The Congo Demographics: Median age, Gender, Religion

Median age history and projection chart in
Congo vs World

Table

Year	Median age
	Congo	World
1960	18.8	22.5
1961	18.7	22.5
1962	18.6	22.4
1963	18.4	22.2
1964	18.3	22
1965	18.2	21.8
1966	18.1	21.7
1967	17.9	21.6
1968	17.8	21.5
1969	17.7	21.5
1970	17.6	21.4
1971	17.5	21.4
1972	17.4	21.5
1973	17.4	21.5
1974	17.3	21.6
1975	17.2	21.7
1976	17.1	21.9
1977	17	22
1978	17	22.2
1979	17	22.3
1980	17	22.5
1981	17	22.6
1982	17.1	22.7
1983	17.2	22.9
1984	17.2	23
1985	17.3	23.2
1986	17.4	23.3
1987	17.4	23.4
1988	17.5	23.6
1989	17.6	23.8
1990	17.7	23.9
1991	17.7	24.1
1992	17.8	24.3
1993	17.9	24.5
1994	18	24.7
1995	18.1	25
1996	18.1	25.2
1997	18.1	25.4
1998	18.1	25.7
1999	18.2	25.9
2000	18.5	26.1
2001	18.8	26.3
2002	18.8	26.5
2003	18.9	26.7
2004	19	27
2005	19.2	27.2
2006	19.3	27.4
2007	19.5	27.6
2008	19.5	27.8
2009	19.7	28
2010	19.8	28.2
2011	19.7	28.4
2012	19.6	28.6
2013	19.5	28.9
2014	19.4	29.1
2015	19.3	29.3
2016	19.2	29.5
2017	19.2	29.8
2018	19.1	30
2019	19.1	30.3
2020	19.2	30.6
2021	19.2	30.8
2022	19.3	31
2023	19.4	31.3
2024	19.5	31.6
2025	19.6	31.9
2026	19.7	32.1
2027	19.9	32.3
2028	20.1	32.6
2029	20.3	32.8
2030	20.5	33
2031	20.7	33.2
2032	21	33.4
2033	21.2	33.6
2034	21.4	33.8
2035	21.6	34
2036	21.8	34.2
2037	22	34.4
2038	22.2	34.6
2039	22.4	34.8
2040	22.5	35
2041	22.7	35.2
2042	22.8	35.4
2043	23	35.6
2044	23.1	35.8
2045	23.3	36
2046	23.4	36.2
2047	23.6	36.4
2048	23.7	36.6
2049	23.9	36.8
2050	24.1	37.1

In 1960, the median age in the Congo was 18.8 years compared to the world's average of 22.5 years. As of 2024, the median age had increased to 19.5 years compared to the world's average of 31.6 years. Ranked 120th for median age 64 years ago (old to young), the Congo ranks 170th currently.

According to the United Nations projections, the median age in the Congo is expected to increase to around 24.1 years by 2050. The aging demographics forecast is based on previous years' birth rates and increasing life expectancy.

The Congo demographic pyramid: age and gender distribution

Table

Age range	Share of population
	Congo
	Male	Female
0-4	7.15%	7.02%
5-9	6.74%	6.62%
10-14	6.51%	6.41%
15-19	5.35%	5.29%
20-24	4.28%	4.24%
25-29	3.59%	3.57%
30-34	3.16%	3.16%
35-39	2.9%	2.92%
40-44	2.6%	2.58%
45-49	2.24%	2.26%
50-54	1.77%	1.82%
55-59	1.36%	1.45%
60-64	0.98%	1.05%
65-69	0.64%	0.72%
70-74	0.37%	0.45%
75-79	0.2%	0.26%
80+	0.14%	0.2%

The chart above is a variation of the population pyramid and represents the age and gender structure. The Congo has average demographic potential with 73.1% of people in the 0-34 age group (ranked 37/196).

Age dependency chart

Table

Year	Age dependency ratio
	Congo			World
	Total	Young	Old	Total	Young	Old
1960	86.1%	79.5%	6.59%	73.5%	64.9%	8.62%
1961	87%	80.4%	6.66%	73.8%	65.1%	8.67%
1962	88.1%	81.4%	6.73%	74.1%	65.4%	8.73%
1963	89%	82.2%	6.8%	74.9%	66.1%	8.79%
1964	89.8%	82.9%	6.86%	75.5%	66.6%	8.85%
1965	90.5%	83.6%	6.9%	75.8%	66.8%	8.93%
1966	91%	84.1%	6.92%	75.9%	66.9%	9%
1967	91.5%	84.6%	6.93%	75.9%	66.8%	9.07%
1968	92.1%	85.2%	6.94%	75.8%	66.6%	9.14%
1969	92.7%	85.7%	6.94%	75.7%	66.5%	9.2%
1970	93.2%	86.3%	6.93%	75.5%	66.2%	9.26%
1971	93.8%	86.9%	6.92%	75.2%	65.9%	9.33%
1972	94.4%	87.5%	6.91%	74.9%	65.6%	9.39%
1973	95%	88.1%	6.88%	74.6%	65.1%	9.46%
1974	95.5%	88.7%	6.86%	74.4%	64.9%	9.54%
1975	96.1%	89.3%	6.83%	74.2%	64.6%	9.64%
1976	96.6%	89.8%	6.79%	74%	64.3%	9.72%
1977	96.9%	90.1%	6.75%	73.5%	63.7%	9.79%
1978	97%	90.3%	6.69%	72.4%	62.5%	9.84%
1979	96.8%	90.2%	6.61%	71.3%	61.4%	9.88%
1980	96.3%	89.8%	6.52%	70.4%	60.5%	9.89%
1981	95.7%	89.3%	6.43%	69.5%	59.6%	9.85%
1982	95%	88.6%	6.39%	68.7%	58.9%	9.79%
1983	94.3%	87.9%	6.41%	67.9%	58.1%	9.72%
1984	93.6%	87.2%	6.48%	67%	57.3%	9.68%
1985	93.2%	86.7%	6.54%	66.3%	56.6%	9.68%
1986	92.8%	86.3%	6.58%	65.7%	55.9%	9.71%
1987	92.4%	85.8%	6.59%	65.2%	55.4%	9.75%
1988	91.9%	85.3%	6.57%	64.8%	54.9%	9.81%
1989	91.3%	84.8%	6.5%	64.4%	54.5%	9.89%
1990	90.6%	84.2%	6.4%	64.2%	54.3%	9.97%
1991	89.8%	83.5%	6.32%	64%	53.9%	10.1%
1992	89.1%	82.8%	6.28%	63.7%	53.6%	10.2%
1993	88.4%	82.1%	6.26%	63.5%	53.2%	10.3%
1994	87.7%	81.5%	6.21%	63.1%	52.7%	10.4%
1995	87.2%	81.1%	6.16%	62.7%	52.2%	10.5%
1996	86.7%	80.6%	6.11%	62.1%	51.5%	10.6%
1997	86.9%	80.9%	6.06%	61.5%	50.8%	10.7%
1998	86.9%	80.9%	6%	60.7%	50%	10.7%
1999	86%	80.1%	5.9%	60%	49.2%	10.8%
2000	83.8%	78%	5.75%	59.3%	48.4%	10.9%
2001	81.8%	76.2%	5.62%	58.5%	47.6%	11%
2002	81.7%	76.1%	5.58%	57.8%	46.7%	11.1%
2003	81.1%	75.6%	5.53%	57%	45.9%	11.1%
2004	80.1%	74.6%	5.44%	56.3%	45.1%	11.2%
2005	79%	73.7%	5.34%	55.6%	44.3%	11.3%
2006	78%	72.7%	5.23%	55%	43.6%	11.4%
2007	77.2%	72.1%	5.13%	54.5%	43.1%	11.4%
2008	77%	72%	5.05%	54.1%	42.6%	11.5%
2009	76.5%	71.5%	4.94%	53.8%	42.2%	11.6%
2010	76%	71.2%	4.84%	53.5%	41.9%	11.6%
2011	76.5%	71.7%	4.8%	53.4%	41.6%	11.8%
2012	77.5%	72.7%	4.78%	53.3%	41.4%	11.9%
2013	78.6%	73.8%	4.78%	53.4%	41.2%	12.1%
2014	79.6%	74.8%	4.79%	53.5%	41.1%	12.4%
2015	80.4%	75.6%	4.8%	53.6%	40.9%	12.7%
2016	80.9%	76.1%	4.83%	53.7%	40.7%	13%
2017	81.1%	76.2%	4.86%	53.9%	40.6%	13.3%
2018	81%	76.1%	4.89%	54.1%	40.4%	13.7%
2019	80.7%	75.8%	4.93%	54.2%	40.1%	14%
2020	80.3%	75.3%	4.97%	54.2%	39.8%	14.4%
2021	79.7%	74.6%	5.03%	54.2%	39.5%	14.7%
2022	78.9%	73.8%	5.1%	54%	39%	15%
2023	77.9%	72.7%	5.19%	53.9%	38.5%	15.4%
2024	76.8%	71.5%	5.28%	53.7%	38%	15.7%

Age dependency is the ratio of people not in the labor force (children under 15 and adults 64+) to people aged 15 to 64. Age dependency in the Congo decreased from 80.1% to 76.8% between 2004 and 2024 with a decreased share of children and an decreased proportion of people aged 65+

Congo working age demographic chart

Table

Year	Working age population share
	Congo	World
1960	53.7%	57.6%
1961	53.5%	57.5%
1962	53.2%	57.4%
1963	52.9%	57.2%
1964	52.7%	57%
1965	52.5%	56.9%
1966	52.4%	56.8%
1967	52.2%	56.9%
1968	52.1%	56.9%
1969	51.9%	56.9%
1970	51.8%	57%
1971	51.6%	57.1%
1972	51.4%	57.2%
1973	51.3%	57.3%
1974	51.1%	57.3%
1975	51%	57.4%
1976	50.9%	57.5%
1977	50.8%	57.7%
1978	50.8%	58%
1979	50.8%	58.4%
1980	50.9%	58.7%
1981	51.1%	59%
1982	51.3%	59.3%
1983	51.5%	59.6%
1984	51.6%	59.9%
1985	51.8%	60.1%
1986	51.9%	60.4%
1987	52%	60.5%
1988	52.1%	60.7%
1989	52.3%	60.8%
1990	52.5%	60.9%
1991	52.7%	61%
1992	52.9%	61.1%
1993	53.1%	61.2%
1994	53.3%	61.3%
1995	53.4%	61.5%
1996	53.6%	61.7%
1997	53.5%	61.9%
1998	53.5%	62.2%
1999	53.8%	62.5%
2000	54.4%	62.8%
2001	55%	63.1%
2002	55%	63.4%
2003	55.2%	63.7%
2004	55.5%	64%
2005	55.9%	64.3%
2006	56.2%	64.5%
2007	56.4%	64.7%
2008	56.5%	64.9%
2009	56.7%	65%
2010	56.8%	65.1%
2011	56.6%	65.2%
2012	56.4%	65.2%
2013	56%	65.2%
2014	55.7%	65.2%
2015	55.4%	65.1%
2016	55.3%	65.1%
2017	55.2%	65%
2018	55.2%	64.9%
2019	55.3%	64.9%
2020	55.5%	64.8%
2021	55.7%	64.9%
2022	55.9%	64.9%
2023	56.2%	65%
2024	56.6%	65.1%
2025	57%	65.2%
2026	57.5%	65.3%
2027	57.9%	65.4%
2028	58.3%	65.4%
2029	58.6%	65.4%
2030	58.9%	65.4%
2031	59.1%	65.4%
2032	59.3%	65.4%
2033	59.4%	65.4%
2034	59.5%	65.3%
2035	59.6%	65.2%
2036	59.7%	65%
2037	59.8%	64.9%
2038	59.9%	64.7%
2039	59.9%	64.6%
2040	60%	64.5%
2041	60.1%	64.4%
2042	60.2%	64.3%
2043	60.3%	64.2%
2044	60.4%	64.1%
2045	60.5%	63.9%
2046	60.7%	63.8%
2047	60.9%	63.7%
2048	61.1%	63.6%
2049	61.3%	63.4%
2050	61.5%	63.3%

The share of working-age demographics aged 15-64 in the Congo changed from 55.5% to 56.6% between 2004 and 2024.

Share of young population (0-14 years)

Table

Year	Share of population 0-14 years old
	Congo	World
1960	42.7%	37.4%
1961	43%	37.5%
1962	43.3%	37.6%
1963	43.5%	37.8%
1964	43.7%	38%
1965	43.9%	38%
1966	44%	38%
1967	44.2%	38%
1968	44.3%	37.9%
1969	44.5%	37.8%
1970	44.7%	37.7%
1971	44.8%	37.6%
1972	45%	37.5%
1973	45.2%	37.3%
1974	45.4%	37.2%
1975	45.5%	37.1%
1976	45.7%	36.9%
1977	45.8%	36.7%
1978	45.8%	36.3%
1979	45.8%	35.9%
1980	45.7%	35.5%
1981	45.6%	35.2%
1982	45.4%	34.9%
1983	45.2%	34.6%
1984	45%	34.3%
1985	44.9%	34%
1986	44.7%	33.8%
1987	44.6%	33.6%
1988	44.5%	33.4%
1989	44.3%	33.2%
1990	44.2%	33%
1991	44%	32.9%
1992	43.8%	32.7%
1993	43.6%	32.5%
1994	43.4%	32.3%
1995	43.3%	32.1%
1996	43.2%	31.8%
1997	43.3%	31.5%
1998	43.3%	31.1%
1999	43.1%	30.8%
2000	42.5%	30.4%
2001	41.9%	30%
2002	41.9%	29.6%
2003	41.7%	29.2%
2004	41.4%	28.8%
2005	41.1%	28.5%
2006	40.9%	28.1%
2007	40.7%	27.9%
2008	40.7%	27.6%
2009	40.5%	27.5%
2010	40.4%	27.3%
2011	40.6%	27.1%
2012	41%	27%
2013	41.3%	26.9%
2014	41.7%	26.8%
2015	41.9%	26.6%
2016	42.1%	26.5%
2017	42.1%	26.4%
2018	42.1%	26.2%
2019	41.9%	26%
2020	41.8%	25.8%
2021	41.5%	25.6%
2022	41.3%	25.3%
2023	40.9%	25%
2024	40.4%	24.7%
2025	39.9%	24.4%
2026	39.4%	24.1%
2027	38.9%	23.8%
2028	38.4%	23.4%
2029	38%	23.1%
2030	37.6%	22.8%
2031	37.3%	22.6%
2032	37%	22.3%
2033	36.8%	22.1%
2034	36.6%	21.9%
2035	36.4%	21.7%
2036	36.2%	21.6%
2037	36%	21.5%
2038	35.8%	21.4%
2039	35.6%	21.3%
2040	35.5%	21.2%
2041	35.3%	21.1%
2042	35.1%	21%
2043	34.9%	21%
2044	34.7%	20.9%
2045	34.4%	20.8%
2046	34.2%	20.7%
2047	33.9%	20.7%
2048	33.6%	20.6%
2049	33.4%	20.5%
2050	33.1%	20.4%

The share of children aged 0-14 in the Congo decreased from 41.4% to 40.4% between 2004 and 2024 due to changes in birth rates.

Share of old population (65+)

Table

Year	Share of population 65+ years old
	Congo	World
1960	3.54%	4.97%
1961	3.56%	4.99%
1962	3.58%	5.01%
1963	3.6%	5.02%
1964	3.61%	5.04%
1965	3.62%	5.08%
1966	3.62%	5.12%
1967	3.62%	5.16%
1968	3.61%	5.2%
1969	3.6%	5.24%
1970	3.59%	5.28%
1971	3.57%	5.32%
1972	3.55%	5.37%
1973	3.53%	5.42%
1974	3.51%	5.47%
1975	3.48%	5.53%
1976	3.45%	5.59%
1977	3.43%	5.65%
1978	3.4%	5.71%
1979	3.36%	5.77%
1980	3.32%	5.81%
1981	3.28%	5.81%
1982	3.28%	5.8%
1983	3.3%	5.79%
1984	3.34%	5.8%
1985	3.39%	5.82%
1986	3.41%	5.86%
1987	3.43%	5.91%
1988	3.43%	5.95%
1989	3.4%	6.01%
1990	3.36%	6.07%
1991	3.33%	6.14%
1992	3.32%	6.21%
1993	3.32%	6.29%
1994	3.31%	6.37%
1995	3.29%	6.45%
1996	3.27%	6.53%
1997	3.24%	6.61%
1998	3.21%	6.68%
1999	3.17%	6.76%
2000	3.13%	6.84%
2001	3.09%	6.92%
2002	3.07%	7.01%
2003	3.05%	7.1%
2004	3.02%	7.18%
2005	2.98%	7.26%
2006	2.94%	7.34%
2007	2.9%	7.41%
2008	2.85%	7.47%
2009	2.8%	7.52%
2010	2.75%	7.58%
2011	2.72%	7.66%
2012	2.69%	7.78%
2013	2.68%	7.92%
2014	2.66%	8.08%
2015	2.66%	8.26%
2016	2.67%	8.45%
2017	2.68%	8.65%
2018	2.7%	8.88%
2019	2.73%	9.1%
2020	2.76%	9.33%
2021	2.8%	9.53%
2022	2.85%	9.74%
2023	2.91%	9.98%
2024	2.99%	10.2%
2025	3.06%	10.4%
2026	3.14%	10.6%
2027	3.23%	10.8%
2028	3.32%	11.1%
2029	3.41%	11.5%
2030	3.51%	11.7%
2031	3.61%	12%
2032	3.71%	12.3%
2033	3.81%	12.6%
2034	3.92%	12.8%
2035	4.02%	13.1%
2036	4.11%	13.4%
2037	4.21%	13.7%
2038	4.31%	13.9%
2039	4.41%	14.1%
2040	4.51%	14.3%
2041	4.62%	14.5%
2042	4.73%	14.7%
2043	4.83%	14.9%
2044	4.93%	15%
2045	5.02%	15.2%
2046	5.12%	15.4%
2047	5.2%	15.7%
2048	5.28%	15.9%
2049	5.36%	16.1%
2050	5.45%	16.3%

The share of older people aged 65 and over in the Congo decreased from 3.02% to 2.99% between 2004 and 2024 due to changes in life expectancy.