The DR Congo Demographics: Median age, Gender, Religion

Median age history and projection chart in
DR Congo vs World

Table

Year	Median age
	DR Congo	World
1960	18.4	22.5
1961	18.4	22.5
1962	18.4	22.4
1963	18.5	22.2
1964	18.5	22
1965	18.5	21.8
1966	18.5	21.7
1967	18.5	21.6
1968	18.5	21.5
1969	18.5	21.5
1970	18.4	21.4
1971	18.3	21.4
1972	18.2	21.5
1973	18.1	21.5
1974	18	21.6
1975	17.9	21.7
1976	17.8	21.9
1977	17.8	22
1978	17.8	22.2
1979	17.9	22.3
1980	17.9	22.5
1981	17.9	22.6
1982	17.8	22.7
1983	17.9	22.9
1984	17.9	23
1985	17.9	23.2
1986	17.9	23.3
1987	17.9	23.4
1988	17.8	23.6
1989	17.8	23.8
1990	17.8	23.9
1991	17.8	24.1
1992	17.8	24.3
1993	17.8	24.5
1994	18	24.7
1995	18.1	25
1996	17.7	25.2
1997	17.4	25.4
1998	17.2	25.7
1999	17.2	25.9
2000	17.2	26.1
2001	17.1	26.3
2002	17.1	26.5
2003	17.1	26.7
2004	17	27
2005	17	27.2
2006	17	27.4
2007	17	27.6
2008	16.9	27.8
2009	16.9	28
2010	16.9	28.2
2011	16.9	28.4
2012	16.9	28.6
2013	16.9	28.9
2014	16.9	29.1
2015	16.9	29.3
2016	16.9	29.5
2017	17	29.8
2018	17	30
2019	16.9	30.3
2020	16.9	30.6
2021	16.9	30.8
2022	16.9	31
2023	16.9	31.3
2024	16.9	31.6
2025	16.8	31.9
2026	16.9	32.1
2027	16.9	32.3
2028	17	32.6
2029	17.1	32.8
2030	17.2	33
2031	17.3	33.2
2032	17.4	33.4
2033	17.6	33.6
2034	17.7	33.8
2035	17.9	34
2036	18	34.2
2037	18.2	34.4
2038	18.4	34.6
2039	18.6	34.8
2040	18.8	35
2041	19	35.2
2042	19.2	35.4
2043	19.5	35.6
2044	19.7	35.8
2045	19.9	36
2046	20.1	36.2
2047	20.3	36.4
2048	20.6	36.6
2049	20.8	36.8
2050	21	37.1

In 1960, the median age in the DR Congo was 18.4 years compared to the world's average of 22.5 years. As of 2024, the median age had decreased to 16.9 years compared to the world's average of 31.6 years. Ranked 135th for median age 64 years ago (old to young), the DR Congo ranks 191st currently.

According to the United Nations projections, the median age in the DR Congo is expected to increase to around 21 years by 2050. The aging demographics forecast is based on previous years' birth rates and increasing life expectancy.

The DR Congo demographic pyramid: age and gender distribution

Table

Age range	Share of population
	DR Congo
	Male	Female
0-4	9.1%	9.01%
5-9	7.62%	7.6%
10-14	6.34%	6.35%
15-19	5.2%	5.22%
20-24	4.31%	4.35%
25-29	3.65%	3.7%
30-34	2.97%	3.03%
35-39	2.42%	2.48%
40-44	1.91%	1.96%
45-49	1.52%	1.58%
50-54	1.29%	1.37%
55-59	1.06%	1.15%
60-64	0.82%	0.91%
65-69	0.6%	0.68%
70-74	0.4%	0.47%
75-79	0.24%	0.31%
80+	0.16%	0.23%

The chart above is a variation of the population pyramid and represents the age and gender structure. The DR Congo has high demographic potential with 78.5% of people in the 0-34 age group (ranked 9/196).

Age dependency chart

Table

Year	Age dependency ratio
	DR Congo			World
	Total	Young	Old	Total	Young	Old
1960	84.8%	79.3%	5.58%	73.5%	64.9%	8.62%
1961	84.4%	78.9%	5.52%	73.8%	65.1%	8.67%
1962	84%	78.5%	5.46%	74.1%	65.4%	8.73%
1963	83.8%	78.4%	5.41%	74.9%	66.1%	8.79%
1964	83.9%	78.5%	5.37%	75.5%	66.6%	8.85%
1965	84.2%	78.8%	5.35%	75.8%	66.8%	8.93%
1966	84.5%	79.2%	5.33%	75.9%	66.9%	9%
1967	84.9%	79.6%	5.32%	75.9%	66.8%	9.07%
1968	85.3%	80%	5.31%	75.8%	66.6%	9.14%
1969	85.7%	80.4%	5.31%	75.7%	66.5%	9.2%
1970	86.2%	80.9%	5.31%	75.5%	66.2%	9.26%
1971	86.9%	81.6%	5.33%	75.2%	65.9%	9.33%
1972	87.6%	82.3%	5.34%	74.9%	65.6%	9.39%
1973	88.2%	82.9%	5.36%	74.6%	65.1%	9.46%
1974	88.8%	83.4%	5.38%	74.4%	64.9%	9.54%
1975	89.3%	83.9%	5.4%	74.2%	64.6%	9.64%
1976	89.8%	84.4%	5.42%	74%	64.3%	9.72%
1977	90.3%	84.9%	5.44%	73.5%	63.7%	9.79%
1978	90%	84.6%	5.44%	72.4%	62.5%	9.84%
1979	89.2%	83.8%	5.41%	71.3%	61.4%	9.88%
1980	89.1%	83.6%	5.41%	70.4%	60.5%	9.89%
1981	89.1%	83.7%	5.41%	69.5%	59.6%	9.85%
1982	89.1%	83.7%	5.41%	68.7%	58.9%	9.79%
1983	88.9%	83.5%	5.41%	67.9%	58.1%	9.72%
1984	88.6%	83.2%	5.39%	67%	57.3%	9.68%
1985	88.5%	83.1%	5.39%	66.3%	56.6%	9.68%
1986	88.6%	83.2%	5.39%	65.7%	55.9%	9.71%
1987	88.9%	83.5%	5.39%	65.2%	55.4%	9.75%
1988	89.1%	83.7%	5.4%	64.8%	54.9%	9.81%
1989	89.4%	84%	5.42%	64.4%	54.5%	9.89%
1990	89.5%	84.1%	5.43%	64.2%	54.3%	9.97%
1991	89.7%	84.3%	5.45%	64%	53.9%	10.1%
1992	89.9%	84.5%	5.47%	63.7%	53.6%	10.2%
1993	90%	84.5%	5.49%	63.5%	53.2%	10.3%
1994	88.7%	83.3%	5.45%	63.1%	52.7%	10.4%
1995	88.4%	82.9%	5.44%	62.7%	52.2%	10.5%
1996	90.8%	85.3%	5.53%	62.1%	51.5%	10.6%
1997	93.5%	87.9%	5.64%	61.5%	50.8%	10.7%
1998	94.4%	88.7%	5.7%	60.7%	50%	10.7%
1999	94.4%	88.7%	5.72%	60%	49.2%	10.8%
2000	94.6%	88.9%	5.76%	59.3%	48.4%	10.9%
2001	94.8%	89%	5.79%	58.5%	47.6%	11%
2002	95.1%	89.2%	5.82%	57.8%	46.7%	11.1%
2003	95.4%	89.5%	5.87%	57%	45.9%	11.1%
2004	95.7%	89.7%	5.91%	56.3%	45.1%	11.2%
2005	95.7%	89.8%	5.94%	55.6%	44.3%	11.3%
2006	95.9%	89.9%	5.98%	55%	43.6%	11.4%
2007	96.2%	90.2%	6.02%	54.5%	43.1%	11.4%
2008	96.5%	90.5%	6.06%	54.1%	42.6%	11.5%
2009	96.8%	90.7%	6.1%	53.8%	42.2%	11.6%
2010	96.8%	90.6%	6.13%	53.5%	41.9%	11.6%
2011	96.5%	90.4%	6.15%	53.4%	41.6%	11.8%
2012	96.4%	90.3%	6.16%	53.3%	41.4%	11.9%
2013	96.5%	90.3%	6.17%	53.4%	41.2%	12.1%
2014	96.5%	90.3%	6.16%	53.5%	41.1%	12.4%
2015	96.5%	90.4%	6.15%	53.6%	40.9%	12.7%
2016	96.2%	90.1%	6.11%	53.7%	40.7%	13%
2017	95.8%	89.7%	6.08%	53.9%	40.6%	13.3%
2018	95.9%	89.9%	6.07%	54.1%	40.4%	13.7%
2019	96.4%	90.3%	6.07%	54.2%	40.1%	14%
2020	96.6%	90.5%	6.07%	54.2%	39.8%	14.4%
2021	96.7%	90.7%	6.05%	54.2%	39.5%	14.7%
2022	96.8%	90.7%	6.03%	54%	39%	15%
2023	96.7%	90.6%	6.03%	53.9%	38.5%	15.4%
2024	96.5%	90.5%	6.04%	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 DR Congo increased from 95.7% to 96.5% between 2004 and 2024 with a increased share of children and an increased proportion of people aged 65+

DR Congo working age demographic chart

Table

Year	Working age population share
	DR Congo	World
1960	54.1%	57.6%
1961	54.2%	57.5%
1962	54.4%	57.4%
1963	54.4%	57.2%
1964	54.4%	57%
1965	54.3%	56.9%
1966	54.2%	56.8%
1967	54.1%	56.9%
1968	54%	56.9%
1969	53.8%	56.9%
1970	53.7%	57%
1971	53.5%	57.1%
1972	53.3%	57.2%
1973	53.1%	57.3%
1974	53%	57.3%
1975	52.8%	57.4%
1976	52.7%	57.5%
1977	52.5%	57.7%
1978	52.6%	58%
1979	52.8%	58.4%
1980	52.9%	58.7%
1981	52.9%	59%
1982	52.9%	59.3%
1983	52.9%	59.6%
1984	53%	59.9%
1985	53.1%	60.1%
1986	53%	60.4%
1987	52.9%	60.5%
1988	52.9%	60.7%
1989	52.8%	60.8%
1990	52.8%	60.9%
1991	52.7%	61%
1992	52.6%	61.1%
1993	52.6%	61.2%
1994	53%	61.3%
1995	53.1%	61.5%
1996	52.4%	61.7%
1997	51.7%	61.9%
1998	51.4%	62.2%
1999	51.4%	62.5%
2000	51.4%	62.8%
2001	51.3%	63.1%
2002	51.3%	63.4%
2003	51.2%	63.7%
2004	51.1%	64%
2005	51.1%	64.3%
2006	51%	64.5%
2007	51%	64.7%
2008	50.9%	64.9%
2009	50.8%	65%
2010	50.8%	65.1%
2011	50.9%	65.2%
2012	50.9%	65.2%
2013	50.9%	65.2%
2014	50.9%	65.2%
2015	50.9%	65.1%
2016	51%	65.1%
2017	51.1%	65%
2018	51%	64.9%
2019	50.9%	64.9%
2020	50.9%	64.8%
2021	50.8%	64.9%
2022	50.8%	64.9%
2023	50.8%	65%
2024	50.9%	65.1%
2025	51%	65.2%
2026	51.1%	65.3%
2027	51.2%	65.4%
2028	51.4%	65.4%
2029	51.6%	65.4%
2030	51.8%	65.4%
2031	52.1%	65.4%
2032	52.3%	65.4%
2033	52.7%	65.4%
2034	53%	65.3%
2035	53.4%	65.2%
2036	53.7%	65%
2037	54.1%	64.9%
2038	54.6%	64.7%
2039	55%	64.6%
2040	55.4%	64.5%
2041	55.8%	64.4%
2042	56.3%	64.3%
2043	56.7%	64.2%
2044	57.1%	64.1%
2045	57.5%	63.9%
2046	57.8%	63.8%
2047	58.2%	63.7%
2048	58.5%	63.6%
2049	58.9%	63.4%
2050	59.2%	63.3%

The share of working-age demographics aged 15-64 in the DR Congo changed from 51.1% to 50.9% between 2004 and 2024.

Share of young population (0-14 years)

Table

Year	Share of population 0-14 years old
	DR Congo	World
1960	42.9%	37.4%
1961	42.8%	37.5%
1962	42.7%	37.6%
1963	42.7%	37.8%
1964	42.7%	38%
1965	42.8%	38%
1966	42.9%	38%
1967	43%	38%
1968	43.2%	37.9%
1969	43.3%	37.8%
1970	43.4%	37.7%
1971	43.6%	37.6%
1972	43.8%	37.5%
1973	44%	37.3%
1974	44.2%	37.2%
1975	44.3%	37.1%
1976	44.5%	36.9%
1977	44.6%	36.7%
1978	44.5%	36.3%
1979	44.3%	35.9%
1980	44.2%	35.5%
1981	44.3%	35.2%
1982	44.3%	34.9%
1983	44.2%	34.6%
1984	44.1%	34.3%
1985	44.1%	34%
1986	44.1%	33.8%
1987	44.2%	33.6%
1988	44.3%	33.4%
1989	44.3%	33.2%
1990	44.4%	33%
1991	44.4%	32.9%
1992	44.5%	32.7%
1993	44.5%	32.5%
1994	44.1%	32.3%
1995	44%	32.1%
1996	44.7%	31.8%
1997	45.4%	31.5%
1998	45.6%	31.1%
1999	45.6%	30.8%
2000	45.7%	30.4%
2001	45.7%	30%
2002	45.7%	29.6%
2003	45.8%	29.2%
2004	45.9%	28.8%
2005	45.9%	28.5%
2006	45.9%	28.1%
2007	46%	27.9%
2008	46%	27.6%
2009	46.1%	27.5%
2010	46.1%	27.3%
2011	46%	27.1%
2012	46%	27%
2013	46%	26.9%
2014	46%	26.8%
2015	46%	26.6%
2016	45.9%	26.5%
2017	45.8%	26.4%
2018	45.9%	26.2%
2019	46%	26%
2020	46.1%	25.8%
2021	46.1%	25.6%
2022	46.1%	25.3%
2023	46.1%	25%
2024	46%	24.7%
2025	45.9%	24.4%
2026	45.8%	24.1%
2027	45.7%	23.8%
2028	45.5%	23.4%
2029	45.3%	23.1%
2030	45%	22.8%
2031	44.8%	22.6%
2032	44.5%	22.3%
2033	44.2%	22.1%
2034	43.8%	21.9%
2035	43.4%	21.7%
2036	43%	21.6%
2037	42.6%	21.5%
2038	42.2%	21.4%
2039	41.7%	21.3%
2040	41.3%	21.2%
2041	40.9%	21.1%
2042	40.4%	21%
2043	40%	21%
2044	39.6%	20.9%
2045	39.2%	20.8%
2046	38.8%	20.7%
2047	38.4%	20.7%
2048	38%	20.6%
2049	37.7%	20.5%
2050	37.3%	20.4%

The share of children aged 0-14 in the DR Congo increased from 45.9% to 46% between 2004 and 2024 due to changes in birth rates.

Share of old population (65+)

Table

Year	Share of population 65+ years old
	DR Congo	World
1960	3.02%	4.97%
1961	2.99%	4.99%
1962	2.97%	5.01%
1963	2.94%	5.02%
1964	2.92%	5.04%
1965	2.9%	5.08%
1966	2.89%	5.12%
1967	2.88%	5.16%
1968	2.87%	5.2%
1969	2.86%	5.24%
1970	2.85%	5.28%
1971	2.85%	5.32%
1972	2.85%	5.37%
1973	2.85%	5.42%
1974	2.85%	5.47%
1975	2.85%	5.53%
1976	2.85%	5.59%
1977	2.86%	5.65%
1978	2.86%	5.71%
1979	2.86%	5.77%
1980	2.86%	5.81%
1981	2.86%	5.81%
1982	2.86%	5.8%
1983	2.86%	5.79%
1984	2.86%	5.8%
1985	2.86%	5.82%
1986	2.86%	5.86%
1987	2.85%	5.91%
1988	2.86%	5.95%
1989	2.86%	6.01%
1990	2.86%	6.07%
1991	2.87%	6.14%
1992	2.88%	6.21%
1993	2.89%	6.29%
1994	2.89%	6.37%
1995	2.89%	6.45%
1996	2.9%	6.53%
1997	2.91%	6.61%
1998	2.93%	6.68%
1999	2.94%	6.76%
2000	2.96%	6.84%
2001	2.97%	6.92%
2002	2.99%	7.01%
2003	3%	7.1%
2004	3.02%	7.18%
2005	3.04%	7.26%
2006	3.05%	7.34%
2007	3.07%	7.41%
2008	3.08%	7.47%
2009	3.1%	7.52%
2010	3.11%	7.58%
2011	3.13%	7.66%
2012	3.14%	7.78%
2013	3.14%	7.92%
2014	3.14%	8.08%
2015	3.13%	8.26%
2016	3.12%	8.45%
2017	3.1%	8.65%
2018	3.1%	8.88%
2019	3.09%	9.1%
2020	3.09%	9.33%
2021	3.07%	9.53%
2022	3.07%	9.74%
2023	3.07%	9.98%
2024	3.08%	10.2%
2025	3.08%	10.4%
2026	3.09%	10.6%
2027	3.1%	10.8%
2028	3.12%	11.1%
2029	3.13%	11.5%
2030	3.14%	11.7%
2031	3.16%	12%
2032	3.18%	12.3%
2033	3.19%	12.6%
2034	3.21%	12.8%
2035	3.22%	13.1%
2036	3.24%	13.4%
2037	3.25%	13.7%
2038	3.27%	13.9%
2039	3.28%	14.1%
2040	3.29%	14.3%
2041	3.3%	14.5%
2042	3.31%	14.7%
2043	3.32%	14.9%
2044	3.33%	15%
2045	3.35%	15.2%
2046	3.38%	15.4%
2047	3.41%	15.7%
2048	3.45%	15.9%
2049	3.49%	16.1%
2050	3.54%	16.3%

The share of older people aged 65 and over in the DR Congo increased from 3.02% to 3.08% between 2004 and 2024 due to changes in life expectancy.