Rural population in Congo
Congo: Rural population was 2.33 million in 2025. ▲ Rising
Rural population in Congo, 1960–2025
Source: World Urbanization Prospects, United Nations (UN).
Analysis
Congo recorded 2.33 million for rural population in 2025. That is the highest value across all 66 years on record.
That represents a change of up 1.7% on the previous year and up 23.8% over ten years.
Over the whole period, rural population in Congo peaked at 2.33 million in 2025 and was at its lowest, 668,707, in 1960.
Congo ranks 101st of 218 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 66 years of available data.
Rural population in Congo, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1960 | 668,707 | — |
| 1961 | 683,165 | +2.2% |
| 1962 | 701,091 | +2.6% |
| 1963 | 719,412 | +2.6% |
| 1964 | 738,215 | +2.6% |
| 1965 | 757,517 | +2.6% |
| 1966 | 777,350 | +2.6% |
| 1967 | 797,645 | +2.6% |
| 1968 | 818,491 | +2.6% |
| 1969 | 839,973 | +2.6% |
| 1970 | 862,048 | +2.6% |
| 1971 | 884,792 | +2.6% |
| 1972 | 908,240 | +2.7% |
| 1973 | 932,225 | +2.6% |
| 1974 | 955,693 | +2.5% |
| 1975 | 972,253 | +1.7% |
| 1976 | 980,106 | +0.8% |
| 1977 | 983,236 | +0.3% |
| 1978 | 982,575 | -0.1% |
| 1979 | 979,003 | -0.4% |
| 1980 | 973,728 | -0.5% |
| 1981 | 968,155 | -0.6% |
| 1982 | 963,428 | -0.5% |
| 1983 | 960,699 | -0.3% |
| 1984 | 966,887 | +0.6% |
| 1985 | 982,037 | +1.6% |
| 1986 | 999,625 | +1.8% |
| 1987 | 1.02 million | +1.9% |
| 1988 | 1.04 million | +2.0% |
| 1989 | 1.06 million | +2.0% |
| 1990 | 1.08 million | +2.0% |
| 1991 | 1.10 million | +2.1% |
| 1992 | 1.13 million | +2.1% |
| 1993 | 1.15 million | +2.2% |
| 1994 | 1.18 million | +2.2% |
| 1995 | 1.20 million | +1.9% |
| 1996 | 1.22 million | +1.8% |
| 1997 | 1.23 million | +1.1% |
| 1998 | 1.25 million | +1.0% |
| 1999 | 1.26 million | +1.4% |
| 2000 | 1.30 million | +2.5% |
| 2001 | 1.33 million | +2.5% |
| 2002 | 1.34 million | +1.1% |
| 2003 | 1.36 million | +1.6% |
| 2004 | 1.39 million | +2.3% |
| 2005 | 1.43 million | +2.6% |
| 2006 | 1.47 million | +3.0% |
| 2007 | 1.52 million | +3.1% |
| 2008 | 1.56 million | +2.8% |
| 2009 | 1.62 million | +3.6% |
| 2010 | 1.68 million | +3.7% |
| 2011 | 1.73 million | +2.8% |
| 2012 | 1.77 million | +2.4% |
| 2013 | 1.80 million | +2.0% |
| 2014 | 1.84 million | +2.1% |
| 2015 | 1.88 million | +2.1% |
| 2016 | 1.92 million | +2.1% |
| 2017 | 1.96 million | +2.2% |
| 2018 | 2.00 million | +2.2% |
| 2019 | 2.05 million | +2.2% |
| 2020 | 2.10 million | +2.3% |
| 2021 | 2.14 million | +2.3% |
| 2022 | 2.19 million | +2.4% |
| 2023 | 2.25 million | +2.4% |
| 2024 | 2.29 million | +1.8% |
| 2025 | 2.33 million | +1.7% |
Congo compared with similar countries
- Congo's 2.33 million is below the median for lower middle income countries, which is 5.28 million, 44% of the median. (47 countries reporting)
- Congo's 2.33 million is below the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 9.41 million, 25% of the median. (48 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 750,157 | 668,707 | 839,973 | 10 |
| 1970s | 944,017 | 862,048 | 983,236 | 10 |
| 1980s | 993,115 | 960,699 | 1.06 million | 10 |
| 1990s | 1.18 million | 1.08 million | 1.26 million | 10 |
| 2000s | 1.43 million | 1.30 million | 1.62 million | 10 |
| 2010s | 1.86 million | 1.68 million | 2.05 million | 10 |
| 2020s | 2.22 million | 2.10 million | 2.33 million | 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)
- Share of GDP from agriculture 10.1% (2025)
- Agriculture as a share of GDP vs. GDP per capita 10.1% (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 2.33 million in 2025, according to World Urbanization Prospects, United Nations (UN).
- What is the highest rural population recorded in Congo?
- The highest recorded value was 2.33 million in 2025.
- What is the lowest rural population recorded in Congo?
- The lowest recorded value was 668,707 in 1960.
- How does Congo rank for rural population?
- Congo ranks 101st out of 218 countries with data for 2025.
- Is rural population rising or falling in Congo?
- Over the last ten years it is up 23.8%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Congo data come from?
- The figures come from World Urbanization Prospects, United Nations (UN), published as part of Rural population. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 66 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data).
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. Aggregation of urban and rural population may not add up to total population because of different country coverages.