Rural population in Congo
Congo: Rural population was 35.9% in 2025. ▼ Falling
Rural population in Congo, 1960–2025
Source: World Urbanization Prospects, United Nations (UN). Measured in % of total population.
Analysis
The most recent figure for rural population in Congo is 35.9%, measured in 2025. That is the lowest value across all 66 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 0.7% on the previous year and down 2.7% over ten years.
Over the whole period, rural population in Congo peaked at 63.3% in 1960 and was at its lowest, 35.9%, in 2025.
That places Congo 108th out of 217 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 66 years of available data.
Rural population in Congo, year by year
| Year | % of total population | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1960 | 63.3% | — |
| 1961 | 63.0% | -0.4% |
| 1962 | 63.0% | -0.0% |
| 1963 | 62.9% | -0.1% |
| 1964 | 62.8% | -0.1% |
| 1965 | 62.7% | -0.2% |
| 1966 | 62.6% | -0.2% |
| 1967 | 62.4% | -0.3% |
| 1968 | 62.2% | -0.3% |
| 1969 | 61.9% | -0.4% |
| 1970 | 61.7% | -0.4% |
| 1971 | 61.4% | -0.5% |
| 1972 | 61.1% | -0.5% |
| 1973 | 60.8% | -0.5% |
| 1974 | 60.4% | -0.6% |
| 1975 | 59.8% | -1.1% |
| 1976 | 58.8% | -1.6% |
| 1977 | 57.6% | -2.1% |
| 1978 | 56.2% | -2.4% |
| 1979 | 54.7% | -2.6% |
| 1980 | 53.2% | -2.7% |
| 1981 | 51.8% | -2.7% |
| 1982 | 50.4% | -2.6% |
| 1983 | 49.3% | -2.3% |
| 1984 | 48.4% | -1.8% |
| 1985 | 47.7% | -1.4% |
| 1986 | 47.1% | -1.2% |
| 1987 | 46.6% | -1.0% |
| 1988 | 46.2% | -1.0% |
| 1989 | 45.8% | -0.9% |
| 1990 | 45.4% | -0.8% |
| 1991 | 45.1% | -0.8% |
| 1992 | 44.7% | -0.8% |
| 1993 | 44.4% | -0.8% |
| 1994 | 44.0% | -0.8% |
| 1995 | 43.6% | -0.9% |
| 1996 | 43.2% | -1.0% |
| 1997 | 42.7% | -1.1% |
| 1998 | 42.2% | -1.2% |
| 1999 | 41.7% | -1.3% |
| 2000 | 41.1% | -1.3% |
| 2001 | 40.6% | -1.3% |
| 2002 | 40.0% | -1.3% |
| 2003 | 39.5% | -1.2% |
| 2004 | 39.1% | -1.1% |
| 2005 | 38.7% | -1.0% |
| 2006 | 38.4% | -0.8% |
| 2007 | 38.1% | -0.6% |
| 2008 | 38.0% | -0.5% |
| 2009 | 37.8% | -0.5% |
| 2010 | 37.6% | -0.5% |
| 2011 | 37.4% | -0.4% |
| 2012 | 37.3% | -0.4% |
| 2013 | 37.1% | -0.4% |
| 2014 | 37.0% | -0.4% |
| 2015 | 36.9% | -0.3% |
| 2016 | 36.7% | -0.3% |
| 2017 | 36.6% | -0.3% |
| 2018 | 36.6% | -0.2% |
| 2019 | 36.5% | -0.2% |
| 2020 | 36.4% | -0.2% |
| 2021 | 36.4% | -0.1% |
| 2022 | 36.4% | -0.1% |
| 2023 | 36.3% | -0.1% |
| 2024 | 36.1% | -0.6% |
| 2025 | 35.9% | -0.7% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 62.7% | 61.9% | 63.3% | 10 |
| 1970s | 59.2% | 54.7% | 61.7% | 10 |
| 1980s | 48.7% | 45.8% | 53.2% | 10 |
| 1990s | 43.7% | 41.7% | 45.4% | 10 |
| 2000s | 39.1% | 37.8% | 41.1% | 10 |
| 2010s | 37.0% | 36.5% | 37.6% | 10 |
| 2020s | 36.2% | 35.9% | 36.4% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Congo
More agriculture & rural data for Congo
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), annual 11.08 % change on previous year (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), per 0.1011 current US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), per 254.21 current US$ per person (2025)
- Rural population, annual growth rate 1.72 % change on previous year (2025)
- Rural population, per unit of GDP 0.0001 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Rural population, per capita 0.3588 units per person (2025)
- Agriculture share gdp 10.11 (2025)
- Value added in the agricultural sector as of gdp vs gdp per capita 10.11 (2025)
- Agricultural raw materials exports 2.4% (2023)
- Agricultural raw materials imports 1.0% (2023)
Frequently asked questions
- What is rural population in Congo?
- Rural population in Congo was 35.9% in 2025, according to World Urbanization Prospects, United Nations (UN).
- What is the highest rural population recorded in Congo?
- The highest recorded value was 63.3% in 1960.
- What is the lowest rural population recorded in Congo?
- The lowest recorded value was 35.9% in 2025.
- How does Congo rank for rural population?
- Congo ranks 108th out of 217 countries with data for 2025.
- Is rural population rising or falling in Congo?
- Over the last ten years it is down 2.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Congo data come from?
- The figures come from World Urbanization Prospects, United Nations (UN), published as part of Rural population (% of total population). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
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About this data
Rural population refers to people living in rural areas as defined by national statistical offices. It is calculated as the difference between total population and urban population.