, D.C. | 9,340 km apart |
| Neighbouring countries | 6 | 2 |
Chad compared with US states
Frequently asked questions
Is Chad bigger than the US?
No. The US is about 7.7 times the size of Chad: 9,833,517 km² (3,796,741 sq mi) against 1,284,000 km² (495,755 sq mi).
How many times would Chad fit into the US?
About 7.7 times (7.66). Into the 48 contiguous states alone, about 6.3 times.
Which US state is Chad closest in size to?
Alaska (1,724,220 km²). Alaska is about 1.34 times the size of Chad.
Is Chad bigger than Texas?
Yes. Chad is about 1.85 times the size of Texas (695,668 km²).
Which has more people, Chad or the US?
The US: about 342 million people in 2025, about 16 times the 21 million in Chad.
Why does Chad look so small on a world map?
Most world maps use the Mercator projection, which stretches places more the further they are from the Equator. The US is further from the Equator than Chad, so it is stretched more. On a Mercator map the US looks about 16 times the size of Chad, not 7.7.
Where does Chad rank by size?
Chad is the 20th-largest of the world's 197 countries by total area and the fifth-largest in Africa. The US is the third-largest.
How far is Chad from the US?
Chad's capital, N'Djamena, is 9,340 km (5,810 miles) from Washington, D.C. in a straight line.
Sources
- Areas: CIA World Factbook (total area, land and water). US states: US Census Bureau.
- Populations: World Bank, World Development Indicators (2025).
- Outlines are drawn on an equal-area projection, so their sizes on the map match their real areas.