Statizoid

Children under age 5 in Democratic Republic of Congo

Democratic Republic of Congo: Children under age 5 was 19.28 million in 2023. ◆ Volatile

Latest (2023)
19.28 million
Change on year
up 2.8%
World rank
6th
of 236 countries
All-time high
19.28 million
in 2023
All-time low
2.17 million
in 1950
Years of data
74
1950–2023

Children under age 5 in Democratic Republic of Congo, 1950–2023

05.0M10.0M15.0M20.0M195019862023

Source: Our World in Data.

Analysis

The most recent figure for children under age 5 in Democratic Republic of Congo is 19.28 million, measured in 2023. That is the highest value across all 74 years on record.

The figure is up 2.8% on the previous year and up 37.0% over ten years.

Over the whole period, children under age 5 in Democratic Republic of Congo peaked at 19.28 million in 2023 and was at its lowest, 2.17 million, in 1950.

Democratic Republic of Congo ranks 6th of 236 countries on this measure, in the top 10%.

The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.

Children under age 5 in Democratic Republic of Congo, year by year

Year Value Change
1950 2.17 million —
1951 2.18 million +0.6%
1952 2.20 million +0.9%
1953 2.23 million +1.4%
1954 2.28 million +2.1%
1955 2.33 million +2.5%
1956 2.39 million +2.6%
1957 2.46 million +2.7%
1958 2.52 million +2.7%
1959 2.59 million +2.7%
1960 2.67 million +2.9%
1961 2.75 million +3.0%
1962 2.83 million +3.1%
1963 2.92 million +3.1%
1964 3.01 million +3.2%
1965 3.11 million +3.3%
1966 3.22 million +3.4%
1967 3.33 million +3.5%
1968 3.44 million +3.4%
1969 3.56 million +3.3%
1970 3.67 million +3.2%
1971 3.79 million +3.0%
1972 3.89 million +2.8%
1973 4.00 million +2.7%
1974 4.10 million +2.6%
1975 4.20 million +2.5%
1976 4.30 million +2.4%
1977 4.41 million +2.3%
1978 4.52 million +2.5%
1979 4.65 million +2.9%
1980 4.79 million +3.1%
1981 4.94 million +3.2%
1982 5.11 million +3.4%
1983 5.29 million +3.6%
1984 5.49 million +3.7%
1985 5.69 million +3.7%
1986 5.90 million +3.7%
1987 6.12 million +3.7%
1988 6.34 million +3.6%
1989 6.56 million +3.5%
1990 6.77 million +3.3%
1991 6.99 million +3.2%
1992 7.22 million +3.2%
1993 7.46 million +3.4%
1994 7.75 million +3.9%
1995 8.09 million +4.4%
1996 8.40 million +3.8%
1997 8.66 million +3.1%
1998 8.91 million +2.9%
1999 9.18 million +3.0%
2000 9.42 million +2.7%
2001 9.66 million +2.5%
2002 9.91 million +2.7%
2003 10.20 million +2.9%
2004 10.50 million +2.9%
2005 10.79 million +2.8%
2006 11.10 million +2.9%
2007 11.44 million +3.1%
2008 11.81 million +3.3%
2009 12.22 million +3.5%
2010 12.66 million +3.6%
2011 13.11 million +3.6%
2012 13.58 million +3.6%
2013 14.07 million +3.6%
2014 14.56 million +3.5%
2015 15.05 million +3.4%
2016 15.55 million +3.3%
2017 16.07 million +3.3%
2018 16.60 million +3.3%
2019 17.13 million +3.2%
2020 17.67 million +3.1%
2021 18.21 million +3.1%
2022 18.75 million +3.0%
2023 19.28 million +2.8%

Democratic Republic of Congo compared with similar countries

  • Democratic Republic of Congo's 19.28 million is above the median for low income countries, which is 3.35 million, 5.8× the median. (25 countries reporting)
  • Democratic Republic of Congo's 19.28 million is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 2.19 million, 8.8× the median. (48 countries reporting)

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1950s 2.34 million 2.17 million 2.59 million 10
1960s 3.09 million 2.67 million 3.56 million 10
1970s 4.15 million 3.67 million 4.65 million 10
1980s 5.62 million 4.79 million 6.56 million 10
1990s 7.94 million 6.77 million 9.18 million 10
2000s 10.71 million 9.42 million 12.22 million 10
2010s 14.84 million 12.66 million 17.13 million 10
2020s 18.48 million 17.67 million 19.28 million 4

Countries ranked near Democratic Republic of Congo

  1. 3 Nigeria 33.53 million compare
  2. 4 Pakistan 31.79 million compare
  3. 5 Indonesia 22.35 million compare
  4. 7 Ethiopia 19.07 million compare
  5. 8 United States 18.64 million compare
  6. 9 Bangladesh 16.51 million compare

See the full ranking of 236 places →

More reference data data for Democratic Republic of Congo

All data for Democratic Republic of Congo →

Frequently asked questions

What is children under age 5 in Democratic Republic of Congo?
Children under age 5 in Democratic Republic of Congo was 19.28 million in 2023, according to Our World in Data.
What is the highest children under age 5 recorded in Democratic Republic of Congo?
The highest recorded value was 19.28 million in 2023.
What is the lowest children under age 5 recorded in Democratic Republic of Congo?
The lowest recorded value was 2.17 million in 1950.
How does Democratic Republic of Congo rank for children under age 5?
Democratic Republic of Congo ranks 6th out of 236 countries with data for 2023.
Is children under age 5 rising or falling in Democratic Republic of Congo?
Over the last ten years it is up 37.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
Where does this Democratic Republic of Congo data come from?
The figures come from Our World in Data, published as part of Children under age 5. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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Children under age 5 in Democratic Republic of Congo. Statizoid, drawing on Our World in Data. Retrieved 14 November 2026, from https://reference.statizoid.com/stat/children-under-age-5/congo-dem-rep/

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About this data

Indicator
Children under age 5
Source
Our World in Data
Licence
CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data)
Coverage
236 places, 17,464 data points, 1950–2023
Last refreshed