Fertility rate: births per woman in Democratic Republic of Congo
Democratic Republic of Congo: Fertility rate: births per woman was 6.05 live births per woman in 2023. ▲ Rising
Latest (2023)
6.05 live births per woman
Change on year
down 0.9%
World rank
4th
of 236 countries
All-time high
6.7 live births per woman
in 2000
All-time low
5.97 live births per woman
in 1950
Years of data
74
1950–2023
Fertility rate: births per woman in Democratic Republic of Congo, 1950–2023
Source: UN, World Population Prospects (2024) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in live births per woman.
Analysis
Democratic Republic of Congo recorded 6.05 live births per woman for fertility rate: births per woman in 2023.
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: births per woman in Democratic Republic of Congo peaked at 6.7 live births per woman in 2000 and was at its lowest, 5.97 live births per woman, in 1950.
Democratic Republic of Congo ranks 4th of 236 countries on this measure, in the top 10%.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 74 years of available data.
Fertility rate: births per woman in Democratic Republic of Congo, year by year
| Year | live births per woman | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1950 | 5.97 live births per woman | — |
| 1951 | 5.97 live births per woman | +0.1% |
| 1952 | 5.97 live births per woman | -0.1% |
| 1953 | 5.98 live births per woman | +0.3% |
| 1954 | 5.98 live births per woman | +0.0% |
| 1955 | 5.98 live births per woman | -0.0% |
| 1956 | 5.99 live births per woman | +0.1% |
| 1957 | 6.01 live births per woman | +0.4% |
| 1958 | 6.04 live births per woman | +0.4% |
| 1959 | 6.07 live births per woman | +0.5% |
| 1960 | 6.11 live births per woman | +0.7% |
| 1961 | 6.12 live births per woman | +0.3% |
| 1962 | 6.14 live births per woman | +0.3% |
| 1963 | 6.16 live births per woman | +0.3% |
| 1964 | 6.19 live births per woman | +0.5% |
| 1965 | 6.21 live births per woman | +0.4% |
| 1966 | 6.24 live births per woman | +0.5% |
| 1967 | 6.27 live births per woman | +0.4% |
| 1968 | 6.29 live births per woman | +0.3% |
| 1969 | 6.3 live births per woman | +0.3% |
| 1970 | 6.33 live births per woman | +0.4% |
| 1971 | 6.34 live births per woman | +0.2% |
| 1972 | 6.37 live births per woman | +0.4% |
| 1973 | 6.38 live births per woman | +0.3% |
| 1974 | 6.4 live births per woman | +0.3% |
| 1975 | 6.42 live births per woman | +0.2% |
| 1976 | 6.44 live births per woman | +0.3% |
| 1977 | 6.45 live births per woman | +0.2% |
| 1978 | 6.46 live births per woman | +0.2% |
| 1979 | 6.48 live births per woman | +0.2% |
| 1980 | 6.5 live births per woman | +0.2% |
| 1981 | 6.52 live births per woman | +0.4% |
| 1982 | 6.54 live births per woman | +0.3% |
| 1983 | 6.56 live births per woman | +0.4% |
| 1984 | 6.59 live births per woman | +0.3% |
| 1985 | 6.61 live births per woman | +0.4% |
| 1986 | 6.63 live births per woman | +0.3% |
| 1987 | 6.65 live births per woman | +0.3% |
| 1988 | 6.66 live births per woman | +0.1% |
| 1989 | 6.65 live births per woman | -0.1% |
| 1990 | 6.65 live births per woman | -0.0% |
| 1991 | 6.64 live births per woman | -0.1% |
| 1992 | 6.64 live births per woman | -0.1% |
| 1993 | 6.64 live births per woman | +0.0% |
| 1994 | 6.64 live births per woman | +0.0% |
| 1995 | 6.68 live births per woman | +0.5% |
| 1996 | 6.67 live births per woman | -0.1% |
| 1997 | 6.69 live births per woman | +0.3% |
| 1998 | 6.7 live births per woman | +0.1% |
| 1999 | 6.69 live births per woman | -0.1% |
| 2000 | 6.7 live births per woman | +0.1% |
| 2001 | 6.66 live births per woman | -0.6% |
| 2002 | 6.61 live births per woman | -0.9% |
| 2003 | 6.55 live births per woman | -0.9% |
| 2004 | 6.53 live births per woman | -0.3% |
| 2005 | 6.53 live births per woman | -0.1% |
| 2006 | 6.55 live births per woman | +0.3% |
| 2007 | 6.56 live births per woman | +0.2% |
| 2008 | 6.58 live births per woman | +0.3% |
| 2009 | 6.59 live births per woman | +0.2% |
| 2010 | 6.59 live births per woman | -0.1% |
| 2011 | 6.58 live births per woman | -0.1% |
| 2012 | 6.56 live births per woman | -0.3% |
| 2013 | 6.53 live births per woman | -0.5% |
| 2014 | 6.48 live births per woman | -0.7% |
| 2015 | 6.44 live births per woman | -0.7% |
| 2016 | 6.39 live births per woman | -0.7% |
| 2017 | 6.35 live births per woman | -0.7% |
| 2018 | 6.3 live births per woman | -0.7% |
| 2019 | 6.25 live births per woman | -0.8% |
| 2020 | 6.21 live births per woman | -0.8% |
| 2021 | 6.16 live births per woman | -0.8% |
| 2022 | 6.11 live births per woman | -0.8% |
| 2023 | 6.05 live births per woman | -0.9% |
Democratic Republic of Congo compared with similar countries
- Democratic Republic of Congo's 6.05 live births per woman is above the median for low income countries, which is 4.19 live births per woman, 1.4× the median. (25 countries reporting)
- Democratic Republic of Congo's 6.05 live births per woman is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 4 live births per woman, 1.5× the median. (48 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1950s | 5.99 live births per woman | 5.97 live births per woman | 6.07 live births per woman | 10 |
| 1960s | 6.2 live births per woman | 6.11 live births per woman | 6.3 live births per woman | 10 |
| 1970s | 6.41 live births per woman | 6.33 live births per woman | 6.48 live births per woman | 10 |
| 1980s | 6.59 live births per woman | 6.5 live births per woman | 6.66 live births per woman | 10 |
| 1990s | 6.66 live births per woman | 6.64 live births per woman | 6.7 live births per woman | 10 |
| 2000s | 6.59 live births per woman | 6.53 live births per woman | 6.7 live births per woman | 10 |
| 2010s | 6.45 live births per woman | 6.25 live births per woman | 6.59 live births per woman | 10 |
| 2020s | 6.13 live births per woman | 6.05 live births per woman | 6.21 live 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)
- World population growth 0.7% (2100)
- Population density 189.99 people per km² (2100)
- Number of children under 5, by world region 33.44 million people (2100)
- Population growth rate, by level of development 0.7% (2100)
- Number of people living in urban and rural areas, annual growth rate 4.1 % change on previous year (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is fertility rate: births per woman in Democratic Republic of Congo?
- Fertility rate: births per woman in Democratic Republic of Congo was 6.05 live births per woman in 2023, according to UN, World Population Prospects (2024) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest fertility rate: births per woman recorded in Democratic Republic of Congo?
- The highest recorded value was 6.7 live births per woman in 2000.
- What is the lowest fertility rate: births per woman recorded in Democratic Republic of Congo?
- The lowest recorded value was 5.97 live births per woman in 1950.
- How does Democratic Republic of Congo rank for fertility rate: births per woman?
- Democratic Republic of Congo ranks 4th out of 236 countries with data for 2023.
- Is fertility rate: births per woman 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 rising.
- Where does this Democratic Republic of Congo data come from?
- The figures come from UN, World Population Prospects (2024) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Fertility rate: births per woman. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Total fertility rate: the average number of children a woman would have if she experienced the year's age-specific birth rates throughout her childbearing years.