“The country struggles with high humanitarian pressure, poor governance, and limited economic opportunities. Despite some positive trends, DR Congo's development prospects remain uncertain. The population faces various challenges including limited access to basic services and a struggling economy.”
49/100
Need
Humanitarian pressure
35/100
Opportunity
Growth potential
28/100
Stability
Governance score
AI Brief
CODUpdated today
DR Congo faces significant development challenges
The country struggles with high humanitarian pressure, poor governance, and limited economic opportunities. Despite some positive trends, DR Congo's development prospects remain uncertain. The population faces various challenges including limited access to basic services and a struggling economy.
•The country has a relatively high GDP growth rate of 6.13% (World Bank, 2024)
•Only 13% of the population has access to electricity (UN SDG, 2010)
•The adult literacy rate is 68.50% (World Bank, 2023)
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Did you know?
The Democratic Republic of Congo is home to the second-largest tropical rainforest in the world, covering over 54% of the country's land area.
High levels of internally displaced persons (6,215,000 people, UNHCR, 2024)Significant maternal mortality rate (427.05 per 100k, WHO GHO, 2023)
Key Indicators
Bank Account Ownership
39.21%
% of adults with a bank or mobile money account. Africa average: ~55%.
World Bank (2024)Updated today
Agricultural Land
15.48% land
% of land used for crops or livestock. Africa average: ~43%.
World Bank (2023)Updated today
Government Education Expenditure
2.84% GDP
World Bank (2022)Updated today
Electricity Access
13%
Share of population with access to electricity. Sub-Saharan Africa average: ~47%.
UN SDG (2010)Updated today
Energy Use per Capita
409.43kg oil eq
World Bank (2023)Updated today
FDI Inflows
4.11% GDP
World Bank (2024)Updated today
Female Labour Force Participation
48.88%
Share of women ages 15+ who are employed or seeking work. Global average: ~47%.
World Bank (2025)Updated today
Forest Area
54.19% land
% of land covered by forest. Africa average: ~22%.
World Bank (2023)Updated today
GDP Growth
6.13%
Annual % change in national economic output. Global average: ~3%.
World Bank (2024)Updated today
GDP per Capita
649.38USD
GDP per person in current USD. Sub-Saharan Africa average: ~$1,700.
World Bank (2024)Updated today
Current Health Expenditure
3.68% GDP
Government + private health spending as % of GDP. Global average: ~10%.
World Bank (2023)Updated today
Internally Displaced Persons
6 215 000people
People displaced within their own country. Africa hosts the most IDPs globally. Source: UNHCR.
UNHCR (2024)Updated today
Internet Access
19.67%
Share of population using the internet. Africa average: ~43%.
World Bank (2024)Updated today
Life Expectancy
63.91years
Average years a newborn is expected to live. Sub-Saharan Africa average: ~62 years.
WHO GHO (2021)Updated today
Adult Literacy Rate
68.5%
Share of adults (15+) who can read and write. Africa average: ~70%.
World Bank (2023)Updated today
Marine Protected Areas
0.5% waters
World Bank (2025)Updated today
Maternal Mortality
427.05per 100k
Deaths per 100,000 live births. Global average: 223; sub-Saharan Africa: ~450.
WHO GHO (2023)Updated today
4G Mobile Network Coverage
50%
UN SDG (2010)Updated today
Mobile Subscriptions
58.53per 100
SIM cards per 100 people (can exceed 100 due to multiple SIMs). Africa average: ~85.
World Bank (2024)Updated today
Under-5 Mortality
89.7per 1k
Deaths per 1,000 live births before age 5. Sub-Saharan Africa average: ~65.
World Bank (2024)Updated today
NCD Premature Mortality (30–70)
25.1%
WHO GHO (2021)Updated today
Obesity Prevalence
6.64%
WHO GHO (2022)Updated today
Medical Doctors
2.08per 10k
Medical doctors per 10,000 people. Sub-Saharan Africa average: ~2.2.
WHO GHO (2022)Updated today
Political Stability Index
-2.04/100
World Governance Indicators score 0–100. Higher = more stable. Normalized from -2.5/+2.5 scale.
World Bank WGI (2023)Updated today
Population
109 276 265
World Bank (2024)Updated today
Primary Completion Rate
75.71%
World Bank (2023)Updated today
Protected Areas
14.9% total
World Bank (2025)Updated today
Renewable Electricity Output
90.43%
% of electricity from renewable sources (hydro, solar, wind, geothermal).
World Bank (2021)Updated today
Safe Sanitation Access
13.08%
Share using safely managed sanitation. Global average: ~57%.
World Bank (2024)Updated today
Population in Slums
78.36% urban
World Bank (2022)Updated today
Stunting, Children Under 5
44.7%
World Bank (2023)Updated today
Undernourishment Prevalence
38.5%
Share of population with insufficient food intake. Africa average: ~20%.
World Bank (2023)Updated today
Unemployment Rate
4.43%
World Bank (2025)Updated today
Urban Population Share
44.75%
Share of population living in urban areas. Africa average: ~44%.
World Bank (2024)Updated today
Safe Drinking Water Access
11.87%
Share using safely managed drinking water. Global average: ~74%.
World Bank (2024)Updated today
Women in Parliament
12.8%
Share of parliamentary seats held by women. Global average: ~27%.
World Bank (2025)Updated today
Trusted Actions
DonateVerified A
Emergency medical response — DR Congo
Médecins Sans Frontières — Africa
MSF teams provide trauma surgery and cholera treatment in conflict-affected areas of eastern DRC. No strings attached — funding goes where it's most needed.