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Why are chimpanzees classified as great apes?

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A common chimpanzee (Pan troglodytes) sits on a rock holding a long blade of grass in its mouth, with dense green foliage in the background. — chimpanzee The West African, or masked, chimpanzee (*Pan troglodytes verus*) is a critically endangered subspecies of chimpanzee.

Chimpanzees are classified as great apes in recognition of their comparatively large body size and humanlike physical features.1

Taxonomically, they belong to the family Hominidae, which includes orangutans, gorillas, bonobos, and humans. This classification reflects their complex cognitive abilities, which distinguish them from "lesser apes" like gibbons. Key characteristics of great apes include:21

Advanced Intelligence: They demonstrate self-awareness by recognizing themselves in mirrors, possess the capacity for abstract reasoning, and can learn to use tools.12
Communication: They are capable of learning quasi-linguistic communication when taught by humans.1
Evolutionary Proximity: Modern classification groups chimpanzees within the family Hominidae because of their extremely close genetic relationship to humans.12

While they were formerly placed in a separate family (Pongidae), current biological consensus places them alongside humans in the subfamily Homininae due to these shared morphological and molecular traits.12