Population, total in Democratic Republic of Congo
Democratic Republic of Congo: Population, total was 112.83 million in 2025. ◆ Volatile
Latest (2025)
112.83 million
Change on year
up 3.3%
World rank
15th
of 218 countries
All-time high
112.83 million
in 2025
All-time low
15.26 million
in 1960
Years of data
66
1960–2025
Population, total in Democratic Republic of Congo, 1960–2025
Source: World Population Prospects, United Nations (UN).
Analysis
In 2025, population, total in Democratic Republic of Congo stood at 112.83 million. That is the highest value across all 66 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 3.3% on the previous year and up 39.2% over ten years.
Over the whole period, population, total in Democratic Republic of Congo peaked at 112.83 million in 2025 and was at its lowest, 15.26 million, in 1960.
That places Democratic Republic of Congo 15th out of 218 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the top 10%.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Population, total in Democratic Republic of Congo, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1960 | 15.26 million | — |
| 1961 | 15.66 million | +2.6% |
| 1962 | 16.08 million | +2.6% |
| 1963 | 16.51 million | +2.7% |
| 1964 | 16.96 million | +2.7% |
| 1965 | 17.43 million | +2.8% |
| 1966 | 17.93 million | +2.9% |
| 1967 | 18.46 million | +3.0% |
| 1968 | 19.01 million | +3.0% |
| 1969 | 19.57 million | +2.9% |
| 1970 | 20.14 million | +2.9% |
| 1971 | 20.70 million | +2.8% |
| 1972 | 21.25 million | +2.7% |
| 1973 | 21.83 million | +2.7% |
| 1974 | 22.42 million | +2.7% |
| 1975 | 23.02 million | +2.7% |
| 1976 | 23.62 million | +2.6% |
| 1977 | 24.23 million | +2.6% |
| 1978 | 24.99 million | +3.2% |
| 1979 | 25.89 million | +3.6% |
| 1980 | 26.71 million | +3.2% |
| 1981 | 27.50 million | +3.0% |
| 1982 | 28.34 million | +3.0% |
| 1983 | 29.25 million | +3.2% |
| 1984 | 30.25 million | +3.4% |
| 1985 | 31.26 million | +3.4% |
| 1986 | 32.27 million | +3.2% |
| 1987 | 33.30 million | +3.2% |
| 1988 | 34.38 million | +3.3% |
| 1989 | 35.49 million | +3.2% |
| 1990 | 36.68 million | +3.4% |
| 1991 | 37.93 million | +3.4% |
| 1992 | 39.23 million | +3.4% |
| 1993 | 40.66 million | +3.6% |
| 1994 | 42.63 million | +4.8% |
| 1995 | 44.43 million | +4.2% |
| 1996 | 45.30 million | +1.9% |
| 1997 | 46.03 million | +1.6% |
| 1998 | 47.30 million | +2.8% |
| 1999 | 48.91 million | +3.4% |
| 2000 | 50.51 million | +3.3% |
| 2001 | 52.13 million | +3.2% |
| 2002 | 53.75 million | +3.1% |
| 2003 | 55.34 million | +3.0% |
| 2004 | 57.00 million | +3.0% |
| 2005 | 58.78 million | +3.1% |
| 2006 | 60.62 million | +3.1% |
| 2007 | 62.48 million | +3.1% |
| 2008 | 64.39 million | +3.1% |
| 2009 | 66.41 million | +3.1% |
| 2010 | 68.56 million | +3.2% |
| 2011 | 70.85 million | +3.3% |
| 2012 | 73.25 million | +3.4% |
| 2013 | 75.79 million | +3.5% |
| 2014 | 78.40 million | +3.4% |
| 2015 | 81.04 million | +3.4% |
| 2016 | 83.96 million | +3.6% |
| 2017 | 87.08 million | +3.7% |
| 2018 | 90.05 million | +3.4% |
| 2019 | 92.95 million | +3.2% |
| 2020 | 95.99 million | +3.3% |
| 2021 | 99.15 million | +3.3% |
| 2022 | 102.40 million | +3.3% |
| 2023 | 105.79 million | +3.3% |
| 2024 | 109.28 million | +3.3% |
| 2025 | 112.83 million | +3.3% |
Democratic Republic of Congo compared with similar countries
- Democratic Republic of Congo's 112.83 million is above the median for low income countries, which is 24.07 million, 4.7× the median. (25 countries reporting)
- Democratic Republic of Congo's 112.83 million is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 14.96 million, 7.5× the median. (48 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 17.29 million | 15.26 million | 19.57 million | 10 |
| 1970s | 22.81 million | 20.14 million | 25.89 million | 10 |
| 1980s | 30.87 million | 26.71 million | 35.49 million | 10 |
| 1990s | 42.91 million | 36.68 million | 48.91 million | 10 |
| 2000s | 58.14 million | 50.51 million | 66.41 million | 10 |
| 2010s | 80.19 million | 68.56 million | 92.95 million | 10 |
| 2020s | 104.24 million | 95.99 million | 112.83 million | 6 |
Countries ranked near Democratic Republic of Congo
More climate change data for Democratic Republic of Congo
- Spring temperature anomalies 0.2047 °C (2026)
- Summer temperature anomalies 0.8778 °C (2026)
- Temperature anomalies by month 1.05 °C (2026)
- Share of global CO₂ emissions and population 4.2% (2100)
- Population, total, annual growth rate 3.25 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population, total, per unit of GDP 0.0012 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Urban population, annual growth rate 4.1 % change on previous year (2025)
- Urban population, per unit of GDP 0.0006 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Urban population, per capita 0.4511 units per person (2025)
- Precipitation anomalies, annual growth rate 28.16 % change on previous year (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is population, total in Democratic Republic of Congo?
- Population, total in Democratic Republic of Congo was 112.83 million in 2025, according to World Population Prospects, United Nations (UN).
- What is the highest population, total recorded in Democratic Republic of Congo?
- The highest recorded value was 112.83 million in 2025.
- What is the lowest population, total recorded in Democratic Republic of Congo?
- The lowest recorded value was 15.26 million in 1960.
- How does Democratic Republic of Congo rank for population, total?
- Democratic Republic of Congo ranks 15th out of 218 countries with data for 2025.
- Is population, total rising or falling in Democratic Republic of Congo?
- Over the last ten years it is up 39.2%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Democratic Republic of Congo data come from?
- The figures come from World Population Prospects, United Nations (UN), published as part of Population, total. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 66 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data).
About this data
Total population is based on the de facto definition of population, which counts all residents regardless of legal status or citizenship. The values shown are midyear estimates.