The statistic shows the adult mortality rate in the Democratic Republic of the Congo from 2013 to 2023, by gender. According to the source,the adult mortality rate is the probability of dying between the ages of 15 and 60--that is, the probability of a 15-year-old dying before reaching age 60, if subject to age-specific mortality rates of the specified year between those ages. In 2023, the mortality rate for women was at 221.24 per 1,000 female adults, while the mortality rate for men was at 286.97 per 1,000 male adults in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

UNICEF's country profile for Congo, including under-five mortality rates, child health, education and sanitation data.

As the region of present-day Democratic Republic of the Congo entered the 20th century, the population was reeling from extensive disease and exploitation under the rule of King Leopold II of Belgium. As a result of both the outbreak of several epidemics, including several particularly deadly smallpox outbreaks, throughout the 1890s, as well as harsh policies enforced by the Force Publique military under Leopold II’s command, the child mortality rate for the Congo in 1895 was 423 per 1000 live births. This meant that over 42 percent of children born in the Congo in 1895 would not survive past their fifth birthday. Over the next four decades, child mortality would begin to fall somewhat, to 389 deaths per 1,000 births by 1940.

The child mortality rate would begin to fall dramatically in the decade following the Second World War, as the Belgian colonial administration pursued several development programs aimed at turning the rapidly urbanizing Congo into a “model colony”. As a result of this rapid development, as well as the beginning of large-scale implementation of vaccinations in the continent, child mortality would fall from 389 deaths per 1000 births in 1940 to 281 deaths in 1955. The decline in child mortality would slow somewhat following the DRC’s independence from Belgium in 1960, but would continue to fall for the remainder of the 20th century. After a brief reversal in 2000, where child mortality would rise for the first time in over a century in response to the HIV/AIDS epidemic and several civil and regional wars, the child mortality rate would continue to drop through the first two decades of the 21st century. In 2020, the child mortality rate in the Congo is estimated to be 100 deaths per 1,000 live births, which means that one tenth of children born today are still not expected to make it to their fifth birthday.

Graph and download economic data for Infant Mortality Rate for the Democratic Republic of the Congo (SPDYNIMRTINCOD) from 1969 to 2023 about DR Congo, mortality, infant, and rate.

Democratic Republic of the Congo: Death rate, per 1000 people: The latest value from 2023 is 8.52 deaths per 1000 people, a decline from 8.93 deaths per 1000 people in 2022. In comparison, the world average is 7.70 deaths per 1000 people, based on data from 196 countries. Historically, the average for Democratic Republic of the Congo from 1960 to 2023 is 16.34 deaths per 1000 people. The minimum value, 8.52 deaths per 1000 people, was reached in 2023 while the maximum of 23.7 deaths per 1000 people was recorded in 1961.

Congo, The Democratic Republic of the CD: Mortality Rate: Infant: Male: per 1000 Live Births data was reported at 78.100 Ratio in 2016. This records a decrease from the previous number of 80.200 Ratio for 2015. Congo, The Democratic Republic of the CD: Mortality Rate: Infant: Male: per 1000 Live Births data is updated yearly, averaging 91.200 Ratio from Dec 1990 (Median) to 2016, with 5 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 125.900 Ratio in 1990 and a record low of 78.100 Ratio in 2016. Congo, The Democratic Republic of the CD: Mortality Rate: Infant: Male: per 1000 Live Births data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by World Bank. The data is categorized under Global Database’s Democratic Republic of Congo – Table CD.World Bank: Health Statistics. Infant mortality rate, male is the number of male infants dying before reaching one year of age, per 1,000 male live births in a given year.; ; Estimates developed by the UN Inter-agency Group for Child Mortality Estimation (UNICEF, WHO, World Bank, UN DESA Population Division) at www.childmortality.org.; Weighted Average; Given that data on the incidence and prevalence of diseases are frequently unavailable, mortality rates are often used to identify vulnerable populations. Moreover, they are among the indicators most frequently used to compare socioeconomic development across countries. Under-five mortality rates are higher for boys than for girls in countries in which parental gender preferences are insignificant. Under-five mortality captures the effect of gender discrimination better than infant mortality does, as malnutrition and medical interventions have more significant impacts to this age group. Where female under-five mortality is higher, girls are likely to have less access to resources than boys.

Infant mortality rate of Democratic Republic of the Congo fell by 2.84% from 45.8 deaths per 1,000 live births in 2022 to 44.5 deaths per 1,000 live births in 2023. Since the 3.07% decline in 2013, infant mortality rate plummeted by 25.71% in 2023. Infant mortality rate is the number of infants dying before reaching one year of age, per 1,000 live births in a given year.

In 1870, the average person born in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) could expect to live 31.6 years on average. Under Belgian colonial rule, life expectancy would grow steadily into the 20th century, with a temporary drop in 1920 as the 1918 Spanish Flu epidemic would spread rapidly through the country’s extensive river basin. Beginning in the 1940s and 1950s, life expectancy in the DRC would begin to rise greatly, as the Belgian colonial administration aimed to make the country into a “model colony”. However, after peaking at 41.2 years in 1950, increasing instability in the country would see life expectancy to fall to 39 years by 1955.

Life expectancy would begin to grow again in the 1960s, however, and would rise steadily until the turn of the century, when an escalation in the Second Congo War and the growing presence of the HIV/AIDS epidemic in the country would cause life expectancy to fall for the first time in almost half a century. With the end of the Second Congo War in 2003, and significantly improvements in access to HIV counselling and treatments in the region, life expectancy in the DRC would begin to rise again, and in 2020, it is estimated that the average person born in the DRC will live to just over the age of 60.

Death rate, crude (per 1,000 people) in Republic Of The Congo was reported at 6.288 % in 2023, according to the World Bank collection of development indicators, compiled from officially recognized sources. Republic Of The Congo - Death rate, crude - actual values, historical data, forecasts and projections were sourced from the World Bank on October of 2025.

Child mortality rate of Democratic Republic of the Congo slipped by 3.30% from 75.7 deaths per 1,000 live births in 2022 to 73.2 deaths per 1,000 live births in 2023. Since the 3.30% downward trend in 2013, child mortality rate sank by 28.59% in 2023. Under-five mortality rate is the probability per 1,000 that a newborn baby will die before reaching age five, if subject to current age-specific mortality rates.

The statistic shows the adult mortality rate in the Republic of the Congo from 2013 to 2023, by gender. According to the source, the adult mortality rate is the probability of dying between the ages of 15 and 60--that is, the probability of a 15-year-old dying before reaching age 60, if subject to age-specific mortality rates of the specified year between those ages. In 2023, the mortality rate for women was at 216.39 per 1,000 female adults, while the mortality rate for men was at 273.12 per 1,000 male adults in the Republic of the Congo.

Death rate, crude (per 1,000 people) in Congo was reported at 8.525 % in 2023, according to the World Bank collection of development indicators, compiled from officially recognized sources. Congo - Death rate, crude - actual values, historical data, forecasts and projections were sourced from the World Bank on September of 2025.

Mortality rate, under-5 (per 1,000 live births) in Republic Of The Congo was reported at 40.5 % in 2023, according to the World Bank collection of development indicators, compiled from officially recognized sources. Republic Of The Congo - Mortality rate, under-5 (per 1,000) - actual values, historical data, forecasts and projections were sourced from the World Bank on September of 2025.

Congo, Republic of CG: Mortality Rate: Under-5: Male: per 1000 Live Births data was reported at 43.900 Ratio in 2023. This records a decrease from the previous number of 45.500 Ratio for 2022. Congo, Republic of CG: Mortality Rate: Under-5: Male: per 1000 Live Births data is updated yearly, averaging 106.500 Ratio from Dec 1960 (Median) to 2023, with 64 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 200.400 Ratio in 1960 and a record low of 43.900 Ratio in 2023. Congo, Republic of CG: Mortality Rate: Under-5: Male: per 1000 Live Births data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by World Bank. The data is categorized under Global Database’s Congo, Republic of – Table CG.World Bank.WDI: Social: Health Statistics. Under-five mortality rate, male is the probability per 1,000 that a newborn male baby will die before reaching age five, if subject to male age-specific mortality rates of the specified year.;Estimates developed by the UN Inter-agency Group for Child Mortality Estimation (UNICEF, WHO, World Bank, UN DESA Population Division) at www.childmortality.org.;Weighted average;Given that data on the incidence and prevalence of diseases are frequently unavailable, mortality rates are often used to identify vulnerable populations. Moreover, they are among the indicators most frequently used to compare socioeconomic development across countries. Under-five mortality rates are higher for boys than for girls in countries in which parental gender preferences are insignificant. Under-five mortality captures the effect of gender discrimination better than infant mortality does, as malnutrition and medical interventions have more significant impacts to this age group. Where female under-five mortality is higher, girls are likely to have less access to resources than boys. Aggregate data for LIC, UMC, LMC, HIC are computed based on the groupings for the World Bank fiscal year in which the data was released by the UN Inter-agency Group for Child Mortality Estimation. This is a sex-disaggregated indicator for Sustainable Development Goal 3.2.1 [https://unstats.un.org/sdgs/metadata/].

Mortality rate, infant, female (per 1,000 live births) in Republic Of The Congo was reported at 24.6 % in 2023, according to the World Bank collection of development indicators, compiled from officially recognized sources. Republic Of The Congo - Mortality rate, infant, female (per 1,000 live births) - actual values, historical data, forecasts and projections were sourced from the World Bank on September of 2025.

Mortality rate, under-5, female (per 1,000 live births) in Republic Of The Congo was reported at 36.8 % in 2023, according to the World Bank collection of development indicators, compiled from officially recognized sources. Republic Of The Congo - Mortality rate, under-5, female (per 1,000 live births) - actual values, historical data, forecasts and projections were sourced from the World Bank on September of 2025.

Male child mortality rate of Democratic Republic of the Congo went down by 3.33% from 81.2 deaths per thousand live births in 2022 to 78.5 deaths per thousand live births in 2023. Since the 3.45% dip in 2013, male child mortality rate sank by 28.05% in 2023. Child mortality rate is the probability of dying between the exact ages of one and five, if subject to current age-specific mortality rates. The probability is expressed as a rate per 1,000.

Historical dataset showing Republic of Congo infant mortality rate by year from 1950 to 2025.

Female child mortality rate of Democratic Republic of the Congo declined by 3.43% from 70.0 deaths per thousand live births in 2022 to 67.6 deaths per thousand live births in 2023. Since the 3.44% reduction in 2013, female child mortality rate plummeted by 29.07% in 2023. Child mortality rate is the probability of dying between the exact ages of one and five, if subject to current age-specific mortality rates. The probability is expressed as a rate per 1,000.

The Republic of the Congo: The number of deaths per 1000 people, per year: The latest value from is deaths per 1000 people, unavailable from deaths per 1000 people in . In comparison, the world average is 0.00 deaths per 1000 people, based on data from countries. Historically, the average for the Republic of the Congo from to is deaths per 1000 people. The minimum value, deaths per 1000 people, was reached in while the maximum of deaths per 1000 people was recorded in .