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DR Congo Demographics

Population of the DR Congo (2026)

View live population, charts & trends: Population of the DR Congo

DRC Population
116,452,162
see live
Yearly Change
+3.21%
Global Share
1.4%
Global Rank
15

Median Age

The median age in the DR Congo is 15.9 years (2026).

Fertility in the DR Congo

A Total Fertility Rate (TFR) of 2.1 represents the Replacement-Level Fertility: the average number of children per woman needed for each generation to exactly replace itself without needing international immigration. A value below 2.1 will cause the native population to decline


Total Fertility Rate (TFR)
5.8
(Live Births per Woman, 2026)

Life Expectancy in the DR Congo

See also: Countries in the world ranked by Life Expectancy

Both Sexes
62.4
(life expectancy at birth, both sexes combined)
Females
64.6
(life expectancy at birth, females)
Males
60.2
(life expectancy at birth, males)


Infant Mortality Rate and Deaths of Children under 5 Years Old in the DR Congo


Infant Mortality
47.4
(infant deaths per 1,000 live births)
Deaths under age 5
70.6
(per 1,000 live births)


DR Congo Urban Population

Currently, 45.4% of the population of the DR Congo is urban (52,904,879 people in 2026)


Population Density

The 2026 population density in the DR Congo is 51 people per Km2 (133 people per mi2), calculated on a total land area of 2,267,050 Km2 (875,313 sq. miles).

Largest cities by Population in the DR Congo

(includes boroughs, districts, urban agglomerations, etc.)

Rank Urban Area Population Estimate (2025)
1 Kinshasa 10,943,641
2 Kasaï-Oriental 3,605,738
3 Lubumbashi 2,832,853
4 Beni 1,923,700
5 Kananga 1,504,370
6 Tshikapa 1,054,686
7 Bukavu 948,948
8 Kisangani 900,330
9 Goma 809,601
10 Kalemie 758,379
11 Kamina 724,982
12 Likasi 673,034
13 Bunia 582,792
14 Kikwit 549,102
15 Manono 517,304
16 Butembo 454,857
17 Kolwezi 446,709
18 Gemena 440,327
19 Mbandaka 432,976
20 Uvira 416,523
21 Kongolo 410,371
22 Malemba-Nkulu 386,790
23 Matadi 377,297
24 Mwene-Ditu 351,319
25 Ngandajika 345,996
26 Mulongo 321,881
27 Ilebo 321,392
28 Kindu 309,727
29 Fungurume 298,713
30 Kasumbalesa 294,623
More info

See also

Sources

Definitions

Population Pyramid

A Population pyramid (also called "Age-Sex Pyramid") is a graphical representation of the age and sex of a population.

Types:

  • Expansive - pyramid with a wide base (larger percentage of people in younger age groups, indicating high birth rates and high fertility rates) and narrow top (high death rate and lower life expectancies). It suggests a growing population. Example: Nigeria Population Pyramid
  • Constrictive - pyramid with a narrow base (lower percentage of younger people, indicating declining birth rates with each succeeding age group getting smaller than the previous one). Example: United States
  • Stationary - with a somewhat equal proportion of the population in each age group. The population is stable, neither increasing nor decreasing.

Stages:

Population pyramid stages

Dependency Ratio

There are three types of age dependency ratio: Youth, Elderly, and Total. All three ratios are commonly multiplied by 100.

Youth Dependency Ratio

Definition: population ages 0-15 divided by the population ages 16-64.

Formula: ([Population ages 0-15] ÷ [Population ages 16-64]) × 100

Elderly dependency ratio

Definition: population ages 65-plus divided by the population ages 16-64.

Formula: ([Population ages 65-plus] ÷ [Population ages 16-64]) × 100

Total dependency ratio

Definition: sum of the youth and old-age ratios.

Formula: (([Population ages 0-15] + [Population ages 65-plus]) ÷ [Population ages 16-64]) × 100

NOTE: Dependency Ratio does not take into account labor force participation rates by age group. Some portion of the population counted as "working age" may actually be unemployed or not in the labor force whereas some portion of the "dependent" population may be employed and not necessarily economically dependent.