Life expectancy, source comparison in Democratic Republic of Congo
Democratic Republic of Congo: Life expectancy, source comparison was 61.9 years in 2023. ▲ Rising
Latest (2023)
61.9 years
Change on year
up 1.5%
World rank
224th
of 236 countries
All-time high
61.9 years
in 2023
All-time low
38.22 years
in 1950
Years of data
74
1950–2023
Life expectancy, source comparison in Democratic Republic of Congo, 1950–2023
Source: UN, World Population Prospects (2024) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in years.
Analysis
In 2023, life expectancy, source comparison in Democratic Republic of Congo stood at 61.9 years. That is the highest value across all 74 years on record.
The figure is up 1.5% on the previous year and up 7.1% over ten years.
Over the whole period, life expectancy, source comparison in Democratic Republic of Congo peaked at 61.9 years in 2023 and was at its lowest, 38.22 years, in 1950.
Democratic Republic of Congo ranks 224th of 236 countries on this measure, in the bottom quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 74 years of available data.
Life expectancy, source comparison in Democratic Republic of Congo, year by year
| Year | years | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1950 | 38.22 years | — |
| 1951 | 38.51 years | +0.8% |
| 1952 | 38.86 years | +0.9% |
| 1953 | 39.14 years | +0.7% |
| 1954 | 39.37 years | +0.6% |
| 1955 | 39.66 years | +0.7% |
| 1956 | 39.9 years | +0.6% |
| 1957 | 40.23 years | +0.8% |
| 1958 | 40.46 years | +0.6% |
| 1959 | 40.62 years | +0.4% |
| 1960 | 40.75 years | +0.3% |
| 1961 | 40.16 years | -1.5% |
| 1962 | 40.38 years | +0.6% |
| 1963 | 40.6 years | +0.5% |
| 1964 | 40.1 years | -1.2% |
| 1965 | 40.77 years | +1.7% |
| 1966 | 42.17 years | +3.4% |
| 1967 | 42.34 years | +0.4% |
| 1968 | 42.67 years | +0.8% |
| 1969 | 42.96 years | +0.7% |
| 1970 | 43.3 years | +0.8% |
| 1971 | 43.58 years | +0.6% |
| 1972 | 43.87 years | +0.7% |
| 1973 | 44.09 years | +0.5% |
| 1974 | 44.31 years | +0.5% |
| 1975 | 44.53 years | +0.5% |
| 1976 | 44.7 years | +0.4% |
| 1977 | 44.87 years | +0.4% |
| 1978 | 44.63 years | -0.5% |
| 1979 | 45.28 years | +1.5% |
| 1980 | 45.54 years | +0.6% |
| 1981 | 45.73 years | +0.4% |
| 1982 | 45.95 years | +0.5% |
| 1983 | 46.21 years | +0.6% |
| 1984 | 46.51 years | +0.7% |
| 1985 | 46.66 years | +0.3% |
| 1986 | 47.02 years | +0.8% |
| 1987 | 47.36 years | +0.7% |
| 1988 | 47.76 years | +0.8% |
| 1989 | 48.15 years | +0.8% |
| 1990 | 48.54 years | +0.8% |
| 1991 | 48.94 years | +0.8% |
| 1992 | 49.32 years | +0.8% |
| 1993 | 49.62 years | +0.6% |
| 1994 | 49.88 years | +0.5% |
| 1995 | 50.38 years | +1.0% |
| 1996 | 49.38 years | -2.0% |
| 1997 | 50.46 years | +2.2% |
| 1998 | 49.66 years | -1.6% |
| 1999 | 50.09 years | +0.9% |
| 2000 | 51.89 years | +3.6% |
| 2001 | 52.2 years | +0.6% |
| 2002 | 52.37 years | +0.3% |
| 2003 | 52.95 years | +1.1% |
| 2004 | 53.53 years | +1.1% |
| 2005 | 54 years | +0.9% |
| 2006 | 54.5 years | +0.9% |
| 2007 | 54.95 years | +0.8% |
| 2008 | 55.39 years | +0.8% |
| 2009 | 55.8 years | +0.7% |
| 2010 | 56.41 years | +1.1% |
| 2011 | 56.91 years | +0.9% |
| 2012 | 57.35 years | +0.8% |
| 2013 | 57.8 years | +0.8% |
| 2014 | 58.24 years | +0.8% |
| 2015 | 58.66 years | +0.7% |
| 2016 | 59.08 years | +0.7% |
| 2017 | 59.49 years | +0.7% |
| 2018 | 59.93 years | +0.7% |
| 2019 | 60.24 years | +0.5% |
| 2020 | 60.43 years | +0.3% |
| 2021 | 60.04 years | -0.6% |
| 2022 | 60.98 years | +1.6% |
| 2023 | 61.9 years | +1.5% |
Democratic Republic of Congo compared with similar countries
- Democratic Republic of Congo's 61.9 years is below the median for low income countries, which is 63.65 years, 97% of the median. (25 countries reporting)
- Democratic Republic of Congo's 61.9 years is below the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 64.1 years, 97% of the median. (48 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1950s | 39.5 years | 38.22 years | 40.62 years | 10 |
| 1960s | 41.29 years | 40.1 years | 42.96 years | 10 |
| 1970s | 44.31 years | 43.3 years | 45.28 years | 10 |
| 1980s | 46.69 years | 45.54 years | 48.15 years | 10 |
| 1990s | 49.63 years | 48.54 years | 50.46 years | 10 |
| 2000s | 53.76 years | 51.89 years | 55.8 years | 10 |
| 2010s | 58.41 years | 56.41 years | 60.24 years | 10 |
| 2020s | 60.84 years | 60.04 years | 61.9 years | 4 |
Countries ranked near Democratic Republic of Congo
- 221 Liberia 62.16 years compare
- 222 Nauru 62.11 years compare
- 223 Cote d'Ivoire 61.94 years compare
- 225 Sierra Leone 61.79 years compare
- 226 Niger 61.18 years compare
- 227 Burkina Faso 61.09 years 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 life expectancy, source comparison in Democratic Republic of Congo?
- Life expectancy, source comparison in Democratic Republic of Congo was 61.9 years in 2023, according to UN, World Population Prospects (2024) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest life expectancy, source comparison recorded in Democratic Republic of Congo?
- The highest recorded value was 61.9 years in 2023.
- What is the lowest life expectancy, source comparison recorded in Democratic Republic of Congo?
- The lowest recorded value was 38.22 years in 1950.
- How does Democratic Republic of Congo rank for life expectancy, source comparison?
- Democratic Republic of Congo ranks 224th out of 236 countries with data for 2023.
- Is life expectancy, source comparison rising or falling in Democratic Republic of Congo?
- Over the last ten years it is up 7.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- 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 Life expectancy, source comparison. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Period life expectancy at birth.