Congo DR

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 is extremely diverse, with 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, inhumane treatment, and exploitation. 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 December 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.  

land

2,267,048 sq km

total

2,344,858 sq km

water

77,810 sq km

slightly less than one-fourth the size of the US

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)

37 km

highest point

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

lowest point

Atlantic Ocean 0 m

mean elevation

726 m

0 00 N, 25 00 E

note 1: second largest country in Africa (after Algeria) and largest country in Sub-Saharan Africa; straddles the equator; dense tropical rain forest 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: because of its speed, cataracts, rapids, and turbulence the Congo River, most of which flows through the DRC, has never been accurately measured along much of its length; nonetheless, it is conceded to be the deepest river in the world; estimates of its greatest depth vary between 220 and 250 meters

110 sq km (2012)

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

total

11,027 km

agricultural land

11.4% (2018 est.)

agricultural land: arable land

arable land: 3.1% (2018 est.)

agricultural land: permanent crops

permanent crops: 0.3% (2018 est.)

agricultural land: permanent pasture

permanent pasture: 8% (2018 est.)

forest

67.9% (2018 est.)

other

20.7% (2018 est.)

Central Africa, northeast of Angola

Congo Basin

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

Zaïre (Congo) river mouth (shared with Zambia [s], Angola, and Republic of Congo) - 4,700 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

Atlantic Ocean drainage: Congo (3,730,881 sq km), (Mediterranean Sea) Nile (3,254,853 sq km)Indian Ocean drainage: Zambezi (1,332,412 sq km)

Africa

exclusive economic zone

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

territorial sea

12 nm

periodic droughts in south; Congo River floods (seasonal); active volcanoes in the east along the Great Rift Valleyvolcanism: Nyiragongo (3,470 m), which erupted in 2002 and is experiencing ongoing activity, poses a major threat to the city of Goma, home to a quarter million people; the volcano 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, which erupted in 2010, is Africa's most active volcano; Visoke is the only other historically active volcano

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

note

note 1: coltan, the industrial name for a columbite–tantalite mineral from which niobium and tantalum are extracted, is mainly artisanal and small-scale; tantalum, tin, tungsten, and gold extracted from central Africa are considered "conflict minerals" and as such are subject to international monitoringnote 2: the DROC is the World's leading producer of cobalt, accounting for as much as 70% of the World's supply; between 20-30% of this cobalt is produced in artisanal and small-scale mining operations

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

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

0-14 years

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

15-64 years

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

65 years and over

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

beer

0.5 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

other alcohols

0 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

spirits

0.05 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

total

0.56 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

wine

0.01 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

39.2 births/1,000 population (2024 est.)

men married by age 18

5.6% (2018 est.)

women married by age 15

8.4%

women married by age 18

29.1%

23.1% (2017/18)

28.1% (2017/18)

4.1% of GDP (2020)

55.3% (2023 est.)

7.6 deaths/1,000 population (2024 est.)

Despite a wealth of fertile soil, hydroelectric power potential, and mineral resources, the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) struggles with many socioeconomic problems, including high infant and maternal mortality rates, malnutrition, poor vaccination coverage, lack of access to improved water sources and sanitation, and frequent and early fertility. Ongoing conflict, mismanagement of resources, and a lack of investment have resulted in food insecurity; almost 25% of children under the age of 5 were malnourished as of 2018. The overall coverage of basic public services – education, health, sanitation, and potable water – is very limited and piecemeal, with substantial regional and rural/urban disparities. Fertility remains high at more than 5 children per woman and is likely to remain high because of the low use of contraception and the cultural preference for larger families. The DRC is a source and host country for refugees. Between 2012 and 2014, more than 119,000 Congolese refugees returned from the Republic of Congo to the relative stability of northwest DRC, but more than 1 million Congolese refugees and asylum seekers were hosted by neighboring countries as of December 2022. In addition, an estimated 5.5 million Congolese were internally displaced as of October 2022, the vast majority fleeing violence between rebel group and Congolese armed forces. Thousands of refugees have come to the DRC from neighboring countries, including Rwanda, the Central African Republic, South Sudan, and Burundi.

elderly dependency ratio

5.9

potential support ratio

17.1 (2021 est.)

total dependency ratio

98

youth dependency ratio

92.1

improved: rural

rural: 34.7% of population

improved: total

total: 59.4% of population

improved: urban

urban: 88.8% of population

unimproved: rural

rural: 65.3% of population

unimproved: total

total: 40.6% of population (2020 est.)

unimproved: urban

urban: 11.2% of population

2.7% of GDP (2021 est.)

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

2.7 (2024 est.)

female

51.9 deaths/1,000 live births

male

62.9 deaths/1,000 live births

total

57.4 deaths/1,000 live births (2024 est.)

Languages

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

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.

female

64.6 years

male

60.7 years

total population

62.6 years (2024 est.)

definition

age 15 and over can read and write French, Lingala, Kingwana, or Tshiluba

female

70.8% (2021)

male

89.5%

total population

80%

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)

547 deaths/100,000 live births (2020 est.)

female

17 years

male

16.7 years

total

16.9 years (2024 est.)

19.9 years (2013/14 est.)

note

note: data represents median age at first birth among women 20-49

adjective

Congolese or Congo

noun

Congolese (singular and plural)

-0.6 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2024 est.)

6.7% (2016)

0.38 physicians/1,000 population (2018)

female

57,714,867 (2024 est.)

male

57,688,160

total

115,403,027

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

3.11% (2024 est.)

 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.)

improved: rural

rural: 20.5% of population

improved: total

total: 35.5% of population

improved: urban

urban: 53.4% of population

unimproved: rural

rural: 79.5% of population

unimproved: total

total: 64.5% of population (2020 est.)

unimproved: urban

urban: 46.6% of population

female

9 years (2013)

male

10 years

total

11 years

0-14 years

1.01 male(s)/female

15-64 years

1 male(s)/female

65 years and over

0.78 male(s)/female

at birth

1.03 male(s)/female

total population

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

female

2.9% (2020 est.)

male

22.7% (2020 est.)

total

12.8% (2020 est.)

5.49 children born/woman (2024 est.)

rate of urbanization

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

urban population

47.4% of total population (2023)

26 provinces (provinces, singular - province); 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

etymology

founded as a trading post in 1881 and named Leopoldville in honor of King LEOPOLD II of the Belgians, who controlled the Congo Free State, the vast central African territory that became the Democratic Republic of the Congo in 1960; in 1966, Leopoldville was renamed Kinshasa, after a village of that name that once stood near the site

geographic coordinates

4 19 S, 15 18 E

name

Kinshasa

time difference

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

time zone note

the DRC has two time zones

citizenship by birth

no

citizenship by descent only

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

dual citizenship recognized

no

residency requirement for naturalization

5 years

amendments

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; amended 2011

history

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

abbreviation

DRC (or DROC)

conventional long form

Democratic Republic of the Congo

conventional short form

DRC

etymology

named for the Congo River, most of which lies within the DRC; the river name derives from Kongo, a Bantu kingdom that occupied its mouth and whose name stems from its people the Bakongo, meaning "hunters"

former

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

local long form

République démocratique du Congo

local short form

RDC

chief of mission

Ambassador Lucy TAMLYN (since 6 February 2023)

email address and website

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

embassy

310 Avenue des Aviateurs, Kinshasa, Gombe

FAX

[243] 81 556-0175

mailing address

2220 Kinshasa Place, Washington DC  20521-2220

telephone

[243] 081 556-0151

chancery

1100 Connecticut Avenue NW, Suite 725, Washington DC 20036

chief of mission

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

email address and website

ambassade@ambardcusa.orghttps://www.ambardcusa.org/

FAX

[1] (202) 234-2609

representative office

New York

telephone

[1] (202) 234-7690

cabinet

Ministers of State appointed by the president

chief of state

President Felix TSHISEKEDI (since 20 January 2024)

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%; note - election marred by serious voting irregularities

elections/appointments

president directly elected by simple majority vote for a 5-year term (eligible for a second term); election last held on 20 December 2023 (next to be held on 20 December 2028); prime minister appointed by the president

head of government

Prime Minister Judith SUMINWA Tuluka (since 29 May 2024)

sky blue field divided diagonally from the lower hoist corner to upper fly corner by a red stripe bordered by two narrow yellow stripes; a yellow, five-pointed star appears in the upper hoist corner; blue represents peace and hope, red the blood of the country's martyrs, and yellow the country's wealth and prosperity; the star symbolizes unity and the brilliant future for the country

semi-presidential republic

30 June 1960 (from Belgium)

accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations; accepts ICCt jurisdiction

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

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)

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

subordinate courts

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

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

description

bicameral Parliament or Parlement consists of:Senate (109 seats; 109 members to include 108 indirectly elected by provincial assemblies by proportional representation vote to serve 5-year terms and a former president, appointed for life)National Assembly (500 seats; 439 members directly elected in multi-seat constituencies by proportional representation vote and 61 directly elected in single-seat constituencies by simple majority vote; members serve 5-year terms)  

election results

Senate - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - UDPS 15, AFDC-A 6, AB 5, A24 4, AACPG 4, MLC 4, A/VK2018 3, ANB 3, Ensemble 3, 2ATDC 2, A/A-UNC 2, AA/C 2, AAAP 2, AVC-A 2, FPAV 2. A/B50 1, A1 1, A3A 1, AAAD 1, AAeC 1, ACP-A 1, AN 1, APCF 1, ARDEV-A 1, ART&A 1, ATVA 1, AV 1, CDER 1, CFC 1, MSL 1, independent 26; composition- men 84, women 16, percentage women 15.8%National Assembly - percent of vote by party- NA; seats by party - PPRD 62, UDPS 41, PPPD 29, MSR 27, MLC 22, PALU 19, UNC 17, ARC 16, AFDC 15, ECT 11, RRC 11, other 214 (includes numerous political parties that won 10 or fewer seats and 2 constituencies where voting was halted), independent 16; composition - men 415, women 62, percent of women 13%; total Parliament percentage women 13.5%

elections

Senate - last held on 29 April 2024 (next to be held 29 April 2029)National Assembly - last held on 20 December 2023 (next to be held in December 2028)

lyrics/music

Joseph LUTUMBA/Simon-Pierre BOKA di Mpasi Londi

name

"Debout Congolaise" (Arise Congolese)

note

note: adopted 1960; replaced when the country was known as Zaire; but readopted in 1997

selected World Heritage Site locales

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

total World Heritage Sites

5 (all natural)

Independence Day, 30 June (1960)

leopard; national colors: sky blue, red, yellow

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 PALUUnion for the Congolese Nation or UNC Union for Democracy and Social Progress or UDPS

18 years of age; universal and compulsory

cassava, plantains, sugarcane, oil palm fruit, maize, rice, root vegetables, bananas, sweet potatoes, groundnuts (2022)

note

note: top ten agricultural products based on tonnage

expenditures

$5.109 billion (2021 est.)

note

note: central government revenues and expenses (excluding grants/extrabudgetary units/social security funds) converted to US dollars at average official exchange rate for year indicated

revenues

$7.524 billion (2021 est.)

Moody's rating

Caa1 (2019)

note

note: The year refers to the year in which the current credit rating was first obtained.

Standard & Poors rating

CCC+ (2017)

Current account balance 2019

-$1.693 billion (2019 est.)

Current account balance 2020

-$1.052 billion (2020 est.)

Current account balance 2021

-$587.407 million (2021 est.)

note

note: balance of payments - net trade and primary/secondary income in current dollars

Debt - external 2022

$5.383 billion (2022 est.)

note

note: present value of external debt in current US dollars

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

Currency

Congolese francs (CDF) per US dollar -

Exchange rates 2017

1,464.418 (2017 est.)

Exchange rates 2018

1,622.524 (2018 est.)

Exchange rates 2019

1,647.76 (2019 est.)

Exchange rates 2020

1,851.122 (2020 est.)

Exchange rates 2021

1,989.391 (2021 est.)

Exports 2019

$15.173 billion (2019 est.)

Exports 2020

$13.932 billion (2020 est.)

Exports 2021

$22.354 billion (2021 est.)

note

note: balance of payments - exports of goods and services in current dollars

refined copper, cobalt, copper ore, raw copper, crude petroleum (2022)

note

note: top five export commodities based on value in dollars

China 55%, Singapore 5%, UAE 5%, Hong Kong 4%, Tanzania 4% (2022)

note

note: top five export partners based on percentage share of exports

exports of goods and services

44.2% (2023 est.)

government consumption

7.9% (2023 est.)

household consumption

62.7% (2023 est.)

imports of goods and services

-47% (2023 est.)

investment in fixed capital

31.7% (2023 est.)

investment in inventories

0.4% (2023 est.)

note

note: figures may not total 100% due to rounding or gaps in data collection

agriculture

17.4% (2023 est.)

industry

46.5% (2023 est.)

note

note: figures may not total 100% due to non-allocated consumption not captured in sector-reported data

services

33.5% (2023 est.)

$66.383 billion (2023 est.)

note

note: data in current dollars at official exchange rate

Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income 2020

44.7 (2020 est.)

highest 10%

35.8% (2020 est.)

lowest 10%

2.1% (2020 est.)

Imports 2019

$16.892 billion (2019 est.)

Imports 2020

$14.557 billion (2020 est.)

Imports 2021

$22.193 billion (2021 est.)

note

note: balance of payments - imports of goods and services in current dollars

refined petroleum, sulfur, plastic products, trucks, stone processing machines (2022)

note

note: top five import commodities based on value in dollars

China 33%, Zambia 10%, South Africa 10%, UAE 5%, India 4% (2022)

note

note: top five import partners based on percentage share of imports

14.56% (2023 est.)

note

note: annual % change in industrial value added based on constant local currency

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

Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2015

0.74% (2015 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2016

2.89% (2016 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2017

41.5% (2017 est.)

note

note: annual % change based on consumer prices

35.983 million (2023 est.)

note

note: number of people ages 15 or older who are employed or seeking work

63% (2014 est.)

Public debt 2022

15.99% of GDP (2022 est.)

note

note: data in 2021 dollars

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2021

$130.244 billion (2021 est.)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2022

$141.867 billion (2022 est.)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2023

$154.012 billion (2023 est.)

note

note: annual GDP % growth based on constant local currency

Real GDP growth rate 2021

6.2% (2021 est.)

Real GDP growth rate 2022

8.92% (2022 est.)

Real GDP growth rate 2023

8.56% (2023 est.)

note

note: data in 2021 dollars

Real GDP per capita 2021

$1,400 (2021 est.)

Real GDP per capita 2022

$1,400 (2022 est.)

Real GDP per capita 2023

$1,500 (2023 est.)

note

note: personal transfers and compensation between resident and non-resident individuals/households/entities

Remittances 2021

2.44% of GDP (2021 est.)

Remittances 2022

2.05% of GDP (2022 est.)

Remittances 2023

2.05% of GDP (2023 est.)

note

note: holdings of gold (year-end prices)/foreign exchange/special drawing rights in current dollars

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2019

$1.194 billion (2019 est.)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2020

$747.655 million (2020 est.)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2021

$3.467 billion (2021 est.)

11.41% (of GDP) (2022 est.)

note

note: % of labor force seeking employment

Unemployment rate 2021

5.27% (2021 est.)

Unemployment rate 2022

4.59% (2022 est.)

Unemployment rate 2023

4.54% (2023 est.)

female

6.7% (2023 est.)

male

10.9% (2023 est.)

note

note: % of labor force ages 15-24 seeking employment

total

8.6% (2023 est.)

from coal and metallurgical coke

53,000 metric tonnes of CO2 (2022 est.)

from consumed natural gas

1,000 metric tonnes of CO2 (2019 est.)

from petroleum and other liquids

3.807 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2022 est.)

total emissions

3.86 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2022 est.)

consumption

23,000 metric tons (2022 est.)

exports

(2022 est.) less than 1 metric ton

imports

23,000 metric tons (2022 est.)

proven reserves

987.999 million metric tons (2022 est.)

consumption

11.252 billion kWh (2022 est.)

exports

62 million kWh (2022 est.)

imports

1.476 billion kWh (2022 est.)

installed generating capacity

2.904 million kW (2022 est.)

transmission/distribution losses

1.201 billion kWh (2022 est.)

electrification - rural areas

1%

electrification - total population

21.5% (2022 est.)

electrification - urban areas

45.3%

biomass and waste

0.3% of total installed capacity (2022 est.)

hydroelectricity

99.7% of total installed capacity (2022 est.)

solar

0.1% of total installed capacity (2022 est.)

Total energy consumption per capita 2022

970,000 Btu/person (2022 est.)

consumption

380,000 cubic meters (2019 est.)

production

380,000 cubic meters (2019 est.)

proven reserves

991.09 million cubic meters (2021 est.)

crude oil estimated reserves

180 million barrels (2021 est.)

refined petroleum consumption

26,000 bbl/day (2022 est.)

total petroleum production

19,000 bbl/day (2023 est.)

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

0.03 (2020 est.)

total

31,000 (2020 est.)

state-owned TV broadcast station with near national coverage; more than a dozen privately owned TV stations - 2 with near national coverage; 2 state-owned radio stations are supplemented by more than 100 private radio stations; transmissions of at least 2 international broadcasters are available

.cd

percent of population

23.2% (2021 est.)

total

21,102,720 (2021 est.)

domestic

inadequate fixed-line infrastructure with fixed-line connections less than 1 per 100 persons; mobile-cellular subscriptions over 49 per 100 persons (2021)

general assessment

the telecom system remains one of the least developed in the region; the government can only loosely regulate the sector; the investment made in infrastructure is derived from donor countries or from the efforts of foreign (particularly Chinese) companies and banks; efforts have been made to improve the regulation of the telecom sector; the limited fixed-line infrastructure has become the principal providers of basic telecom services; the development of the DRC’s internet and broadband market has been held back by the poorly developed national and international infrastructure; the country was finally connected to international bandwidth through the WACS submarine cable in 2013; breakages in the WACS cable have exposed the vulnerability of international bandwidth, which is still limited; the Equiano submarine cable, and has also completed a 5,000km cable running through the DRC to link to cable systems landing in countries facing the Atlantic and Indian Oceans; the first commercial LTE networks were launched in May 2018 soon after LTE licenses were issued; mobile operators are keen to develop mobile data services, capitalizing on the growth of smartphones usage; there has been some progress with updating technologies, most of the GSM network has been upgraded to 3G by 2021 (2022)

international

country code - 243; ACE and WACS submarine cables to West and South Africa and Europe; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) (2019)

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

(2021 est.) less than 1

total subscriptions

0 (2021 est.) less than 1

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

50 (2022 est.)

total subscriptions

49.844 million (2022 est.)

272 (2024)

9Q

1 (2024)

by type

general cargo 5, oil tanker 2, other 17

total

24 (2023)

annual freight traffic on registered air carriers

890,000 (2018) mt-km

annual passenger traffic on registered air carriers

932,043 (2018)

inventory of registered aircraft operated by air carriers

13

number of registered air carriers

8 (2020)

62 km gas, 77 km oil, 756 km refined products (2013)

key ports

Banana, Boma, Matadi

ports with oil terminals

2

small

2

total ports

3 (2024)

very small

1

narrow gauge

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

note

125 1.000-mm gauge

total

4,007 km (2014)

non-urban

144,973 km (2015)

paved

3,047 km

total

152,373 km

unpaved

149,326 km

urban

7,400 km

15,000 km (2011) (including the Congo River, its tributaries, and unconnected lakes)

the FARDC’s primary focus is internal security and conducting operations against rebels and other illegal armed groups (IOGs); while it is large on paper, the FARDC is widely assessed to suffer from insufficient training, low equipment readiness, poor morale and leadership, ill-discipline, and widespread corruption; it was created out of the armed factions of the Congo wars that ended in 2003, incorporating various militia, paramilitary, and rebel formations; the DRC’s most effective military force, the Republican Guard, is overseen by the office of the presidency rather than the FARDC and focuses largely on protecting the president and government institutions and enforcing internal security the FARDC is actively conducting operations against a variety of 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 the DRC has accused Rwanda of backing; the FARDC 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; as of 2023, MONUSCO had around 14,000 personnel assigned, but it was drawing down its forces towards a complete withdrawal at the request of the DRC Government; MONUSCO includes a Force Intervention Brigade (FIB; three infantry battalions, plus artillery and special forces), 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 (2024)

Armed Forces of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (Forces d'Armees de la Republique Democratique du Congo, FARDC): Land Forces, National Navy (La Marine Nationale), Congolese Air Force (Force Aerienne Congolaise, FAC); Republican GuardMinistry of Interior: Congolese National Police (2024)

note

note: the Republican Guard is a division-size element with armored and infantry units; it is regarded as the country’s most capable unit and is under the direct control of the president

limited and varied information; estimated 100-150,000 active troops, including approximately 10,000 Republican Guard (2024)

the FARDC is equipped mostly with Soviet-era and older French weapons and equipment; in 2024, the DRC signed an agreement with China for the provision of military equipment (2024)

Military Expenditures 2019

0.9% of GDP (2019 est.)

Military Expenditures 2020

0.7% of GDP (2020 est.)

Military Expenditures 2021

0.7% of GDP (2021 est.)

Military Expenditures 2022

0.7% of GDP (2022 est.)

Military Expenditures 2023

1.2% of GDP (2023 est.)

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 (2024)

note

note: in eastern Congo, fighters from armed groups, including some associated with government security forces, have been accused of forced recruitment of child soldiers

country of origin of methamphetamine destined for overseas markets;

IDPs

6.38 million (fighting between government forces and rebels since mid-1990s; conflict in Kasai region since 2016) (2023)

refugees (country of origin)

208,328 (Rwanda), 53,297 (South Sudan) (refugees and asylum seekers), 49,836 (Burundi) (2023); 212,211 (Central African Republic) (2024)

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

note

note: details about the history, aims, leadership, organization, areas of operation, tactics, targets, weapons, size, and sources of support of the group(s) appear(s) in the Terrorism reference guide

carbon dioxide emissions

2.02 megatons (2016 est.)

methane emissions

61.24 megatons (2020 est.)

particulate matter emissions

31.58 micrograms per cubic meter (2019 est.)

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)

poaching threatens wildlife populations; water pollution; deforestation (forests endangered by fires set to clear the land for agricultural purposes; forests also used as a source of fuel); soil erosion; mining (diamonds, gold, coltan - a mineral used in creating capacitors for electronic devices) causing environmental damage

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

signed, but not ratified

Environmental Modification

widespread lack of access

due to internal conflict in eastern regions and high food prices - according to an October 2022 analysis, 24.5 million people were projected to experience acute food insecurity between January and June 2023; this is due to the intensification of the conflict in the northeastern provinces, which, among other factors, has prevented completion of the harvests and likely will reduce food availability in the months to come (2023)

agricultural land

11.4% (2018 est.)

agricultural land: arable land

arable land: 3.1% (2018 est.)

agricultural land: permanent crops

permanent crops: 0.3% (2018 est.)

agricultural land: permanent pasture

permanent pasture: 8% (2018 est.)

forest

67.9% (2018 est.)

other

20.7% (2018 est.)

Congo Basin

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

Zaïre (Congo) river mouth (shared with Zambia [s], Angola, and Republic of Congo) - 4,700 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

Atlantic Ocean drainage: Congo (3,730,881 sq km), (Mediterranean Sea) Nile (3,254,853 sq km)Indian Ocean drainage: Zambezi (1,332,412 sq km)

0% of GDP (2018 est.)

8.72% of GDP (2018 est.)

1.29 trillion cubic meters (2020 est.)

agricultural

70 million cubic meters (2020 est.)

industrial

150 million cubic meters (2020 est.)

municipal

460 million cubic meters (2020 est.)

rate of urbanization

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

urban population

47.4% of total population (2023)

municipal solid waste generated annually

14,385,226 tons (2016 est.)

municipal solid waste recycled annually

704,876 tons (2005 est.)

percent of municipal solid waste recycled

4.9% (2005 est.)