Life expectancy at birth, total (years) (expectancy UNESCO Institute) in Democratic Republic of Congo
Democratic Republic of Congo: Life expectancy at birth, total (years) (expectancy UNESCO Institute) was 61.9 years in 2023. ▲ Rising
Latest (2023)
61.9 years
Change on year
up 1.5%
World rank
203rd
of 215 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
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 203rd out of 215 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.
Life expectancy at birth, total (years) (expectancy UNESCO Institute) in Democratic Republic of Congo, year by year
| Year | years | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1970 | 43.3 years | — |
| 1971 | 43.58 years | +0.6% |
| 1972 | 43.87 years | +0.7% |
| 1973 | 44.09 years | +0.5% |
| 1974 | 44.31 years | +0.5% |
| 1975 | 44.53 years | +0.5% |
| 1976 | 44.7 years | +0.4% |
| 1977 | 44.87 years | +0.4% |
| 1978 | 44.63 years | -0.5% |
| 1979 | 45.28 years | +1.5% |
| 1980 | 45.54 years | +0.6% |
| 1981 | 45.73 years | +0.4% |
| 1982 | 45.95 years | +0.5% |
| 1983 | 46.21 years | +0.6% |
| 1984 | 46.51 years | +0.7% |
| 1985 | 46.66 years | +0.3% |
| 1986 | 47.02 years | +0.8% |
| 1987 | 47.36 years | +0.7% |
| 1988 | 47.76 years | +0.8% |
| 1989 | 48.15 years | +0.8% |
| 1990 | 48.54 years | +0.8% |
| 1991 | 48.94 years | +0.8% |
| 1992 | 49.32 years | +0.8% |
| 1993 | 49.62 years | +0.6% |
| 1994 | 49.88 years | +0.5% |
| 1995 | 50.38 years | +1.0% |
| 1996 | 49.38 years | -2.0% |
| 1997 | 50.46 years | +2.2% |
| 1998 | 49.66 years | -1.6% |
| 1999 | 50.09 years | +0.9% |
| 2000 | 51.89 years | +3.6% |
| 2001 | 52.2 years | +0.6% |
| 2002 | 52.37 years | +0.3% |
| 2003 | 52.95 years | +1.1% |
| 2004 | 53.53 years | +1.1% |
| 2005 | 54 years | +0.9% |
| 2006 | 54.5 years | +0.9% |
| 2007 | 54.95 years | +0.8% |
| 2008 | 55.39 years | +0.8% |
| 2009 | 55.8 years | +0.7% |
| 2010 | 56.41 years | +1.1% |
| 2011 | 56.91 years | +0.9% |
| 2012 | 57.35 years | +0.8% |
| 2013 | 57.8 years | +0.8% |
| 2014 | 58.24 years | +0.8% |
| 2015 | 58.66 years | +0.7% |
| 2016 | 59.08 years | +0.7% |
| 2017 | 59.49 years | +0.7% |
| 2018 | 59.93 years | +0.7% |
| 2019 | 60.24 years | +0.5% |
| 2020 | 60.43 years | +0.3% |
| 2021 | 60.04 years | -0.6% |
| 2022 | 60.98 years | +1.6% |
| 2023 | 61.9 years | +1.5% |
Democratic Republic of Congo compared with similar countries
- Democratic Republic of Congo's 61.9 years is below the median for low income countries, which is 63.65 years, 97% of the median. (25 countries reporting)
- Democratic Republic of Congo's 61.9 years is below the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 64.1 years, 97% of the median. (48 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | 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
- 200 Liberia 62.16 years compare
- 201 Nauru 62.11 years compare
- 202 Cote d'Ivoire 61.94 years compare
- 204 Sierra Leone 61.79 years compare
- 205 Niger 61.18 years compare
- 206 Burkina Faso 61.09 years compare
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 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 203rd out of 215 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.
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