Share of population living in urban areas vs. GDP per capita in Democratic Republic of Congo
Democratic Republic of Congo: Share of population living in urban areas vs. GDP per capita was 45.1% in 2025. ▲ Rising
Latest (2025)
45.1%
Change on year
up 0.8%
World rank
174th
of 236 countries
All-time high
45.1%
in 2025
All-time low
18.8%
in 1950
Years of data
76
1950–2025
Share of population living in urban areas vs. GDP per capita in Democratic Republic of Congo, 1950–2025
Source: United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Population Division (2025) – with minor processing by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
Democratic Republic of Congo recorded 45.1% for share of population living in urban areas vs. gdp per capita in 2025. That is the highest value across all 76 years on record.
The figure is up 0.8% on the previous year and up 9.1% over ten years.
Over the whole period, share of population living in urban areas vs. gdp per capita in Democratic Republic of Congo peaked at 45.1% in 2025 and was at its lowest, 18.8%, in 1950.
That places Democratic Republic of Congo 174th out of 236 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 76 years of available data.
Share of population living in urban areas vs. GDP per capita in Democratic Republic of Congo, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1950 | 18.8% | — |
| 1951 | 19.8% | +5.3% |
| 1952 | 20.6% | +4.3% |
| 1953 | 21.3% | +3.2% |
| 1954 | 21.7% | +2.2% |
| 1955 | 22.0% | +1.0% |
| 1956 | 22.1% | +0.4% |
| 1957 | 22.1% | +0.3% |
| 1958 | 22.2% | +0.2% |
| 1959 | 22.2% | +0.2% |
| 1960 | 22.3% | +0.3% |
| 1961 | 22.4% | +0.5% |
| 1962 | 22.5% | +0.5% |
| 1963 | 22.7% | +0.6% |
| 1964 | 22.8% | +0.7% |
| 1965 | 23.0% | +0.7% |
| 1966 | 23.2% | +0.8% |
| 1967 | 23.4% | +0.9% |
| 1968 | 23.6% | +0.9% |
| 1969 | 23.8% | +0.9% |
| 1970 | 24.0% | +1.0% |
| 1971 | 24.3% | +1.0% |
| 1972 | 24.5% | +1.1% |
| 1973 | 24.8% | +1.1% |
| 1974 | 25.1% | +1.1% |
| 1975 | 25.4% | +1.1% |
| 1976 | 25.6% | +1.1% |
| 1977 | 25.9% | +1.1% |
| 1978 | 26.2% | +1.2% |
| 1979 | 26.5% | +1.2% |
| 1980 | 26.8% | +1.2% |
| 1981 | 27.2% | +1.2% |
| 1982 | 27.5% | +1.2% |
| 1983 | 27.8% | +1.1% |
| 1984 | 28.1% | +1.1% |
| 1985 | 28.4% | +1.2% |
| 1986 | 28.8% | +1.2% |
| 1987 | 29.1% | +1.2% |
| 1988 | 29.5% | +1.3% |
| 1989 | 29.9% | +1.3% |
| 1990 | 30.3% | +1.3% |
| 1991 | 30.7% | +1.4% |
| 1992 | 31.1% | +1.4% |
| 1993 | 31.5% | +1.4% |
| 1994 | 32.0% | +1.4% |
| 1995 | 32.5% | +1.4% |
| 1996 | 32.9% | +1.4% |
| 1997 | 33.4% | +1.5% |
| 1998 | 33.9% | +1.5% |
| 1999 | 34.4% | +1.5% |
| 2000 | 34.9% | +1.5% |
| 2001 | 35.4% | +1.5% |
| 2002 | 35.9% | +1.5% |
| 2003 | 36.5% | +1.5% |
| 2004 | 37.0% | +1.5% |
| 2005 | 37.4% | +1.1% |
| 2006 | 37.8% | +1.1% |
| 2007 | 38.2% | +1.1% |
| 2008 | 38.6% | +1.0% |
| 2009 | 39.0% | +1.0% |
| 2010 | 39.4% | +1.0% |
| 2011 | 39.8% | +1.0% |
| 2012 | 40.2% | +1.0% |
| 2013 | 40.6% | +1.0% |
| 2014 | 41.0% | +1.0% |
| 2015 | 41.3% | +0.9% |
| 2016 | 41.7% | +0.9% |
| 2017 | 42.1% | +0.9% |
| 2018 | 42.5% | +0.9% |
| 2019 | 42.9% | +0.9% |
| 2020 | 43.3% | +0.9% |
| 2021 | 43.6% | +0.9% |
| 2022 | 44.0% | +0.9% |
| 2023 | 44.4% | +0.8% |
| 2024 | 44.7% | +0.8% |
| 2025 | 45.1% | +0.8% |
Democratic Republic of Congo compared with similar countries
- Democratic Republic of Congo's 45.1% is above the median for low income countries, which is 34.5%, 1.3× the median. (25 countries reporting)
- Democratic Republic of Congo's 45.1% is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 44.9%, 1.0× the median. (48 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1950s | 21.3% | 18.8% | 22.2% | 10 |
| 1960s | 23.0% | 22.3% | 23.8% | 10 |
| 1970s | 25.2% | 24.0% | 26.5% | 10 |
| 1980s | 28.3% | 26.8% | 29.9% | 10 |
| 1990s | 32.3% | 30.3% | 34.4% | 10 |
| 2000s | 37.1% | 34.9% | 39.0% | 10 |
| 2010s | 41.1% | 39.4% | 42.9% | 10 |
| 2020s | 44.2% | 43.3% | 45.1% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Democratic Republic of Congo
- 171 Sierra Leone 45.9% compare
- 172 Zambia 45.9% compare
- 173 Seychelles 45.5% compare
- 175 Lesotho 44.7% compare
- 176 Central African Republic 44.6% compare
- 177 Togo 44.4% 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 share of population living in urban areas vs. gdp per capita in Democratic Republic of Congo?
- Share of population living in urban areas vs. gdp per capita in Democratic Republic of Congo was 45.1% in 2025, according to United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Population Division (2025) – with minor processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest share of population living in urban areas vs. gdp per capita recorded in Democratic Republic of Congo?
- The highest recorded value was 45.1% in 2025.
- What is the lowest share of population living in urban areas vs. gdp per capita recorded in Democratic Republic of Congo?
- The lowest recorded value was 18.8% in 1950.
- How does Democratic Republic of Congo rank for share of population living in urban areas vs. gdp per capita?
- Democratic Republic of Congo ranks 174th out of 236 countries with data for 2025.
- Is share of population living in urban areas vs. gdp per capita rising or falling in Democratic Republic of Congo?
- Over the last ten years it is up 9.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Democratic Republic of Congo data come from?
- The figures come from United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Population Division (2025) – with minor processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Share of population living in urban areas vs. GDP per capita. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Share of the population living in urban areas, based on each country's national definition.