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Population in the DR Congo compared to Ethiopia: Trends, Charts, Rankings

Updated on by Georank team

The latest officially reported population of the DR Congo was 109,276,265 in 2024 vs 132,059,767 people in Ethiopia in 2024. In 2026, based on the adjusted UN estimation, the current DR Congo's population is 117,507,801 people compared to 139,917,664 in Ethiopia.

Population statistics:

  • Ethiopia's population is 1.19 times bigger than the DR Congo's.
  • The DR Congo is ranked the 15th most populous country in the world, while Ethiopia is the 10th.
  • The countries together account for 3.11% of the world: 1.42% for the DR Congo vs 1.69% for Ethiopia.
  • For the last 10 years, the DR Congo has had an average growth rate of +3.38% per year vs +2.71% in Ethiopia.
  • Since 2006, the population of the DR Congo has increased from 60.6M people to 118M (93.9% growth), while Ethiopia has grown from 80.7M to 140M (73.4% growth).

DR Congo vs Ethiopia: population by year and forecast

DR Congo
Factual

Projection
Ethiopia
Factual

Projection
1x
Year Population
DR Congo Ethiopia
2100 436,320,913 371,192,732
2099 433,372,904 369,452,188
2098 430,335,169 367,626,914
2097 427,231,271 365,680,268
2096 424,043,303 363,648,440
2095 420,759,430 361,707,589
2094 417,384,609 359,642,227
2093 413,946,692 357,570,752
2092 410,440,733 355,499,462
2091 406,841,757 353,327,595
2090 403,166,901 351,068,287
2089 399,411,004 348,859,203
2088 395,583,655 346,624,222
2087 391,688,383 344,268,493
2086 387,713,874 341,777,395
2085 383,678,330 339,272,558
2084 379,568,054 336,753,372
2083 375,402,379 334,186,307
2082 371,195,818 331,503,693
2081 366,948,626 328,816,892
2080 362,644,227 326,114,551
2079 358,295,825 323,382,593
2078 353,888,897 320,521,381
2077 349,435,210 317,590,857
2076 344,932,895 314,615,353
2075 340,403,800 311,583,813
2074 335,826,108 308,511,275
2073 331,220,816 305,477,711
2072 326,568,298 302,351,806
2071 321,892,514 299,211,554
2070 317,165,418 296,054,535
2069 312,409,702 292,847,034
2068 307,625,941 289,612,061
2067 302,820,577 286,279,975
2066 297,989,401 282,992,981
2065 293,137,514 279,662,528
2064 288,267,282 276,283,161
2063 283,369,365 272,866,834
2062 278,452,605 269,424,014
2061 273,517,380 265,885,347
2060 268,572,331 262,350,260
2059 263,620,905 258,772,570
2058 258,672,397 255,284,371
2057 253,733,756 251,733,988
2056 248,796,045 248,079,002
2055 243,861,631 244,501,471
2054 238,931,249 240,868,686
2053 234,016,357 237,228,269
2052 229,117,369 233,551,340
2051 224,240,788 229,804,463
2050 219,397,034 226,124,819
2049 214,588,560 222,420,063
2048 209,814,694 218,694,640
2047 205,079,870 214,950,242
2046 200,379,842 211,226,920
2045 195,731,078 207,525,986
2044 191,124,003 203,812,674
2043 186,569,843 200,097,321
2042 182,068,630 196,411,774
2041 177,617,360 192,749,114
2040 173,224,822 189,081,695
2039 168,878,834 185,422,958
2038 164,583,465 181,789,129
2037 160,347,349 178,179,942
2036 156,129,049 174,569,201
2035 151,953,443 170,957,061
2034 147,811,138 167,367,920
2033 143,712,496 163,813,895
2032 139,669,159 160,216,774
2031 135,660,570 156,638,324
2030 131,710,378 153,070,380
2029 127,818,130 149,507,684
2028 123,980,695 145,989,372
2027 120,212,011 142,463,827
2026 116,505,117 138,973,582
2025 112,854,120 135,513,842
2024 109,276,265 132,059,767
2023 105,789,731 128,691,692
2022 102,396,968 125,384,287
2021 99,148,932 122,138,588
2020 95,989,998 118,917,671
2019 92,947,442 115,737,383
2018 90,047,644 112,664,152
2017 87,083,398 109,666,481
2016 83,956,415 106,718,162
2015 81,035,531 103,867,135
2014 78,403,242 101,115,610
2013 75,789,395 98,438,751
2012 73,254,618 95,798,767
2011 70,849,311 93,149,970
2010 68,563,038 90,538,514
2009 66,412,044 88,007,636
2008 64,390,664 85,543,668
2007 62,477,752 83,103,217
2006 60,615,908 80,703,490
2005 58,775,724 78,367,470
2004 56,997,741 76,077,206
2003 55,343,867 73,832,663
2002 53,750,524 71,635,517
2001 52,132,646 69,487,762
2000 50,507,442 67,411,494
1999 48,912,971 65,374,561
1998 47,297,600 63,363,524
1997 46,029,902 61,404,539
1996 45,296,124 59,467,635
1995 44,433,704 57,537,335
1994 42,626,876 55,611,508
1993 40,656,336 53,708,891
1992 39,228,910 51,853,747
1991 37,925,817 49,717,198
1990 36,684,063 47,609,755
1989 35,486,866 45,879,690
1988 34,382,752 44,150,825
1987 33,298,904 42,460,039
1986 32,265,196 41,037,656
1985 31,264,816 39,842,136
1984 30,245,081 38,735,722
1983 29,250,963 37,740,817
1982 28,338,190 36,701,290
1981 27,500,515 35,304,012
1980 26,711,099 34,428,514
1979 25,886,782 34,238,652
1978 24,992,689 33,734,592
1977 24,229,061 33,167,272
1976 23,624,031 32,534,418
1975 23,021,101 31,723,252
1974 22,418,878 30,957,273
1973 21,827,665 30,166,785
1972 21,251,160 29,374,608
1971 20,695,569 28,600,106
1970 20,137,436 27,829,128
1969 19,570,445 27,072,571
1968 19,012,189 26,337,930
1967 18,462,782 25,620,276
1966 17,931,929 24,952,689
1965 17,427,802 24,310,612
1964 16,955,327 23,666,548
1963 16,507,599 23,051,637
1962 16,075,724 22,465,126
1961 15,662,374 21,906,102
1960 15,264,846 21,376,693

Data sources: United Nations | World Population Prospects (2025–2100, retrieved 2026-03-10); World Bank | Health (1960–2024, retrieved 2026-04-06).

GeoRank.org/population/dr-congo/ethiopia | CC BY

From 2006 to 2016, the population of the DR Congo increased by 23,340,507 people (a 38.5% growth), while Ethiopia gained 26,014,672 people (a 32.2% growth).

For the next 10 years, from 2016 to 2026, the DR Congo gained 33,551,386 people (a 40% growth), while Ethiopia's population increased by 33,199,502 people (a 31.1% growth).

The DR Congo was ranked 22nd most populous country in 2006 and is 15th in 2026. Ethiopia was ranked 16th in 2006 and ranked 10th now.

The UN's World Population Prospects forecasts that in 24 years (in 2050) the DR Congo's population will grow by 86.7% to 219,397,034 people with a rank change from 15th to 8th. The population of Ethiopia will increase by 61.6% to 226,124,819 people and rank change from 10th to 7th.

The DR Congo is projected to reach its peak in 2100 at 436M people compared to the peak of 371M people in 2100 for Ethiopia.

Population growth rate by year

DR Congo
Factual

Projection
Ethiopia
Factual

Projection
1x
Year Growth rate
DR Congo Ethiopia
2100 0.68% 0.47%
2099 0.71% 0.5%
2098 0.73% 0.53%
2097 0.75% 0.56%
2096 0.78% 0.54%
2095 0.81% 0.57%
2094 0.83% 0.58%
2093 0.85% 0.58%
2092 0.88% 0.61%
2091 0.91% 0.64%
2090 0.94% 0.63%
2089 0.97% 0.64%
2088 0.99% 0.68%
2087 1.03% 0.73%
2086 1.05% 0.74%
2085 1.08% 0.75%
2084 1.11% 0.77%
2083 1.13% 0.81%
2082 1.16% 0.82%
2081 1.19% 0.83%
2080 1.21% 0.84%
2079 1.25% 0.89%
2078 1.27% 0.92%
2077 1.31% 0.95%
2076 1.33% 0.97%
2075 1.36% 1%
2074 1.39% 0.99%
2073 1.42% 1.03%
2072 1.45% 1.05%
2071 1.49% 1.07%
2070 1.52% 1.1%
2069 1.56% 1.12%
2068 1.59% 1.16%
2067 1.62% 1.16%
2066 1.66% 1.19%
2065 1.69% 1.22%
2064 1.73% 1.25%
2063 1.77% 1.28%
2062 1.8% 1.33%
2061 1.84% 1.35%
2060 1.88% 1.38%
2059 1.91% 1.37%
2058 1.95% 1.41%
2057 1.98% 1.47%
2056 2.02% 1.46%
2055 2.06% 1.51%
2054 2.1% 1.53%
2053 2.14% 1.57%
2052 2.17% 1.63%
2051 2.21% 1.63%
2050 2.24% 1.67%
2049 2.28% 1.7%
2048 2.31% 1.74%
2047 2.35% 1.76%
2046 2.38% 1.78%
2045 2.41% 1.82%
2044 2.44% 1.86%
2043 2.47% 1.88%
2042 2.51% 1.9%
2041 2.54% 1.94%
2040 2.57% 1.97%
2039 2.61% 2%
2038 2.64% 2.03%
2037 2.7% 2.07%
2036 2.75% 2.11%
2035 2.8% 2.14%
2034 2.85% 2.17%
2033 2.89% 2.25%
2032 2.95% 2.28%
2031 3% 2.33%
2030 3.05% 2.38%
2029 3.1% 2.41%
2028 3.14% 2.47%
2027 3.18% 2.51%
2026 3.24% 2.55%
2025 3.27% 2.62%
2024 3.3% 2.62%
2023 3.31% 2.64%
2022 3.28% 2.66%
2021 3.29% 2.71%
2020 3.27% 2.75%
2019 3.22% 2.73%
2018 3.4% 2.73%
2017 3.72% 2.76%
2016 3.6% 2.74%
2015 3.36% 2.72%
2014 3.45% 2.72%
2013 3.46% 2.76%
2012 3.39% 2.84%
2011 3.33% 2.88%
2010 3.24% 2.88%
2009 3.14% 2.88%
2008 3.06% 2.94%
2007 3.07% 2.97%
2006 3.13% 2.98%
2005 3.12% 3.01%
2004 2.99% 3.04%
2003 2.96% 3.07%
2002 3.1% 3.09%
2001 3.22% 3.08%
2000 3.26% 3.12%
1999 3.42% 3.17%
1998 2.75% 3.19%
1997 1.62% 3.26%
1996 1.94% 3.35%
1995 4.24% 3.46%
1994 4.85% 3.54%
1993 3.64% 3.58%
1992 3.44% 4.3%
1991 3.38% 4.43%
1990 3.37% 3.77%
1989 3.21% 3.92%
1988 3.25% 3.98%
1987 3.2% 3.47%
1986 3.2% 3%
1985 3.37% 2.86%
1984 3.4% 2.64%
1983 3.22% 2.83%
1982 3.05% 3.96%
1981 2.96% 2.54%
1980 3.18% 0.55%
1979 3.58% 1.49%
1978 3.15% 1.71%
1977 2.56% 1.95%
1976 2.62% 2.56%
1975 2.69% 2.47%
1974 2.71% 2.62%
1973 2.71% 2.7%
1972 2.68% 2.71%
1971 2.77% 2.77%
1970 2.9% 2.79%
1969 2.94% 2.79%
1968 2.98% 2.8%
1967 2.96% 2.68%
1966 2.89% 2.64%
1965 2.79% 2.72%
1964 2.71% 2.67%
1963 2.69% 2.61%
1962 2.64% 2.55%
1961 2.6% 2.48%

Data sources: United Nations | World Population Prospects (2025–2100, retrieved 2026-03-10); World Bank | Health (1961–2024, retrieved 2026-04-06).

GeoRank.org/population/dr-congo/ethiopia | CC BY

In 2024, the population of the DR Congo grew by 3.3%, while Ethiopia's population grew by 2.62%.

Live population counters

DR Congo Ethiopia
Current population
117507801
139917664
Population rank 15/197 10/197
Percent of world population 1.42% 1.69%
One net population change
9.05 seconds
9.36 seconds
One birth every
7.22 seconds
7.68 seconds
One death every
35 seconds
41.1 seconds
Daily growth/decline +9,552 +9,228
Annual growth/decline +3,486,534 +3,368,075
Annual growth/decline rate +3.3% +2.62%
Population growth rate rank 11/197 25/197
One migration net change every
19.3 minutes
21.9 minutes
Annual migration change -27,309 +24,054
Net migration rank 159/196 31/196
Foreign-born residents 1,085,090 1,168,455
Foreign-born residents rank 57/195 53/195
Foreign-born share of population 1% 0.9%
Foreign-born share rank 152/195 157/195

Natural population change vs migration

DR Congo
Natural

Migration
Ethiopia
Natural

Migration
1x
Year Population change
DR Congo Ethiopia
Natural Migration Natural Migration
2025 - -27,309 - 24,054
2024 - -26,968 - 30,069
2023 3,467,787 -14,992 3,338,649 -11,996
2022 3,347,664 -14,991 3,300,114 -11,996
2021 3,227,992 -64,639 3,204,673 -1,377
2020 3,156,152 -1,633 3,199,718 38,866
2019 3,075,538 -144,920 3,132,780 -10,807
2018 2,993,184 -124,246 3,015,231 9,302
2017 2,883,245 176,290 2,899,143 71,766
2016 2,753,687 440,748 2,809,889 115,823
2015 2,665,016 -17,711 2,713,529 62,785
2014 2,580,251 36,966 2,623,647 103,122
2013 2,489,378 121,097 2,546,020 80,955
2012 2,405,462 53,668 2,533,398 119,517
2011 2,310,679 40,891 2,527,811 116,793
2010 2,212,255 8,823 2,498,048 80,213
2009 2,126,912 -46,009 2,467,118 16,315
2008 2,044,210 -82,339 2,465,283 -20,780
2007 1,963,738 -99,742 2,436,753 -381
2006 1,889,398 -29,715 2,393,585 -30,512
2005 1,800,300 20,384 2,353,375 -44,421
2004 1,731,022 4,260 2,296,999 -25,430
2003 1,679,188 -106,731 2,231,223 -13,744
2002 1,631,597 -17,358 2,189,683 -12,925
2001 1,594,999 26,523 2,137,791 -19,063
2000 1,549,518 79,340 2,083,622 -49,891
1999 1,450,318 109,761 2,010,987 29,142
1998 1,375,130 295,560 1,984,989 -3,011
1997 1,392,037 -527,356 1,945,112 -9,119
1996 1,380,490 -777,833 1,896,364 41,456
1995 1,395,440 -273,434 1,831,068 91,727
1994 1,259,539 1,232,105 1,788,133 140,715
1993 1,209,242 240,176 1,734,851 141,545
1992 1,152,781 252,666 1,673,839 160,106
1991 1,114,033 86,721 1,579,416 859,737
1990 1,063,508 219,270 1,479,663 296,014
1989 1,027,238 84,415 1,441,769 242,614
1988 995,278 101,314 1,393,356 379,966
1987 959,875 111,220 1,356,853 251,387
1986 925,334 70,988 1,050,277 186,227
1985 885,670 118,791 997,050 157,476
1984 844,956 190,045 920,670 137,632
1983 807,122 146,095 863,472 68,022
1982 774,823 97,495 1,080,853 66,702
1981 748,371 54,656 1,018,838 628,135
1980 724,111 51,685 1,007,516 -903,529
1979 691,773 181,028 987,203 -711,455
1978 646,411 268,974 943,388 -210,991
1977 638,242 -26,355 929,381 -527,133
1976 624,147 -25,965 899,577 -36,125
1975 608,655 -972 801,425 -42,540
1974 593,539 3,216 777,306 -4,232
1973 578,280 7,414 807,535 347
1972 564,495 2,840 779,808 -3,375
1971 549,343 -5,497 787,047 -14,510
1970 533,300 39,116 760,821 8,589
1969 514,800 46,778 736,428 7,258
1968 497,682 57,274 715,602 9,992
1967 479,552 64,307 695,283 14,437
1966 463,397 54,443 616,281 9,160
1965 429,002 61,397 642,359 16,348
1964 406,334 48,207 618,667 10,749
1963 398,972 41,960 590,998 9,418
1962 383,406 39,431 563,650 8,960
1961 368,207 35,654 538,518 6,938
1960 363,517 27,673 511,694 1,696

Data sources: World Bank | Health (1960–2025, retrieved 2026-04-06).

GeoRank.org/population/dr-congo/ethiopia | CC BY

Over the last 10 years, 99.1% of the population change in the DR Congo is from natural causes (a gain of 30,150,516 people) and 0.89% is from migration (a gain of 270,872 people). In Ethiopia 98.8% is from natural causes (a gain of 30,237,373 people) and 1.19% is from migration (a gain of 365,488 people).

As of 2024, 1,085,090 residents or 1% of the population were not native-born in the DR Congo, compared to 1,168,455 people or 0.9% in Ethiopia.

Biggest cities by population

DR Congo
City Population
Kinshasa 14.6M
Mbuji-Mayi 2.89M
Kananga 1.97M
Lubumbashi 1.79M
Kisangani 1.37M
Tshikapa 1.01M
Uvira 726K
Bukavu 707K
Kolwezi 480K
Mbandaka 470K
Ethiopia
City Population
Addis Ababa 5.7M
Gondar 324K
Mekelle 324K
Awasa 300K
Dire Dawa 277K
Bahir Dar 243K
Dessie 188K
Jimma 178K
Harar 157K
Jijiga 126K

Compare countries by 7 more topics

Population map with other countries

1x

Data sources: World Bank | Health (1960–2024, retrieved 2026-04-06); United Nations | World Population Prospects (1960–2026, retrieved 2026-03-10); U.S. Census Bureau (1960–2025, retrieved 2026-02-08); Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) (2000–2019, retrieved 2026-02-20).

GeoRank.org/population/dr-congo/ethiopia | CC BY

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Data sources:

  1. World Bank | Health (1960–2025, retrieved 2026-04-06)
  2. United Nations | World Population Prospects (1960–2100, retrieved 2026-03-10)
  3. U.S. Census Bureau (1960–2025, retrieved 2026-02-08)
  4. Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) (2000–2019, retrieved 2026-02-20)
  5. Wikidata (2026, retrieved 2026-02-08)

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