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

Updated on by Georank

The latest officially reported population of the DR Congo was 112,832,473 in 2025 vs 51,684,564 people in South Korea in 2025. In 2026, based on the adjusted UN estimation, the current DR Congo's population is 118,386,491 people compared to 51,624,449 in South Korea.

Population statistics:

  • The DR Congo's population is 2.29 times bigger than South Korea's.
  • The DR Congo is ranked the 14th most populous country in the world, while South Korea is the 31st.
  • The countries together account for 2.05% of the world: 1.42% for the DR Congo vs 0.62% for South Korea.
  • For the last 10 years, the DR Congo has had an average growth rate of +3.36% per year vs +0.17% in South Korea.
  • Since 2006, the population of the DR Congo has increased from 60.6M people to 118M (95.3% growth), while South Korea has grown from 48.4M to 51.6M (6.58% growth).

DR Congo vs South Korea: population by year and forecast

DR Congo
Factual

Projection
South Korea
Factual

Projection
1x
Year Population
DR Congo South Korea
2100 436,237,219 22,001,649
2099 433,289,774 22,324,514
2098 430,252,622 22,657,541
2097 427,149,320 22,998,315
2096 423,961,963 23,348,632
2095 420,678,721 23,711,049
2094 417,304,547 24,081,510
2093 413,867,290 24,460,970
2092 410,362,003 24,848,715
2091 406,763,717 25,242,926
2090 403,089,566 25,642,926
2089 399,334,389 26,048,094
2088 395,507,774 26,457,020
2087 391,613,249 26,871,556
2086 387,639,503 27,288,450
2085 383,604,733 27,710,065
2084 379,495,246 28,133,600
2083 375,330,369 28,564,090
2082 371,124,615 28,998,646
2081 366,878,238 29,441,497
2080 362,574,665 29,887,135
2079 358,227,097 30,337,095
2078 353,821,014 30,793,984
2077 349,368,182 31,258,278
2076 344,866,731 31,728,826
2075 340,338,504 32,205,338
2074 335,761,691 32,689,892
2073 331,157,281 33,180,187
2072 326,505,656 33,679,874
2071 321,830,769 34,187,068
2070 317,104,580 34,702,204
2069 312,349,776 35,224,472
2068 307,566,932 35,745,164
2067 302,762,490 36,274,411
2066 297,932,241 36,808,495
2065 293,081,284 37,349,660
2064 288,211,987 37,897,742
2063 283,315,009 38,450,082
2062 278,399,192 39,009,227
2061 273,464,914 39,565,102
2060 268,520,814 40,130,032
2059 263,570,338 40,692,438
2058 258,622,778 41,256,780
2057 253,685,085 41,813,259
2056 248,748,321 42,356,530
2055 243,814,854 42,888,143
2054 238,885,417 43,405,840
2053 233,971,468 43,917,075
2052 229,073,420 44,419,192
2051 224,197,775 44,901,452
2050 219,354,949 45,362,931
2049 214,547,398 45,809,553
2048 209,774,448 46,235,718
2047 205,040,532 46,645,885
2046 200,341,405 47,033,200
2045 195,693,533 47,409,815
2044 191,087,342 47,773,842
2043 186,534,055 48,120,989
2042 182,033,706 48,455,085
2041 177,583,290 48,782,206
2040 173,191,594 49,091,438
2039 168,846,440 49,388,464
2038 164,551,895 49,669,835
2037 160,316,591 49,932,869
2036 156,099,100 50,175,947
2035 151,924,296 50,401,135
2034 147,782,785 50,607,994
2033 143,684,929 50,796,030
2032 139,642,368 50,961,878
2031 135,634,548 51,109,725
2030 131,685,113 51,242,628
2029 127,793,612 51,360,529
2028 123,956,913 51,461,403
2027 120,188,952 51,551,313
2026 116,482,769 51,624,449
2025 112,832,473 51,684,564
2024 109,276,265 51,751,065
2023 105,789,731 51,712,619
2022 102,396,968 51,672,569
2021 99,148,932 51,769,539
2020 95,989,998 51,836,239
2019 92,947,442 51,764,822
2018 90,047,644 51,585,058
2017 87,083,398 51,361,911
2016 83,956,415 51,217,803
2015 81,035,531 51,014,947
2014 78,403,242 50,746,659
2013 75,789,395 50,428,893
2012 73,254,618 50,199,853
2011 70,849,311 49,936,638
2010 68,563,038 49,554,112
2009 66,412,044 49,307,835
2008 64,390,664 49,054,708
2007 62,477,752 48,683,638
2006 60,615,908 48,438,292
2005 58,775,724 48,184,561
2004 56,997,741 48,082,519
2003 55,343,867 47,892,330
2002 53,750,524 47,644,736
2001 52,132,646 47,370,164
2000 50,507,442 47,008,111
1999 48,912,971 46,616,677
1998 47,297,600 46,286,503
1997 46,029,902 45,953,580
1996 45,296,124 45,524,681
1995 44,433,704 45,092,991
1994 42,626,876 44,641,540
1993 40,656,336 44,194,628
1992 39,228,910 43,747,962
1991 37,925,817 43,295,704
1990 36,684,063 42,869,283
1989 35,486,866 42,449,038
1988 34,382,752 42,031,247
1987 33,298,904 41,621,690
1986 32,265,196 41,213,674
1985 31,264,816 40,805,744
1984 30,245,081 40,405,956
1983 29,250,963 39,910,403
1982 28,338,190 39,326,352
1981 27,500,515 38,723,248
1980 26,711,099 38,123,775
1979 25,886,782 37,534,236
1978 24,992,689 36,969,185
1977 24,229,061 36,411,795
1976 23,624,031 35,848,523
1975 23,021,101 35,280,725
1974 22,418,878 34,692,266
1973 21,827,665 34,103,149
1972 21,251,160 33,505,406
1971 20,695,569 32,882,704
1970 20,137,436 32,240,827
1969 19,570,445 31,544,266
1968 19,012,189 30,838,302
1967 18,462,782 30,130,983
1966 17,931,929 29,435,571
1965 17,427,802 28,704,674
1964 16,955,327 27,984,155
1963 16,507,599 27,261,747
1962 16,075,724 26,513,030
1961 15,662,374 25,765,673
1960 15,264,846 25,012,374

Data sources: United Nations | World Population Prospects (2026–2100, retrieved 2026-07-08); World Bank | Health (1960–2025, retrieved 2026-07-08).

GeoRank.org/population/dr-congo/south-korea | CC BY

From 2006 to 2016, the population of the DR Congo increased by 23,340,507 people (a 38.5% growth), while South Korea gained 2,779,511 people (a 5.74% growth).

For the next 10 years, from 2016 to 2026, the DR Congo gained 34,430,076 people (a 41% growth), while South Korea's population increased by 406,646 people (a 0.79% growth).

The DR Congo was ranked 22nd most populous country in 2006 and is 14th in 2026. South Korea was ranked 25th in 2006 and ranked 31st now.

The UN's World Population Prospects forecasts that in 24 years (in 2050) the DR Congo's population will grow by 85.3% to 219,354,949 people with a rank change from 14th to 8th. The population of South Korea will decrease by 12.1% to 45,362,931 people and rank change from 31st to 48th.

The DR Congo is projected to reach its peak in 2100 at 436M people, while South Korea's population already peaked in 2020 at 51.8M people and is projected to decrease to 22M people by 2100.

Population growth rate by year

DR Congo
Factual

Projection
South Korea
Factual

Projection
1x
Year Growth rate
DR Congo South Korea
2100 0.68% -1.45%
2099 0.71% -1.47%
2098 0.73% -1.48%
2097 0.75% -1.5%
2096 0.78% -1.53%
2095 0.81% -1.54%
2094 0.83% -1.55%
2093 0.85% -1.56%
2092 0.88% -1.56%
2091 0.91% -1.56%
2090 0.94% -1.56%
2089 0.97% -1.55%
2088 0.99% -1.54%
2087 1.03% -1.53%
2086 1.05% -1.52%
2085 1.08% -1.51%
2084 1.11% -1.51%
2083 1.13% -1.5%
2082 1.16% -1.5%
2081 1.19% -1.49%
2080 1.21% -1.48%
2079 1.25% -1.48%
2078 1.27% -1.49%
2077 1.31% -1.48%
2076 1.33% -1.48%
2075 1.36% -1.48%
2074 1.39% -1.48%
2073 1.42% -1.48%
2072 1.45% -1.48%
2071 1.49% -1.48%
2070 1.52% -1.48%
2069 1.56% -1.46%
2068 1.59% -1.46%
2067 1.62% -1.45%
2066 1.66% -1.45%
2065 1.69% -1.45%
2064 1.73% -1.44%
2063 1.77% -1.43%
2062 1.8% -1.4%
2061 1.84% -1.41%
2060 1.88% -1.38%
2059 1.91% -1.37%
2058 1.95% -1.33%
2057 1.98% -1.28%
2056 2.02% -1.24%
2055 2.06% -1.19%
2054 2.1% -1.16%
2053 2.14% -1.13%
2052 2.17% -1.07%
2051 2.21% -1.02%
2050 2.24% -0.97%
2049 2.28% -0.92%
2048 2.31% -0.88%
2047 2.35% -0.82%
2046 2.38% -0.79%
2045 2.41% -0.76%
2044 2.44% -0.72%
2043 2.47% -0.69%
2042 2.51% -0.67%
2041 2.54% -0.63%
2040 2.57% -0.6%
2039 2.61% -0.57%
2038 2.64% -0.53%
2037 2.7% -0.48%
2036 2.75% -0.45%
2035 2.8% -0.41%
2034 2.85% -0.37%
2033 2.89% -0.33%
2032 2.95% -0.29%
2031 3% -0.26%
2030 3.05% -0.23%
2029 3.1% -0.2%
2028 3.14% -0.17%
2027 3.18% -0.14%
2026 3.24% -0.12%
2025 3.25% -0.13%
2024 3.3% 0.07%
2023 3.31% 0.08%
2022 3.28% -0.19%
2021 3.29% -0.13%
2020 3.27% 0.14%
2019 3.22% 0.35%
2018 3.4% 0.43%
2017 3.72% 0.28%
2016 3.6% 0.4%
2015 3.36% 0.53%
2014 3.45% 0.63%
2013 3.46% 0.46%
2012 3.39% 0.53%
2011 3.33% 0.77%
2010 3.24% 0.5%
2009 3.14% 0.52%
2008 3.06% 0.76%
2007 3.07% 0.51%
2006 3.13% 0.53%
2005 3.12% 0.21%
2004 2.99% 0.4%
2003 2.96% 0.52%
2002 3.1% 0.58%
2001 3.22% 0.77%
2000 3.26% 0.84%
1999 3.42% 0.71%
1998 2.75% 0.72%
1997 1.62% 0.94%
1996 1.94% 0.96%
1995 4.24% 1.01%
1994 4.85% 1.01%
1993 3.64% 1.02%
1992 3.44% 1.04%
1991 3.38% 0.99%
1990 3.37% 0.99%
1989 3.21% 0.99%
1988 3.25% 0.98%
1987 3.2% 0.99%
1986 3.2% 1%
1985 3.37% 0.99%
1984 3.4% 1.24%
1983 3.22% 1.49%
1982 3.05% 1.56%
1981 2.96% 1.57%
1980 3.18% 1.57%
1979 3.58% 1.53%
1978 3.15% 1.53%
1977 2.56% 1.57%
1976 2.62% 1.61%
1975 2.69% 1.7%
1974 2.71% 1.73%
1973 2.71% 1.78%
1972 2.68% 1.89%
1971 2.77% 1.99%
1970 2.9% 2.21%
1969 2.94% 2.29%
1968 2.98% 2.35%
1967 2.96% 2.36%
1966 2.89% 2.55%
1965 2.79% 2.57%
1964 2.71% 2.65%
1963 2.69% 2.82%
1962 2.64% 2.9%
1961 2.6% 3.01%

Data sources: United Nations | World Population Prospects (2026–2100, retrieved 2026-07-08); World Bank | Health (1961–2025, retrieved 2026-07-08).

GeoRank.org/population/dr-congo/south-korea | CC BY

In 2025, the population of the DR Congo grew by 3.25%, while South Korea's population declined by 0.13%.

Live population counters

DR Congo South Korea
Current population
118386491
51624449
Population rank 14/197 31/197
Percent of world population 1.42% 0.62%
One net population change
8.89 seconds
7.93 minutes
One birth every
7.06 seconds
2.16 minutes
One death every
34.3 seconds
1.45 minutes
Daily growth/decline +9,743 -182
Annual growth/decline +3,556,208 -66,501
Annual growth/decline rate +3.25% -0.13%
Population growth rate rank 10/197 169/197
One migration net change every
19.3 minutes
8.02 minutes
Annual migration change -27,309 +65,731
Net migration rank 159/196 20/196
Foreign-born residents 1,085,090 1,811,507
Foreign-born residents rank 57/195 40/195
Foreign-born share of population 1% 3.5%
Foreign-born share rank 152/195 111/195

Natural population change vs migration

DR Congo
Natural

Migration
South Korea
Natural

Migration
1x
Year Population change
DR Congo South Korea
Natural Migration Natural Migration
2025 - -27,309 - 65,731
2024 3,547,217 -26,968 -119,027 75,963
2023 3,467,787 -14,992 -124,111 87,800
2022 3,347,664 -14,991 -124,014 87,800
2021 3,227,992 -64,639 -56,947 -16,778
2020 3,156,152 -1,633 -31,101 112,631
2019 3,075,538 -144,920 10,353 128,622
2018 2,993,184 -124,246 30,951 118,220
2017 2,883,245 176,290 71,907 104,029
2016 2,753,687 440,748 122,923 91,568
2015 2,665,016 -17,711 163,248 276,427
2014 2,580,251 36,966 167,464 308,037
2013 2,489,378 121,097 166,415 301,926
2012 2,405,462 53,668 215,859 281,866
2011 2,310,679 40,891 214,728 269,958
2010 2,212,255 8,823 213,083 52,042
2009 2,126,912 -46,009 197,231 5,308
2008 2,044,210 -82,339 215,841 -19,630
2007 1,963,738 -99,742 248,286 -42,293
2006 1,889,398 -29,715 203,441 -28,434
2005 1,800,300 20,384 187,920 -47,821
2004 1,731,022 4,260 225,988 -42,549
2003 1,679,188 -106,731 244,251 -31,994
2002 1,631,597 -17,358 247,752 -18,105
2001 1,594,999 26,523 312,643 -28,006
2000 1,549,518 79,340 390,167 -84,960
1999 1,450,318 109,761 368,272 -107,448
1998 1,375,130 295,560 393,436 -98,044
1997 1,392,037 -527,356 422,773 -109,130
1996 1,380,490 -777,833 446,142 -115,705
1995 1,395,440 -273,434 468,967 -208,491
1994 1,259,539 1,232,105 473,200 -208,309
1993 1,209,242 240,176 477,302 -222,802
1992 1,152,781 252,666 494,352 -265,849
1991 1,114,033 86,721 467,594 -270,754
1990 1,063,508 219,270 411,546 79,294
1989 1,027,238 84,415 403,266 186,120
1988 995,278 101,314 399,297 192,534
1987 959,875 111,220 378,758 198,057
1986 925,334 70,988 395,651 189,782
1985 885,670 118,791 416,219 97,949
1984 844,956 190,045 436,384 101,394
1983 807,122 146,095 514,844 102,167
1982 774,823 97,495 605,626 48,638
1981 748,371 54,656 631,189 18,442
1980 724,111 51,685 583,294 -148,341
1979 691,773 181,028 623,068 -139,566
1978 646,411 268,974 499,084 -85,721
1977 638,242 -26,355 578,947 -90,737
1976 624,147 -25,965 530,558 -92,314
1975 608,655 -972 603,300 -52,332
1974 593,539 3,216 673,030 27,005
1973 578,280 7,414 699,115 35,779
1972 564,495 2,840 740,469 25,382
1971 549,343 -5,497 789,185 -6,326
1970 533,300 39,116 747,987 -27,999
1969 514,800 46,778 694,227 -21,175
1968 497,682 57,274 684,487 -16,868
1967 479,552 64,307 692,169 -16,484
1966 463,397 54,443 623,534 -16,688
1965 429,002 61,397 641,090 -146,386
1964 406,334 48,207 655,501 -102,284
1963 398,972 41,960 685,824 -80,226
1962 383,406 39,431 712,590 -94,606
1961 368,207 35,654 730,173 -93,179
1960 363,517 27,673 728,010 47,245

Data sources: World Bank | Health (1960–2025, retrieved 2026-07-08).

GeoRank.org/population/dr-congo/south-korea | CC BY

Over the last 10 years, 99.3% of the population change in the DR Congo is from natural causes (a gain of 31,117,482 people) and 0.66% is from migration (a gain of 206,938 people). In South Korea 4.97% is from natural causes (a loss of 55,818 people) and 95% is from migration (a gain of 1,066,282 people).

As of 2024, 1,085,090 residents or 1% of the population were not native-born in the DR Congo, compared to 1,811,507 people or 3.5% in South Korea.

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 573K
Mbandaka 470K
South Korea
City Population
Seoul 9.67M
Busan 3.45M
Incheon 3.05M
Daegu 2.38M
Daejeon 1.48M
Gwangju 1.41M
Suwon 1.23M
Ulsan 1.13M
Yongin 1.08M
Goyang 1.06M

Compare countries by 7 more topics

Population map with other countries

1x

Data sources: World Bank | Health (1960–2025, retrieved 2026-07-08); United Nations | World Population Prospects (1960–2026, retrieved 2026-07-08); U.S. Census Bureau (1960–2025, retrieved 2026-07-08); Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) (2000–2019, retrieved 2026-07-08).

GeoRank.org/population/dr-congo/south-korea | CC BY

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Data sources:

  1. World Bank | Health (1960–2025, retrieved 2026-07-08)
  2. United Nations | World Population Prospects (1960–2100, retrieved 2026-07-08)
  3. U.S. Census Bureau (1960–2025, retrieved 2026-07-08)
  4. Wikidata (2026, retrieved 2026-07-08)
  5. Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) (2000–2019, retrieved 2026-07-08)

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