République démocratique du Congo

Democratic Republic of the Congo

Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC)

Capital: Kinshasa
Population: 105,789,731
Currency: Congolese franc (CDF)

The Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) is the largest country in sub-Saharan Africa, located in Central Africa. It is bordered by Angola, Zambia, Tanzania, Burundi, Rwanda, Uganda, South Sudan, the Central African Republic, and the Republic of the Congo, with a short coastline along the Atlantic Ocean. Its capital and largest city is Kinshasa, which is also the largest French-speaking city in the world. The DRC has vast natural resources, including copper, cobalt, diamonds, and gold, but faces economic and political instability. The country is home to the Congo Rainforest, the second-largest rainforest in the world, and the Congo River, one of the world’s most powerful rivers. The economy relies heavily on mining, agriculture, and hydropower, though development is hampered by conflict and governance challenges. The DRC is a member of the United Nations, the African Union (AU), the Southern African Development Community (SADC), and the Economic Community of Central African States (ECCAS).

Growth Rate

3.264
%

Fertility Rate

6.051
children born/woman

Crude Death Rate

8.525
per 1,000 people

Life Expectancy

61.9
years

Total Population in DR Congo

This graph illustrates the total population of a country over time, while also depicting the sex ratio, which indicates the number of males per 100 females in the population.

Population Density

Population density measures how many people live per square kilometer, showing how population is distributed across a given area.

Population Growth Rate (%)

The population growth rate shows how fast a population is increasing or decreasing annually, influenced by birth rates, death rates, and migration in DR Congo.

Life Expectancy (Years)

Life expectancy indicates the average number of years a person is expected to live.

Median Age (Years)

Median age represents the midpoint of a population’s age distribution, helping to assess whether a population is young, aging, or balanced.

Infant Mortality

Infant mortality rate measures the number of infant deaths per 1,000 live births.

Net migration in 2023 (per 1000 people)

-0.142
(+0.004)

Net migration represents the difference between the number of people moving into a country and those leaving.

Fertility Rate

Fertility rate represents the average number of children a woman is expected to have in her lifetime

Births vs Deaths

This graph compares the number of births and deaths each year.

Crude Death Rate

Crude death rate measures the number of deaths per 1,000 people in a population per year.

Source

Data is sourced from The World Bank, the United Nations Population Division (World Population Prospects: 2024 Revision), and other collated datasets, including national statistical offices, Eurostat (Demographic Statistics), and the United Nations Statistics Division (Population and Vital Statistics Report, various years).

Note: The information in the KPI is from 2023; any data beyond this year is an estimate from the United Nations.