Fertility rate, total (births per woman) (UNESCO Institute) in Democratic Republic of Congo
Democratic Republic of Congo: Fertility rate, total (births per woman) (UNESCO Institute) was 6.05 births per woman in 2023. ▬ Flat
Latest (2023)
6.05 births per woman
Change on year
down 0.9%
World rank
4th
of 215 countries
All-time high
6.7 births per woman
in 2000
All-time low
6.05 births per woman
in 2023
Years of data
54
1970–2023
Fertility rate, total in Democratic Republic of Congo, 1970–2023
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Measured in births per woman.
Analysis
The most recent figure for fertility rate, total in Democratic Republic of Congo is 6.05 births per woman, measured in 2023. That is the lowest value across all 54 years on record.
That represents a change of down 0.9% on the previous year and down 7.3% over ten years.
Over the whole period, fertility rate, total in Democratic Republic of Congo peaked at 6.7 births per woman in 2000 and was at its lowest, 6.05 births per woman, in 2023.
Democratic Republic of Congo ranks 4th of 215 countries on this measure, in the top 10%.
Fertility rate, total (births per woman) (UNESCO Institute) in Democratic Republic of Congo, year by year
| Year | births per woman | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1970 | 6.33 births per woman | — |
| 1971 | 6.34 births per woman | +0.2% |
| 1972 | 6.37 births per woman | +0.4% |
| 1973 | 6.38 births per woman | +0.3% |
| 1974 | 6.4 births per woman | +0.3% |
| 1975 | 6.42 births per woman | +0.2% |
| 1976 | 6.44 births per woman | +0.3% |
| 1977 | 6.45 births per woman | +0.2% |
| 1978 | 6.46 births per woman | +0.2% |
| 1979 | 6.48 births per woman | +0.2% |
| 1980 | 6.5 births per woman | +0.2% |
| 1981 | 6.52 births per woman | +0.4% |
| 1982 | 6.54 births per woman | +0.3% |
| 1983 | 6.56 births per woman | +0.4% |
| 1984 | 6.59 births per woman | +0.3% |
| 1985 | 6.61 births per woman | +0.4% |
| 1986 | 6.63 births per woman | +0.3% |
| 1987 | 6.65 births per woman | +0.3% |
| 1988 | 6.66 births per woman | +0.1% |
| 1989 | 6.65 births per woman | -0.1% |
| 1990 | 6.65 births per woman | -0.0% |
| 1991 | 6.64 births per woman | -0.1% |
| 1992 | 6.64 births per woman | -0.1% |
| 1993 | 6.64 births per woman | +0.0% |
| 1994 | 6.64 births per woman | +0.0% |
| 1995 | 6.68 births per woman | +0.5% |
| 1996 | 6.67 births per woman | -0.1% |
| 1997 | 6.69 births per woman | +0.3% |
| 1998 | 6.7 births per woman | +0.1% |
| 1999 | 6.69 births per woman | -0.1% |
| 2000 | 6.7 births per woman | +0.1% |
| 2001 | 6.66 births per woman | -0.6% |
| 2002 | 6.61 births per woman | -0.9% |
| 2003 | 6.55 births per woman | -0.9% |
| 2004 | 6.53 births per woman | -0.3% |
| 2005 | 6.53 births per woman | -0.1% |
| 2006 | 6.55 births per woman | +0.3% |
| 2007 | 6.56 births per woman | +0.2% |
| 2008 | 6.58 births per woman | +0.3% |
| 2009 | 6.59 births per woman | +0.2% |
| 2010 | 6.59 births per woman | -0.1% |
| 2011 | 6.58 births per woman | -0.1% |
| 2012 | 6.56 births per woman | -0.3% |
| 2013 | 6.53 births per woman | -0.5% |
| 2014 | 6.48 births per woman | -0.7% |
| 2015 | 6.44 births per woman | -0.7% |
| 2016 | 6.39 births per woman | -0.7% |
| 2017 | 6.35 births per woman | -0.7% |
| 2018 | 6.3 births per woman | -0.7% |
| 2019 | 6.25 births per woman | -0.8% |
| 2020 | 6.21 births per woman | -0.8% |
| 2021 | 6.16 births per woman | -0.8% |
| 2022 | 6.11 births per woman | -0.8% |
| 2023 | 6.05 births per woman | -0.9% |
Democratic Republic of Congo compared with similar countries
- Democratic Republic of Congo's 6.05 births per woman is above the median for low income countries, which is 4.19 births per woman, 1.4× the median. (25 countries reporting)
- Democratic Republic of Congo's 6.05 births per woman is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 4 births per woman, 1.5× the median. (48 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 6.41 births per woman | 6.33 births per woman | 6.48 births per woman | 10 |
| 1980s | 6.59 births per woman | 6.5 births per woman | 6.66 births per woman | 10 |
| 1990s | 6.66 births per woman | 6.64 births per woman | 6.7 births per woman | 10 |
| 2000s | 6.59 births per woman | 6.53 births per woman | 6.7 births per woman | 10 |
| 2010s | 6.45 births per woman | 6.25 births per woman | 6.59 births per woman | 10 |
| 2020s | 6.13 births per woman | 6.05 births per woman | 6.21 births per woman | 4 |
Countries ranked near Democratic Republic of Congo
More population data for Democratic Republic of Congo
- Population regions with projections, annual growth rate 0.6699 % change on previous year (2100)
- Urban and rural population 2050, annual growth rate 1.57 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population long run with projections, annual growth rate 0.6699 % change on previous year (2100)
- Un population 2024 vs 2022, annual growth rate 0.6537 % change on previous year (2100)
- Projected population under age 5, annual growth rate -0.1964 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population growth rate 0.658 (2100)
- Population density 189.99 (2100)
- Projected population under age 5 33.44 million (2100)
- Population growth rate by level of development 0.658 (2100)
- Urbanization vs gdp, annual growth rate 0.8224 % change on previous year (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is fertility rate, total in Democratic Republic of Congo?
- Fertility rate, total in Democratic Republic of Congo was 6.05 births per woman in 2023, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
- What is the highest fertility rate, total recorded in Democratic Republic of Congo?
- The highest recorded value was 6.7 births per woman in 2000.
- What is the lowest fertility rate, total recorded in Democratic Republic of Congo?
- The lowest recorded value was 6.05 births per woman in 2023.
- How does Democratic Republic of Congo rank for fertility rate, total?
- Democratic Republic of Congo ranks 4th out of 215 countries with data for 2023.
- Is fertility rate, total rising or falling in Democratic Republic of Congo?
- Over the last ten years it is down 7.3%. The long-run trend across the full record is flat.
- Where does this Democratic Republic of Congo data come from?
- The figures come from UNESCO Institute for Statistics, published as part of Fertility rate, total (births per woman). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 54 observations, free to reuse under CC BY-SA 3.0 IGO (UNESCO Institute for Statistics).
About this data
February 2026 Data Release