In 1800, the estimated population of the region of the modern-day Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) was approximately 5.18 million. Throughout the 19th century, this number would slowly but steadily rise, reaching over 8.7 million by the beginning of the 20th century. Like many countries in Africa, the DRC experienced a significant population boom, as rapid modernization, expansive economic growth and extensive vaccination campaigns led to a reduction in child mortality and an increase in life expectancy. While the population would continue to grow rapidly, growth would slow somewhat in the 1990s, as a mixture of the HIV/AIDS epidemic, and several regional and civil conflicts would result in many deaths in the region. However, the DRC’s population continues to grow exponentially, and in 2020, just under 90 million people are estimated to live in the country.

The total population of the Congo (Congo Kinshasa) amounted to approximately 103.20 million people in 2024. Following a continuous upward trend, the total population has risen by around 78.08 million people since 1980. Between 2024 and 2030, the total population will rise by around 21.89 million people, continuing its consistent upward trajectory.This indicator describes the total population in the country at hand. This total population of the country consists of all persons falling within the scope of the census.

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

Graph and download economic data for Population, Total for the Democratic Republic of the Congo (POPTOTCDA647NWDB) from 1960 to 2024 about DR Congo and population.

Comprehensive socio-economic dataset for DR Congo including population demographics, economic indicators, geographic data, and social statistics. This dataset covers key metrics such as GDP, population density, area, capital city, and regional classifications.

Graph and download economic data for Employment to Population Ratio for the Democratic Republic of the Congo (SLEMPTOTLSPZSCOD) from 1991 to 2024 about DR Congo, employment-population ratio, population, and employment.

Congo, The Democratic Republic of the CD: Population Density: People per Square Km data was reported at 35.879 Person/sq km in 2017. This records an increase from the previous number of 34.731 Person/sq km for 2016. Congo, The Democratic Republic of the CD: Population Density: People per Square Km data is updated yearly, averaging 14.762 Person/sq km from Dec 1961 (Median) to 2017, with 57 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 35.879 Person/sq km in 2017 and a record low of 6.898 Person/sq km in 1961. Congo, The Democratic Republic of the CD: Population Density: People per Square Km 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: Population and Urbanization Statistics. Population density is midyear population divided by land area in square kilometers. Population is based on the de facto definition of population, which counts all residents regardless of legal status or citizenship--except for refugees not permanently settled in the country of asylum, who are generally considered part of the population of their country of origin. Land area is a country's total area, excluding area under inland water bodies, national claims to continental shelf, and exclusive economic zones. In most cases the definition of inland water bodies includes major rivers and lakes.; ; Food and Agriculture Organization and World Bank population estimates.; Weighted Average;

This statistic shows the total population of the Democratic Republic of the Congo from 2013 to 2023 by gender. In 2023, the female population of Democratic Republic of the Congo amounted to approximately 53.31 million, while the male population amounted to approximately 52.48 million inhabitants.

This data release provides gridded population estimates (spatial resolution of 3 arc-seconds, approximately 100-metre grid cells) for Kwilu Province in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), along with estimates of the number of people belonging to various age-sex groups. The project team used the Pre-Distribution Registration Survey (PDRS) data from the National Malaria Control Programme (PNLP) collected as part of anti-malarial campaigns in the DRC for 2022 as well as settlement extents and geospatial covariates, to model and estimate population numbers at grid cell level using a Bayesian hierarchical statistical modelling framework. The approach facilitated accounting for the multiple levels of variability within the data while simultaneously quantifying for uncertainties in parameter estimates. These model-based population estimates can be considered as most accurately representing the year 2022, which is the period following the PDRS survey data collection for Kwilu. Although the methods were robust enough to explicitly account for key random biases and adjust for potential systematic biases within the observed datasets, it is important to note that some systematic biases arising from other sources may remain.

Historical dataset showing total population for Democratic Republic of Congo by year from 1950 to 2025.

Congo, The Democratic Republic of the CD: Population Living in Slums: % of Urban Population data was reported at 74.800 % in 2014. This records an increase from the previous number of 61.700 % for 2009. Congo, The Democratic Republic of the CD: Population Living in Slums: % of Urban Population data is updated yearly, averaging 71.950 % from Dec 2005 (Median) to 2014, with 4 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 76.400 % in 2005 and a record low of 61.700 % in 2009. Congo, The Democratic Republic of the CD: Population Living in Slums: % of Urban Population 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: Population and Urbanization Statistics. Population living in slums is the proportion of the urban population living in slum households. A slum household is defined as a group of individuals living under the same roof lacking one or more of the following conditions: access to improved water, access to improved sanitation, sufficient living area, and durability of housing.; ; UN HABITAT, retrieved from the United Nation's Millennium Development Goals database. Data are available at : http://mdgs.un.org/; Weighted Average;

Democratic Republic of the Congo: Rural population, percent of total population: The latest value from 2024 is 51.94 percent, a decline from 52.56 percent in 2023. In comparison, the world average is 38.30 percent, based on data from 196 countries. Historically, the average for Democratic Republic of the Congo from 1960 to 2024 is 67.18 percent. The minimum value, 51.94 percent, was reached in 2024 while the maximum of 77.7 percent was recorded in 1960.

Congo, The Democratic Republic of the CD: Population: Female: Ages 20-24: % of Female Population data was reported at 8.550 % in 2017. This records a decrease from the previous number of 8.553 % for 2016. Congo, The Democratic Republic of the CD: Population: Female: Ages 20-24: % of Female Population data is updated yearly, averaging 8.551 % from Dec 1960 (Median) to 2017, with 58 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 8.880 % in 1965 and a record low of 8.263 % in 1976. Congo, The Democratic Republic of the CD: Population: Female: Ages 20-24: % of Female Population 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: Population and Urbanization Statistics. Female population between the ages 20 to 24 as a percentage of the total female population.; ; World Bank staff estimates based on age/sex distributions of United Nations Population Division's World Population Prospects: 2017 Revision.; ;

Graph and download economic data for Population ages 65 and above for the Democratic Republic of the Congo (SPPOP65UPTOZSCOD) from 1960 to 2024 about DR Congo, 65-years +, and population.

Democratic Republic of the Congo: Percent urban population: The latest value from 2024 is 48.06 percent, an increase from 47.44 percent in 2023. In comparison, the world average is 61.70 percent, based on data from 196 countries. Historically, the average for Democratic Republic of the Congo from 1960 to 2024 is 32.82 percent. The minimum value, 22.3 percent, was reached in 1960 while the maximum of 48.06 percent was recorded in 2024.

This data release provides gridded population estimates (spatial resolution of 3 arc-seconds, approximately 100-metre grid cells) for Tanganyika province in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), along with estimates of the number of people belonging to various age-sex groups. The project team used the Pre-Distribution Registration Survey (PDRS) data from the National Malaria Control Programme (PNLP) collected as part of anti-malarial campaigns in the DRC for 2023, settlement extent and geospatial covariates to model and estimate population numbers at grid cell level using a Bayesian statistical hierarchical modelling framework. The approach facilitated simultaneous accounting for the multiple levels of variability within the data. It also allowed the quantification of uncertainties in parameter estimates. These model-based population estimates can be considered as most accurately representing the year 2023. This time period corresponds to the PDRS survey date for Tanganyika. Although the methods were robust enough to explicitly account for key random biases within the datasets, it is noted that systematic biases, which may arise from sources other than random errors within the observed data collection process, remain.

Historical dataset showing Democratic Republic of Congo population growth rate by year from 1961 to 2023.

Democratic Republic of the Congo: Female population, percent of total: The latest value from 2024 is 50.39 percent, unchanged from 50.39 percent in 2023. In comparison, the world average is 49.99 percent, based on data from 196 countries. Historically, the average for Democratic Republic of the Congo from 1960 to 2024 is 50.85 percent. The minimum value, 50.39 percent, was reached in 2020 while the maximum of 52.21 percent was recorded in 1960.

Graph and download economic data for Population for Democratic Republic of the Congo (POPTTLCDA173NUPN) from 1950 to 2010 about DR Congo and population.

Democratic Republic of the Congo: Population ages 65 and above, percent of total: The latest value from 2024 is 3.08 percent, an increase from 3.07 percent in 2023. In comparison, the world average is 10.43 percent, based on data from 196 countries. Historically, the average for Democratic Republic of the Congo from 1960 to 2024 is 2.96 percent. The minimum value, 2.85 percent, was reached in 1970 while the maximum of 3.14 percent was recorded in 2012.