Number of under-five deaths in Democratic Republic of Congo
Democratic Republic of Congo: Number of under-five deaths was 385,039 in 2024. ▲ Rising
Number of under-five deaths in Democratic Republic of Congo, 1974–2024
Source: UN Inter-agency Group for Child Mortality Estimation, UN Children's Fund (UNICEF).
Analysis
The most recent figure for number of under-five deaths in Democratic Republic of Congo is 385,039, measured in 2024.
The figure is up 0.6% on the previous year and up 28.1% over ten years.
Over the whole period, number of under-five deaths in Democratic Republic of Congo peaked at 424,754 in 1996 and was at its lowest, 228,403, in 1974.
Democratic Republic of Congo ranks 3rd of 197 countries on this measure, in the top 10%.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 51 years of available data.
Number of under-five deaths in Democratic Republic of Congo, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1974 | 228,403 | — |
| 1975 | 229,583 | +0.5% |
| 1976 | 230,462 | +0.4% |
| 1977 | 231,337 | +0.4% |
| 1978 | 231,588 | +0.1% |
| 1979 | 233,903 | +1.0% |
| 1980 | 237,750 | +1.6% |
| 1981 | 241,224 | +1.5% |
| 1982 | 244,680 | +1.4% |
| 1983 | 248,937 | +1.7% |
| 1984 | 254,178 | +2.1% |
| 1985 | 259,916 | +2.3% |
| 1986 | 266,121 | +2.4% |
| 1987 | 271,845 | +2.2% |
| 1988 | 277,199 | +2.0% |
| 1989 | 282,018 | +1.7% |
| 1990 | 286,368 | +1.5% |
| 1991 | 291,550 | +1.8% |
| 1992 | 296,807 | +1.8% |
| 1993 | 303,074 | +2.1% |
| 1994 | 310,361 | +2.4% |
| 1995 | 322,257 | +3.8% |
| 1996 | 424,754 | +31.8% |
| 1997 | 423,378 | -0.3% |
| 1998 | 403,589 | -4.7% |
| 1999 | 401,457 | -0.5% |
| 2000 | 399,814 | -0.4% |
| 2001 | 395,833 | -1.0% |
| 2002 | 390,901 | -1.2% |
| 2003 | 385,672 | -1.3% |
| 2004 | 379,510 | -1.6% |
| 2005 | 300,855 | -20.7% |
| 2006 | 297,501 | -1.1% |
| 2007 | 294,297 | -1.1% |
| 2008 | 291,620 | -0.9% |
| 2009 | 289,865 | -0.6% |
| 2010 | 289,108 | -0.3% |
| 2011 | 289,665 | +0.2% |
| 2012 | 292,060 | +0.8% |
| 2013 | 295,598 | +1.2% |
| 2014 | 300,480 | +1.7% |
| 2015 | 306,912 | +2.1% |
| 2016 | 314,453 | +2.5% |
| 2017 | 324,436 | +3.2% |
| 2018 | 336,380 | +3.7% |
| 2019 | 348,305 | +3.5% |
| 2020 | 359,647 | +3.3% |
| 2021 | 370,167 | +2.9% |
| 2022 | 378,230 | +2.2% |
| 2023 | 382,839 | +1.2% |
| 2024 | 385,039 | +0.6% |
Democratic Republic of Congo compared with similar countries
- Democratic Republic of Congo's 385,039 is above the median for low income countries, which is 52,477, 7.3× the median. (25 countries reporting)
- Democratic Republic of Congo's 385,039 is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 31,761, 12.1× the median. (48 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Number of under-five deaths in Democratic Republic of 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1996 | +31.8% | 322,257 | 424,754 |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 230,879 | 228,403 | 233,903 | 6 |
| 1980s | 258,387 | 237,750 | 282,018 | 10 |
| 1990s | 346,360 | 286,368 | 424,754 | 10 |
| 2000s | 342,587 | 289,865 | 399,814 | 10 |
| 2010s | 309,740 | 289,108 | 348,305 | 10 |
| 2020s | 375,184 | 359,647 | 385,039 | 5 |
Countries ranked near Democratic Republic of Congo
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 number of under-five deaths in Democratic Republic of Congo?
- Number of under-five deaths in Democratic Republic of Congo was 385,039 in 2024, according to UN Inter-agency Group for Child Mortality Estimation, UN Children's Fund (UNICEF).
- What is the highest number of under-five deaths recorded in Democratic Republic of Congo?
- The highest recorded value was 424,754 in 1996.
- What is the lowest number of under-five deaths recorded in Democratic Republic of Congo?
- The lowest recorded value was 228,403 in 1974.
- How does Democratic Republic of Congo rank for number of under-five deaths?
- Democratic Republic of Congo ranks 3rd out of 197 countries with data for 2024.
- Is number of under-five deaths rising or falling in Democratic Republic of Congo?
- Over the last ten years it is up 28.1%. 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 Inter-agency Group for Child Mortality Estimation, UN Children's Fund (UNICEF), published as part of Number of under-five deaths. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Number of children dying before reaching age five.