Aaron O'Neill
Research expert covering historical data
Democratic Republic of the Congo - Statistics & Facts
The Democratic Republic of the Congo, or the DRC (formerly Zaire), is Sub Saharan Africa’s largest country by area, and its third largest by population. Most of the country is situated on the Congo River basin and is covered by the Congo rainforest, and its geology is abundant in valuable natural resources. However, these resources have not generated widespread prosperity for its people, and have instead resulted in persistent conflict, political instability, and foreign interference. As the DRC produces around three quarters of the world’s cobalt, an essential element in the production of rechargeable batteries, western lifestyles and the green transition have now become dependent on its exports. Yet, this has come at a heavy cost for the Congolese people, where fighting over control of these resources, as well as the mining industry’s environmental impact, have created one of the largest humanitarian crises in the world.
The end of the Congo Wars did not bring stability to the country, and fighting remains prevalent in the resource-rich regions of Kivu and Ituri. These regions are along the northeastern borders with Burundi, Rwanda, and Uganda, and governments or militant groups from these countries have played an active role in the DRC’s conflicts for decades. President Joseph Kabila ruled the DRC for most of the 2000s and 2010s and continued many of the self-serving actions of his predecessor while overseeing little improvement in living standards or the economy. Many of the largest mines in the DRC are owned by the state or foreign companies, while paramilitaries fight for control of smaller mines, and only a small share of the profits are returned to the people. Additionally, there is little to no oversight of the legality or safety of these mining operations, and child labor is rampant. The GDP of the DRC has risen notably over the past two decades, however most of this wealth is held by a small share of the population, as well as foreign entities, and the DRC has one of the lowest GDPs per capita in the world (for context, it was less than one percent of U.S. GDP per capita in 2023). It should also be noted that exact economic figures for the DRC can be misleading, as much of the country’s economic activity is informal and undocumented.
While many of these demographic trends are often signs of progress, the DRC’s rapid population growth is creating much larger problems, as it increases the burden on already-strained resources and infrastructure. Such challenges have also been exacerbated by COVID-19’s detrimental impact on humanitarian aid to the poorest regions, as well as outbreaks of other diseases, especially among displaced communities. The long-term effects of worsening conditions such as this are often felt most by children, and the DRC has one of the youngest populations in the world. Many children in the DRC suffer from stunting and malnutrition and are forced into work instead of (or parallel to) education, with some even forced into joining militant groups. Child marriage is also common, and women face high rates of physical and sexual violence, with many barriers to secondary education and economic participation (outside of agriculture). The DRC ranks among the lowest 5-10 percent of countries in various indexes such as the Human Development Index, the Human Capital Index, and the World Happiness Report, among many others.
The current administration, led by President Felix Tshisekedi, has been in power since 2019 and has promised to invest in healthcare, housing, and education infrastructure, among many other essential services, but his tenure has been overshadowed by the deterioration of the situation in the northeast, as well as political infighting, electoral irregularities, and even an attempted coup d’état in mid-2024. Recent trade deals have seen something of an economic shift away from China and a move closer to the West, but it remains to be seen whether this will bring prosperity to the DRC and, more importantly, whether these proceeds will be used for the betterment of its people.
Vast resources fuel instability
The DRC is either the leading producer, or among the top-10 producers of minerals such as cobalt, coltan, copper, diamonds, gemstones, and tin. It also has lucrative gold and petroleum industries, and vast areas of arable land. Some estimates value the DRC’s untapped natural resources at 24 trillion U.S. dollars in 2024. Since the late 1800s, foreign powers have had a permanent presence in the DRC, first with Belgian colonial control until 1960, followed by numerous foreign enterprises in the post-independence era. Much of the DRC’s infrastructure was built in the colonial era to facilitate the growth of its export industries, although investment has declined since 1960 due to political instability, mismanagement, and government inaction. Joseph Mobutu took control of the country in 1971, changed its name to Zaire, and ruled it as a dictatorship and kleptocracy until 1997, with little significant improvement for the population during this time. The First Congo War (1996-1997) resulted in his expulsion from power but was followed shortly after by the Second Congo War (1998-2003), which is often considered the world’s deadliest conflict since WWII (although estimating excess deaths due to the conflict has proven difficult).The end of the Congo Wars did not bring stability to the country, and fighting remains prevalent in the resource-rich regions of Kivu and Ituri. These regions are along the northeastern borders with Burundi, Rwanda, and Uganda, and governments or militant groups from these countries have played an active role in the DRC’s conflicts for decades. President Joseph Kabila ruled the DRC for most of the 2000s and 2010s and continued many of the self-serving actions of his predecessor while overseeing little improvement in living standards or the economy. Many of the largest mines in the DRC are owned by the state or foreign companies, while paramilitaries fight for control of smaller mines, and only a small share of the profits are returned to the people. Additionally, there is little to no oversight of the legality or safety of these mining operations, and child labor is rampant. The GDP of the DRC has risen notably over the past two decades, however most of this wealth is held by a small share of the population, as well as foreign entities, and the DRC has one of the lowest GDPs per capita in the world (for context, it was less than one percent of U.S. GDP per capita in 2023). It should also be noted that exact economic figures for the DRC can be misleading, as much of the country’s economic activity is informal and undocumented.
Demographics and humanitarian crisis
With a population of around 105 million people, the DRC has the fourth largest population in Africa, and is among the world’s fifteen largest countries. Depending on the boundaries used, the DRC’s capital city, Kinshasa, is either the largest or second largest city in Africa (behind Lagos, Nigeria), and is one of the most densely populated and fastest growing in the world. Kinshasa is found in the west of the country, across the river from Brazzaville (capital of the Republic of the Congo), while the rest of the population is mostly distributed across the south and east of the country. Currently, the DRC has one of the highest fertility and birth rates in the world, while its death rate is on a gradual decline, giving it one of the highest rates of population growth in the world. Infant and child mortality rates have fallen significantly in recent decades, but around five percent of newborns still do not survive until their first birthday, and the reduction in mortality has slowed in recent years due to the ongoing humanitarian crisis.While many of these demographic trends are often signs of progress, the DRC’s rapid population growth is creating much larger problems, as it increases the burden on already-strained resources and infrastructure. Such challenges have also been exacerbated by COVID-19’s detrimental impact on humanitarian aid to the poorest regions, as well as outbreaks of other diseases, especially among displaced communities. The long-term effects of worsening conditions such as this are often felt most by children, and the DRC has one of the youngest populations in the world. Many children in the DRC suffer from stunting and malnutrition and are forced into work instead of (or parallel to) education, with some even forced into joining militant groups. Child marriage is also common, and women face high rates of physical and sexual violence, with many barriers to secondary education and economic participation (outside of agriculture). The DRC ranks among the lowest 5-10 percent of countries in various indexes such as the Human Development Index, the Human Capital Index, and the World Happiness Report, among many others.
A look ahead
Based on current projections, The DRC’S population will double by 2050, and exceed 400 million by 2100, where it would be the fifth largest country in the world. However, the DRC in no position to prepare and adapt to this rapid population growth, given the myriad of problems currently facing the country. Estimates from 2023 suggest that there are up to six million internally displaced persons within the DRC, possibly half (or more) of which is due to the escalation of fighting in the northeast in the past 2-3 years. There is also a large Congolese population displaced in neighboring countries, but the lack of aid or safe living areas means that many are returning to the DRC to live in displacement there. The growing hunger problem in the DRC, as well as international pressure on humanitarian aid systems, means that much of the population will continue to go hungry if there is no respite, and ceasefires have proven irregular and ineffective thus far.The current administration, led by President Felix Tshisekedi, has been in power since 2019 and has promised to invest in healthcare, housing, and education infrastructure, among many other essential services, but his tenure has been overshadowed by the deterioration of the situation in the northeast, as well as political infighting, electoral irregularities, and even an attempted coup d’état in mid-2024. Recent trade deals have seen something of an economic shift away from China and a move closer to the West, but it remains to be seen whether this will bring prosperity to the DRC and, more importantly, whether these proceeds will be used for the betterment of its people.
