Share of population living in urbanized areas in Congo
Congo: Share of population living in urbanized areas was 69.7% in 2025. ◆ Volatile
Latest (2025)
69.7%
Change on year
up 0.6%
World rank
89th
of 202 countries
All-time high
69.7%
in 2025
All-time low
0.0%
in 1000
Years of data
108
1000–2025
Share of population living in urbanized areas in Congo, 1000–2025
Source: HYDE (2025) – with minor processing by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
In 2025, share of population living in urbanized areas in Congo stood at 69.7%. That is the highest value across all 108 years on record.
The figure is up 0.6% on the previous year and up 7.5% over ten years.
Over the whole period, share of population living in urbanized areas in Congo peaked at 69.7% in 2025 and was at its lowest, 0.0%, in 1000.
Congo ranks 89th of 202 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Share of population living in urbanized areas in 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 | 0.1% | +200.0% |
| 1600 | 0.3% | +200.0% |
| 1700 | 1.0% | +200.0% |
| 1710 | 1.0% | -1.3% |
| 1720 | 1.1% | +14.3% |
| 1730 | 1.3% | +14.3% |
| 1740 | 1.5% | +14.3% |
| 1750 | 1.7% | +14.3% |
| 1760 | 1.9% | +14.3% |
| 1770 | 2.2% | +14.3% |
| 1780 | 2.5% | +14.3% |
| 1790 | 2.9% | +14.3% |
| 1800 | 3.3% | +14.3% |
| 1810 | 3.8% | +14.3% |
| 1820 | 4.3% | +14.3% |
| 1830 | 4.9% | +14.3% |
| 1840 | 5.6% | +14.3% |
| 1850 | 6.4% | +14.3% |
| 1860 | 7.3% | +14.3% |
| 1870 | 8.4% | +14.3% |
| 1880 | 9.6% | +14.3% |
| 1890 | 10.9% | +14.3% |
| 1900 | 12.5% | +14.3% |
| 1910 | 14.3% | +14.3% |
| 1920 | 16.3% | +14.3% |
| 1930 | 18.6% | +14.3% |
| 1940 | 21.3% | +14.3% |
| 1950 | 24.3% | +14.3% |
| 1951 | 24.9% | +2.5% |
| 1952 | 25.6% | +2.5% |
| 1953 | 26.2% | +2.4% |
| 1954 | 26.8% | +2.4% |
| 1955 | 27.5% | +2.4% |
| 1956 | 28.1% | +2.4% |
| 1957 | 28.8% | +2.4% |
| 1958 | 29.4% | +2.3% |
| 1959 | 30.1% | +2.3% |
| 1960 | 30.8% | +2.3% |
| 1961 | 31.5% | +2.3% |
| 1962 | 32.2% | +2.2% |
| 1963 | 32.9% | +2.2% |
| 1964 | 33.7% | +2.2% |
| 1965 | 34.4% | +2.2% |
| 1966 | 35.1% | +2.2% |
| 1967 | 35.9% | +2.2% |
| 1968 | 36.7% | +2.2% |
| 1969 | 37.4% | +2.1% |
| 1970 | 38.2% | +2.0% |
| 1971 | 39.1% | +2.3% |
| 1972 | 40.0% | +2.3% |
| 1973 | 40.9% | +2.4% |
| 1974 | 42.0% | +2.6% |
| 1975 | 43.2% | +2.8% |
| 1976 | 44.1% | +2.2% |
| 1977 | 45.1% | +2.2% |
| 1978 | 46.1% | +2.3% |
| 1979 | 47.2% | +2.3% |
| 1980 | 48.3% | +2.4% |
| 1981 | 49.2% | +2.0% |
| 1982 | 50.2% | +2.0% |
| 1983 | 51.2% | +2.0% |
| 1984 | 52.3% | +2.1% |
| 1985 | 53.1% | +1.6% |
| 1986 | 53.6% | +0.9% |
| 1987 | 54.1% | +0.9% |
| 1988 | 54.6% | +0.9% |
| 1989 | 55.1% | +1.0% |
| 1990 | 55.6% | +1.0% |
| 1991 | 56.0% | +0.7% |
| 1992 | 56.5% | +0.8% |
| 1993 | 56.9% | +0.7% |
| 1994 | 57.2% | +0.6% |
| 1995 | 57.4% | +0.4% |
| 1996 | 57.3% | -0.3% |
| 1997 | 57.0% | -0.5% |
| 1998 | 56.7% | -0.5% |
| 1999 | 56.5% | -0.3% |
| 2000 | 56.5% | -0.0% |
| 2001 | 57.0% | +1.0% |
| 2002 | 57.6% | +1.0% |
| 2003 | 58.2% | +1.0% |
| 2004 | 58.7% | +1.0% |
| 2005 | 59.3% | +1.0% |
| 2006 | 59.9% | +1.0% |
| 2007 | 60.4% | +0.9% |
| 2008 | 61.0% | +0.9% |
| 2009 | 61.6% | +0.9% |
| 2010 | 62.1% | +0.9% |
| 2011 | 62.7% | +0.9% |
| 2012 | 63.2% | +0.9% |
| 2013 | 63.7% | +0.8% |
| 2014 | 64.3% | +0.8% |
| 2015 | 64.8% | +0.8% |
| 2016 | 65.3% | +0.8% |
| 2017 | 65.9% | +0.8% |
| 2018 | 66.4% | +0.8% |
| 2019 | 66.9% | +0.8% |
| 2020 | 67.5% | +0.8% |
| 2021 | 67.9% | +0.6% |
| 2022 | 68.3% | +0.6% |
| 2023 | 68.8% | +0.6% |
| 2024 | 69.2% | +0.6% |
| 2025 | 69.7% | +0.6% |
Congo compared with similar countries
- Congo's 69.7% is above the median for lower middle income countries, which is 47.0%, 1.5× the median. (45 countries reporting)
- Congo's 69.7% is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 46.2%, 1.5× the median. (46 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Share of population living in urbanized areas in 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% | 0.1% |
| 1600 | +200.0% | 0.1% | 0.3% |
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 | 0.1% | 0.1% | 0.1% | 1 |
| 1600s | 0.3% | 0.3% | 0.3% | 1 |
| 1700s | 1.0% | 1.0% | 1.0% | 1 |
| 1710s | 1.0% | 1.0% | 1.0% | 1 |
| 1720s | 1.1% | 1.1% | 1.1% | 1 |
| 1730s | 1.3% | 1.3% | 1.3% | 1 |
| 1740s | 1.5% | 1.5% | 1.5% | 1 |
| 1750s | 1.7% | 1.7% | 1.7% | 1 |
| 1760s | 1.9% | 1.9% | 1.9% | 1 |
| 1770s | 2.2% | 2.2% | 2.2% | 1 |
| 1780s | 2.5% | 2.5% | 2.5% | 1 |
| 1790s | 2.9% | 2.9% | 2.9% | 1 |
| 1800s | 3.3% | 3.3% | 3.3% | 1 |
| 1810s | 3.8% | 3.8% | 3.8% | 1 |
| 1820s | 4.3% | 4.3% | 4.3% | 1 |
| 1830s | 4.9% | 4.9% | 4.9% | 1 |
| 1840s | 5.6% | 5.6% | 5.6% | 1 |
| 1850s | 6.4% | 6.4% | 6.4% | 1 |
| 1860s | 7.3% | 7.3% | 7.3% | 1 |
| 1870s | 8.4% | 8.4% | 8.4% | 1 |
| 1880s | 9.6% | 9.6% | 9.6% | 1 |
| 1890s | 10.9% | 10.9% | 10.9% | 1 |
| 1900s | 12.5% | 12.5% | 12.5% | 1 |
| 1910s | 14.3% | 14.3% | 14.3% | 1 |
| 1920s | 16.3% | 16.3% | 16.3% | 1 |
| 1930s | 18.6% | 18.6% | 18.6% | 1 |
| 1940s | 21.3% | 21.3% | 21.3% | 1 |
| 1950s | 27.2% | 24.3% | 30.1% | 10 |
| 1960s | 34.1% | 30.8% | 37.4% | 10 |
| 1970s | 42.6% | 38.2% | 47.2% | 10 |
| 1980s | 52.2% | 48.3% | 55.1% | 10 |
| 1990s | 56.7% | 55.6% | 57.4% | 10 |
| 2000s | 59.0% | 56.5% | 61.6% | 10 |
| 2010s | 64.5% | 62.1% | 66.9% | 10 |
| 2020s | 68.6% | 67.5% | 69.7% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Congo
- 86 El Salvador 71.0% compare
- 87 Armenia 70.9% compare
- 88 Cape Verde 70.0% compare
- 90 Mongolia 69.6% compare
- 91 Ireland 69.5% compare
- 92 South Africa 69.3% compare
More population data for Congo
- Un population 2024 vs 2022, annual growth rate 0.5095 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population long run with projections, annual growth rate 0.6949 % change on previous year (2100)
- Urban and rural population 2050, annual growth rate -2.03 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population regions with projections, annual growth rate 0.6949 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population growth rate, by level of development 0.7% (2100)
- Number of children under 5, by world region 1.51 million people (2100)
- Population density 58.64 people per km² (2100)
- World population growth 0.7% (2100)
- Projected population under age 5, annual growth rate -0.0471 % change on previous year (2100)
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 03 - Annual population 2.17 Percent per annum (2030)
Frequently asked questions
- What is share of population living in urbanized areas in Congo?
- Share of population living in urbanized areas in Congo was 69.7% 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 Congo?
- The highest recorded value was 69.7% in 2025.
- What is the lowest share of population living in urbanized areas recorded in Congo?
- The lowest recorded value was 0.0% in 1000.
- How does Congo rank for share of population living in urbanized areas?
- Congo ranks 89th out of 202 countries with data for 2025.
- Is share of population living in urbanized areas rising or falling in Congo?
- Over the last ten years it is up 7.5%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this 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.