Democratic Republic of the Congo Population Clock
Democratic Republic of the Congo has an estimated population of about 112.8 million, which makes it the 15th most populous of the 115 countries tracked here.
Its population is growing very rapidly, at 3.20% a year.
The capital is Kinshasa.
The counter below is a live estimate interpolated from the World Bank's latest annual figures — not a real-time measurement. It links to its source, base year and method via the ⓘ next to it.
Statistics
Population trend
Population 2016–2025 (World Bank)
How Democratic Republic of the Congo's population is changing
Democratic Republic of the Congo records about 12,630 births and 2,602 deaths a day. That is a natural increase of roughly 10,028 people per day, or about 3.66 million a year before migration is counted.
Net migration runs at about 27,309 over the reported period, with more people leaving than arriving. That is small next to its natural change.
If the current rate held indefinitely, Democratic Republic of the Congo would take roughly 22 years to double in size — a projection of today's rate, not a forecast.
Over the 9 years from 2016 to 2025, the population rose from 84.0 million to 112.8 million — a gain of 28.9 million, or 34.4%.
Where people live in Democratic Republic of the Congo
With about 47 people per square kilometre, Democratic Republic of the Congo is sparsely populated, well below the world average of 62. That ranks 84th of the 115 countries here. Its closest comparisons on density are Colombia and Belarus.
Democratic Republic of the Congo covers about 2,267,050 km² of land, which is what turns a population of 112.8 million into that density figure.
About 45.1% of people live in urban areas, making Democratic Republic of the Congo split between town and countryside, below the world average of 57.8%. That works out to roughly 50.9 million town and city dwellers and 61.9 million living rurally.
Age, fertility and life expectancy in Democratic Republic of the Congo
Democratic Republic of the Congo has a very young population: about 45.9% are under 15 and 3.1% are 65 or older. Children outnumber over-65s by roughly 14.9 to one.
The total fertility rate is about 5.98 births per woman, above the ~2.1 replacement level, which is what sustains growth from births alone. The world figure is about 2.19.
Life expectancy at birth is about 62.1 years, roughly 11.4 years below the global average of 73.5.
Democratic Republic of the Congo at a glance
| Indicator | Value | Year |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 112.8 million | 2025 |
| World rank by population | #15 | 2025 |
| Annual growth rate | 3.20% | 2025 |
| Population density | 47 /km² | 2023 |
| Land area | 2,267,050 km² | 2023 |
| Urban population | 45.1% | 2025 |
| Life expectancy at birth | 62.1 years | 2024 |
| Fertility rate | 5.98 births per woman | 2024 |
| Population under 15 | 45.9% | 2025 |
| Population 65 and over | 3.1% | 2025 |
| Net migration | -27,309 | 2025 |
| Births per day | 12,630 | 2025 |
| Deaths per day | 2,602 | 2025 |
Frequently asked questions
What is the population of Democratic Republic of the Congo?
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Where do these Democratic Republic of the Congo figures come from?
Current local time in Democratic Republic of the Congo
Methodology & sources
Data: World Bank (CC BY 4.0), base year 2025. The live counter animates the latest annual growth rate per second; it is an estimate, not a real-time measurement. No figures are invented — every number traces back to the World Bank indicators listed above.
Source: World Bank