Children orphaned due to AIDS deaths in Democratic Republic of Congo
Democratic Republic of Congo: Children orphaned due to AIDS deaths was 511,169 children in 2024. ▲ Rising
Children orphaned due to AIDS deaths in Democratic Republic of Congo, 1990–2024
Source: Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data. Measured in children.
Analysis
The most recent figure for children orphaned due to aids deaths in Democratic Republic of Congo is 511,169 children, measured in 2024.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 7.7% on the previous year and down 26.5% over ten years.
Over the whole period, children orphaned due to aids deaths in Democratic Republic of Congo peaked at 696,475 children in 2013 and was at its lowest, 84,009 children, in 1990.
Democratic Republic of Congo ranks 7th of 139 countries on this measure, in the top 10%.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 35 years of available data.
Children orphaned due to AIDS deaths in Democratic Republic of Congo, year by year
| Year | children | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1990 | 84,009 children | — |
| 1991 | 109,848 children | +30.8% |
| 1992 | 140,110 children | +27.5% |
| 1993 | 175,091 children | +25.0% |
| 1994 | 214,492 children | +22.5% |
| 1995 | 260,149 children | +21.3% |
| 1996 | 306,332 children | +17.8% |
| 1997 | 350,543 children | +14.4% |
| 1998 | 393,509 children | +12.3% |
| 1999 | 435,532 children | +10.7% |
| 2000 | 476,487 children | +9.4% |
| 2001 | 514,928 children | +8.1% |
| 2002 | 550,060 children | +6.8% |
| 2003 | 581,433 children | +5.7% |
| 2004 | 608,835 children | +4.7% |
| 2005 | 631,278 children | +3.7% |
| 2006 | 648,724 children | +2.8% |
| 2007 | 662,670 children | +2.1% |
| 2008 | 676,444 children | +2.1% |
| 2009 | 685,662 children | +1.4% |
| 2010 | 689,065 children | +0.5% |
| 2011 | 692,015 children | +0.4% |
| 2012 | 695,679 children | +0.5% |
| 2013 | 696,475 children | +0.1% |
| 2014 | 695,520 children | -0.1% |
| 2015 | 691,780 children | -0.5% |
| 2016 | 687,590 children | -0.6% |
| 2017 | 679,600 children | -1.2% |
| 2018 | 665,831 children | -2.0% |
| 2019 | 659,407 children | -1.0% |
| 2020 | 649,296 children | -1.5% |
| 2021 | 625,265 children | -3.7% |
| 2022 | 591,840 children | -5.3% |
| 2023 | 554,096 children | -6.4% |
| 2024 | 511,169 children | -7.7% |
Democratic Republic of Congo compared with similar countries
- Democratic Republic of Congo's 511,169 children is above the median for low income countries, which is 48,346 children, 10.6× the median. (24 countries reporting)
- Democratic Republic of Congo's 511,169 children is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 83,352 children, 6.1× the median. (44 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 246,962 children | 84,009 children | 435,532 children | 10 |
| 2000s | 603,652 children | 476,487 children | 685,662 children | 10 |
| 2010s | 685,296 children | 659,407 children | 696,475 children | 10 |
| 2020s | 586,333 children | 511,169 children | 649,296 children | 5 |
Countries ranked near Democratic Republic of Congo
More reference data data for Democratic Republic of Congo
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure Management 1.44 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (CO2eq) from CH4 (AR5) - Enteric 3,057 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 6.66 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (CO2eq) from CH4 (AR5) - Burning - Crop 235.34 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (CO2eq) (AR5) - Manure left on Pasture 1,764 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 1.82 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (CO2eq) (AR5) - Manure Management 601.15 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (CH4) - IPCC Agriculture 140.16 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 11.56 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (CO2eq) (AR5) - Manure applied to Soils 313.43 (2050)
Frequently asked questions
- What is children orphaned due to aids deaths in Democratic Republic of Congo?
- Children orphaned due to aids deaths in Democratic Republic of Congo was 511,169 children in 2024, according to Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest children orphaned due to aids deaths recorded in Democratic Republic of Congo?
- The highest recorded value was 696,475 children in 2013.
- What is the lowest children orphaned due to aids deaths recorded in Democratic Republic of Congo?
- The lowest recorded value was 84,009 children in 1990.
- How does Democratic Republic of Congo rank for children orphaned due to aids deaths?
- Democratic Republic of Congo ranks 7th out of 139 countries with data for 2024.
- Is children orphaned due to aids deaths rising or falling in Democratic Republic of Congo?
- Over the last ten years it is down 26.5%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Democratic Republic of Congo data come from?
- The figures come from Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Children orphaned due to AIDS deaths. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Number of children, aged 17 and under, who have been orphaned by the death of one or both parents from AIDS at any point in their lives. This is the central estimate.