Military personnel in Democratic Republic of Congo
Democratic Republic of Congo: Military personnel was 134,000 people in 2022. ◆ Volatile
Military personnel in Democratic Republic of Congo, 1960–2022
Source: Correlates of War – National Material Capabilities Version 7.0 (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data. Measured in people.
Analysis
Democratic Republic of Congo recorded 134,000 people for military personnel in 2022.
The figure is down 15.7% over ten years.
Over the whole period, military personnel in Democratic Republic of Congo peaked at 159,000 people in 2011 and was at its lowest, 18,000 people, in 1961.
That places Democratic Republic of Congo 37th out of 194 countries with data for 2022, putting it in the top quarter.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Military personnel in Democratic Republic of Congo, year by year
| Year | people | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1960 | 25,000 people | — |
| 1961 | 18,000 people | -28.0% |
| 1962 | 20,000 people | +11.1% |
| 1963 | 25,000 people | +25.0% |
| 1964 | 25,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1965 | 25,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1966 | 25,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1967 | 35,000 people | +40.0% |
| 1968 | 30,000 people | -14.3% |
| 1969 | 45,000 people | +50.0% |
| 1970 | 45,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1971 | 45,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1972 | 45,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1973 | 65,000 people | +44.4% |
| 1974 | 60,000 people | -7.7% |
| 1975 | 55,000 people | -8.3% |
| 1976 | 55,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1977 | 53,000 people | -3.6% |
| 1978 | 53,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1979 | 23,000 people | -56.6% |
| 1980 | 26,000 people | +13.0% |
| 1981 | 44,000 people | +69.2% |
| 1982 | 40,000 people | -9.1% |
| 1983 | 42,000 people | +5.0% |
| 1984 | 60,000 people | +42.9% |
| 1985 | 62,000 people | +3.3% |
| 1986 | 53,000 people | -14.5% |
| 1987 | 53,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1988 | 51,000 people | -3.8% |
| 1989 | 51,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1990 | 55,000 people | +7.8% |
| 1991 | 60,000 people | +9.1% |
| 1992 | 45,000 people | -25.0% |
| 1993 | 40,000 people | -11.1% |
| 1994 | 40,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1995 | 40,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1996 | 50,000 people | +25.0% |
| 1997 | 30,000 people | -40.0% |
| 1998 | 50,000 people | +66.7% |
| 1999 | 55,000 people | +10.0% |
| 2000 | 56,000 people | +1.8% |
| 2001 | 81,000 people | +44.6% |
| 2002 | 81,000 people | +0.0% |
| 2003 | 98,000 people | +21.0% |
| 2004 | 81,000 people | -17.3% |
| 2005 | 65,000 people | -19.8% |
| 2006 | 65,000 people | +0.0% |
| 2007 | 51,000 people | -21.5% |
| 2008 | 134,000 people | +162.7% |
| 2009 | 151,000 people | +12.7% |
| 2010 | 151,000 people | +0.0% |
| 2011 | 159,000 people | +5.3% |
| 2012 | 159,000 people | +0.0% |
| 2013 | 134,000 people | -15.7% |
| 2014 | 134,000 people | +0.0% |
| 2015 | 134,000 people | +0.0% |
| 2016 | 134,000 people | +0.0% |
| 2017 | 134,000 people | +0.0% |
| 2018 | 134,000 people | +0.0% |
| 2019 | 134,000 people | +0.0% |
| 2020 | 134,000 people | +0.0% |
| 2021 | 134,000 people | +0.0% |
| 2022 | 134,000 people | +0.0% |
Democratic Republic of Congo compared with similar countries
- Democratic Republic of Congo's 134,000 people is above the median for low income countries, which is 33,000 people, 4.1× the median. (25 countries reporting)
- Democratic Republic of Congo's 134,000 people is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 14,000 people, 9.6× the median. (48 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Military personnel 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2008 | +162.7% | 51,000 people | 134,000 people |
| 1981 | +69.2% | 26,000 people | 44,000 people |
| 1998 | +66.7% | 30,000 people | 50,000 people |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 27,300 people | 18,000 people | 45,000 people | 10 |
| 1970s | 49,900 people | 23,000 people | 65,000 people | 10 |
| 1980s | 48,200 people | 26,000 people | 62,000 people | 10 |
| 1990s | 46,500 people | 30,000 people | 60,000 people | 10 |
| 2000s | 86,300 people | 51,000 people | 151,000 people | 10 |
| 2010s | 140,700 people | 134,000 people | 159,000 people | 10 |
| 2020s | 134,000 people | 134,000 people | 134,000 people | 3 |
Countries ranked near Democratic Republic of Congo
More reference data data for Democratic Republic of Congo
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 0.3528 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 1.56 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 2.31 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 0.335 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Agricultural Soils 2.31 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 1.18 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure Management 1.44 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 6.66 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 11.56 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 1.82 (2050)
Frequently asked questions
- What is military personnel in Democratic Republic of Congo?
- Military personnel in Democratic Republic of Congo was 134,000 people in 2022, according to Correlates of War – National Material Capabilities Version 7.0 (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest military personnel recorded in Democratic Republic of Congo?
- The highest recorded value was 159,000 people in 2011.
- What is the lowest military personnel recorded in Democratic Republic of Congo?
- The lowest recorded value was 18,000 people in 1961.
- How does Democratic Republic of Congo rank for military personnel?
- Democratic Republic of Congo ranks 37th out of 194 countries with data for 2022.
- Is military personnel rising or falling in Democratic Republic of Congo?
- Over the last ten years it is down 15.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Democratic Republic of Congo data come from?
- The figures come from Correlates of War – National Material Capabilities Version 7.0 (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Military personnel. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Troops under the command of the national government, intended for use against foreign adversaries, and held ready for combat as of January 1 of the given year.