Urban population, per square kilometre in Democratic Republic of Congo
Democratic Republic of Congo: Urban population, per square kilometre was 20.71 units per square kilometre in 2023. ◆ Volatile
Latest (2023)
20.71 units per square kilometre
Change on year
up 4.2%
World rank
163rd
of 216 countries
All-time high
20.71 units per square kilometre
in 2023
All-time low
1.55 units per square kilometre
in 1961
Years of data
63
1961–2023
Urban population, per square kilometre in Democratic Republic of Congo, 1961–2023
Source: Statizoid (derived). Measured in units per square kilometre.
Analysis
The most recent figure for urban population, per square kilometre in Democratic Republic of Congo is 20.71 units per square kilometre, measured in 2023. That is the highest value across all 63 years on record.
That represents a change of up 4.2% on the previous year and up 52.7% over ten years.
Over the whole period, urban population, per square kilometre in Democratic Republic of Congo peaked at 20.71 units per square kilometre in 2023 and was at its lowest, 1.55 units per square kilometre, in 1961.
That places Democratic Republic of Congo 163rd out of 216 countries with data for 2023, putting it in the bottom quarter.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Urban population, per square kilometre in Democratic Republic of Congo, year by year
| Year | units per square kilometre | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1961 | 1.55 units per square kilometre | — |
| 1962 | 1.6 units per square kilometre | +3.2% |
| 1963 | 1.65 units per square kilometre | +3.3% |
| 1964 | 1.71 units per square kilometre | +3.4% |
| 1965 | 1.77 units per square kilometre | +3.5% |
| 1966 | 1.83 units per square kilometre | +3.7% |
| 1967 | 1.9 units per square kilometre | +3.8% |
| 1968 | 1.98 units per square kilometre | +3.9% |
| 1969 | 2.05 units per square kilometre | +3.9% |
| 1970 | 2.14 units per square kilometre | +3.9% |
| 1971 | 2.22 units per square kilometre | +3.8% |
| 1972 | 2.3 units per square kilometre | +3.8% |
| 1973 | 2.39 units per square kilometre | +3.8% |
| 1974 | 2.48 units per square kilometre | +3.8% |
| 1975 | 2.57 units per square kilometre | +3.8% |
| 1976 | 2.67 units per square kilometre | +3.8% |
| 1977 | 2.77 units per square kilometre | +3.7% |
| 1978 | 2.89 units per square kilometre | +4.3% |
| 1979 | 3.03 units per square kilometre | +4.8% |
| 1980 | 3.16 units per square kilometre | +4.4% |
| 1981 | 3.29 units per square kilometre | +4.1% |
| 1982 | 3.43 units per square kilometre | +4.2% |
| 1983 | 3.58 units per square kilometre | +4.4% |
| 1984 | 3.75 units per square kilometre | +4.6% |
| 1985 | 3.92 units per square kilometre | +4.6% |
| 1986 | 4.09 units per square kilometre | +4.4% |
| 1987 | 4.28 units per square kilometre | +4.5% |
| 1988 | 4.47 units per square kilometre | +4.6% |
| 1989 | 4.68 units per square kilometre | +4.6% |
| 1990 | 4.9 units per square kilometre | +4.8% |
| 1991 | 5.13 units per square kilometre | +4.8% |
| 1992 | 5.38 units per square kilometre | +4.9% |
| 1993 | 5.66 units per square kilometre | +5.1% |
| 1994 | 6.02 units per square kilometre | +6.3% |
| 1995 | 6.36 units per square kilometre | +5.7% |
| 1996 | 6.58 units per square kilometre | +3.4% |
| 1997 | 6.78 units per square kilometre | +3.1% |
| 1998 | 7.07 units per square kilometre | +4.3% |
| 1999 | 7.42 units per square kilometre | +4.9% |
| 2000 | 7.78 units per square kilometre | +4.8% |
| 2001 | 8.14 units per square kilometre | +4.7% |
| 2002 | 8.52 units per square kilometre | +4.6% |
| 2003 | 8.9 units per square kilometre | +4.5% |
| 2004 | 9.3 units per square kilometre | +4.5% |
| 2005 | 9.7 units per square kilometre | +4.2% |
| 2006 | 10.11 units per square kilometre | +4.2% |
| 2007 | 10.53 units per square kilometre | +4.2% |
| 2008 | 10.96 units per square kilometre | +4.1% |
| 2009 | 11.42 units per square kilometre | +4.2% |
| 2010 | 11.91 units per square kilometre | +4.3% |
| 2011 | 12.43 units per square kilometre | +4.4% |
| 2012 | 12.98 units per square kilometre | +4.4% |
| 2013 | 13.56 units per square kilometre | +4.5% |
| 2014 | 14.16 units per square kilometre | +4.4% |
| 2015 | 14.78 units per square kilometre | +4.3% |
| 2016 | 15.45 units per square kilometre | +4.6% |
| 2017 | 16.18 units per square kilometre | +4.7% |
| 2018 | 16.88 units per square kilometre | +4.3% |
| 2019 | 17.58 units per square kilometre | +4.1% |
| 2020 | 18.31 units per square kilometre | +4.2% |
| 2021 | 19.08 units per square kilometre | +4.2% |
| 2022 | 19.88 units per square kilometre | +4.2% |
| 2023 | 20.71 units per square kilometre | +4.2% |
Democratic Republic of Congo compared with similar countries
- Democratic Republic of Congo's 20.71 units per square kilometre is below the median for low income countries, which is 23.39 units per square kilometre, 89% of the median. (25 countries reporting)
- Democratic Republic of Congo's 20.71 units per square kilometre is below the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 28.41 units per square kilometre, 73% of the median. (48 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 1.78 units per square kilometre | 1.55 units per square kilometre | 2.05 units per square kilometre | 9 |
| 1970s | 2.55 units per square kilometre | 2.14 units per square kilometre | 3.03 units per square kilometre | 10 |
| 1980s | 3.87 units per square kilometre | 3.16 units per square kilometre | 4.68 units per square kilometre | 10 |
| 1990s | 6.13 units per square kilometre | 4.9 units per square kilometre | 7.42 units per square kilometre | 10 |
| 2000s | 9.54 units per square kilometre | 7.78 units per square kilometre | 11.42 units per square kilometre | 10 |
| 2010s | 14.59 units per square kilometre | 11.91 units per square kilometre | 17.58 units per square kilometre | 10 |
| 2020s | 19.49 units per square kilometre | 18.31 units per square kilometre | 20.71 units per square kilometre | 4 |
Countries ranked near Democratic Republic of Congo
- 160 Peru 22.42 units per square kilometre compare
- 161 Brazil 22.13 units per square kilometre compare
- 162 Guinea 22.07 units per square kilometre compare
- 164 Latvia 20.69 units per square kilometre compare
- 165 Angola 20.59 units per square kilometre compare
- 166 Tajikistan 19.61 units per square kilometre compare
More climate change data for Democratic Republic of Congo
- 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)
- Urban population 50.90 million (2025)
- Urban population growth 4.0% (2025)
- Population, total 112.83 million (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is urban population, per square kilometre in Democratic Republic of Congo?
- Urban population, per square kilometre in Democratic Republic of Congo was 20.71 units per square kilometre in 2023, according to Statizoid (derived).
- What is the highest urban population, per square kilometre recorded in Democratic Republic of Congo?
- The highest recorded value was 20.71 units per square kilometre in 2023.
- What is the lowest urban population, per square kilometre recorded in Democratic Republic of Congo?
- The lowest recorded value was 1.55 units per square kilometre in 1961.
- How does Democratic Republic of Congo rank for urban population, per square kilometre?
- Democratic Republic of Congo ranks 163rd out of 216 countries with data for 2023.
- Is urban population, per square kilometre rising or falling in Democratic Republic of Congo?
- Over the last ten years it is up 52.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Democratic Republic of Congo data come from?
- The figures come from Statizoid (derived), published as part of Urban population, per square kilometre. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 63 observations, free to reuse under Derived by Statizoid from the sources named on the page.
How this figure is calculated
Urban population divided by Land area (sq. km), matched on country and year. Neither publisher issues this ratio as a series; it is computed here from both.
Urban population ÷ Land area (sq. km)
Computed from
- Urban population World Urbanization Prospects, United Nations (UN)
- Land area FAOSTAT, Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO)
Statizoid computes this series; the underlying measurements belong to the publishers named above. The arithmetic is applied to every country and year where both inputs report, and nothing is estimated unless the page says so.
About this data
Urban population divided by Land area (sq. km), matched on country and year. Neither publisher issues this ratio as a series; it is computed here from both.