Death rate in Democratic Republic of Congo
Democratic Republic of Congo: Death rate was 8.53 deaths per 1,000 people in 2023. ▼ Falling
Latest (2023)
8.53 deaths per 1,000 people
Change on year
down 4.5%
World rank
87th
of 236 countries
All-time high
26.62 deaths per 1,000 people
in 1950
All-time low
8.53 deaths per 1,000 people
in 2023
Years of data
74
1950–2023
Death rate in Democratic Republic of Congo, 1950–2023
Source: UN, World Population Prospects (2024) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in deaths per 1,000 people.
Analysis
Democratic Republic of Congo recorded 8.53 deaths per 1,000 people for death rate in 2023. That is the lowest value across all 74 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 4.5% on the previous year and down 21.4% over ten years.
Over the whole period, death rate in Democratic Republic of Congo peaked at 26.62 deaths per 1,000 people in 1950 and was at its lowest, 8.53 deaths per 1,000 people, in 2023.
That places Democratic Republic of Congo 87th out of 236 countries with data for 2023, putting it in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 74 years of available data.
Death rate in Democratic Republic of Congo, year by year
| Year | deaths per 1,000 people | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1950 | 26.62 deaths per 1,000 people | — |
| 1951 | 26.05 deaths per 1,000 people | -2.1% |
| 1952 | 25.54 deaths per 1,000 people | -2.0% |
| 1953 | 25.14 deaths per 1,000 people | -1.5% |
| 1954 | 24.81 deaths per 1,000 people | -1.3% |
| 1955 | 24.44 deaths per 1,000 people | -1.5% |
| 1956 | 24.14 deaths per 1,000 people | -1.3% |
| 1957 | 23.8 deaths per 1,000 people | -1.4% |
| 1958 | 23.57 deaths per 1,000 people | -0.9% |
| 1959 | 23.39 deaths per 1,000 people | -0.8% |
| 1960 | 23.25 deaths per 1,000 people | -0.6% |
| 1961 | 23.7 deaths per 1,000 people | +2.0% |
| 1962 | 23.51 deaths per 1,000 people | -0.8% |
| 1963 | 23.31 deaths per 1,000 people | -0.8% |
| 1964 | 23.7 deaths per 1,000 people | +1.7% |
| 1965 | 23.14 deaths per 1,000 people | -2.4% |
| 1966 | 22.05 deaths per 1,000 people | -4.7% |
| 1967 | 21.9 deaths per 1,000 people | -0.7% |
| 1968 | 21.63 deaths per 1,000 people | -1.2% |
| 1969 | 21.38 deaths per 1,000 people | -1.2% |
| 1970 | 21.09 deaths per 1,000 people | -1.4% |
| 1971 | 20.85 deaths per 1,000 people | -1.1% |
| 1972 | 20.58 deaths per 1,000 people | -1.3% |
| 1973 | 20.36 deaths per 1,000 people | -1.1% |
| 1974 | 20.14 deaths per 1,000 people | -1.1% |
| 1975 | 19.92 deaths per 1,000 people | -1.1% |
| 1976 | 19.76 deaths per 1,000 people | -0.8% |
| 1977 | 19.58 deaths per 1,000 people | -0.9% |
| 1978 | 19.57 deaths per 1,000 people | -0.0% |
| 1979 | 19.12 deaths per 1,000 people | -2.3% |
| 1980 | 18.98 deaths per 1,000 people | -0.7% |
| 1981 | 18.85 deaths per 1,000 people | -0.7% |
| 1982 | 18.67 deaths per 1,000 people | -1.0% |
| 1983 | 18.46 deaths per 1,000 people | -1.1% |
| 1984 | 18.24 deaths per 1,000 people | -1.2% |
| 1985 | 18.17 deaths per 1,000 people | -0.4% |
| 1986 | 17.96 deaths per 1,000 people | -1.2% |
| 1987 | 17.72 deaths per 1,000 people | -1.3% |
| 1988 | 17.45 deaths per 1,000 people | -1.5% |
| 1989 | 17.17 deaths per 1,000 people | -1.6% |
| 1990 | 16.86 deaths per 1,000 people | -1.8% |
| 1991 | 16.62 deaths per 1,000 people | -1.4% |
| 1992 | 16.33 deaths per 1,000 people | -1.7% |
| 1993 | 16.14 deaths per 1,000 people | -1.2% |
| 1994 | 15.79 deaths per 1,000 people | -2.1% |
| 1995 | 15.8 deaths per 1,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1996 | 16.52 deaths per 1,000 people | +4.6% |
| 1997 | 15.74 deaths per 1,000 people | -4.7% |
| 1998 | 15.87 deaths per 1,000 people | +0.8% |
| 1999 | 15.58 deaths per 1,000 people | -1.8% |
| 2000 | 14.62 deaths per 1,000 people | -6.2% |
| 2001 | 14.38 deaths per 1,000 people | -1.6% |
| 2002 | 14.2 deaths per 1,000 people | -1.2% |
| 2003 | 13.81 deaths per 1,000 people | -2.7% |
| 2004 | 13.41 deaths per 1,000 people | -2.9% |
| 2005 | 13.1 deaths per 1,000 people | -2.3% |
| 2006 | 12.8 deaths per 1,000 people | -2.3% |
| 2007 | 12.53 deaths per 1,000 people | -2.1% |
| 2008 | 12.26 deaths per 1,000 people | -2.1% |
| 2009 | 12.01 deaths per 1,000 people | -2.1% |
| 2010 | 11.65 deaths per 1,000 people | -2.9% |
| 2011 | 11.37 deaths per 1,000 people | -2.5% |
| 2012 | 11.11 deaths per 1,000 people | -2.2% |
| 2013 | 10.84 deaths per 1,000 people | -2.4% |
| 2014 | 10.6 deaths per 1,000 people | -2.3% |
| 2015 | 10.35 deaths per 1,000 people | -2.3% |
| 2016 | 10.08 deaths per 1,000 people | -2.6% |
| 2017 | 9.87 deaths per 1,000 people | -2.1% |
| 2018 | 9.65 deaths per 1,000 people | -2.2% |
| 2019 | 9.46 deaths per 1,000 people | -1.9% |
| 2020 | 9.31 deaths per 1,000 people | -1.6% |
| 2021 | 9.38 deaths per 1,000 people | +0.8% |
| 2022 | 8.93 deaths per 1,000 people | -4.8% |
| 2023 | 8.53 deaths per 1,000 people | -4.5% |
Democratic Republic of Congo compared with similar countries
- Democratic Republic of Congo's 8.53 deaths per 1,000 people is above the median for low income countries, which is 7.05 deaths per 1,000 people, 1.2× the median. (25 countries reporting)
- Democratic Republic of Congo's 8.53 deaths per 1,000 people is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 7.2 deaths per 1,000 people, 1.2× the median. (48 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1950s | 24.75 deaths per 1,000 people | 23.39 deaths per 1,000 people | 26.62 deaths per 1,000 people | 10 |
| 1960s | 22.76 deaths per 1,000 people | 21.38 deaths per 1,000 people | 23.7 deaths per 1,000 people | 10 |
| 1970s | 20.1 deaths per 1,000 people | 19.12 deaths per 1,000 people | 21.09 deaths per 1,000 people | 10 |
| 1980s | 18.17 deaths per 1,000 people | 17.17 deaths per 1,000 people | 18.98 deaths per 1,000 people | 10 |
| 1990s | 16.12 deaths per 1,000 people | 15.58 deaths per 1,000 people | 16.86 deaths per 1,000 people | 10 |
| 2000s | 13.31 deaths per 1,000 people | 12.01 deaths per 1,000 people | 14.62 deaths per 1,000 people | 10 |
| 2010s | 10.5 deaths per 1,000 people | 9.46 deaths per 1,000 people | 11.65 deaths per 1,000 people | 10 |
| 2020s | 9.04 deaths per 1,000 people | 8.53 deaths per 1,000 people | 9.38 deaths per 1,000 people | 4 |
Countries ranked near Democratic Republic of Congo
- 84 Bonaire Sint Eustatius and Saba 8.63 deaths per 1,000 people compare
- 85 Mali 8.63 deaths per 1,000 people compare
- 86 Saint Lucia 8.61 deaths per 1,000 people compare
- 88 Trinidad and Tobago 8.37 deaths per 1,000 people compare
- 89 Albania 8.33 deaths per 1,000 people compare
- 90 Switzerland 8.32 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 death rate in Democratic Republic of Congo?
- Death rate in Democratic Republic of Congo was 8.53 deaths per 1,000 people in 2023, according to UN, World Population Prospects (2024) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest death rate recorded in Democratic Republic of Congo?
- The highest recorded value was 26.62 deaths per 1,000 people in 1950.
- What is the lowest death rate recorded in Democratic Republic of Congo?
- The lowest recorded value was 8.53 deaths per 1,000 people in 2023.
- How does Democratic Republic of Congo rank for death rate?
- Democratic Republic of Congo ranks 87th out of 236 countries with data for 2023.
- Is death rate rising or falling in Democratic Republic of Congo?
- Over the last ten years it is down 21.4%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Democratic Republic of Congo data come from?
- The figures come from UN, World Population Prospects (2024) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Death rate. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Number of deaths in a year per 1,000 people in the population.