Population of the Democratic Republic of the Congo

As of July 2026, the population of the Democratic Republic of the Congo is 116.5 million. The number of inhabitants has increased by 4 million in the last year, representing a growth of 3.21%. The median age of the population has increased in recent years, rising from 15.8 years in 2016 to 15.9 years in 2026. Currently, life expectancy at birth is 62.4 years and population density is 51.4 inhabitants per square kilometer.

Population Growth

The population growth rate of the Democratic Republic of the Congo peaked in 1994, reaching around 5.85% annually, but has since declined to approximately 3.13% in 2026. However, the annual increase in the number of people continues to rise, reaching around 3.65 million in 2026.

Life Expectancy

In the Democratic Republic of the Congo, life expectancy at birth has been increasing, with the indicator rising from 54.5 years in 2006 to 62.4 years in 2026, representing an increase of almost 8 years over the past 2 decades.

Most populous cities in the Democratic Republic of the Congo

The Democratic Republic of the Congo has several cities considered medium-sized by their number of inhabitants, but there are also some large ones. The most populous city is Kinshasa, con una diferencia significativa sobre las demás, alcanzando approximately 16 million inhabitants. It is followed by Lubumbashi, Haut-Katanga with 2.2 million and Mbuji-Mayi, East Kasai with 2.1 million.

These are the 20 most populous cities in the Democratic Republic of the Congo: