Life expectancy at birth, total in Democratic Republic of Congo

Democratic Republic of Congo: Life expectancy at birth, total was 61.9 years in 2023. β–² Rising

Latest (2023)
61.9 years
Change on year
up 1.5%
World rank
201st
of 212 countries
All-time high
61.9 years
in 2023
All-time low
43.3 years
in 1970
Years of data
54
1970–2023

Life expectancy at birth, total in Democratic Republic of Congo, 1970–2023

0204060197019962023

Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Measured in years.

Analysis

The most recent figure for life expectancy at birth, total in Democratic Republic of Congo is 61.9 years, measured in 2023. That is the highest value across all 54 years on record.

Compared with earlier readings it is up 1.5% on the previous year and up 7.1% over ten years.

Over the whole period, life expectancy at birth, total in Democratic Republic of Congo peaked at 61.9 years in 2023 and was at its lowest, 43.3 years, in 1970.

That places Democratic Republic of Congo 201st out of 212 countries with data for 2023, putting it in the bottom quarter.

The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 54 years of available data.

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1970s 44.31 years 43.3 years 45.28 years 10
1980s 46.69 years 45.54 years 48.15 years 10
1990s 49.63 years 48.54 years 50.46 years 10
2000s 53.76 years 51.89 years 55.8 years 10
2010s 58.41 years 56.41 years 60.24 years 10
2020s 60.84 years 60.04 years 61.9 years 4

Countries ranked near Democratic Republic of Congo

  1. 198 Liberia 62.16 years compare
  2. 199 Nauru 62.11 years compare
  3. 200 Cote d'Ivoire 61.94 years compare
  4. 202 Sierra Leone 61.79 years compare
  5. 203 Niger 61.18 years compare
  6. 204 Burkina Faso 61.09 years compare

See the full ranking of 215 places β†’

More population data for Democratic Republic of Congo

All data for Democratic Republic of Congo β†’

Frequently asked questions

What is life expectancy at birth, total in Democratic Republic of Congo?
Life expectancy at birth, total in Democratic Republic of Congo was 61.9 years in 2023, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
What is the highest life expectancy at birth, total recorded in Democratic Republic of Congo?
The highest recorded value was 61.9 years in 2023.
What is the lowest life expectancy at birth, total recorded in Democratic Republic of Congo?
The lowest recorded value was 43.3 years in 1970.
How does Democratic Republic of Congo rank for life expectancy at birth, total?
Democratic Republic of Congo ranks 201st out of 212 countries with data for 2023.
Is life expectancy at birth, total rising or falling in Democratic Republic of Congo?
Over the last ten years it is up 7.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
Where does this Democratic Republic of Congo data come from?
The figures come from UNESCO Institute for Statistics, published as part of Life expectancy at birth, total (years). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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Life expectancy at birth, total in Democratic Republic of Congo. Statizoid, drawing on UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Retrieved 16 August 2026, from https://population.statizoid.com/stat/life-expectancy-at-birth-total-years-2/congo-dem-rep/

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About this data

Indicator
Life expectancy at birth, total (years)
Unit
years
Source
UNESCO Institute for Statistics
Licence
CC BY-SA 3.0 IGO (UNESCO Institute for Statistics)
Coverage
215 places, 11,590 data points, 1970–2023
Last refreshed

February 2026 Data Release