Annual death rates at different ages in Democratic Republic of Congo
Democratic Republic of Congo: Annual death rates at different ages was 51.4 deaths per 1,000 people in 2023. ▼ Falling
Annual death rates at different ages in Democratic Republic of Congo, 1950–2023
Source: Human Mortality Database (2025); UN, World Population Prospects (2024) – with minor processing by Our World in Data. Measured in deaths per 1,000 people.
Analysis
In 2023, annual death rates at different ages in Democratic Republic of Congo stood at 51.4 deaths per 1,000 people. That is the lowest value across all 74 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 2.5% on the previous year and down 25.8% over ten years.
Over the whole period, annual death rates at different ages in Democratic Republic of Congo peaked at 205.76 deaths per 1,000 people in 1950 and was at its lowest, 51.4 deaths per 1,000 people, in 2023.
That places Democratic Republic of Congo 18th out of 236 countries with data for 2023, putting it in the top 10%.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 74 years of available data.
Annual death rates at different ages in Democratic Republic of Congo, year by year
| Year | deaths per 1,000 people | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1950 | 205.76 deaths per 1,000 people | — |
| 1951 | 202.75 deaths per 1,000 people | -1.5% |
| 1952 | 199.75 deaths per 1,000 people | -1.5% |
| 1953 | 196.83 deaths per 1,000 people | -1.5% |
| 1954 | 194.03 deaths per 1,000 people | -1.4% |
| 1955 | 191.36 deaths per 1,000 people | -1.4% |
| 1956 | 188.82 deaths per 1,000 people | -1.3% |
| 1957 | 186.22 deaths per 1,000 people | -1.4% |
| 1958 | 183.8 deaths per 1,000 people | -1.3% |
| 1959 | 181.51 deaths per 1,000 people | -1.2% |
| 1960 | 179.52 deaths per 1,000 people | -1.1% |
| 1961 | 179.12 deaths per 1,000 people | -0.2% |
| 1962 | 177.03 deaths per 1,000 people | -1.2% |
| 1963 | 174.85 deaths per 1,000 people | -1.2% |
| 1964 | 173.68 deaths per 1,000 people | -0.7% |
| 1965 | 170.28 deaths per 1,000 people | -2.0% |
| 1966 | 165.86 deaths per 1,000 people | -2.6% |
| 1967 | 163.28 deaths per 1,000 people | -1.6% |
| 1968 | 160.71 deaths per 1,000 people | -1.6% |
| 1969 | 158.12 deaths per 1,000 people | -1.6% |
| 1970 | 155.64 deaths per 1,000 people | -1.6% |
| 1971 | 153.28 deaths per 1,000 people | -1.5% |
| 1972 | 151 deaths per 1,000 people | -1.5% |
| 1973 | 148.87 deaths per 1,000 people | -1.4% |
| 1974 | 146.91 deaths per 1,000 people | -1.3% |
| 1975 | 145.07 deaths per 1,000 people | -1.2% |
| 1976 | 143.36 deaths per 1,000 people | -1.2% |
| 1977 | 141.74 deaths per 1,000 people | -1.1% |
| 1978 | 140.82 deaths per 1,000 people | -0.6% |
| 1979 | 138.32 deaths per 1,000 people | -1.8% |
| 1980 | 136.52 deaths per 1,000 people | -1.3% |
| 1981 | 134.8 deaths per 1,000 people | -1.3% |
| 1982 | 132.98 deaths per 1,000 people | -1.4% |
| 1983 | 131.14 deaths per 1,000 people | -1.4% |
| 1984 | 129.37 deaths per 1,000 people | -1.3% |
| 1985 | 127.7 deaths per 1,000 people | -1.3% |
| 1986 | 126.15 deaths per 1,000 people | -1.2% |
| 1987 | 124.64 deaths per 1,000 people | -1.2% |
| 1988 | 123.17 deaths per 1,000 people | -1.2% |
| 1989 | 121.74 deaths per 1,000 people | -1.2% |
| 1990 | 120.25 deaths per 1,000 people | -1.2% |
| 1991 | 118.8 deaths per 1,000 people | -1.2% |
| 1992 | 117.38 deaths per 1,000 people | -1.2% |
| 1993 | 116.25 deaths per 1,000 people | -1.0% |
| 1994 | 114.94 deaths per 1,000 people | -1.1% |
| 1995 | 113.23 deaths per 1,000 people | -1.5% |
| 1996 | 113.77 deaths per 1,000 people | +0.5% |
| 1997 | 110.64 deaths per 1,000 people | -2.8% |
| 1998 | 108.1 deaths per 1,000 people | -2.3% |
| 1999 | 105.78 deaths per 1,000 people | -2.1% |
| 2000 | 103.47 deaths per 1,000 people | -2.2% |
| 2001 | 101.02 deaths per 1,000 people | -2.4% |
| 2002 | 98.45 deaths per 1,000 people | -2.5% |
| 2003 | 95.61 deaths per 1,000 people | -2.9% |
| 2004 | 92.7 deaths per 1,000 people | -3.0% |
| 2005 | 89.88 deaths per 1,000 people | -3.0% |
| 2006 | 87.06 deaths per 1,000 people | -3.1% |
| 2007 | 84.29 deaths per 1,000 people | -3.2% |
| 2008 | 81.65 deaths per 1,000 people | -3.1% |
| 2009 | 78.97 deaths per 1,000 people | -3.3% |
| 2010 | 76.36 deaths per 1,000 people | -3.3% |
| 2011 | 73.88 deaths per 1,000 people | -3.3% |
| 2012 | 71.6 deaths per 1,000 people | -3.1% |
| 2013 | 69.3 deaths per 1,000 people | -3.2% |
| 2014 | 67.2 deaths per 1,000 people | -3.0% |
| 2015 | 65.15 deaths per 1,000 people | -3.1% |
| 2016 | 63.22 deaths per 1,000 people | -3.0% |
| 2017 | 61.37 deaths per 1,000 people | -2.9% |
| 2018 | 59.47 deaths per 1,000 people | -3.1% |
| 2019 | 57.87 deaths per 1,000 people | -2.7% |
| 2020 | 55.99 deaths per 1,000 people | -3.2% |
| 2021 | 54.29 deaths per 1,000 people | -3.0% |
| 2022 | 52.71 deaths per 1,000 people | -2.9% |
| 2023 | 51.4 deaths per 1,000 people | -2.5% |
Democratic Republic of Congo compared with similar countries
- Democratic Republic of Congo's 51.4 deaths per 1,000 people is above the median for low income countries, which is 46.76 deaths per 1,000 people, 1.1× the median. (25 countries reporting)
- Democratic Republic of Congo's 51.4 deaths per 1,000 people is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 38.59 deaths per 1,000 people, 1.3× the median. (48 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1950s | 193.08 deaths per 1,000 people | 181.51 deaths per 1,000 people | 205.76 deaths per 1,000 people | 10 |
| 1960s | 170.24 deaths per 1,000 people | 158.12 deaths per 1,000 people | 179.52 deaths per 1,000 people | 10 |
| 1970s | 146.5 deaths per 1,000 people | 138.32 deaths per 1,000 people | 155.64 deaths per 1,000 people | 10 |
| 1980s | 128.82 deaths per 1,000 people | 121.74 deaths per 1,000 people | 136.52 deaths per 1,000 people | 10 |
| 1990s | 113.91 deaths per 1,000 people | 105.78 deaths per 1,000 people | 120.25 deaths per 1,000 people | 10 |
| 2000s | 91.31 deaths per 1,000 people | 78.97 deaths per 1,000 people | 103.47 deaths per 1,000 people | 10 |
| 2010s | 66.54 deaths per 1,000 people | 57.87 deaths per 1,000 people | 76.36 deaths per 1,000 people | 10 |
| 2020s | 53.6 deaths per 1,000 people | 51.4 deaths per 1,000 people | 55.99 deaths per 1,000 people | 4 |
Countries ranked near Democratic Republic of Congo
- 15 Cote d'Ivoire 53.87 deaths per 1,000 people compare
- 16 Mozambique 51.81 deaths per 1,000 people compare
- 17 Pakistan 51.43 deaths per 1,000 people compare
- 19 Guinea-Bissau 50.94 deaths per 1,000 people compare
- 20 Angola 50.62 deaths per 1,000 people compare
- 21 Cameroon 49.3 deaths per 1,000 people compare
More health data for Democratic Republic of Congo
- Un projection of annual infant deaths, annual growth rate -1.56 % change on previous year (2100)
- Heat deaths vs projected death rates, annual growth rate 1.03 % change on previous year (2090)
- Estimated changes in temperature-related death rates compared to projected death rates 821.4 deaths per 1,000 people (2090)
- Number of infants who die before age 1 133,650 deaths (2100)
- Neonatal tetanus - number of reported cases, gaps filled 390 (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, female, annual growth rate 2.56 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, female, per unit of GDP 0.0001 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, female, per capita 0.0895 units per person (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, male, annual growth rate 2.59 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, male, per unit of GDP 0.0001 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is annual death rates at different ages in Democratic Republic of Congo?
- Annual death rates at different ages in Democratic Republic of Congo was 51.4 deaths per 1,000 people in 2023, according to Human Mortality Database (2025); UN, World Population Prospects (2024) – with minor processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest annual death rates at different ages recorded in Democratic Republic of Congo?
- The highest recorded value was 205.76 deaths per 1,000 people in 1950.
- What is the lowest annual death rates at different ages recorded in Democratic Republic of Congo?
- The lowest recorded value was 51.4 deaths per 1,000 people in 2023.
- How does Democratic Republic of Congo rank for annual death rates at different ages?
- Democratic Republic of Congo ranks 18th out of 236 countries with data for 2023.
- Is annual death rates at different ages rising or falling in Democratic Republic of Congo?
- Over the last ten years it is down 25.8%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Democratic Republic of Congo data come from?
- The figures come from Human Mortality Database (2025); UN, World Population Prospects (2024) – with minor processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Annual death rates at different ages. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Death rate, calculated as the number of deaths divided by the average number of people alive during the interval.