Population and Demographics of the Democratic Republic of the Congo
A very young population · 46.03% under age 15 in 2024
Annual population movement in the Democratic Republic of the Congo is +3.30% in 2024, with a 42.95-point gap between the under-15 and 65-plus shares. Compared with 2000, the 2024 population is 116.4% larger, showing the scale of the longer shift. The medium projection reaches 218.25 million in 2050, placing the mid-century total 99.7% above 2024.
Population Over Time in the Democratic Republic of the Congo
Between 2000 and 2024, the Democratic Republic of the Congo's population increased from 50.507M to 109.276M, a gain of about 116.4%. The UN WPP 2024 medium-variant projection places the 2050 population at about 218.246M, roughly 99.7% above the 2024 reference point. The chart uses only the three published reference years shown, with no invented values between them.
Age Structure and Sex Balance
In 2024, Democratic Republic of the Congo's age mix can be described as very young on the broad UN age-group measures. At 46.03%, the under-15 group is larger than the 3.08% aged 65+, while ages 15 to 64 account for 50.89%. The age balance is weighted toward younger residents.
Population by broad age group
Democratic Republic of the Congo's 2024 population is 50.4% female and 49.6% male in the World Bank series. Females exceed males by 0.8 percentage points.
Female and male population share
Females made up 50.4% of the population in the World Bank's 2024 series, compared with 49.6% males.
What Is Shaping Population Change
The 2024 population series for the Democratic Republic of the Congo records +3.30% annual change and a fertility rate of 6.0, beside an age profile led by 50.89% in the 15-to-64 group.
The difference between the 2000 and 2024 population points is +116.4% in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, followed by +99.7% projected change from 2024 to 2050; the figures describe direction, not a causal split between migration and natural change.
2024 estimate for the Democratic Republic of the Congo. The world comparison value is 2.25 children per woman.
Democratic Republic of the Congo vs. World
The world comparison highlights three contrasts for the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Annual change is +3.30% versus +0.87% globally, fertility is 6 versus 2.25, and median age is 16 versus 30.6 years.
| Indicator | Democratic Republic of the Congo | World | Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Annual population change | +3.3% | +0.87% | 2024 |
| Total fertility rate | 6 | 2.25 | 2024 |
| Median age | 16 | 30.6 | 2024 |
All three comparison rows use 2024 values from the same harmonized country table. That table attributes its demographic series to UN World Population Prospects 2024, so no different-year values are mixed into this comparison.
Key Takeaways
Democratic Republic of the Congo has 109,276,265 people in the 2024 estimate, with the population changing +3.30% over the year.
Broad age shares show 3.08% aged 65+ compared with 46.03% under 15; the 15 to 64 group accounts for 50.89%.
Females make up 50.4% of the 2024 population in the World Bank indicator, with males at 49.6%.
The 2050 medium projection is 218.246M, 99.7% above the 2024 estimate.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the population of the Democratic Republic of the Congo?
The 2024 harmonized population estimate for the Democratic Republic of the Congo is 109,276,265 people.
Is the population of the Democratic Republic of the Congo growing or declining?
In the 2024 estimate, Democratic Republic of the Congo's population is growing, with annual change of +3.30%.
What percentage of the population of the Democratic Republic of the Congo is aged 65 or older?
People aged 65 or older account for 3.08% of the Democratic Republic of the Congo's 2024 population in the UN WPP-based broad age data.
What is the projected population of the Democratic Republic of the Congo in 2050?
The UN World Population Prospects 2024 medium projection puts Democratic Republic of the Congo's 2050 population at 218,246,072.
What is the fertility rate in the Democratic Republic of the Congo?
The 2024 harmonized fertility estimate for the Democratic Republic of the Congo is 6 children per woman.
Sources & methodology
This profile uses United Nations World Population Prospects 2024 as the primary framework for globally comparable population, age, fertility and projection data. The World Bank is the primary source for the female population share. Some country values were accessed through secondary retrieval interfaces that republish or organize UN data; those interfaces are identified below as secondary and are not treated as the original statistical publishers.
View sources used for this page
Primary global framework for the population estimates and projections.
Harmonized 2024 country table based on UN World Population Prospects 2024.
Harmonized broad age shares based on UN World Population Prospects 2024.
Harmonized reference for the 2000 population point.
Harmonized 2050 country projection based on UN World Population Prospects 2024.
Used for the 2024 female share; the male share is calculated as the remainder to 100%.