Map of Democratic Republic of the Congo | Geography | People | Government | Economy | Energy | Communication
Military | Transportation | Transnational Issues | Year: Guide1989199019911992199319941995199619971998199920002001200220032004200520062007200820092010201120122013201420152016201720182019202020212022202320242025 | More stats

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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.


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Location

Geographic coordinates

Map reference

Area
Total: 2,344,858 km²
Land: 2,267,048 km²
Water: 77,810 km²
Comparative: slightly less than one-fourth the size of the US

Land boundaries
Total: 11,027 km
Border countries (9): (9) 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
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
Lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m
Mean elevation: 726 m

Natural resources

Land use
Agricultural land: 15.5% (2023 est.)
Arable land: 6.6% (2023 est.)
Permanent crops: 0.9% (2023 est.)
Permanent pasture: 8% (2023 est.)
Forest: 61.6% (2023 est.)
Other: 22.9% (2023 est.)

Irrigated land: 110 km² (2012)

Major rivers
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 km²

Total water withdrawal

Total renewable water resources

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 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


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Population
Total: 115,403,027 (2024 est.)
Male: 57,688,160
Female: 57,714,867
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
Growth rate: 3.11% (2024 est.)

Nationality

Ethnic groups

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.

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.)

Demographic profile

Age structure
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)

Dependency ratios
Total dependency ratio: 93.2 (2024 est.)
Youth dependency ratio: 88.4 (2024 est.)
Elderly dependency ratio: 4.8 (2024 est.)
Potential support ratio: 20.7 (2024 est.)

Median age
Total: 16.9 years (2024 est.)
Male: 16.7 years
Female: 17 years

Population growth rate: 3.11% (2024 est.)

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

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

Net migration rate

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)
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)

Environment

Air pollutants

Sex ratio
At birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
0-14 years: 1.01 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.78 male(s)/female
Total population: 1 male(s)/female (2024 est.)

Mothers mean age at first birth

Maternal mortality ratio: 427 deaths/100,000 live births (2023 est.)

Infant mortality rate
Total: 57.4 deaths/1,000 live births (2024 est.)
Male: 62.9 deaths/1,000 live births
Female: 51.9 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth
Total population: 62.6 years (2024 est.)
Male: 60.7 years
Female: 64.6 years

Total fertility rate: 5.49 children born/woman (2024 est.)

Contraceptive prevalence rate

Drinking water source
Urban: 40.7% of population (2022 est.)
Rural: 86.2% of population (2022 est.)
Total: 64.9% of population (2022 est.)

Current health expenditure

Physicians density

Hospital bed density

Sanitation facility access
Urban: 51.2% of population (2022 est.)
Rural: 79.5% of population (2022 est.)
Total: 66.3% of population (2022 est.)

Hiv/Aids

Major infectious diseases

Obesity adult prevalence rate

Alcohol consumption

Tobacco use

Children under the age of 5 years underweight: 25% (2023 est.)

Education expenditures

Literacy

School life expectancy primary to tertiary education

Youth unemployment
Rate (ages 15-24): 4.6% (2024 est.); 4.5% (2023 est.); 4.6% (2022 est.)
Rate (ages 15-24) note: % of labor force seeking employment


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Country name

Government type

Capital
Name: Kinshasa
Geographic coordinates: 4 19 S, 15 18 E
Time difference: UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)
Time zone note: the DRC has two time zones
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

Dependent areas

Independence

National holiday

Constitution

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

International law organization participation: accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations; accepts ICCt jurisdiction

Citizenship

Suffrage

Executive branch
Chief of state: President Felix TSHISEKEDI (since 20 January 2024)
Head of government: Prime Minister Judith SUMINWA Tuluka (since 29 May 2024)
Cabinet: Ministers of State appointed by the president
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
Most recent election date: 20 December 2023
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%
Expected date of next election: 20 December 2,028

Legislative branch
Legislature name: Parlement (Parliament)
Legislative structure: bicameral

Judicial branch

Political parties and leaders

International organization participation

Diplomatic representation

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

National symbols

National anthem
Title: 'Debout Congolaise' (Arise, Congolese)
Lyrics/music: Joseph LUTUMBA/Simon-Pierre BOKA di Mpasi Londi
History: adopted 1960; replaced when the country was known as Zaire, but readopted in 1997

National heritage
Total World Heritage Sites: 5 (all natural)
Selected World Heritage Site locales:


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Economy overview

Real gdp purchasing power parity

Real gdp growth rate: 6.7% (2024 est.); 8.6% (2023 est.); 8.9% (2022 est.)
Note: annual GDP % growth based on constant local currency

Real gdp per capita: 6.7% (2024 est.); 8.6% (2023 est.); 8.9% (2022 est.)
Note: annual GDP % growth based on constant local currency

Gross national saving

Gdp composition by end use
Household consumption: 62.7% (2024 est.)
Government consumption: 8.1% (2024 est.)
Investment in fixed capital: 32.9% (2024 est.)
Investment in inventories: 0.5% (2024 est.)
Exports of goods and services: 46.6% (2024 est.)
Imports of goods and services: -50.9% (2024 est.)
Note: figures may not total 100% due to rounding or gaps in data collection

Gdp composition by sector of origin
Agriculture: 17.1% (2024 est.)
Industry: 46.6% (2024 est.)
Services: 33% (2024 est.)
Note: figures may not total 100% due to non-allocated consumption not captured in sector-reported data

Agriculture products

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.)
Note: annual % change in industrial value added based on constant local currency

Labor force: 38.546 million (2024 est.)
Note: number of people ages 15 or older who are employed or seeking work

Unemployment rate: 4.6% (2024 est.); 4.5% (2023 est.); 4.6% (2022 est.)
Note: % of labor force seeking employment

Youth unemployment
Rate (ages 15-24): 4.6% (2024 est.); 4.5% (2023 est.); 4.6% (2022 est.)
Rate (ages 15-24) note: % of labor force seeking employment

Population below poverty line

Gini index

Household income or consumption by percentage share

Distribution of family income gini index

Budget
Revenues: $11.568 billion (2022 est.)
Expenditures: $13.026 billion (2022 est.)
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

Taxes and other revenues: 11.4% (of GDP) (2022 est.)
Note: central government tax revenue as a % of GDP

Public debt

Revenue

Fiscal year

Inflation rate consumer prices

Central bank discount rate

Commercial bank prime lending rate

Stock of narrow money

Stock of broad money

Stock of domestic credit

Market value of publicly traded shares

Current account balance

Exports: $29.65 billion (2023 est.); $28.753 billion (2022 est.); $22.354 billion (2021 est.)
Note: balance of payments - exports of goods and services in current dollars
Commodities: refined copper, cobalt, copper ore, raw copper, crude petroleum (2023)
Commodities note: top five export commodities based on value in dollars

Imports: $33.68 billion (2023 est.); $31.699 billion (2022 est.); $22.193 billion (2021 est.)
Note: balance of payments - imports of goods and services in current dollars
Commodities: trucks, refined petroleum, stone processing machines, plastic products, sulphur (2023)
Commodities note: top five import commodities based on value in dollars

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold

Debt external

Stock of direct foreign investment at home

Stock of direct foreign investment abroad

Exchange rates


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Electricity
Installed generating capacity: 3.229 million kW (2023 est.)
Consumption: 16.069 billion kWh (2023 est.)
Exports: 62 million kWh (2023 est.)
Imports: 1.473 billion kWh (2023 est.)
Transmission/distribution losses: 1.242 billion kWh (2023 est.)
Access electrification - total population: 21.5% (2022 est.)
Access electrification - urban areas: 45.3%
Access electrification - rural areas: 1%
Generation sources solar: 13.8% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)
Generation sources hydroelectricity: 86% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)
Generation sources biomass and waste: 0.2% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)

Coal
Consumption: 304,000 metric tons (2023 est.)
Imports: 304,000 metric tons (2023 est.)
Proven reserves: 987.999 million metric tons (2023 est.)

Petroleum
Total petroleum production: 19,000 bbl/day (2023 est.)
Refined petroleum consumption: 35,000 bbl/day (2023 est.)
Crude oil estimated reserves: 180 million barrels (2021 est.)

Crude oil

Refined petroleum

Natural gas
Production: 380,000 cubic meters (2019 est.)
Consumption: 380,000 cubic meters (2019 est.)
Proven reserves: 991.09 million cubic meters (2021 est.)

Carbon dioxide emissions: 5.883 million metric tonnes of CO&sub2; (2023 est.)
From coal and metallurgical coke: 731,000 metric tonnes of CO&sub2; (2023 est.)
From petroleum and other liquids: 5.152 million metric tonnes of CO&sub2; (2023 est.)

Energy consumption per capita: 1.305 million Btu/person (2023 est.)


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Telephones
Fixed lines total subscriptions: 0 (2021 est.) less than 1
Fixed lines subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: (2022 est.) less than 1
Mobile cellular total subscriptions: 49.8 million (2022 est.)
Mobile cellular subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 50 (2022 est.)

Telephone system

Broadcast media

Internet
Users percent of population: 31% (2023 est.)

Broadband fixed subscriptions
Total: 33,000 (2022 est.)
Subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: (2022 est.) less than 1


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Military expenditures: 1.2% of GDP (2024 est.); 1.2% of GDP (2023 est.); 0.7% of GDP (2022 est.); 0.7% of GDP (2021 est.); 0.7% of GDP (2020 est.)

Military and security forces

Military service age and obligation

Space program

Terrorist groups


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National air transport system

Civil aircraft registration country code prefix

Airports: 273 (2025)

Heliports: 1 (2025)

Pipelines

Railways
Total: 4,007 km (2014)
Narrow gauge: 3,882 km (2014) 1.067-m gauge (858 km electrified); 125 1.000-mm gauge

Roadways

Waterways

Merchant marine
Total: 24 (2023)
By type: general cargo 5, oil tanker 2, other 17

Ports and terminals


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Disputes international

Refugees and internally displaced persons

Illicit drugs