Share of population living in urbanized areas in Democratic Republic of Congo
Democratic Republic of Congo: Share of population living in urbanized areas was 44.6% in 2025. ◆ Volatile
Latest (2025)
44.6%
Change on year
up 1.4%
World rank
156th
of 202 countries
All-time high
44.6%
in 2025
All-time low
0.0%
in 1000
Years of data
108
1000–2025
Share of population living in urbanized areas in Democratic Republic of Congo, 1000–2025
Source: HYDE (2025) – with minor processing by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
Democratic Republic of Congo recorded 44.6% for share of population living in urbanized areas in 2025. That is the highest value across all 108 years on record.
The figure is up 1.4% on the previous year and up 16.1% over ten years.
Over the whole period, share of population living in urbanized areas in Democratic Republic of Congo peaked at 44.6% in 2025 and was at its lowest, 0.0%, in 1000.
Democratic Republic of Congo ranks 156th of 202 countries on this measure, in the bottom quarter.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Share of population living in urbanized areas in Democratic Republic of Congo, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1000 | 0.0% | — |
| 1100 | 0.0% | +200.0% |
| 1200 | 0.0% | +200.0% |
| 1300 | 0.0% | +200.0% |
| 1400 | 0.0% | +200.0% |
| 1500 | 0.0% | +200.0% |
| 1600 | 0.0% | +200.0% |
| 1700 | 0.0% | +200.0% |
| 1710 | 0.0% | +91.6% |
| 1720 | 0.0% | +33.3% |
| 1730 | 0.0% | +33.3% |
| 1740 | 0.0% | +33.3% |
| 1750 | 0.1% | +33.3% |
| 1760 | 0.1% | +33.3% |
| 1770 | 0.1% | +33.3% |
| 1780 | 0.1% | +33.3% |
| 1790 | 0.2% | +33.3% |
| 1800 | 0.3% | +33.3% |
| 1810 | 0.3% | +33.3% |
| 1820 | 0.5% | +33.3% |
| 1830 | 0.6% | +33.3% |
| 1840 | 0.8% | +33.3% |
| 1850 | 1.1% | +33.3% |
| 1860 | 1.4% | +33.3% |
| 1870 | 1.9% | +33.3% |
| 1880 | 2.5% | +33.3% |
| 1890 | 3.4% | +33.3% |
| 1900 | 4.5% | +33.3% |
| 1910 | 6.0% | +33.3% |
| 1920 | 8.1% | +33.3% |
| 1930 | 10.7% | +33.3% |
| 1940 | 14.3% | +33.3% |
| 1950 | 19.1% | +33.3% |
| 1951 | 19.4% | +1.7% |
| 1952 | 19.8% | +1.7% |
| 1953 | 20.1% | +1.7% |
| 1954 | 20.4% | +1.7% |
| 1955 | 20.8% | +1.7% |
| 1956 | 21.1% | +1.7% |
| 1957 | 21.5% | +1.6% |
| 1958 | 21.8% | +1.6% |
| 1959 | 22.2% | +1.6% |
| 1960 | 22.5% | +1.6% |
| 1961 | 23.2% | +3.2% |
| 1962 | 24.0% | +3.2% |
| 1963 | 24.7% | +3.1% |
| 1964 | 25.5% | +3.1% |
| 1965 | 26.3% | +3.1% |
| 1966 | 27.1% | +3.2% |
| 1967 | 28.0% | +3.2% |
| 1968 | 28.9% | +3.2% |
| 1969 | 29.8% | +3.1% |
| 1970 | 30.7% | +3.1% |
| 1971 | 30.4% | -0.9% |
| 1972 | 30.2% | -0.8% |
| 1973 | 30.0% | -0.7% |
| 1974 | 29.8% | -0.6% |
| 1975 | 29.7% | -0.5% |
| 1976 | 29.4% | -0.7% |
| 1977 | 29.3% | -0.6% |
| 1978 | 29.1% | -0.5% |
| 1979 | 29.0% | -0.4% |
| 1980 | 28.9% | -0.4% |
| 1981 | 28.7% | -0.6% |
| 1982 | 28.5% | -0.5% |
| 1983 | 28.4% | -0.5% |
| 1984 | 28.3% | -0.3% |
| 1985 | 28.3% | -0.1% |
| 1986 | 28.1% | -0.7% |
| 1987 | 28.0% | -0.4% |
| 1988 | 28.0% | -0.1% |
| 1989 | 28.1% | +0.3% |
| 1990 | 28.3% | +0.8% |
| 1991 | 28.3% | +0.1% |
| 1992 | 28.5% | +0.5% |
| 1993 | 28.7% | +0.7% |
| 1994 | 28.9% | +0.7% |
| 1995 | 29.0% | +0.4% |
| 1996 | 29.3% | +1.1% |
| 1997 | 29.6% | +0.9% |
| 1998 | 29.8% | +0.8% |
| 1999 | 30.1% | +1.1% |
| 2000 | 30.6% | +1.5% |
| 2001 | 31.0% | +1.5% |
| 2002 | 31.5% | +1.5% |
| 2003 | 32.0% | +1.5% |
| 2004 | 32.4% | +1.5% |
| 2005 | 32.9% | +1.4% |
| 2006 | 33.4% | +1.4% |
| 2007 | 33.8% | +1.4% |
| 2008 | 34.3% | +1.4% |
| 2009 | 34.8% | +1.4% |
| 2010 | 35.2% | +1.3% |
| 2011 | 35.9% | +1.8% |
| 2012 | 36.5% | +1.8% |
| 2013 | 37.1% | +1.7% |
| 2014 | 37.8% | +1.7% |
| 2015 | 38.4% | +1.7% |
| 2016 | 39.0% | +1.7% |
| 2017 | 39.7% | +1.6% |
| 2018 | 40.3% | +1.6% |
| 2019 | 41.0% | +1.6% |
| 2020 | 41.6% | +1.6% |
| 2021 | 42.2% | +1.4% |
| 2022 | 42.8% | +1.4% |
| 2023 | 43.4% | +1.4% |
| 2024 | 44.0% | +1.4% |
| 2025 | 44.6% | +1.4% |
Democratic Republic of Congo compared with similar countries
- Democratic Republic of Congo's 44.6% is above the median for low income countries, which is 40.5%, 1.1× the median. (24 countries reporting)
- Democratic Republic of Congo's 44.6% is below the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 46.2%, 96% of the median. (46 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Share of population living in urbanized areas in Democratic Republic of Congo changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1100 | +200.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% |
| 1200 | +200.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% |
| 1300 | +200.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% |
| 1400 | +200.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% |
| 1500 | +200.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% |
| 1600 | +200.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1000s | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 1 |
| 1100s | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 1 |
| 1200s | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 1 |
| 1300s | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 1 |
| 1400s | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 1 |
| 1500s | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 1 |
| 1600s | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 1 |
| 1700s | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 1 |
| 1710s | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 1 |
| 1720s | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 1 |
| 1730s | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 1 |
| 1740s | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 1 |
| 1750s | 0.1% | 0.1% | 0.1% | 1 |
| 1760s | 0.1% | 0.1% | 0.1% | 1 |
| 1770s | 0.1% | 0.1% | 0.1% | 1 |
| 1780s | 0.1% | 0.1% | 0.1% | 1 |
| 1790s | 0.2% | 0.2% | 0.2% | 1 |
| 1800s | 0.3% | 0.3% | 0.3% | 1 |
| 1810s | 0.3% | 0.3% | 0.3% | 1 |
| 1820s | 0.5% | 0.5% | 0.5% | 1 |
| 1830s | 0.6% | 0.6% | 0.6% | 1 |
| 1840s | 0.8% | 0.8% | 0.8% | 1 |
| 1850s | 1.1% | 1.1% | 1.1% | 1 |
| 1860s | 1.4% | 1.4% | 1.4% | 1 |
| 1870s | 1.9% | 1.9% | 1.9% | 1 |
| 1880s | 2.5% | 2.5% | 2.5% | 1 |
| 1890s | 3.4% | 3.4% | 3.4% | 1 |
| 1900s | 4.5% | 4.5% | 4.5% | 1 |
| 1910s | 6.0% | 6.0% | 6.0% | 1 |
| 1920s | 8.1% | 8.1% | 8.1% | 1 |
| 1930s | 10.7% | 10.7% | 10.7% | 1 |
| 1940s | 14.3% | 14.3% | 14.3% | 1 |
| 1950s | 20.6% | 19.1% | 22.2% | 10 |
| 1960s | 26.0% | 22.5% | 29.8% | 10 |
| 1970s | 29.8% | 29.0% | 30.7% | 10 |
| 1980s | 28.3% | 28.0% | 28.9% | 10 |
| 1990s | 29.0% | 28.3% | 30.1% | 10 |
| 2000s | 32.7% | 30.6% | 34.8% | 10 |
| 2010s | 38.1% | 35.2% | 41.0% | 10 |
| 2020s | 43.1% | 41.6% | 44.6% | 6 |
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 share of population living in urbanized areas in Democratic Republic of Congo?
- Share of population living in urbanized areas in Democratic Republic of Congo was 44.6% in 2025, according to HYDE (2025) – with minor processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest share of population living in urbanized areas recorded in Democratic Republic of Congo?
- The highest recorded value was 44.6% in 2025.
- What is the lowest share of population living in urbanized areas recorded in Democratic Republic of Congo?
- The lowest recorded value was 0.0% in 1000.
- How does Democratic Republic of Congo rank for share of population living in urbanized areas?
- Democratic Republic of Congo ranks 156th out of 202 countries with data for 2025.
- Is share of population living in urbanized areas rising or falling in Democratic Republic of Congo?
- Over the last ten years it is up 16.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Democratic Republic of Congo data come from?
- The figures come from HYDE (2025) – with minor processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Share of population living in urbanized areas. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Share of population living in urban areas in a country over time.