Democratic Republic of the Congo Facts, Map, Population, GDP

Capital

Kinshasa

Population

119,038,825 (2025 est.)

Area

2,344,858 sq km

Location

Central Africa, northeast of Angola

🧭 Background

Bantu, Sudanic, and other migrants from West and Northeastern Africa arrived in the Congo River Basin between 2000 B.C. and A.D. 500. The territory that is now the Democratic Republic of the Congo has more than 200 ethnic groups that trace their histories to many communal organizations and kingdoms. The Kingdom of Kongo, for example, ruled the area around the mouth of the Congo River from the 14th to 19th centuries. Meanwhile, the Kingdoms of Luba and Lunda, located to the south and east, were also notable political groupings in the territory and ruled from the 16th and 17th centuries to the 19th century. European prospectors in the Congo Basin invaded and splintered these kingdoms in the late 1800’s, sponsored by King LEOPOLD II of Belgium, and the kingdoms were eventually forced to grant Leopold the rights to the Congo territory as his private property. During this period, known as the Congo Free State, the king's private colonial military forced the local population to produce rubber. From 1885 to 1908, millions of Congolese people died as a result of disease and inhumane treatment. International condemnation finally forced LEOPOLD to cede the land to the state of Belgium, creating the Belgian Congo. The Republic of the Congo gained its independence from Belgium in 1960, but its early years were marred by instability. Col. Joseph MOBUTU seized power and declared himself president in a 1965 coup. He subsequently changed his name to MOBUTU Sese Seko and the country's name to Zaire. MOBUTU retained his position for 32 years, using sham elections and brute force. In 1994, a massive inflow of refugees from conflict in neighboring Rwanda and Burundi sparked ethnic strife and civil war. A rebellion backed by Rwanda and Uganda and fronted by Laurent KABILA toppled the MOBUTU regime in 1997. KABILA renamed the country the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). In 1998, another insurrection -- again backed by Rwanda and Uganda -- challenged the KABILA regime, but troops from Angola, Chad, Namibia, Sudan, and Zimbabwe helped quell the uprising. In 2001, KABILA was assassinated, and his son, Joseph KABILA, was named head of state. In 2002, the new president negotiated the withdrawal of Rwandan forces occupying the eastern DRC; the remaining warring parties subsequently signed the Pretoria Accord to end the fighting and establish a government of national unity. KABILA was elected as president in 2006 and 2011. The DRC constitution barred him from running for a third term, so in 2016, the DRC Government delayed national elections for two years. This fueled significant civil and political unrest, with sporadic street protests and exacerbation of tensions in the eastern DRC regions. The results of the 2018 elections were disputed, but opposition candidate Felix TSHISEKEDI, son of long-time opposition leader Etienne TSHISEKEDI, was announced as the election winner. This was the first transfer of power to an opposition candidate without significant violence or a coup since 1960. In 2023, the DRC held its fourth electoral cycle since independence; TSHISEKEDI was proclaimed the winner despite some allegations of fraud, with his Sacred Union alliance retaining a large parliamentary majority. The DRC continues to experience violence -- particularly in the East -- perpetrated by more than 100 armed groups active in the region, including the March 23 (M23) rebel group, the ISIS-affiliated Allied Democratic Forces (ADF, or ISIS-DRC), the Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Rwanda (FDLR), and assorted local militias known as Mai Mai militias. The UN Organization Stabilization Mission in the DRC (MONUSCO) has operated in the region since 1999 and is the largest and most expensive UN peacekeeping mission in the world.

🗺️ Geography

Location

Central Africa, northeast of Angola

Geographic coordinates

0 00 N, 25 00 E

Map references

Africa

Area — total

2,344,858 sq km

Area — land

2,267,048 sq km

Area — water

77,810 sq km

Area - comparative

Slightly less than one-fourth the size of the US

Land boundaries — total

11,027 km

Land boundaries — border countries

Angola 2,646 km (of which 225 km is the boundary of Angola's discontiguous Cabinda Province); Burundi 236 km; Central African Republic 1,747 km; Republic of the Congo 1,775 km; Rwanda 221 km; South Sudan 714 km; Tanzania 479 km; Uganda 877 km; Zambia 2,332 km

Coastline

37 km

Maritime claims — territorial sea

12 nm

Maritime claims — exclusive economic zone

Since 2011, the DRC has had a Common Interest Zone agreement with Angola for the mutual development of off-shore resources

Climate

Tropical; hot and humid in equatorial river basin; cooler and drier in southern highlands; cooler and wetter in eastern highlands; north of Equator - wet season (April to October), dry season (December to February); south of Equator - wet season (November to March), dry season (April to October)

Terrain

Vast central basin is a low-lying plateau; mountains in east

Elevation — highest point

Pic Marguerite on Mont Ngaliema (Mount Stanley) 5,110 m

Elevation — lowest point

Atlantic Ocean 0 m

Elevation — mean elevation

726 m

Natural resources

Cobalt, copper, niobium, tantalum, petroleum, industrial and gem diamonds, gold, silver, zinc, manganese, tin, uranium, coal, hydropower, timber

Land use — agricultural land

15.5% (2023 est.)

Land use — agricultural land: arable land

Arable land: 6.6% (2023 est.)

Land use — agricultural land: permanent crops

Permanent crops: 0.9% (2023 est.)

Land use — agricultural land: permanent pasture

Permanent pasture: 8% (2023 est.)

Land use — forest

61.6% (2023 est.)

Land use — other

22.9% (2023 est.)

Irrigated land

110 sq km (2012)

Major lakes (area sq km) — fresh water lake(s)

Lake Tanganyika (shared with Burundi, Tanzania, and Zambia) - 32,000 sq km; Lake Albert (shared with Uganda) - 5,590 sq km; Lake Mweru (shared with Zambia) - 4,350 sq km; Lac Mai-Ndombe - 2,300 sq km; Lake Kivu (shared with Rwanda) - 2,220 sq km; Lake Edward (shared with Uganda) - 2,150 sq km; Lac Tumba - 500 sq km; Lac Upemba - 530 sq km

Major rivers (by length in km)

Zaïre (Congo) river mouth (shared with Zambia [s], Angola, and Republic of Congo) - 2,920 km; Ubangi river mouth (shared with Central African Republic [s] and Republic of Congo) - 2,270 km note: [s] after country name indicates river source; [m] after country name indicates river mouth

Major watersheds (area sq km) — Atlantic Ocean drainage

Congo (3,730,881 sq km), (Mediterranean Sea) Nile (3,254,853 sq km)

Major watersheds (area sq km) — Indian Ocean drainage

Zambezi (1,332,412 sq km)

Major aquifers

Congo Basin

Population distribution

Urban clusters are spread throughout the country, particularly in the northeast along the border with Uganda, Rwanda, and Burundi; the largest city is the capital, Kinshasha, located in the west along the Congo River; the south is least densely populated, as shown in this population distribution map

Natural hazards

Periodic droughts in south; Congo River floods (seasonal); active volcanoes in the east along the Great Rift Valley volcanism: the active volcano Nyiragongo (3,470 m) poses a major threat to the city of Goma, home to a quarter of a million people; it produces unusually fast-moving lava, known to travel up to 100 km/hr; Nyiragongo has been deemed a Decade Volcano by the International Association of Volcanology and Chemistry of the Earth's Interior, worthy of study due to its explosive history and close proximity to human populations; its neighbor Nyamuragira is Africa's most active volcano; Visoke is the only other historically active volcano

Geography - note

Note 1: second-largest country in Africa (after Algeria) and largest country in sub-Saharan Africa; straddles the equator; dense tropical rainforest in central river basin and eastern highlands; the narrow strip of land that controls the lower Congo River is the DRC's only outlet to the South Atlantic Ocean note 2: the Congo River, most of which flows through the DRC, has never been accurately measured along much of its length because of its speed, cataracts, rapids, and turbulence; nonetheless, it is conceded to be the deepest river in the world, with estimates of the point of greatest depth varying between 220 and 250 meters

👥 People and Society⬆️ Top

Population — total

119,038,825 (2025 est.)

Population — male

59,509,076

Population — female

59,529,749

Nationality — noun

Congolese (singular and plural)

Nationality — adjective

Congolese or Congo

Ethnic groups

More than 200 African ethnic groups of which the majority are Bantu; the four largest groups - Mongo, Luba, Kongo (all Bantu), and the Mangbetu-Azande (Hamitic) - make up about 45% of the population

Languages — Languages

French (official), Lingala (a trade language), Kingwana (a dialect of Kiswahili or Swahili), Kikongo, Tshiluba

Languages — major-language sample(s)

Buku oyo ya bosembo ya Mokili Mobimba Ezali na Makanisi ya Liboso Mpenza. (Lingala) The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information.

Religions

Christian 93/1% (Roman Catholic 29.9%, Protestant 26.7%, other Christian 36.5%), Kimbanguist 2.8%, Muslim 1.3%, other (includes syncretic sects and indigenous beliefs) 1.2%, none 1.3%, unspecified 0.2% (2014 est.)

Age structure — 0-14 years

45.7% (male 26,584,268/female 26,208,891)

Age structure — 15-64 years

51.8% (male 29,845,450/female 29,884,958)

Age structure — 65 years and over

2.5% (2024 est.) (male 1,258,442/female 1,621,018)

Dependency ratios — total dependency ratio

92.1 (2025 est.)

Dependency ratios — youth dependency ratio

87.3 (2025 est.)

Dependency ratios — elderly dependency ratio

4.8 (2025 est.)

Dependency ratios — potential support ratio

20.8 (2025 est.)

Median age — total

16.9 years (2025 est.)

Median age — male

16.7 years

Median age — female

17 years

Population growth rate

3.09% (2025 est.)

Birth rate

38.8 births/1,000 population (2025 est.)

Death rate

7.37 deaths/1,000 population (2025 est.)

Net migration rate

-0.5 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2025 est.)

Population distribution

Urban clusters are spread throughout the country, particularly in the northeast along the border with Uganda, Rwanda, and Burundi; the largest city is the capital, Kinshasha, located in the west along the Congo River; the south is least densely populated, as shown in this population distribution map

Urbanization — urban population

47.4% of total population (2023)

Urbanization — rate of urbanization

4.33% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)

Major urban areas - population

16.316 million KINSHASA (capital), 2.892 million Mbuji-Mayi, 2.812 million Lubumbashi, 1.664 million Kananga, 1.423 million Kisangani, 1.249 million Bukavu (2023)

Sex ratio — at birth

1.03 male(s)/female

Sex ratio — 0-14 years

1.01 male(s)/female

Sex ratio — 15-64 years

1 male(s)/female

Sex ratio — 65 years and over

0.78 male(s)/female

Sex ratio — total population

1 male(s)/female (2024 est.)

Mother's mean age at first birth

19.9 years (2013/14 est.)

Maternal mortality ratio

427 deaths/100,000 live births (2023 est.)

Infant mortality rate — total

55.8 deaths/1,000 live births (2025 est.)

Infant mortality rate — male

62.9 deaths/1,000 live births

Infant mortality rate — female

51.9 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth — total population

62.6 years (2024 est.)

Life expectancy at birth — male

60.7 years

Life expectancy at birth — female

64.6 years

Total fertility rate

5.42 children born/woman (2025 est.)

Gross reproduction rate

2.67 (2025 est.)

Drinking water source — improved: urban

Urban: 59.3% of population (2022 est.)

Drinking water source — improved: rural

Rural: 13.8% of population (2022 est.)

Drinking water source — improved: total

Total: 35.1% of population (2022 est.)

Drinking water source — unimproved: urban

Urban: 40.7% of population (2022 est.)

Drinking water source — unimproved: rural

Rural: 86.2% of population (2022 est.)

Drinking water source — unimproved: total

Total: 64.9% of population (2022 est.)

Health expenditure — Health expenditure (as % of GDP)

3.8% of GDP (2021)

Health expenditure — Health expenditure (as % of national budget)

4% of national budget (2022 est.)

Physician density

0.21 physicians/1,000 population (2022)

Sanitation facility access — improved: urban

Urban: 48.8% of population (2022 est.)

Sanitation facility access — improved: rural

Rural: 20.5% of population (2022 est.)

Sanitation facility access — improved: total

Total: 33.7% of population (2022 est.)

Sanitation facility access — unimproved: urban

Urban: 51.2% of population (2022 est.)

Sanitation facility access — unimproved: rural

Rural: 79.5% of population (2022 est.)

Sanitation facility access — unimproved: total

Total: 66.3% of population (2022 est.)

Obesity - adult prevalence rate

6.7% (2016)

Alcohol consumption per capita — total

0.56 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

Alcohol consumption per capita — beer

0.5 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

Alcohol consumption per capita — wine

0.01 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

Alcohol consumption per capita — spirits

0.05 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

Alcohol consumption per capita — other alcohols

0 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

Tobacco use — total

10.4% (2025 est.)

Tobacco use — male

18.8% (2025 est.)

Tobacco use — female

2.3% (2025 est.)

Children under the age of 5 years underweight

25% (2023 est.)

Currently married women (ages 15-49)

58.2% (2018 est.)

Child marriage — women married by age 15

8.4% (2018)

Child marriage — women married by age 18

29.1% (2018)

Child marriage — men married by age 18

5.6% (2018)

Education expenditure — Education expenditure (% GDP)

2.8% of GDP (2022 est.)

Education expenditure — Education expenditure (% national budget)

13.5% national budget (2017 est.)

Literacy — total population

73.6% (2018 est.)

Literacy — male

87.5% (2018 est.)

Literacy — female

61.6% (2018 est.)

🌿 Environment⬆️ Top

Environmental issues

Poaching; water pollution; deforestation from agriculture and wood used for fuel; soil erosion; damage from mining

International environmental agreements — party to

Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping-London Convention, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Tropical Timber 2006, Wetlands

International environmental agreements — signed, but not ratified

Environmental Modification

Climate

Tropical; hot and humid in equatorial river basin; cooler and drier in southern highlands; cooler and wetter in eastern highlands; north of Equator - wet season (April to October), dry season (December to February); south of Equator - wet season (November to March), dry season (April to October)

Land use — agricultural land

15.5% (2023 est.)

Land use — agricultural land: arable land

Arable land: 6.6% (2023 est.)

Land use — agricultural land: permanent crops

Permanent crops: 0.9% (2023 est.)

Land use — agricultural land: permanent pasture

Permanent pasture: 8% (2023 est.)

Land use — forest

61.6% (2023 est.)

Land use — other

22.9% (2023 est.)

Urbanization — urban population

47.4% of total population (2023)

Urbanization — rate of urbanization

4.33% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)

Carbon dioxide emissions — total emissions

5.883 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)

Carbon dioxide emissions — from coal and metallurgical coke

731,000 metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)

Carbon dioxide emissions — from petroleum and other liquids

5.152 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)

Particulate matter emissions

33.7 micrograms per cubic meter (2019 est.)

Methane emissions — energy

780.6 kt (2022-2024 est.)

Methane emissions — agriculture

567.3 kt (2019-2021 est.)

Methane emissions — waste

499.2 kt (2019-2021 est.)

Methane emissions — other

214.3 kt (2019-2021 est.)

Waste and recycling — municipal solid waste generated annually

14.385 million tons (2024 est.)

Waste and recycling — percent of municipal solid waste recycled

6.4% (2022 est.)

Total water withdrawal — municipal

464.9 million cubic meters (2022 est.)

Total water withdrawal — industrial

146.8 million cubic meters (2022 est.)

Total water withdrawal — agricultural

71.9 million cubic meters (2022 est.)

Total renewable water resources

1.283 trillion cubic meters (2022 est.)

🏛️ Government⬆️ Top

Country name — conventional long form

Democratic Republic of the Congo

Country name — conventional short form

DRC

Country name — local long form

République démocratique du Congo

Country name — local short form

RDC

Country name — former

Congo Free State, Belgian Congo, Congo/Leopoldville, Congo/Kinshasa, Zaire

Country name — abbreviation

DRC (or DROC)

Country name — etymology

Named for the Congo River, most of which lies within the DRC; the river name derives from Kongo, a Bantu kingdom in the area

Government type

Semi-presidential republic

Capital — name

Kinshasa

Capital — geographic coordinates

4 19 S, 15 18 E

Capital — time difference

UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)

Capital — time zone note

The DRC has two time zones

Capital — etymology

Founded as a trading post in 1881 and named Leopoldville in honor of King LEOPOLD II of the Belgians; in 1966, Leopoldville was renamed Kinshasa, a Bantu name of unknown meaning

Administrative divisions

26 provinces; Bas-Uele (Lower Uele), Equateur, Haut-Katanga (Upper Katanga), Haut-Lomami (Upper Lomami), Haut-Uele (Upper Uele), Ituri, Kasai, Kasai-Central, Kasai-Oriental (East Kasai), Kinshasa, Kongo Central, Kwango, Kwilu, Lomami, Lualaba, Mai-Ndombe, Maniema, Mongala, Nord-Kivu (North Kivu), Nord-Ubangi (North Ubangi), Sankuru, Sud-Kivu (South Kivu), Sud-Ubangi (South Ubangi), Tanganyika, Tshopo, Tshuapa

Legal system

Civil law system primarily based on Belgian law, but also customary and tribal law

Constitution — history

Several previous; latest adopted 13 May 2005, approved by referendum 18-19 December 2005, promulgated 18 February 2006

Constitution — amendment process

Proposed by the president of the republic, by the government, by either house of Parliament, or by public petition; agreement on the substance of a proposed bill requires absolute majority vote in both houses; passage requires a referendum only if both houses in joint meeting fail to achieve three-fifths majority vote; constitutional articles, including the form of government, universal suffrage, judicial independence, political pluralism, and personal freedoms, cannot be amended

International law organization participation

Accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations; accepts ICCt jurisdiction

Citizenship — citizenship by birth

No

Citizenship — citizenship by descent only

At least one parent must be a citizen of the Democratic Republic of the Congo

Citizenship — dual citizenship recognized

No

Citizenship — residency requirement for naturalization

5 years

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal and compulsory

Executive branch — chief of state

President Felix TSHISEKEDI (since 20 January 2024)

Executive branch — head of government

Prime Minister Judith SUMINWA Tuluka (since 29 May 2024)

Executive branch — cabinet

Ministers of State appointed by the president

Executive branch — election/appointment process

President directly elected by simple majority vote for a 5-year term (eligible for a second term); prime minister appointed by the president

Executive branch — most recent election date

20 December 2023

Executive branch — election results

2023: Felix TSHISEKEDI reelected president; percent of vote - Felix TSHISEKEDI (UDPS) 73.3%, Moise KATUMBI (Ensemble) 18.8%, Martin FAYULU (ECIDE) 5.3%, other 2.6% 2018: Felix TSHISEKEDI elected president; percent of vote - Felix TSHISEKEDI (UDPS) 38.6%, Martin FAYULU (Lamuka coalition) 34.8%, Emmanuel Ramazani SHADARY (PPRD) 23.9%, other 2.7%

Executive branch — expected date of next election

20 December 2028

Legislative branch — legislature name

Parlement (Parliament)

Legislative branch — legislative structure

Bicameral

Legislative branch - lower chamber — chamber name

National Assembly (Assemblée nationale)

Legislative branch - lower chamber — number of seats

500 (all directly elected)

Legislative branch - lower chamber — electoral system

Mixed system

Legislative branch - lower chamber — scope of elections

Full renewal

Legislative branch - lower chamber — term in office

5 years

Legislative branch - lower chamber — most recent election date

4/29/2024 to 5/26/2024

Legislative branch - lower chamber — parties elected and seats per party

Union for Democracy and Social Progress/TSHISEKEDI (UDPS/TSHISEKEDI) (69); Action of Allies and Union for the Congolese Nation (A/A-UNC) (35); Alliance of Democratic Forces of Congo and Allies (AFDC-A) (35); Act and Build (AB) (26); Action of Allies/All for the Development of the Congo (2A/TDC) (21); Alliance of Stakeholders for the People (AAAP) (21); Alliance Bloc 50 (A/B50) (20); Congo Liberation Movement (MLC) (19); Other (131)

Legislative branch - lower chamber — percentage of women in chamber

12.8%

Legislative branch - lower chamber — expected date of next election

December 2028

Legislative branch - upper chamber — chamber name

Senate (Sénat)

Legislative branch - upper chamber — number of seats

109 (all indirectly elected)

Legislative branch - upper chamber — scope of elections

Full renewal

Legislative branch - upper chamber — term in office

5 years

Legislative branch - upper chamber — most recent election date

12/20/2023

Legislative branch - upper chamber — percentage of women in chamber

15.8%

Legislative branch - upper chamber — expected date of next election

April 2029

Judicial branch — highest court(s)

Court of Cassation or Cour de Cassation (consists of 26 justices and organized into legislative and judiciary sections); Constitutional Court (consists of 9 judges)

Judicial branch — judge selection and term of office

Court of Cassation judges nominated by the Judicial Service Council, an independent body of public prosecutors and selected judges of the lower courts; judge tenure NA; Constitutional Court judges - 3 nominated by the president, 3 by the Judicial Service Council, and 3 by the legislature; judges appointed by the president to serve 9-year non-renewable terms with one third of the membership renewed every 3 years

Judicial branch — subordinate courts

State Security Court; Court of Appeals (organized into administrative and judiciary sections); Tribunal de Grande Instance; magistrates' courts; customary courts

Political parties

Christian Democrat Party or PDC Congolese Rally for Democracy or RCD Convention of Christian Democrats or CDC Engagement for Citizenship and Development or ECIDE Forces of Renewal or FR Movement for the Liberation of the Congo or MLC Nouvel Elan Our Congo or CNB ("Congo Na Biso") People's Party for Reconstruction and Democracy or PPRD Social Movement for Renewal or MSR Together for Change ("Ensemble") Unified Lumumbist Party or PALU Union for the Congolese Nation or UNC Union for Democracy and Social Progress or UDPS

Diplomatic representation in the US — chief of mission

Ambassador (vacant); Chargé d'Affaires Michael SHAKU YUMI (since 1 August 2024)

Diplomatic representation in the US — chancery

1100 Connecticut Avenue NW, Suite 725, Washington DC 20036

Diplomatic representation in the US — telephone

[1] (202) 234-7690

Diplomatic representation in the US — FAX

[1] (202) 234-2609

Diplomatic representation in the US — email address and website

Ambassade@ambardcusa.org https://www.ambardcusa.org/

Diplomatic representation in the US — representative office

New York

Diplomatic representation from the US — chief of mission

Ambassador (vacant); Chargé d’Affaires Susan TULLER (since January 2026)

Diplomatic representation from the US — embassy

310 Avenue des Aviateurs, Kinshasa, Gombe

Diplomatic representation from the US — mailing address

2220 Kinshasa Place, Washington DC 20521-2220

Diplomatic representation from the US — telephone

[243] 081 556-0151

Diplomatic representation from the US — FAX

[243] 81 556-0175

Diplomatic representation from the US — email address and website

ACSKinshasa@state.gov https://cd.usembassy.gov/

International organization participation

ACP, AfDB, AU, CEMAC, CEPGL, COMESA, EAC, EITI (compliant country), FAO, G-24, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (NGOs), ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), LCBC (observer), MIGA, NAM, OIF, OPCW, PCA, SADC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Independence

30 June 1960 (from Belgium)

National holiday

Independence Day, 30 June (1960)

Flag

Description: sky-blue field divided diagonally from the lower-left corner to the upper-right corner by a red stripe bordered with two narrow yellow stripes; a five-pointed yellow star is in the upper-left corner meaning: blue stands for peace and hope, red for the blood of the country's martyrs, and yellow for the country's wealth and prosperity; the star symbolizes unity and a brilliant future for the country

National symbol(s)

Leopard

National color(s)

Sky blue, red, yellow

National anthem(s) — title

"Debout Congolaise" (Arise, Congolese)

National anthem(s) — lyrics/music

Joseph LUTUMBA/Simon-Pierre BOKA di Mpasi Londi

National anthem(s) — history

Adopted 1960; replaced when the country was known as Zaire, but readopted in 1997

National heritage — total World Heritage Sites

5 (all natural)

National heritage — selected World Heritage Site locales

Garamba National Park; Kahuzi-Biega National Park; Okapi Wildlife Reserve; Salonga National Park; Virunga National Park

💹 Economy⬆️ Top

Economic overview

Very poor, large, natural resource-rich sub-Saharan country; possesses the world’s second largest rainforest; increasing Chinese extractive sector trade; massive decrease in government investments; increasing current account deficit and public debts

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) — Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2024

$164.367 billion (2024 est.)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) — Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2023

$154.081 billion (2023 est.)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) — Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2022

$141.867 billion (2022 est.)

Real GDP growth rate — Real GDP growth rate 2024

6.7% (2024 est.)

Real GDP growth rate — Real GDP growth rate 2023

8.6% (2023 est.)

Real GDP growth rate — Real GDP growth rate 2022

8.9% (2022 est.)

Real GDP per capita — Real GDP per capita 2024

$1,500 (2024 est.)

Real GDP per capita — Real GDP per capita 2023

$1,500 (2023 est.)

Real GDP per capita — Real GDP per capita 2022

$1,400 (2022 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate)

$70.749 billion (2024 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices) — Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2017

41.5% (2017 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices) — Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2016

2.9% (2016 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices) — Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2015

0.7% (2015 est.)

GDP - composition, by sector of origin — agriculture

17.1% (2024 est.)

GDP - composition, by sector of origin — industry

46.6% (2024 est.)

GDP - composition, by sector of origin — services

33% (2024 est.)

GDP - composition, by end use — household consumption

62.7% (2024 est.)

GDP - composition, by end use — government consumption

8.1% (2024 est.)

GDP - composition, by end use — investment in fixed capital

32.9% (2024 est.)

GDP - composition, by end use — investment in inventories

0.5% (2024 est.)

GDP - composition, by end use — exports of goods and services

46.6% (2024 est.)

GDP - composition, by end use — imports of goods and services

-50.9% (2024 est.)

Agricultural products

Cassava, plantains, sugarcane, maize, oil palm fruit, rice, root vegetables, bananas, sweet potatoes, groundnuts (2023)

Industries

Mining (copper, cobalt, gold, diamonds, coltan, zinc, tin, tungsten), mineral processing, consumer products (textiles, plastics, footwear, cigarettes), metal products, processed foods and beverages, timber, cement, commercial ship repair

Industrial production growth rate

10.1% (2024 est.)

Labor force

38.546 million (2024 est.)

Unemployment rate — Unemployment rate 2024

4.6% (2024 est.)

Unemployment rate — Unemployment rate 2023

4.5% (2023 est.)

Unemployment rate — Unemployment rate 2022

4.6% (2022 est.)

Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24) — total

8.5% (2024 est.)

Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24) — male

10.8% (2024 est.)

Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24) — female

6.6% (2024 est.)

Population below poverty line

56.2% (2020 est.)

Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income — Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income 2020

44.7 (2020 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share — lowest 10%

2.1% (2020 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share — highest 10%

35.7% (2020 est.)

Remittances — Remittances 2023

4.9% of GDP (2023 est.)

Remittances — Remittances 2022

5% of GDP (2022 est.)

Remittances — Remittances 2021

2.4% of GDP (2021 est.)

Budget — revenues

$11.568 billion (2022 est.)

Budget — expenditures

$13.026 billion (2022 est.)

Public debt — Public debt 2022

16% of GDP (2022 est.)

Taxes and other revenues

11.4% (of GDP) (2022 est.)

Current account balance — Current account balance 2023

-$3.883 billion (2023 est.)

Current account balance — Current account balance 2022

-$3.148 billion (2022 est.)

Current account balance — Current account balance 2021

-$587.407 million (2021 est.)

Exports — Exports 2023

$29.65 billion (2023 est.)

Exports — Exports 2022

$28.753 billion (2022 est.)

Exports — Exports 2021

$22.354 billion (2021 est.)

Exports - partners

China 69%, UAE 7%, India 3%, Spain 3%, Egypt 3% (2023)

Exports - commodities

Refined copper, cobalt, copper ore, raw copper, crude petroleum (2023)

Imports — Imports 2023

$33.68 billion (2023 est.)

Imports — Imports 2022

$31.699 billion (2022 est.)

Imports — Imports 2021

$22.193 billion (2021 est.)

Imports - partners

China 35%, Zambia 12%, South Africa 12%, India 5%, Belgium 4% (2023)

Imports - commodities

Trucks, refined petroleum, stone processing machines, plastic products, sulphur (2023)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold — Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2023

$5.104 billion (2023 est.)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold — Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2022

$4.378 billion (2022 est.)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold — Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2021

$3.467 billion (2021 est.)

Debt - external — Debt - external 2023

$7.926 billion (2023 est.)

Exchange rates — Currency

Congolese francs (CDF) per US dollar -

Exchange rates — Exchange rates 2023

2,340.036 (2023 est.)

Exchange rates — Exchange rates 2022

2,006.708 (2022 est.)

Exchange rates — Exchange rates 2021

1,989.391 (2021 est.)

Exchange rates — Exchange rates 2020

1,851.122 (2020 est.)

Exchange rates — Exchange rates 2019

1,647.76 (2019 est.)

⚡ Energy⬆️ Top

Electricity access — electrification - total population

21.5% (2022 est.)

Electricity access — electrification - urban areas

45.3%

Electricity access — electrification - rural areas

1%

Electricity — installed generating capacity

3.229 million kW (2023 est.)

Electricity — consumption

16.069 billion kWh (2023 est.)

Electricity — exports

62 million kWh (2023 est.)

Electricity — imports

1.473 billion kWh (2023 est.)

Electricity — transmission/distribution losses

1.242 billion kWh (2023 est.)

Electricity generation sources — solar

13.8% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)

Electricity generation sources — hydroelectricity

86% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)

Electricity generation sources — biomass and waste

0.2% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)

Coal — consumption

304,000 metric tons (2023 est.)

Coal — imports

304,000 metric tons (2023 est.)

Coal — proven reserves

987.999 million metric tons (2023 est.)

Petroleum — total petroleum production

19,000 bbl/day (2023 est.)

Petroleum — refined petroleum consumption

35,000 bbl/day (2023 est.)

Petroleum — crude oil estimated reserves

180 million barrels (2021 est.)

Natural gas — production

380,000 cubic meters (2019 est.)

Natural gas — consumption

380,000 cubic meters (2019 est.)

Natural gas — proven reserves

991.09 million cubic meters (2021 est.)

Energy consumption per capita — Total energy consumption per capita 2023

1.305 million Btu/person (2023 est.)

📡 Communications⬆️ Top

Telephones - fixed lines — total subscriptions

(2023 est.) Currently, operators holding fixed-line telephone licenses do not have an operational distribution network, which explains the low number of customers.

Telephones - fixed lines — subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

(2023 est.) less than 1

Telephones - mobile cellular — total subscriptions

56.3 million (2023 est.)

Telephones - mobile cellular — subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

53 (2023 est.)

Broadcast media

State-owned TV station with near-national coverage; more than a dozen privately owned TV stations, including 2 with near-national coverage; 2 state-owned radio stations and over 100 private radio stations; transmissions of at least 2 international broadcasters are available

Internet country code

.cd

Internet users — percent of population

31% (2023 est.)

Broadband - fixed subscriptions — total

33,000 (2022 est.)

Broadband - fixed subscriptions — subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

(2022 est.) less than 1

🚚 Transportation⬆️ Top

Civil aircraft registration country code prefix

9Q

Airports

273 (2025)

Heliports

1 (2025)

Railways — total

4,007 km (2014)

Railways — narrow gauge

3,882 km (2014) 1.067-m gauge (858 km electrified)

Merchant marine — total

24 (2023)

Merchant marine — by type

General cargo 5, oil tanker 2, other 17

Ports — total ports

3 (2024)

Ports — large

0

Ports — medium

0

Ports — small

2

Ports — very small

1

Ports — ports with oil terminals

2

Ports — key ports

Banana, Boma, Matadi

🛡️ Military and Security⬆️ Top

Military and security forces

Armed Forces of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (Forces d'Armees de la Republique Democratique du Congo, FARDC): Land Forces (Forces Terrestres), National Navy (La Marine Nationale), Congolese Air Force (Force Aerienne Congolaise, FAC); Republican Guard (Garde Républicaine, GR) Ministry of Interior: Congolese National Police (Police Nationale Congolaise, PNC) (2025)

Military expenditures — Military Expenditures 2024

1.2% of GDP (2024 est.)

Military expenditures — Military Expenditures 2023

1.2% of GDP (2023 est.)

Military expenditures — Military Expenditures 2022

0.7% of GDP (2022 est.)

Military expenditures — Military Expenditures 2021

0.7% of GDP (2021 est.)

Military expenditures — Military Expenditures 2020

0.7% of GDP (2020 est.)

Military and security service personnel strengths

Estimated 100-150,000 active FARDC (2025)

Military equipment inventories and acquisitions

The FARDC is equipped mostly with Soviet-era and older French armaments; in recent years, it has received some more modern equipment, such as armored vehicles and armed drones, from China, South Africa, Turkey, and the UAE (2025)

Military service age and obligation

18-35 years of age for voluntary military service for men and women; 18-45 years of age for compulsory military service for men; it is unclear how much conscription is used (2025)

Military - note

The FARDC’s primary focus is internal security and conducting operations against rebels and other illegal armed groups (IOGs) operating in the DRC, particularly in the eastern provinces of Ituri, North Kivu, and South Kivu, where more than 15 significant and cohesive IOGs operate; there is also IOG-related violence in Maniema, Kasai, Kasai Central, and Tanganyika provinces; some estimates place over 100 IOGs operating in the country, including organized militias, such as the Nduma Defense of Congo-Renewal (NDC-R), which controls a large portion of North Kivu; Mai Mai groups (local militias that operate variously as self-defense networks and criminal rackets); and foreign-origin groups seeking safe haven and resources, such as the Ugandan-origin Allied Democratic Forces (ADF; aka Islamic State of Iraq and ash-Sham in the DRC), the Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Rwanda (FDLR), multiple groups originating from Burundi, the Lords Resistance Army (LRA), and the March 23 Movement (aka M23 or Congolese Revolutionary Army), which Rwanda has been accused of supporting militarily; the FARDC incorporates some non-state armed groups and has been accused of collaborating with some IOGs, such as the NDC-R the UN Organization Stabilization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (MONUSCO) has operated in the central and eastern parts of the country since 1999; its mandate had been extended to the end of 2026; MONUSCO includes a Force Intervention Brigade (FIB), the first ever UN peacekeeping force specifically tasked to carry out targeted offensive operations to neutralize and disarm groups considered a threat to state authority and civilian security (2025)

🚨 Terrorism⬆️ Top

Terrorist group(s)

Islamic State of Iraq and ash-Sham – Democratic Republic of the Congo (ISIS-DRC)

🌐 Transnational Issues⬆️ Top

Refugees and internally displaced persons — refugees

518,445 (2024 est.)

Refugees and internally displaced persons — IDPs

6,895,648 (2024 est.)

Trafficking in persons — tier rating

Tier 2 Watch List — the Democratic Republic of the Congo did not demonstrate overall increasing efforts to eliminate trafficking compared with the previous reporting period and was downgraded to Tier 2 Watch List; for more details, go to: https://www.state.gov/reports/2025-trafficking-in-persons-report/democratic-republic-of-the-congo/