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

Updated on by Georank

The latest officially reported population of the DR Congo was 112,832,473 in 2025 vs 51,384,894 people in Uganda in 2025. In 2026, based on the adjusted UN estimation, the current DR Congo's population is 118,386,491 people compared to 53,495,325 in Uganda.

Population statistics:

  • The DR Congo's population is 2.21 times bigger than Uganda's.
  • The DR Congo is ranked the 14th most populous country in the world, while Uganda is the 30th.
  • The countries together account for 2.07% of the world: 1.42% for the DR Congo vs 0.64% for Uganda.
  • For the last 10 years, the DR Congo has had an average growth rate of +3.36% per year vs +3.19% in Uganda.
  • Since 2006, the population of the DR Congo has increased from 60.6M people to 118M (95.3% growth), while Uganda has grown from 28.8M to 53.5M (85.8% growth).

DR Congo vs Uganda: population by year and forecast

DR Congo
Factual

Projection
Uganda
Factual

Projection
1x
Year Population
DR Congo Uganda
2100 436,237,219 122,461,518
2099 433,289,774 122,400,118
2098 430,252,622 122,328,333
2097 427,149,320 122,230,315
2096 423,961,963 122,110,905
2095 420,678,721 121,940,556
2094 417,304,547 121,763,948
2093 413,867,290 121,549,120
2092 410,362,003 121,301,128
2091 406,763,717 121,034,858
2090 403,089,566 120,731,912
2089 399,334,389 120,392,371
2088 395,507,774 120,029,300
2087 391,613,249 119,633,372
2086 387,639,503 119,221,630
2085 383,604,733 118,780,837
2084 379,495,246 118,304,392
2083 375,330,369 117,787,304
2082 371,124,615 117,240,484
2081 366,878,238 116,673,088
2080 362,574,665 116,061,969
2079 358,227,097 115,440,209
2078 353,821,014 114,771,629
2077 349,368,182 114,085,142
2076 344,866,731 113,356,858
2075 340,338,504 112,604,741
2074 335,761,691 111,830,528
2073 331,157,281 111,038,122
2072 326,505,656 110,208,535
2071 321,830,769 109,360,734
2070 317,104,580 108,473,738
2069 312,349,776 107,576,028
2068 307,566,932 106,646,220
2067 302,762,490 105,691,752
2066 297,932,241 104,708,323
2065 293,081,284 103,707,399
2064 288,211,987 102,671,371
2063 283,315,009 101,616,654
2062 278,399,192 100,532,299
2061 273,464,914 99,421,530
2060 268,520,814 98,305,883
2059 263,570,338 97,158,930
2058 258,622,778 95,986,215
2057 253,685,085 94,793,892
2056 248,748,321 93,585,691
2055 243,814,854 92,357,892
2054 238,885,417 91,106,039
2053 233,971,468 89,831,291
2052 229,073,420 88,542,276
2051 224,197,775 87,244,950
2050 219,354,949 85,932,109
2049 214,547,398 84,607,399
2048 209,774,448 83,260,483
2047 205,040,532 81,904,082
2046 200,341,405 80,545,542
2045 195,693,533 79,185,378
2044 191,087,342 77,812,065
2043 186,534,055 76,431,508
2042 182,033,706 75,053,218
2041 177,583,290 73,680,031
2040 173,191,594 72,312,112
2039 168,846,440 70,942,351
2038 164,551,895 69,559,994
2037 160,316,591 68,166,092
2036 156,099,100 66,785,108
2035 151,924,296 65,392,706
2034 147,782,785 64,004,533
2033 143,684,929 62,616,072
2032 139,642,368 61,217,174
2031 135,634,548 59,807,490
2030 131,685,113 58,398,308
2029 127,793,612 56,989,526
2028 123,956,913 55,580,177
2027 120,188,952 54,175,341
2026 116,482,769 52,777,106
2025 112,832,473 51,384,894
2024 109,276,265 50,015,092
2023 105,789,731 48,656,601
2022 102,396,968 47,312,719
2021 99,148,932 45,910,930
2020 95,989,998 44,457,152
2019 92,947,442 42,999,637
2018 90,047,644 41,565,831
2017 87,083,398 40,177,388
2016 83,956,415 38,799,152
2015 81,035,531 37,531,446
2014 78,403,242 36,395,539
2013 75,789,395 35,337,042
2012 73,254,618 34,337,438
2011 70,849,311 33,354,543
2010 68,563,038 32,390,802
2009 66,412,044 31,451,151
2008 64,390,664 30,539,553
2007 62,477,752 29,653,430
2006 60,615,908 28,794,003
2005 58,775,724 27,963,289
2004 56,997,741 27,154,515
2003 55,343,867 26,352,124
2002 53,750,524 25,532,870
2001 52,132,646 24,745,676
2000 50,507,442 24,000,150
1999 48,912,971 23,257,281
1998 47,297,600 22,515,806
1997 46,029,902 21,856,046
1996 45,296,124 21,231,550
1995 44,433,704 20,665,667
1994 42,626,876 20,108,801
1993 40,656,336 19,445,161
1992 39,228,910 18,785,032
1991 37,925,817 18,155,901
1990 36,684,063 17,569,897
1989 35,486,866 17,010,698
1988 34,382,752 16,470,483
1987 33,298,904 15,954,170
1986 32,265,196 15,467,579
1985 31,264,816 15,023,681
1984 30,245,081 14,607,677
1983 29,250,963 14,221,881
1982 28,338,190 13,873,631
1981 27,500,515 13,556,452
1980 26,711,099 13,275,741
1979 25,886,782 13,002,163
1978 24,992,689 12,692,113
1977 24,229,061 12,359,669
1976 23,624,031 12,037,294
1975 23,021,101 11,725,240
1974 22,418,878 11,424,846
1973 21,827,665 11,144,236
1972 21,251,160 10,885,796
1971 20,695,569 10,618,206
1970 20,137,436 10,321,603
1969 19,570,445 10,014,858
1968 19,012,189 9,708,632
1967 18,462,782 9,408,924
1966 17,931,929 9,122,864
1965 17,427,802 8,849,203
1964 16,955,327 8,586,363
1963 16,507,599 8,333,663
1962 16,075,724 8,092,231
1961 15,662,374 7,862,217
1960 15,264,846 7,640,973

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/uganda | CC BY

From 2006 to 2016, the population of the DR Congo increased by 23,340,507 people (a 38.5% growth), while Uganda gained 10,005,149 people (a 34.7% growth).

For the next 10 years, from 2016 to 2026, the DR Congo gained 34,430,076 people (a 41% growth), while Uganda's population increased by 14,696,173 people (a 37.9% growth).

The DR Congo was ranked 22nd most populous country in 2006 and is 14th in 2026. Uganda was ranked 38th in 2006 and ranked 30th 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 Uganda will increase by 60.6% to 85,932,109 people and rank change from 30th to 20th.

The DR Congo is projected to reach its peak in 2100 at 436M people compared to the peak of 122M people in 2100 for Uganda.

Population growth rate by year

DR Congo
Factual

Projection
Uganda
Factual

Projection
1x
Year Growth rate
DR Congo Uganda
2100 0.68% 0.05%
2099 0.71% 0.06%
2098 0.73% 0.08%
2097 0.75% 0.1%
2096 0.78% 0.14%
2095 0.81% 0.15%
2094 0.83% 0.18%
2093 0.85% 0.2%
2092 0.88% 0.22%
2091 0.91% 0.25%
2090 0.94% 0.28%
2089 0.97% 0.3%
2088 0.99% 0.33%
2087 1.03% 0.35%
2086 1.05% 0.37%
2085 1.08% 0.4%
2084 1.11% 0.44%
2083 1.13% 0.47%
2082 1.16% 0.49%
2081 1.19% 0.53%
2080 1.21% 0.54%
2079 1.25% 0.58%
2078 1.27% 0.6%
2077 1.31% 0.64%
2076 1.33% 0.67%
2075 1.36% 0.69%
2074 1.39% 0.71%
2073 1.42% 0.75%
2072 1.45% 0.78%
2071 1.49% 0.82%
2070 1.52% 0.83%
2069 1.56% 0.87%
2068 1.59% 0.9%
2067 1.62% 0.94%
2066 1.66% 0.97%
2065 1.69% 1.01%
2064 1.73% 1.04%
2063 1.77% 1.08%
2062 1.8% 1.12%
2061 1.84% 1.13%
2060 1.88% 1.18%
2059 1.91% 1.22%
2058 1.95% 1.26%
2057 1.98% 1.29%
2056 2.02% 1.33%
2055 2.06% 1.37%
2054 2.1% 1.42%
2053 2.14% 1.46%
2052 2.17% 1.49%
2051 2.21% 1.53%
2050 2.24% 1.57%
2049 2.28% 1.62%
2048 2.31% 1.66%
2047 2.35% 1.69%
2046 2.38% 1.72%
2045 2.41% 1.76%
2044 2.44% 1.81%
2043 2.47% 1.84%
2042 2.51% 1.86%
2041 2.54% 1.89%
2040 2.57% 1.93%
2039 2.61% 1.99%
2038 2.64% 2.04%
2037 2.7% 2.07%
2036 2.75% 2.13%
2035 2.8% 2.17%
2034 2.85% 2.22%
2033 2.89% 2.29%
2032 2.95% 2.36%
2031 3% 2.41%
2030 3.05% 2.47%
2029 3.1% 2.54%
2028 3.14% 2.59%
2027 3.18% 2.65%
2026 3.24% 2.71%
2025 3.25% 2.74%
2024 3.3% 2.79%
2023 3.31% 2.84%
2022 3.28% 3.05%
2021 3.29% 3.27%
2020 3.27% 3.39%
2019 3.22% 3.45%
2018 3.4% 3.46%
2017 3.72% 3.55%
2016 3.6% 3.38%
2015 3.36% 3.12%
2014 3.45% 3%
2013 3.46% 2.91%
2012 3.39% 2.95%
2011 3.33% 2.98%
2010 3.24% 2.99%
2009 3.14% 2.98%
2008 3.06% 2.99%
2007 3.07% 2.98%
2006 3.13% 2.97%
2005 3.12% 2.98%
2004 2.99% 3.04%
2003 2.96% 3.21%
2002 3.1% 3.18%
2001 3.22% 3.11%
2000 3.26% 3.19%
1999 3.42% 3.29%
1998 2.75% 3.02%
1997 1.62% 2.94%
1996 1.94% 2.74%
1995 4.24% 2.77%
1994 4.85% 3.41%
1993 3.64% 3.51%
1992 3.44% 3.47%
1991 3.38% 3.34%
1990 3.37% 3.29%
1989 3.21% 3.28%
1988 3.25% 3.24%
1987 3.2% 3.15%
1986 3.2% 2.95%
1985 3.37% 2.85%
1984 3.4% 2.71%
1983 3.22% 2.51%
1982 3.05% 2.34%
1981 2.96% 2.11%
1980 3.18% 2.1%
1979 3.58% 2.44%
1978 3.15% 2.69%
1977 2.56% 2.68%
1976 2.62% 2.66%
1975 2.69% 2.63%
1974 2.71% 2.52%
1973 2.71% 2.37%
1972 2.68% 2.52%
1971 2.77% 2.87%
1970 2.9% 3.06%
1969 2.94% 3.15%
1968 2.98% 3.19%
1967 2.96% 3.14%
1966 2.89% 3.09%
1965 2.79% 3.06%
1964 2.71% 3.03%
1963 2.69% 2.98%
1962 2.64% 2.93%
1961 2.6% 2.9%

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/uganda | CC BY

In 2025, the population of the DR Congo grew by 3.25%, while Uganda's population grew by 2.74%.

Live population counters

DR Congo Uganda
Current population
118386491
53495325
Population rank 14/197 30/197
Percent of world population 1.42% 0.64%
One net population change
8.89 seconds
23.1 seconds
One birth every
7.06 seconds
18.3 seconds
One death every
34.3 seconds
2.2 minutes
Daily growth/decline +9,743 +3,753
Annual growth/decline +3,556,208 +1,369,802
Annual growth/decline rate +3.25% +2.74%
Population growth rate rank 10/197 21/197
One migration net change every
19.3 minutes
4.43 minutes
Annual migration change -27,309 -119,059
Net migration rank 159/196 183/196
Foreign-born residents 1,085,090 2,057,759
Foreign-born residents rank 57/195 37/195
Foreign-born share of population 1% 4.1%
Foreign-born share rank 152/195 106/195

Natural population change vs migration

DR Congo
Natural

Migration
Uganda
Natural

Migration
1x
Year Population change
DR Congo Uganda
Natural Migration Natural Migration
2025 - -27,309 - -119,059
2024 3,547,217 -26,968 1,483,898 -117,924
2023 3,467,787 -14,992 1,477,166 -126,181
2022 3,347,664 -14,991 1,455,576 -118,843
2021 3,227,992 -64,639 1,423,377 43,464
2020 3,156,152 -1,633 1,397,288 43,464
2019 3,075,538 -144,920 1,367,044 107,210
2018 2,993,184 -124,246 1,332,600 60,724
2017 2,883,245 176,290 1,290,658 92,879
2016 2,753,687 440,748 1,249,565 123,379
2015 2,665,016 -17,711 1,224,839 -62,366
2014 2,580,251 36,966 1,201,599 -92,273
2013 2,489,378 121,097 1,184,250 -176,579
2012 2,405,462 53,668 1,167,473 -175,936
2011 2,310,679 40,891 1,147,263 -173,005
2010 2,212,255 8,823 1,121,564 -168,322
2009 2,126,912 -46,009 1,090,600 -164,553
2008 2,044,210 -82,339 1,055,935 -158,790
2007 1,963,738 -99,742 1,029,893 -154,773
2006 1,889,398 -29,715 999,958 -156,232
2005 1,800,300 20,384 969,096 -151,386
2004 1,731,022 4,260 938,623 -138,770
2003 1,679,188 -106,731 901,374 -96,429
2002 1,631,597 -17,358 868,756 -35,149
2001 1,594,999 26,523 836,751 -95,956
2000 1,549,518 79,340 803,069 -52,824
1999 1,450,318 109,761 775,166 -39,695
1998 1,375,130 295,560 741,175 6,277
1997 1,392,037 -527,356 727,523 -155,461
1996 1,380,490 -777,833 699,707 -22,795
1995 1,395,440 -273,434 697,218 -242,378
1994 1,259,539 1,232,105 675,092 -16,198
1993 1,209,242 240,176 650,032 18,349
1992 1,152,781 252,666 627,139 24,723
1991 1,114,033 86,721 602,740 3,643
1990 1,063,508 219,270 587,291 -21,688
1989 1,027,238 84,415 565,367 -12,576
1988 995,278 101,314 547,759 -20,113
1987 959,875 111,220 527,397 -22,415
1986 925,334 70,988 487,693 -19,485
1985 885,670 118,791 462,534 -42,942
1984 844,956 190,045 421,241 -8,818
1983 807,122 146,095 404,940 -45,776
1982 774,823 97,495 390,820 -53,497
1981 748,371 54,656 380,028 -83,010
1980 724,111 51,685 370,287 -105,900
1979 691,773 181,028 381,626 -98,863
1978 646,411 268,974 371,930 -34,606
1977 638,242 -26,355 365,216 -37,671
1976 624,147 -25,965 359,458 -42,259
1975 608,655 -972 354,278 -47,359
1974 593,539 3,216 345,773 -51,910
1973 578,280 7,414 340,780 -73,439
1972 564,495 2,840 335,935 -86,409
1971 549,343 -5,497 328,294 -42,642
1970 533,300 39,116 333,202 -25,646
1969 514,800 46,778 320,486 -14,548
1968 497,682 57,274 309,725 -3,214
1967 479,552 64,307 296,692 -3,773
1966 463,397 54,443 282,225 -3,021
1965 429,002 61,397 271,830 -3,716
1964 406,334 48,207 260,733 -3,169
1963 398,972 41,960 250,885 -3,058
1962 383,406 39,431 241,513 -6,470
1961 368,207 35,654 232,894 -7,893
1960 363,517 27,673 225,080 -7,586

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

GeoRank.org/population/dr-congo/uganda | 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 Uganda 99.7% is from natural causes (a gain of 13,702,011 people) and 0.33% is from migration (a gain of 45,806 people).

As of 2024, 1,085,090 residents or 1% of the population were not native-born in the DR Congo, compared to 2,057,759 people or 4.1% in Uganda.

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
Uganda
City Population
Kampala 1.68M
Mbale 586K
Arua 385K
Kira Town 317K
Jinja 279K
Gulu 177K
Kasese 134K
Entebbe 70K
Tororo 42.9K

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/uganda | 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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