Number of people living in urban and rural areas, per square kilometre in Democratic Republic of Congo
Democratic Republic of Congo: Number of people living in urban and rural areas, per square kilometre was 20.71 people per square kilometre in 2023. ◆ Volatile
Latest (2023)
20.71 people per square kilometre
Change on year
up 4.2%
World rank
162nd
of 215 countries
All-time high
20.71 people per square kilometre
in 2023
All-time low
1.55 people per square kilometre
in 1961
Years of data
63
1961–2023
Number of people living in urban and rural areas, per square kilometre in Democratic Republic of Congo, 1961–2023
Source: Statizoid (derived). Measured in people per square kilometre.
Analysis
The most recent figure for number of people living in urban and rural areas, per square kilometre in Democratic Republic of Congo is 20.71 people per square kilometre, measured in 2023. That is the highest value across all 63 years on record.
That represents a change of up 4.2% on the previous year and up 52.7% over ten years.
Over the whole period, number of people living in urban and rural areas, per square kilometre in Democratic Republic of Congo peaked at 20.71 people per square kilometre in 2023 and was at its lowest, 1.55 people per square kilometre, in 1961.
Democratic Republic of Congo ranks 162nd of 215 countries on this measure, in the bottom quarter.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Number of people living in urban and rural areas, per square kilometre in Democratic Republic of Congo, year by year
| Year | people per square kilometre | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1961 | 1.55 people per square kilometre | — |
| 1962 | 1.6 people per square kilometre | +3.2% |
| 1963 | 1.65 people per square kilometre | +3.3% |
| 1964 | 1.71 people per square kilometre | +3.4% |
| 1965 | 1.77 people per square kilometre | +3.5% |
| 1966 | 1.83 people per square kilometre | +3.7% |
| 1967 | 1.9 people per square kilometre | +3.8% |
| 1968 | 1.98 people per square kilometre | +3.9% |
| 1969 | 2.05 people per square kilometre | +3.9% |
| 1970 | 2.14 people per square kilometre | +3.9% |
| 1971 | 2.22 people per square kilometre | +3.8% |
| 1972 | 2.3 people per square kilometre | +3.8% |
| 1973 | 2.39 people per square kilometre | +3.8% |
| 1974 | 2.48 people per square kilometre | +3.8% |
| 1975 | 2.57 people per square kilometre | +3.8% |
| 1976 | 2.67 people per square kilometre | +3.8% |
| 1977 | 2.77 people per square kilometre | +3.7% |
| 1978 | 2.89 people per square kilometre | +4.3% |
| 1979 | 3.03 people per square kilometre | +4.8% |
| 1980 | 3.16 people per square kilometre | +4.4% |
| 1981 | 3.29 people per square kilometre | +4.1% |
| 1982 | 3.43 people per square kilometre | +4.2% |
| 1983 | 3.58 people per square kilometre | +4.4% |
| 1984 | 3.75 people per square kilometre | +4.6% |
| 1985 | 3.92 people per square kilometre | +4.6% |
| 1986 | 4.09 people per square kilometre | +4.4% |
| 1987 | 4.28 people per square kilometre | +4.5% |
| 1988 | 4.47 people per square kilometre | +4.6% |
| 1989 | 4.68 people per square kilometre | +4.6% |
| 1990 | 4.9 people per square kilometre | +4.8% |
| 1991 | 5.13 people per square kilometre | +4.8% |
| 1992 | 5.38 people per square kilometre | +4.9% |
| 1993 | 5.66 people per square kilometre | +5.1% |
| 1994 | 6.02 people per square kilometre | +6.3% |
| 1995 | 6.36 people per square kilometre | +5.7% |
| 1996 | 6.58 people per square kilometre | +3.4% |
| 1997 | 6.78 people per square kilometre | +3.1% |
| 1998 | 7.07 people per square kilometre | +4.3% |
| 1999 | 7.42 people per square kilometre | +4.9% |
| 2000 | 7.78 people per square kilometre | +4.8% |
| 2001 | 8.14 people per square kilometre | +4.7% |
| 2002 | 8.52 people per square kilometre | +4.6% |
| 2003 | 8.9 people per square kilometre | +4.5% |
| 2004 | 9.3 people per square kilometre | +4.5% |
| 2005 | 9.7 people per square kilometre | +4.2% |
| 2006 | 10.11 people per square kilometre | +4.2% |
| 2007 | 10.53 people per square kilometre | +4.2% |
| 2008 | 10.96 people per square kilometre | +4.1% |
| 2009 | 11.42 people per square kilometre | +4.2% |
| 2010 | 11.91 people per square kilometre | +4.3% |
| 2011 | 12.43 people per square kilometre | +4.4% |
| 2012 | 12.98 people per square kilometre | +4.4% |
| 2013 | 13.56 people per square kilometre | +4.5% |
| 2014 | 14.16 people per square kilometre | +4.4% |
| 2015 | 14.78 people per square kilometre | +4.3% |
| 2016 | 15.45 people per square kilometre | +4.6% |
| 2017 | 16.18 people per square kilometre | +4.7% |
| 2018 | 16.88 people per square kilometre | +4.3% |
| 2019 | 17.58 people per square kilometre | +4.1% |
| 2020 | 18.31 people per square kilometre | +4.2% |
| 2021 | 19.08 people per square kilometre | +4.2% |
| 2022 | 19.88 people per square kilometre | +4.2% |
| 2023 | 20.71 people per square kilometre | +4.2% |
Democratic Republic of Congo compared with similar countries
- Democratic Republic of Congo's 20.71 people per square kilometre is below the median for low income countries, which is 23.39 people per square kilometre, 89% of the median. (25 countries reporting)
- Democratic Republic of Congo's 20.71 people per square kilometre is below the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 28.41 people per square kilometre, 73% of the median. (48 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 1.78 people per square kilometre | 1.55 people per square kilometre | 2.05 people per square kilometre | 9 |
| 1970s | 2.55 people per square kilometre | 2.14 people per square kilometre | 3.03 people per square kilometre | 10 |
| 1980s | 3.87 people per square kilometre | 3.16 people per square kilometre | 4.68 people per square kilometre | 10 |
| 1990s | 6.13 people per square kilometre | 4.9 people per square kilometre | 7.42 people per square kilometre | 10 |
| 2000s | 9.54 people per square kilometre | 7.78 people per square kilometre | 11.42 people per square kilometre | 10 |
| 2010s | 14.59 people per square kilometre | 11.91 people per square kilometre | 17.58 people per square kilometre | 10 |
| 2020s | 19.49 people per square kilometre | 18.31 people per square kilometre | 20.71 people per square kilometre | 4 |
Countries ranked near Democratic Republic of Congo
- 159 Peru 22.42 people per square kilometre compare
- 160 Brazil 22.13 people per square kilometre compare
- 161 Guinea 22.07 people per square kilometre compare
- 163 Latvia 20.68 people per square kilometre compare
- 164 Angola 20.59 people per square kilometre compare
- 165 Tajikistan 19.61 people per square kilometre compare
More population data for Democratic Republic of Congo
- Un population 2024 vs 2022, annual growth rate 0.6537 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population long run 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 regions with projections, annual growth rate 0.6699 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population growth rate, by level of development 0.7% (2100)
- Number of children under 5, by world region 33.44 million people (2100)
- Population density 189.99 people per km² (2100)
- World population growth 0.7% (2100)
- Projected population under age 5, annual growth rate -0.1964 % change on previous year (2100)
- Urban and rural population 2050, per capita 0.5489 units per person (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is number of people living in urban and rural areas, per square kilometre in Democratic Republic of Congo?
- Number of people living in urban and rural areas, per square kilometre in Democratic Republic of Congo was 20.71 people per square kilometre in 2023, according to Statizoid (derived).
- What is the highest number of people living in urban and rural areas, per square kilometre recorded in Democratic Republic of Congo?
- The highest recorded value was 20.71 people per square kilometre in 2023.
- What is the lowest number of people living in urban and rural areas, per square kilometre recorded in Democratic Republic of Congo?
- The lowest recorded value was 1.55 people per square kilometre in 1961.
- How does Democratic Republic of Congo rank for number of people living in urban and rural areas, per square kilometre?
- Democratic Republic of Congo ranks 162nd out of 215 countries with data for 2023.
- Is number of people living in urban and rural areas, per square kilometre rising or falling in Democratic Republic of Congo?
- Over the last ten years it is up 52.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Democratic Republic of Congo data come from?
- The figures come from Statizoid (derived), published as part of Number of people living in urban and rural areas, per square kilometre. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 63 observations, free to reuse under Derived by Statizoid from the sources named on the page.
How this figure is calculated
Number of people living in urban and rural areas divided by Land area (sq. km), matched on country and year. Neither publisher issues this ratio as a series; it is computed here from both.
Number of people living in urban and rural areas ÷ Land area (sq. km)
Computed from
- Number of people living in urban and rural areas United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Population Division (2025) – with minor processing by Our World in Data
- Land area FAOSTAT, Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO)
Statizoid computes this series; the underlying measurements belong to the publishers named above. The arithmetic is applied to every country and year where both inputs report, and nothing is estimated unless the page says so.
About this data
Number of people living in urban and rural areas divided by Land area (sq. km), matched on country and year. Neither publisher issues this ratio as a series; it is computed here from both.