PopulationTracker

DR Congo population

Current population of DR Congo

116,821,540

Live estimate, extrapolated from the latest official figures

Births today
2,630
Deaths today
541
Change today (UTC)
+2,060
World rank
15th of 218
1.37% of world population
Population
112,832,473
2025 estimate
Annual growth
+3.20%
2025
Density
47 /km²
2023
Land area
2,267,050 km²
Urban population
45%
2025
Median age
15.8 yrs
2025 (UN WPP)
Fertility rate
5.98
births per woman, 2024
Life expectancy
62.1 yrs
2024
Net migration
−27,309
2025
Capital
Kinshasa
Region
Sub-Saharan Africa

Population of DR Congo: overview

DR Congo has a population of 112,832,473 according to the latest official estimates (2025), the 15th largest in the world. Roughly 1.4% of humanity — about one in every 73 people on the planet — lives in DR Congo. DR Congo is part of the Sub-Saharan Africa region and its capital is Kinshasa.

The population is growing rapidly, at 3.20% per year — among the fastest rates recorded anywhere. In absolute terms that meant roughly 3,556,208 additional people over the past year.

The country is sparsely settled, with only about 47 people per km², spread across 2,267,050 km² of land. The country remains predominantly rural, though cities are growing: 45% of residents are urban.

With a median age of just 15.8 years, DR Congo has one of the youngest populations in the world. Fertility remains high at 5.98 children per woman. Life expectancy at birth is 62.1 years (2024).

The UN projects strong growth ahead: 218.25 million people by 2050, about 93% more than today. The 2030 projection is 131,532,201.

DR Congo population, 1960–2025 and projections

050M100M150M200M250M19601980200020202040projected2025: 112.83M1960: 15,264,8461961: 15,662,3741962: 16,075,7241963: 16,507,5991964: 16,955,3271965: 17,427,8021966: 17,931,9291967: 18,462,7821968: 19,012,1891969: 19,570,4451970: 20,137,4361971: 20,695,5691972: 21,251,1601973: 21,827,6651974: 22,418,8781975: 23,021,1011976: 23,624,0311977: 24,229,0611978: 24,992,6891979: 25,886,7821980: 26,711,0991981: 27,500,5151982: 28,338,1901983: 29,250,9631984: 30,245,0811985: 31,264,8161986: 32,265,1961987: 33,298,9041988: 34,382,7521989: 35,486,8661990: 36,684,0631991: 37,925,8171992: 39,228,9101993: 40,656,3361994: 42,626,8761995: 44,433,7041996: 45,296,1241997: 46,029,9021998: 47,297,6001999: 48,912,9712000: 50,507,4422001: 52,132,6462002: 53,750,5242003: 55,343,8672004: 56,997,7412005: 58,775,7242006: 60,615,9082007: 62,477,7522008: 64,390,6642009: 66,412,0442010: 68,563,0382011: 70,849,3112012: 73,254,6182013: 75,789,3952014: 78,403,2422015: 81,035,5312016: 83,956,4152017: 87,083,3982018: 90,047,6442019: 92,947,4422020: 95,989,9982021: 99,148,9322022: 102,396,9682023: 105,789,7312024: 109,276,2652025: 112,832,4732030: 131,532,2012050: 218,246,072
Population of DR Congo by year
YearPopulationGrowth rateAnnual change
2025112,832,473+3.20%+3,556,208
2024109,276,265+3.24%+3,486,534
2023105,789,731+3.26%+3,392,763
2022102,396,968+3.22%+3,248,036
202199,148,932+3.24%+3,158,934
202095,989,998+3.22%+3,042,556
201992,947,442+3.17%+2,899,798
201890,047,644+3.35%+2,964,246
201787,083,398+3.66%+3,126,983
201683,956,415+3.54%+2,920,884
201581,035,531+3.30%+2,632,289
201478,403,242+3.39%+2,613,847
201068,563,038+3.19%+2,150,994
200558,775,724+3.07%+1,777,983
200050,507,442+3.21%+1,594,471
199544,433,704+4.15%+1,806,828
199036,684,063+3.32%+1,197,197
198531,264,816+3.32%+1,019,735
198026,711,099+3.13%+824,317
197523,021,101+2.65%+602,223
197020,137,436+2.86%+566,991
196517,427,802+2.75%+472,475
196015,264,846––

Recent years annually, earlier years at five-year steps. Annual change compares against the immediately preceding year.

DR Congo population forecast

United Nations World Population Prospects 2024, medium variant.

Projected population of DR Congo
YearProjected populationvs today
2030131,532,201+16.6%
2050218,246,072+93.4%

DR Congo population pyramid (2025)

Age and sex structure from UN World Population Prospects 2024: 45.9% of DR Congo's population is under 15, 51.0% is of working age (15–64), and 3.1% is 65 or older. Hover any bar for the group's size.

MaleFemale
0%2%2%4%4%6%6%8%8%10%10%0-4 male: 10,206,740 (9.0%)0-4 female: 10,095,307 (8.9%)0-45-9 male: 8,604,860 (7.6%)5-9 female: 8,572,029 (7.6%)10-14 male: 7,178,438 (6.4%)10-14 female: 7,188,913 (6.4%)10-1415-19 male: 5,896,690 (5.2%)15-19 female: 5,926,747 (5.3%)20-24 male: 4,845,047 (4.3%)20-24 female: 4,890,373 (4.3%)20-2425-29 male: 4,103,096 (3.6%)25-29 female: 4,159,112 (3.7%)30-34 male: 3,382,544 (3.0%)30-34 female: 3,447,104 (3.1%)30-3435-39 male: 2,746,283 (2.4%)35-39 female: 2,809,552 (2.5%)40-44 male: 2,173,802 (1.9%)40-44 female: 2,233,472 (2.0%)40-4445-49 male: 1,710,429 (1.5%)45-49 female: 1,780,524 (1.6%)50-54 male: 1,435,671 (1.3%)50-54 female: 1,523,697 (1.4%)50-5455-59 male: 1,192,091 (1.1%)55-59 female: 1,290,627 (1.1%)60-64 male: 929,953 (0.8%)60-64 female: 1,029,748 (0.9%)60-6465-69 male: 677,396 (0.6%)65-69 female: 770,763 (0.7%)70-74 male: 450,200 (0.4%)70-74 female: 530,189 (0.5%)70-7475-79 male: 270,671 (0.2%)75-79 female: 340,178 (0.3%)80-84 male: 129,650 (0.1%)80-84 female: 177,552 (0.2%)80-8485-89 male: 42,382 (0.0%)85-89 female: 64,895 (0.1%)90-94 male: 7,863 (0.0%)90-94 female: 15,142 (0.0%)90-9495-99 male: 684 (0.0%)95-99 female: 1,934 (0.0%)100+ male: 17 (0.0%)100+ female: 107 (0.0%)100+

DR Congo population FAQ

What is the population of DR Congo in 2026?

DR Congo's population is estimated at about 116.82 million in 2026, extrapolated from the latest official figure of 112,832,473 (2025). DR Congo ranks 15th in the world by population.

Is the population of DR Congo growing or shrinking?

DR Congo's population is growing at about 3.20% per year, an increase of roughly 3,556,208 people over the past year.

How densely populated is DR Congo?

DR Congo has about 47 people per square kilometre across a land area of 2,267,050 km².

What share of the world's population lives in DR Congo?

About 1.4% of the world's population lives in DR Congo — roughly one in every 73 people on Earth.

What is DR Congo's projected population in 2050?

United Nations medium-variant projections put DR Congo's population at 218,246,072 in 2050, passing through 131,532,201 in 2030.

What is the median age in DR Congo?

The median age in DR Congo is 15.8 years (2025 estimate) — half the population is younger and half older than that.

Sources: World Bank Open Data (CC BY-4.0); median age and projections from UN World Population Prospects 2024. Live figures are estimates extrapolated from the latest official data — see methodology.