:Demographics of the Democratic Republic of the Congo

File:Historical population of the DR Congo.svg

The CIA World Factbook estimated the population to be over 105 million as of 2022 (the exact number being 108,407,721), now exceeding that of Vietnam (with 98,721,275 inhabitants as of 2020) and ascending the country to the rank of 14th most populous in the world.{{Cite web|url=https://www.cia.gov/the-world-factbook/countries/congo-democratic-republic-of-the/|title = Congo, Democratic Republic of the|date = 18 April 2022}} The proportion of children below the age of 15 in 2020 was 46.38%, 51.15% of the population was between 15 and 65 years of age, while 2.47% was 65 years or older.[http://esa.un.org/unpd/wpp/index.htm Population Division of the Department of Economic and Social Affairs of the United Nations Secretariat, World Population Prospects: The 2010 Revision] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110506065230/http://esa.un.org/unpd/wpp/index.htm |date=May 6, 2011 }}

Population Estimates by Sex and Age Group (01.VII.2020) (Post-censal estimates.) (Provisional.):{{Cite web|url=https://unstats.un.org/unsd/demographic-social/products/dyb/dyb_2020/|title=UNSD — Demographic and Social Statistics}}

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| x = 1950,1951,1952,1953,1954,1955,1956,1957,1958,1959,1960,1961,1962,1963,1964,1965,1966,1967,1968,1969,1970,1971,1972,1973,1974,1975,1976,1977,1978,1979,1980,1981,1982,1983,1984,1985,1986,1987,1988,1989,1990,1991,1992,1993,1994,1995,1996,1997,1998,1999,2000,2001,2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021

| y1= 26.6,26.2,25.6,25.1,24.7,24.4,24.1,23.7,23.5,23.4,23.2,23.6,23.5,23.3,23.8,23.2,22.1,21.9,21.6,21.4,21.1,20.8,20.5,

20.4,20.1,20.0,19.8,19.6,19.7,19.2,19.0,18.8,18.6,18.5,18.3,18.2,18.0,17.7,17.4,17.1,16.8,16.6,16.4,16.2,16.0,15.7,16.4,15.7,15.9,15.6,14.6,

14.4,14.2,13.9,13.5,13.1,12.8,12.5,12.3,12.0,11.7,11.3,11.2,10.9,10.6,10.4,10.1,9.9,9.6,9.4,9.5,9.7

| y1Title=Natural change (per 1000)

}}

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| x = 1950,1951,1952,1953,1954,1955,1956,1957,1958,1959,1960,1961,1962,1963,1964,1965,1966,1967,1968,1969,1970,1971,1972,1973,1974,1975,1976,1977,1978,1979,1980,1981,1982,1983,1984,1985,1986,1987,1988,1989,1990,1991,1992,1993,1994,1995,1996,1997,1998,1999,2000,2001,2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021

| y1= 179.9,178.5,175.8,173.3,171.0,168.8,166.7,164.7,162.9,161.2,159.8,159.6,158.1,156.5,155.7,153.1,149.5,147.3,145.1,142.7,140.5,138.3,

136.4,134.7,133.3,132.1,130.9,129.8,129.1,126.9,125.1,123.5,121.9,120.3,118.7,117.4,116.1,114.9,113.7,112.6,111.3,110.1,108.9,108.1,107.0,105.7,106.4,103.7,101.5,99.5,97.3,95.0,92.6,89.9,87.2,84.6,82.0,79.4,77.0,74.5,72.2,70.0,68.0,65.9,64.0,62.2,60.4,58.6,56.9,55.5,53.9,52.3

| y1Title=Infant Mortality (per 1000 live births)

}}

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| yAxisTitle= TFR

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| x = 1950,1951,1952,1953,1954,1955,1956,1957,1958,1959,1960,1961,1962,1963,1964,1965,1966,1967,1968,1969,1970,1971,1972,1973,1974,1975,1976,1977,1978,1979,1980,1981,1982,1983,1984,1985,1986,1987,1988,1989,1990,1991,1992,1993,1994,1995,1996,1997,1998,1999,2000,2001,2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021

| y1= 5.97,5.97,5.97,5.98,5.98,5.98,5.99,6.01,6.04,6.07,6.08,6.11,6.13,6.16,6.18,6.21,6.24,6.27,6.30,6.32,6.34,6.38,6.40,6.41,6.42,6.42,

6.43,6.43,6.44,6.46,6.47,6.49,6.50,6.55,6.60,6.65,6.69,6.74,6.73,6.74,6.70,6.69,6.67,6.64,6.67,6.71,6.72,6.73,6.73,6.72,6.72,

6.70,6.67,6.64,6.62,6.60,6.59,6.58,6.58,6.59,6.59,6.58,6.56,6.53,6.48,6.44,6.39,6.35,6.30,6.25,6.21,6.16

| y1Title=Total Fertility Rate

}}

The first and so far only census conducted in DR Congo dates from 1984.{{cite web| url = https://ireda.ceped.org/inventaire/ressources/cod-1984-rec-o1_resultats_provisoires.pdf| title = Recensement scientifique de la population 1984. Résultats provisoires}} A census is supposed to be conducted decennially, but this has been obstructed by periods of instability such as the political reorganization in 1991 and the civil war in 1996.{{Cite news |last=Mbardounka |first=Chérif Ousman |date=14 May 2024 |title=Le pays africain dont les citoyens n'ont pas de carte d'identité depuis 40 ans |url=https://www.bbc.com/afrique/articles/cy633p6ezq1o |access-date=16 May 2024 |work=BBC News |language=fr}}

In January 2015, the parliament passed a law requiring that a census be completed before the next election. Opponents said this was intended to keep Joseph Kabila in power by delaying the next election, leading to protests that caused several deaths. The parliament repealed the law and the census did not take place.{{Cite news |last=Ross |first=Aaron |date=25 January 2015 |title=Congo parliament passes election law stripped of census requirement |url=https://www.reuters.com/article/cnews-us-congodemocratic-politics-idCAKBN0KY0Y520150125/ |access-date=15 May 2024 |work=Reuters}}

The second general census of population and housing is underway as of 2024.{{Cite web |date=9 April 2024 |title=Recensement général de la population et de l'Habitat |url=https://plan.gouv.cd/projects/recensement-g%C3%A9n%C3%A9ral-de-la-population-et-de-l-habitat |website=Ministère du Plan |language=fr}} President Félix Tshisekedi called for a census to improve demographic policies and to enable the creation of national identity cards.{{Cite news |last=Muamba |first=Clément |date=23 March 2024 |title=RDC : Félix Tshisekedi rappelle au gouvernement la nécessité d'organiser le deuxième recensement général pour " intervenir plus efficacement " en faveur des populations |url=https://actualite.cd/2024/03/23/rdc-felix-tshisekedi-rappelle-au-gouvernement-la-necessite-dorganiser-le-deuxieme |access-date=16 May 2024 |work=Actualite.cd |language=fr}} The National Office for Population Identification (ONIP), founded in 2011, was tasked with leading the census, settling a dispute between bids by the Ministries of Interior, Planning, and Digital Technology. Preliminary mapping was conducted in 2018 under Minister of State Modeste Bahati Lukwebo.{{Cite web |date=15 May 2018 |title=2nd General Census of Population and Housing in DRC: Evaluation of pilot cartography |url=https://drc.unfpa.org/en/news/2nd-general-census-population-and-housing-drc-evaluation-pilot-cartography |access-date=15 May 2024 |website=United Nations Population Fund}} Data collection began on 2 March 2020 and was scheduled to end on 10 June, but implementation was postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic.{{Cite web |date=2020 |title=Responses to the 1st UNSD survey on the impact of COVID-19 |url=https://unstats.un.org/unsd/demographic-social/census/COVID-19-SurveyT1/ |access-date=15 May 2024 |website=United Nations Statistics Division}} Data collection was arranged by the Ministries of Planning, Budget, and Finance, and the electoral commission sent materials to the ONIP and the {{ill|National Statistics Institute (Democratic Republic of the Congo)|lt=National Statistics Institute|fr|Institut national de la statistique (république démocratique du Congo)}}. In 2022, Prime Minister Sama Lukonde issued a decree about the operations of the census. The government allocated the census 250 million dollars of its 2022 budget.{{Cite news |date=1 October 2022 |title=RDC's government confirms general census is going ahead |url=https://www.africanews.com/2022/01/10/rdc-s-government-confirms-general-census-is-going-ahead// |access-date=15 May 2024 |work=Africanews}} The census is planned to be completed in 2025 with an expected budget of US$153,700,453.

Registration of vital events in the Democratic Republic of the Congo is incomplete. The Population Department of the United Nations prepared the following estimates.

{{Cite web |title=World Population Prospects 2022 – Demographic Indicators – Compact (most used: estimates and medium projections) (XLSX, 24.07 MB) |url=https://population.un.org/wpp/Download/Files/1_Indicators%20(Standard)/EXCEL_FILES/1_General/WPP2022_GEN_F01_DEMOGRAPHIC_INDICATORS_COMPACT_REV1.xlsx|format=xlsx|access-date=2022-07-13 |website=United Nations Population Division|at=tab "Estimates"}} (found under: [https://population.un.org/wpp/ World Population Prospects 2022] – [https://population.un.org/wpp/Download/Standard/MostUsed/ Download Files])

The Institute of National Statistics of the DRC has provided population estimates from 1984 and 2000-2019:{{cite web|url=https://www.undp.org/sites/g/files/zskgke326/files/migration/cd/Anuaire-Statistique-RDC-2014.pdf|title=République Démocratique du Congo Anuaire Statistique 2014|website=undp.org}}{{cite web|url=https://www.undp.org/sites/g/files/zskgke326/files/migration/cd/UNDP-CD-ANNUAIRE-STAT.-2020-.pdf|title=République Démocratique du Congo Anuaire Statistique 2020|website=undp.org}}

• 1984: 30,631,000
• 2000: 52,099,000
• 2001: 53,870,000
• 2002: 55,702,000
• 2003: 57,596,000
• 2004: 59,554,000
• 2005: 61,579,000
• 2006: 63,673,000
• 2007: 65,837,000
• 2008: 68,076,000
• 2009: 70,391,000
• 2010: 72,784,000
• 2011: 75,259,000
• 2012: 77,817,000
• 2013: 80,462,000
• 2014: 83,197,000
• 2015: 86,024,000
• 2016: 88,957,000
• 2017: 91,994,000
• 2018: 94,921,000
• 2019: 98,370,000

Total Fertility Rate (TFR) (Wanted Fertility Rate) and Crude Birth Rate (CBR) for urban and rural areas:{{cite web|url=http://microdata.worldbank.org/index.php/catalog/1354|title=Congo, Dem. Rep. - Enquête Démographique et de Santé 2007|website=microdata.worldbank.org}}

The Wanted Fertility Rate is an estimate of what the fertility rate would be if all unwanted births were avoided.{{Cite web|title=Fertility and wanted fertility|url=https://ourworldindata.org/grapher/fertility-and-wanted-fertility|access-date=2021-06-21|website=Our World in Data}}

Fertility data per province, as of 2014:{{Cite web|url=http://dhsprogram.com/pubs/pdf/FR300/FR300.pdf |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150317092838/http://dhsprogram.com/pubs/pdf/FR300/FR300.pdf |archive-date=2015-03-17 |url-status=live|title=Democratic Republic of Congo}}

File:Life expectancy in DR Congo.svg in DR Congo since 1950]]

File:Life expectancy by WBG -Congo, DR -diff.png

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{{See also|Category:Ethnic groups in the Democratic Republic of the Congo}}

{{More citations needed section|date=May 2024}}

Over 250 ethnic groups and 450 tribes (ethnic subgroups) populate the Democratic Republic of Congo. These ethnic groups are from the Bantu, Sudanic, Nilotic, Ubangian and Pygmy linguistic groups. There is no dominant ethnic group in Congo; the following ethnic groups account for 51.5% of the population:{{cite web |title=Democratic Republic of Congo in Crisis | Human Rights Watch |url=https://www.hrw.org/blog-feed/democratic-republic-congo-crisis |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210513223749/https://www.hrw.org/blog-feed/democratic-republic-congo-crisis |archive-date=13 May 2021 |access-date=18 May 2021}}{{Failed verification|date=May 2024}}

File:DRC_Ethnic_Groups.png

• Luba-Kasaï
• Kongo
• Mongo
• Lubakat
• Lulua
• Tetela
• Nande
• Ngbandi
• Ngombe
• Yaka
• Ngbaka

Ethnic groups include:

• Bantu peoples: Ambala, Ambuun, Angba, Babindi, Baboma, Baholo, Bangala, Bango, Bapindi, Batsamba, Bazombe, Bemba, Bembe, Bira, Bowa, Dikidiki, Dzing, Fuliru, Havu, Hema, Hima, Hunde, Iboko, Kanioka, Kaonde, Kongo, Kuba, Kumu, Kwango, Lengola, Lokele, Luba, Lunda, Lupu, Lwalwa, Mbala, Mbole, Mbuza (Budja), Mongo, Nande, Ngoli, Bangoli, Ngombe, Nkumu, Nyanga, Pende, Popoi, Poto, Sango, Shi, Nyindu, Songo, Sukus, Tabwa, Chokwe, Téké, Tembo, Tetela, Topoke, Ungana, Vira, Wakuti, Yaka, Yakoma, Yanzi, Yéké, Yela, etc.
• Central Sudanic: Manvu, Mbunja, Moru-Mangbetu, Lugbara
• Nilotic peoples: Alur, Bari, Kakwa, Logo
• Ubangian: Azande, Banda, Ngbandi, Ngbaka
• Pygmy peoples: Mbuti, Twa, Baka, Babinga

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{{bar percent|French|blue|79}}

{{bar percent|Lingala|red|59}}

{{bar percent|Swahili|green|40}}

{{bar percent|Kikongo|purple|17}}

{{bar percent|Tshiluba|orange|17}}

{{bar percent|English|pink|7}}

|caption=Percentage of the DRC population who speak each of the five national languages, plus English.[https://www.target-sarl.cd/up/en/?readstu&enc=utf-8&t=159 Target study: French the most spoken language in DRC, far ahead of Lingala]

}}{{Main|Languages of the Democratic Republic of the Congo}}

The five major languages in the DRC are French (official), Lingala (a lingua franca, or trade language), Swahili (more specifically Congo Swahili such as the Kingwana dialect), Kikongo ya leta or Kituba (a Kikongo-based creole language), and Tshiluba or Luba-Kasai. In total, there are over 200 languages spoken in the DRC.

French, the official language, is generally the language of instruction in schools. However, English is taught as a compulsory foreign language in secondary schools around the country. It is a required subject in the Faculty of Economics at major universities around the country, and there are numerous language schools in the country that teach it. Many Congolese, such as former president Joseph Kabila, are fluent in both English and French.

File:Assemblée Chrétienne de Yakusu.jpg

A survey conducted by the Demographic and Health Surveys program in 2013–2014 indicated that Christians constituted 93.7% of the population (Catholics 29.7%, Protestants 26.8%, and other Christians 37.2%). An indigenous religion, Kimbanguism, was practiced by 2.8% of the population, while Muslims make up 1.2%.{{cite web|url=https://dhsprogram.com/pubs/pdf/FR300/FR300.pdf |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150317092838/http://dhsprogram.com/pubs/pdf/FR300/FR300.pdf |archive-date=2015-03-17 |url-status=live|title=Enquête Démographique et de Santé (EDS-RDC) 2013-2014|publisher=Ministère du Plan et Suivi de la Mise en œuvre de la Révolution de la Modernité, Ministère de la Santé Publique|language=fr|page=36|access-date=20 April 2018}}

Another estimate (by the Pew Research Center in 2010) found Christianity was followed by 95.8% of the population.{{cite web|title=Global Religious Landscape|date=18 December 2012|url=http://www.pewforum.org/2012/12/18/table-religious-composition-by-country-in-percentages/|publisher=Pew Forum}}

The CIA The World Factbook gives the following percentages: Roman Catholic 29.9%, Protestant 26.7%, Kimbanguist 2.8%, Other Christian 36.5%, Islam 1.3%, Other (includes Syncretic Sects and Indigenous beliefs) 2.7%.{{cite web|url= https://www.cia.gov/the-world-factbook/countries/congo-democratic-republic-of-the/|title= Africa :: CONGO, DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF THE

|date= 18 April 2022

|publisher= CIA The World Factbook}}

File:Democratic Republic of the Congo Population 1950-2021 UN World Population Prospects 2022.svg, fertility rate and net reproduction rate, United Nations estimates]]

{{Update|date=August 2016}}

The table below shows DRC born people who have emigrated abroad in selected Western countries (although it excludes their descendants).{{Cite web|last1=Schoumaker|first1=Marie-Laurence|last2=Flahaux|first2=Bruno|date=2016-04-19|title=Democratic Republic of the Congo: A Migration History Marked by Crises and Restrictions|url=https://www.migrationpolicy.org/article/democratic-republic-congo-migration-history-marked-crises-and-restrictions|access-date=2023-02-06|website=Migration Policy Institute|language=en}}

These are only estimates and do not account for Congolese migrants residing illegally in these and other countries. {{citation needed span|Among African countries, Congo's diaspora is second only to Nigeria in size.|date=May 2015}}

Congolese ethnic groups:

• Alur
• Azande
• Chokwe
• Hema
• Kakwa
• Lendu
• Luba
• Mangbetu
• Twa
• Yaka
• Lunda

Other articles

• Health in the Democratic Republic of the Congo

{{CIA World Factbook|year=2007}}

• {{cite web|url= http://www.theirc.org/resources/2007/2006-7_congomortalitysurvey.pdf |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080217125142/http://www.theirc.org/resources/2007/2006-7_congomortalitysurvey.pdf |archive-date=2008-02-17 |url-status=live |title=Mortality in the Democratic Republic of the Congo: An Ongoing Crisis }} {{small|(1.07 MB)}}, International Rescue Committee, January 2008 (estimates 5.4 million excess deaths above sub-Saharan average from 1998 to 2007)

{{DRC topics}}

{{Africa in topic|Demographics of}}

{{Ethnic groups in the Democratic Republic of the Congo}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Demographics Of The Democratic Republic Of The Congo}}

Category:Society of the Democratic Republic of the Congo