Share of population living in cities with more than 1 million residents in Congo
Congo: Share of population living in cities with more than 1 million residents was 82.7% in 2020. ◆ Volatile
Share of population living in cities with more than 1 million residents in Congo, 1950–2020
Source: European Commission, Joint Research Centre (JRC) (2025) – with minor processing by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
In 2020, share of population living in cities with more than 1 million residents in Congo stood at 82.7%. That is the highest value across all 15 years on record.
The figure is up 88.2% over ten years.
Over the whole period, share of population living in cities with more than 1 million residents in Congo peaked at 82.7% in 2020 and was at its lowest, 0.0%, in 1950.
Congo ranks 4th of 180 countries on this measure, in the top 10%.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Share of population living in cities with more than 1 million residents in Congo, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1950 | 0.0% | — |
| 1955 | 0.0% | — |
| 1960 | 0.0% | — |
| 1965 | 0.0% | — |
| 1970 | 0.0% | — |
| 1975 | 0.0% | — |
| 1980 | 0.0% | — |
| 1985 | 0.0% | — |
| 1990 | 42.9% | — |
| 1995 | 40.9% | -4.6% |
| 2000 | 40.4% | -1.3% |
| 2005 | 40.3% | -0.2% |
| 2010 | 43.9% | +9.0% |
| 2015 | 73.0% | +66.0% |
| 2020 | 82.7% | +13.3% |
Congo compared with similar countries
- Congo's 82.7% is above the median for lower middle income countries, which is 17.4%, 4.8× the median. (45 countries reporting)
- Congo's 82.7% is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 12.2%, 6.8× the median. (47 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1950s | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 2 |
| 1960s | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 2 |
| 1970s | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 2 |
| 1980s | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 2 |
| 1990s | 41.9% | 40.9% | 42.9% | 2 |
| 2000s | 40.4% | 40.3% | 40.4% | 2 |
| 2010s | 58.5% | 43.9% | 73.0% | 2 |
| 2020s | 82.7% | 82.7% | 82.7% | 1 |
Countries ranked near Congo
More reference data data for Congo
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 0.0199 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 0.1866 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 0.2108 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 0.0031 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Agricultural Soils 0.2108 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 0.0668 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure Management 0.0724 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 0.9126 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 1.08 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 0.017 (2050)
Frequently asked questions
- What is share of population living in cities with more than 1 million residents in Congo?
- Share of population living in cities with more than 1 million residents in Congo was 82.7% in 2020, according to European Commission, Joint Research Centre (JRC) (2025) – with minor processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest share of population living in cities with more than 1 million residents recorded in Congo?
- The highest recorded value was 82.7% in 2020.
- What is the lowest share of population living in cities with more than 1 million residents recorded in Congo?
- The lowest recorded value was 0.0% in 1950.
- How does Congo rank for share of population living in cities with more than 1 million residents?
- Congo ranks 4th out of 180 countries with data for 2020.
- Is share of population living in cities with more than 1 million residents rising or falling in Congo?
- Over the last ten years it is up 88.2%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Congo data come from?
- The figures come from European Commission, Joint Research Centre (JRC) (2025) – with minor processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Share of population living in cities with more than 1 million residents. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Percentage of the total population living in cities with 1 million or more people. City boundaries are defined using a consistent global approach based on satellite imagery and population data.