Death rate in Congo
Congo: Death rate was 6.29 deaths per 1,000 people in 2023. ▼ Falling
Latest (2023)
6.29 deaths per 1,000 people
Change on year
down 4.3%
World rank
165th
of 236 countries
All-time high
23.87 deaths per 1,000 people
in 1950
All-time low
6.29 deaths per 1,000 people
in 2023
Years of data
74
1950–2023
Death rate in Congo, 1950–2023
Source: UN, World Population Prospects (2024) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in deaths per 1,000 people.
Analysis
Congo recorded 6.29 deaths per 1,000 people for death rate in 2023. That is the lowest value across all 74 years on record.
That represents a change of down 4.3% on the previous year and down 17.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, death rate in Congo peaked at 23.87 deaths per 1,000 people in 1950 and was at its lowest, 6.29 deaths per 1,000 people, in 2023.
Congo ranks 165th of 236 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 74 years of available data.
Death rate in Congo, year by year
| Year | deaths per 1,000 people | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1950 | 23.87 deaths per 1,000 people | — |
| 1951 | 23.39 deaths per 1,000 people | -2.0% |
| 1952 | 22.85 deaths per 1,000 people | -2.3% |
| 1953 | 22.26 deaths per 1,000 people | -2.6% |
| 1954 | 21.66 deaths per 1,000 people | -2.7% |
| 1955 | 21.01 deaths per 1,000 people | -3.0% |
| 1956 | 20.36 deaths per 1,000 people | -3.1% |
| 1957 | 19.71 deaths per 1,000 people | -3.2% |
| 1958 | 19.07 deaths per 1,000 people | -3.2% |
| 1959 | 18.46 deaths per 1,000 people | -3.2% |
| 1960 | 17.86 deaths per 1,000 people | -3.3% |
| 1961 | 17.3 deaths per 1,000 people | -3.1% |
| 1962 | 16.8 deaths per 1,000 people | -2.9% |
| 1963 | 16.32 deaths per 1,000 people | -2.8% |
| 1964 | 15.89 deaths per 1,000 people | -2.6% |
| 1965 | 15.47 deaths per 1,000 people | -2.6% |
| 1966 | 15.1 deaths per 1,000 people | -2.4% |
| 1967 | 14.86 deaths per 1,000 people | -1.6% |
| 1968 | 14.41 deaths per 1,000 people | -3.1% |
| 1969 | 14.09 deaths per 1,000 people | -2.2% |
| 1970 | 13.8 deaths per 1,000 people | -2.0% |
| 1971 | 13.52 deaths per 1,000 people | -2.0% |
| 1972 | 13.28 deaths per 1,000 people | -1.8% |
| 1973 | 13.01 deaths per 1,000 people | -2.0% |
| 1974 | 12.77 deaths per 1,000 people | -1.8% |
| 1975 | 12.55 deaths per 1,000 people | -1.7% |
| 1976 | 12.33 deaths per 1,000 people | -1.8% |
| 1977 | 12.08 deaths per 1,000 people | -2.1% |
| 1978 | 11.87 deaths per 1,000 people | -1.7% |
| 1979 | 11.63 deaths per 1,000 people | -2.0% |
| 1980 | 11.39 deaths per 1,000 people | -2.1% |
| 1981 | 11.17 deaths per 1,000 people | -1.9% |
| 1982 | 10.98 deaths per 1,000 people | -1.7% |
| 1983 | 10.79 deaths per 1,000 people | -1.7% |
| 1984 | 10.58 deaths per 1,000 people | -2.0% |
| 1985 | 10.52 deaths per 1,000 people | -0.5% |
| 1986 | 10.48 deaths per 1,000 people | -0.4% |
| 1987 | 10.47 deaths per 1,000 people | -0.1% |
| 1988 | 10.49 deaths per 1,000 people | +0.2% |
| 1989 | 10.57 deaths per 1,000 people | +0.7% |
| 1990 | 10.67 deaths per 1,000 people | +0.9% |
| 1991 | 10.81 deaths per 1,000 people | +1.3% |
| 1992 | 10.95 deaths per 1,000 people | +1.3% |
| 1993 | 11.15 deaths per 1,000 people | +1.8% |
| 1994 | 11.38 deaths per 1,000 people | +2.1% |
| 1995 | 11.48 deaths per 1,000 people | +0.8% |
| 1996 | 11.61 deaths per 1,000 people | +1.2% |
| 1997 | 15.46 deaths per 1,000 people | +33.2% |
| 1998 | 12.98 deaths per 1,000 people | -16.1% |
| 1999 | 11.92 deaths per 1,000 people | -8.1% |
| 2000 | 11.26 deaths per 1,000 people | -5.6% |
| 2001 | 11.15 deaths per 1,000 people | -0.9% |
| 2002 | 10.9 deaths per 1,000 people | -2.2% |
| 2003 | 10.45 deaths per 1,000 people | -4.2% |
| 2004 | 10.03 deaths per 1,000 people | -4.1% |
| 2005 | 9.62 deaths per 1,000 people | -4.1% |
| 2006 | 9.25 deaths per 1,000 people | -3.8% |
| 2007 | 8.96 deaths per 1,000 people | -3.0% |
| 2008 | 8.65 deaths per 1,000 people | -3.4% |
| 2009 | 8.37 deaths per 1,000 people | -3.3% |
| 2010 | 8.23 deaths per 1,000 people | -1.6% |
| 2011 | 7.95 deaths per 1,000 people | -3.4% |
| 2012 | 7.77 deaths per 1,000 people | -2.3% |
| 2013 | 7.57 deaths per 1,000 people | -2.5% |
| 2014 | 7.35 deaths per 1,000 people | -3.0% |
| 2015 | 7.17 deaths per 1,000 people | -2.5% |
| 2016 | 7.03 deaths per 1,000 people | -2.0% |
| 2017 | 6.88 deaths per 1,000 people | -2.1% |
| 2018 | 6.76 deaths per 1,000 people | -1.8% |
| 2019 | 7.34 deaths per 1,000 people | +8.7% |
| 2020 | 6.8 deaths per 1,000 people | -7.4% |
| 2021 | 6.9 deaths per 1,000 people | +1.5% |
| 2022 | 6.57 deaths per 1,000 people | -4.7% |
| 2023 | 6.29 deaths per 1,000 people | -4.3% |
Congo compared with similar countries
- Congo's 6.29 deaths per 1,000 people is below the median for lower middle income countries, which is 6.52 deaths per 1,000 people, 97% of the median. (47 countries reporting)
- Congo's 6.29 deaths per 1,000 people is below the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 7.2 deaths per 1,000 people, 87% of the median. (48 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Death rate in Congo changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1997 | +33.2% | 11.61 deaths per 1,000 people | 15.46 deaths per 1,000 people |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1950s | 21.27 deaths per 1,000 people | 18.46 deaths per 1,000 people | 23.87 deaths per 1,000 people | 10 |
| 1960s | 15.81 deaths per 1,000 people | 14.09 deaths per 1,000 people | 17.86 deaths per 1,000 people | 10 |
| 1970s | 12.68 deaths per 1,000 people | 11.63 deaths per 1,000 people | 13.8 deaths per 1,000 people | 10 |
| 1980s | 10.74 deaths per 1,000 people | 10.47 deaths per 1,000 people | 11.39 deaths per 1,000 people | 10 |
| 1990s | 11.84 deaths per 1,000 people | 10.67 deaths per 1,000 people | 15.46 deaths per 1,000 people | 10 |
| 2000s | 9.86 deaths per 1,000 people | 8.37 deaths per 1,000 people | 11.26 deaths per 1,000 people | 10 |
| 2010s | 7.4 deaths per 1,000 people | 6.76 deaths per 1,000 people | 8.23 deaths per 1,000 people | 10 |
| 2020s | 6.64 deaths per 1,000 people | 6.29 deaths per 1,000 people | 6.9 deaths per 1,000 people | 4 |
Countries ranked near Congo
- 162 Western Sahara 6.34 deaths per 1,000 people compare
- 163 Turkey 6.32 deaths per 1,000 people compare
- 164 Gambia 6.29 deaths per 1,000 people compare
- 166 New Caledonia 6.27 deaths per 1,000 people compare
- 167 Gabon 6.27 deaths per 1,000 people compare
- 168 Dominican Republic 6.25 deaths per 1,000 people compare
More health data for Congo
- Un projection of annual infant deaths, annual growth rate -0.4813 % change on previous year (2100)
- Heat deaths vs projected death rates, annual growth rate 0.9705 % change on previous year (2090)
- Estimated changes in temperature-related death rates compared to projected death rates 759.5 deaths per 1,000 people (2090)
- Number of infants who die before age 1 2,688 deaths (2100)
- Neonatal tetanus - number of reported cases, gaps filled 11 (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, female, annual growth rate 1.44 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, female, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, female, per capita 0.0695 units per person (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, male, annual growth rate 1.45 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, male, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is death rate in Congo?
- Death rate in Congo was 6.29 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 Congo?
- The highest recorded value was 23.87 deaths per 1,000 people in 1950.
- What is the lowest death rate recorded in Congo?
- The lowest recorded value was 6.29 deaths per 1,000 people in 2023.
- How does Congo rank for death rate?
- Congo ranks 165th out of 236 countries with data for 2023.
- Is death rate rising or falling in Congo?
- Over the last ten years it is down 17.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this 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.