Population of Democratic Republic of Congo 1800-2020

In 1800, the estimated population of the region of the modern-day Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) was approximately 5.18 million. Throughout the 19^th century, this number would slowly but steadily rise, reaching over 8.7 million by the beginning of the 20^th century. Like many countries in Africa, the DRC experienced a significant population boom, as rapid modernization, expansive economic growth and extensive vaccination campaigns led to a reduction in child mortality and an increase in life expectancy. While the population would continue to grow rapidly, growth would slow somewhat in the 1990s, as a mixture of the HIV/AIDS epidemic, and several regional and civil conflicts would result in many deaths in the region. However, the DRC’s population continues to grow exponentially, and in 2020, just under 90 million people are estimated to live in the country.