Refugees
603,844refugees and others in need of protection hosted, 2025
1.3 mfrom it, abroad, 2025
Source: UNHCR Refugee Data Finder2025
Country page · Updated 13 Nov 2026
Democratic Republic of the Congo
The Democratic Republic of the Congo mines 73% of the world’s cobalt (USGS, 2025, estimated). It has 113 m people (World Bank, 2025) and an economy of $91 bn a year (World Bank, 2025). It imports all of its potash supply (FAOSTAT, 2024, estimated).
Written automatically from the figures on this page.
- Population
- 113 m (2025)
Boundaries: Natural Earth 1:50m, which shows who controls an area in practice. Borders shown do not imply endorsement.
- GDPUS$91.0billion80th of 186World Bank · 2025
- Population113million15th of 216World Bank · 2025
- GDP per personUS$807179th of 186World Bank · 2025
- Military, % GDP1.4% of GDP89th of 150World Bank · 2025
- CO2 per person0.1t213th of 213Global Carbon Budget · 2024
Dependencies at a glance
The Democratic Republic of the Congo imports all of its potash supply.
Imports mostImports someLow net tradeExporter
| Resource | Dependence | Position | Main partners |
|---|---|---|---|
| Oil | Imports some | Imports 32% of the oil it usesEIA, use 2024 · UN Comtrade, imports 2025, Rwanda → Democratic Republic of the Congo as reported by the exporter | South Africa, United Arab Emirates, Rwanda |
| Natural gas | Uses no gas, by this source PreliminaryEIA, 2024 | No partner data from the source | |
| Wheat | Imports most | Imports 98% of the wheat it usesFAOSTAT, use 2020 · FAOSTAT, imports 2023 | Poland, Russia, Lithuania |
| Maize | Low net trade | Imports 1.5% of the maize it usesFAOSTAT, use 2024 · FAOSTAT, imports 2023 | Argentina |
| Rice | Imports some | Imports 16% of the rice it uses EstimateFAOSTAT, use 2024 · FAOSTAT, imports 2023 | Thailand, India, China |
| Soybeans | Low net trade | Imports 0.4% of the soybeans it usesFAOSTAT, use 2024 · FAOSTAT, imports 2023 | Nigeria |
| Potash | Imports most | Imports all of its potash supply EstimateFAOSTAT, supply 2024 · UN Comtrade, imports 2025 | Russia, South Africa, Germany |
| Phosphate | Imports most | Imports all of its phosphate supply EstimateFAOSTAT, supply 2024 · UN Comtrade, imports 2025 | Morocco, Türkiye, South Africa |
| Arms | Supplier concentration only | Main supplier: South Africa, 47% of importsSIPRI, 2021–2025 | South Africa, China, Türkiye |
| Chips | Supplier concentration only | Main supplier: China, 69% of importsUN Comtrade, 2025 | China, Belgium, South Africa |
Dependence is net imports: imports minus exports, as a share of what the country uses; for potash and phosphate, of its supply (production plus net imports). Arms and chips show supplier concentration only: the main supplier’s share of imports (arms: five-year totals of deliveries in SIPRI’s trend-indicator value, SIPRI’s measure of military capability delivered, not price or number of weapons).
- OilImports some
Imports 32% of the oil it uses
Main partners: South Africa, United Arab Emirates, Rwanda
EIA, use 2024 · UN Comtrade, imports 2025, Rwanda → Democratic Republic of the Congo as reported by the exporter
- Natural gas
Uses no gas, by this source Preliminary
Main partners: No partner data from the source
EIA, 2024
- WheatImports most
Imports 98% of the wheat it uses
Main partners: Poland, Russia, Lithuania
FAOSTAT, use 2020 · FAOSTAT, imports 2023
- MaizeLow net trade
Imports 1.5% of the maize it uses
Main partners: Argentina
FAOSTAT, use 2024 · FAOSTAT, imports 2023
- RiceImports some
Imports 16% of the rice it uses Estimate
Main partners: Thailand, India, China
FAOSTAT, use 2024 · FAOSTAT, imports 2023
- SoybeansLow net trade
Imports 0.4% of the soybeans it uses
Main partners: Nigeria
FAOSTAT, use 2024 · FAOSTAT, imports 2023
- PotashImports most
Imports all of its potash supply Estimate
Main partners: Russia, South Africa, Germany
FAOSTAT, supply 2024 · UN Comtrade, imports 2025
- PhosphateImports most
Imports all of its phosphate supply Estimate
Main partners: Morocco, Türkiye, South Africa
FAOSTAT, supply 2024 · UN Comtrade, imports 2025
- ArmsSupplier concentration only
Main supplier: South Africa, 47% of imports
Main partners: South Africa, China, Türkiye
SIPRI, 2021–2025
- ChipsSupplier concentration only
Main supplier: China, 69% of imports
Main partners: China, Belgium, South Africa
UN Comtrade, 2025
Source: EIA; FAOSTAT; SIPRI; UN Comtradeyear in each rowUpdated 13 Nov 2026
Dependencies toolWhere it supplies 10% or more of the world
The Democratic Republic of the Congo mines 73% of the world’s cobalt (USGS, 2025, estimated).
Source: USGS Mineral Commodity Summaries2025, estimatedUpdated 13 Nov 2026Estimate
Critical minerals mapMoney and reserves
The Democratic Republic of the Congo’s economy produced $91 bn in 2025.
GDP, 2000–2025
Source: World Bank Indicators2000–2025Updated 13 Nov 2026
Economic growth5.8%2025 · 36th of 186 · World Bank
Unemployment4.4%2025 · 109th of 181 · World Bank
ReservesUS$5.10billion2023 · 92nd of 168 · World Bank
Trade94% of GDP2024 · 68th of 172 · World Bank
Foreign investment inUS$1.87billion2025 · 71st of 200 · World Bank
People
The Democratic Republic of the Congo had 113 m people in 2025.
Population, 1950–2100
Projection: UN projection, medium variant, after 2023Range between the UN low- and high-fertility scenarios
Source: UN World Population ProspectsUpdated 13 Nov 2026Projection
The Democratic Republic of the Congo’s population by age
1950200020502100
Source: UN World Population Prospects1950–2100Updated 13 Nov 2026Projection
Births per woman6.052023 · 4th of 237 · UN WPP 2024
Median age15.82023 · 232nd of 237 · UN WPP 2024
Aged 65 and over3.1%2025, Projection, medium variant · UN WPP 2024
Climate and hazards
The Democratic Republic of the Congo emitted 5.9 Mt of CO2 from fossil fuels and cement in 2024.
The Democratic Republic of the Congo’s CO2 emissions, million tonnes, 1990–2024
Source: Our World in Data CO21990–2024Updated 13 Nov 2026
CO2 emissions6Mt2024 · 132nd of 214 · Global Carbon Budget
CO2 per person0.1t2024 · 213th of 213 · Global Carbon Budget
CO2 since 1750239Mt2024 · 125th of 214 · Global Carbon Budget
Water stress0.02023 · 148th of 164 · WRI Aqueduct, accessed on 25 Oct 2026, aqueduct.wri.org (CC BY 4.0)
More figures
Shown only where a source covers the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
Sanctions
100entries on the US, EU and UK lists give it as an address or nationality: EU 51 and UK 49
Counts entries (people, companies, ships and aircraft), not how strict the measures are.
Source: US CSL; EU sanctions list; UK Sanctions ListUpdated 13 Nov 2026
Chinese loans and grants
US$13.7billioncommitted by Chinese state lenders, 2000–2021
Source: AidData Chinese development finance2000–2021
Cyber incidents
3publicly known incidents affecting the Democratic Republic of the Congo, 2000–2024
Counts compare documented incidents, not how often a country is targeted. Who they were attributed to
Source: EuRepoC Global Dataset of Cyber Incidents 1.3.2 (4 Mar 2025), CC BY-NC 4.02000–2024
All figures
52 measures on this site have a recent figure for the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
| GDP | $91 bn | 2025 | 80th of 186 | World Bank |
| GDP per person | $807 | 2025 | 179th of 186 | World Bank |
| Economic growth | 5.8% | 2025 | 36th of 186 | World Bank |
| Government debt | Estimate | 2025 | 173rd of 191 | IMF World Economic Outlook, October 2026 |
| Government budget balance | Estimate | 2025 | 94th of 195 | IMF World Economic Outlook, October 2026 |
| Current account balance | Estimate | 2025 | 126th of 194 | IMF World Economic Outlook, October 2026 |
| Unemployment | 4.4% | 2025 | 109th of 181 | World Bank |
| Reserves, including gold | $5.1 bn | 2023 | 92nd of 168 | World Bank |
| Trade | 94% | 2024 | 68th of 172 | World Bank |
| Foreign investment in | $1.9 bn | 2025 | 71st of 200 | World Bank |
| Remittances received | 2.6% | 2024 | 71st of 162 | World Bank |
| Population | 113 m | 2025 | 15th of 216 | World Bank |
| Population with UN projections | 106 m | 2023 | 15th of 237 | UN WPP 2024 |
| Births per woman | 6.05 | 2023 | 4th of 237 | UN WPP 2024 |
| Median age | 15.8 | 2023 | 232nd of 237 | UN WPP 2024 |
| Life expectancy | 61.9 | 2023 | 225th of 237 | UN WPP 2024 |
| Refugees from the country | 1.3 m | 2025 | 8th of 206 | UNHCR |
| Refugees and others needing protection, by host | 603,844 | 2025 | 24th of 176 | UNHCR |
| Refugees hosted per 1,000 people | 5.4 | 2025 | 81st of 176 | UNHCR |
| People displaced inside the country | 5.7 m | 2025 | 3rd of 38 | UNHCR |
| Crude oil production | 16 kb/d | 2025 | 68th of 214 | EIA |
| Oil consumption | 25 kb/d | 2024 | 133rd of 212 | EIA |
| Natural gas production | Preliminary | 2024 | 97th of 213 | EIA |
| Natural gas consumption | 0.0 bcm | 2024 | 126th of 213 | EIA |
| Electricity generated | 16 TWh | 2024 | 90th of 193 | Ember |
| Low-carbon electricity | 100% | 2024 | 1st of 193 | Ember |
| Electricity from coal | 0% | 2024 | 82nd of 193 | Ember |
| Electricity from wind and solar | 16% | 2024 | 48th of 193 | Ember |
| Wheat production | 0.0 Mt | 2024 | 98th of 123 | FAOSTAT |
| Wheat imports | 0.4 Mt | 2024 | 69th of 180 | FAOSTAT |
| Maize production | 2.4 Mt | 2024 | 39th of 169 | FAOSTAT |
| Maize imports | 0.0 Mt | 2024 | 109th of 196 | FAOSTAT |
| Rice production | 1.3 Mt | 2024 | 30th of 135 | FAOSTAT |
| Rice imports | 0.2 Mt | 2024 | 54th of 197 | FAOSTAT |
| Soybean production | 0.0 Mt | 2024 | 58th of 108 | FAOSTAT |
| Soybean imports | 0.0 Mt | 2024 | 123rd of 179 | FAOSTAT |
| Potash fertiliser use | 0.00 Mt | 2024 | 109th of 199 | FAOSTAT |
| Phosphate fertiliser use | 0.00 Mt | 2024 | 116th of 199 | FAOSTAT |
| CO2 emissions | 6 Mt | 2024 | 132nd of 214 | Global Carbon Budget |
| CO2 per person | 0.1 t | 2024 | 213th of 213 | Global Carbon Budget |
| CO2 emitted since 1750 | 239 Mt | 2024 | 125th of 214 | Global Carbon Budget |
| Water stress | 0.0 | 2023 | 148th of 164 | WRI Aqueduct, accessed on 25 Oct 2026, aqueduct.wri.org (CC BY 4.0) |
| Water from abroad | 30% | 2023 | 61st of 193 | FAO AQUASTAT |
| Military spending, share of GDP | 1.4% | 2025 | 89th of 150 | World Bank |
| Military spending | $1.2 bn | 2025 | 77th of 150 | World Bank |
| Deaths in organised violence | 9,172 | 2025 | 4th of 61 | UCDP |
| Arms imports | 44 TIV m | 2025 | 59th of 108 | SIPRI |
| People using the internet | 20% | 2024 | 172nd of 182 | World Bank |
| ICT service exports | $4 m | 2024 | 146th of 162 | World Bank |
| ICT service exports, share of service exports | 1.3% | 2024 | 137th of 162 | World Bank |
| Sanctions list entries (US, EU, UK) | 100 | 2026 | 31st of 181 | US CSL |
| Chinese loans and grants committed | $53 m | 2021 | 55th of 122 | AidData, Global Chinese Development Finance Dataset 3.0 |
Sources for this page
- World Bank IndicatorsGDP, GDP per person, Economic growth, Unemployment, Reserves, Trade, …
- IMF World Economic Outlook, October 2026Debt, Budget balance, Current account
- UN World Population ProspectsPopulation (UN), Births per woman, Median age, Life expectancy
- UNHCR Refugee Data FinderRefugees from, Refugees hosted, Refugees per 1,000, Internally displaced
- U.S. Energy Information AdministrationOil output, Oil use, Gas output, Gas use, Dependencies at a glance
- Ember electricity dataElectricity, Low-carbon electricity, Electricity from coal, Electricity from wind and solar
- FAOSTATWheat production, Wheat imports, Maize production, Maize imports, Rice production, Rice imports, …
- Our World in Data CO2CO2 emissions, CO2 per person, CO2 since 1750
- WRI Aqueduct, accessed on 25 Oct 2026, aqueduct.wri.org (CC BY 4.0)Water stress
- FAO AQUASTATWater from abroad
- UCDP Georeferenced Event DatasetConflict deaths
- SIPRI Arms Transfers DatabaseArms imports, Dependencies at a glance
- US Consolidated Screening ListSanctions list entries, Sanctions
- AidData Chinese development financeChinese loans and grants
- UN ComtradeDependencies at a glance
- USGS Mineral Commodity SummariesMinerals
- EU financial sanctions listSanctions
- UK Sanctions ListSanctions
- EuRepoC cyber incidentsCyber incidents
Page last updated 13 Nov 2026How we measure