Overview

Democratic Republic of the Congo

The Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) has extensive natural and human resources, yet is one of the 50 least developed countries in the world. Years of poor governance and violence drained its resource base and destroyed economic and social infrastructures. Nearly 3 million deaths are attributed to the fighting - almost 90 per cent due to malnutrition and other diseases. Reconciliation and a new government are creating a constructive environment for achieving progress towards meeting the goals of the International Conference on Population and Development and the MDGs.

—ICPD Goals —MDG Indicators

STATISTICS
POPULATION			1990			Most Recent
Population in Thousands, 2003, Total, Male				18,392.2			26,960.0
Population in Thousands, 2003, Total, Female				18,978.1			27,457.1
Population Growth Rate, Per Cent				3.0			2.9
Crude Birth Rate per 1,000 Population				48.5			50.2
Crude Death Rate per 1,000 Population				18.9			21.4
Urban Population, Per Cent				27.9			32.7
Sex Ratio at Birth, Male Births per Female Birth				n/a			1.03
Sex Ratio of Population, Males per Females				96.91			98.28
Women 15-49, Thousands				8,274.2			12,145.6
Women 15-49, Per Cent				0.4			0.4
Total Fertility Rate per Woman 15-49				6.70			6.70
Contraceptive Prevalence Rate for Women 15-49, Modern Method, Per Cent				2.0			4.4
Contraceptive Prevalence Rate for Women 15-49, Any Method, Per Cent				7.7			31.4
Maternal Mortality Ratio per 100,000 Live Births (MMR)				870			990
MMR, Lower Bound				n/a			250
MMR, Upper Bound				n/a			1,800
Infant Mortality Rate per 1,000 Live Births				119.0			119.6
Under Age 5 Mortality Rate, Total				n/a			219
Under Age 5 Mortality Rate, Female				n/a			208
Under Age 5 Mortality Rate, Male				n/a			230
Life Expectancy at Birth, Combined, Years				45.8			41.8
Life Expectancy at Birth, Female, Years				47.6			42.8
Life Expectancy at Birth, Male, Years				44.0			40.8
Median Age of Total Population				16.4			16.4
Population 60 Years and Over, Per Cent				4.5			4.2
Population 0-14 as Proportion of Population 65+				992			986

INDICATORS
SOCIOECONOMIC & HEALTH INDICATORS			1990			Most Recent
Gross Domestic Product Per Capita, Purchasing Power Parity, International Dollars				1,310			650
Gross Domestic Product Growth Rate, Annual Per Cent				-7			3
Income Group per World Bank Classification				n/a			Low income
UNFPA Country Priority Classification				n/a			A
Population Below $1/Day, Per Cent				n/a			n/a
Population Living Below National Poverty Line, Per Cent				n/a			n/a
Access to Improved Water Supply, Per Cent				34			45
Antenatal Care, At Least One Visit, Per Cent				n/a			n/a
Deliveries Attended by Skilled Attendants, Per Cent				n/a			70
Family Planning Programme Effort Index, 1999 (Total Mean Score)				n/a			n/a
Illiteracy Rate, Per Cent of Population 15 and Over, Male				39			22
Illiteracy Rate, Per Cent of Population 15 and Over, Female				66			42
Illiteracy Rate, Per Cent of Population 15 to 24, Male				20			9
Illiteracy Rate, Percent of Population 15 to 24, Female				42			18
Primary School Enrolment, Gross Per Cent of School Age Population, Male				n/a			48
Primary School Enrolment, Gross Per Cent of School Age Population, Female				n/a			44
Secondary School Enrolment, GrossPer Cent of School Age Population, Male				n/a			24
Secondary School Enrolment, Gross Per Cent of School Age Population, Female				n/a			13
Ratio of Girls to Boys, Primary Education				0.74			0.90
Ratio of Girls to Boys, Secondary Education				n/a			n/a
Children Underweight Under 5, Male, Per Cent				n/a			35
Children Underweight Under 5, Female, Per Cent				n/a			34
Stunted Children under 5, Moderate, Per Cent				n/a			45
Stunted Children under 5, Severe, Per Cent				n/a			25
Wasted Children under 5, Moderate, Per Cent				n/a			10
Wasted Children under 5, Severe, Per Cent				n/a			4
Refugees, Number				n/a			332,978
Internally Displaced Persons, Number				n/a			9,000
Asylum Seekers, Number				n/a			397
Married by 18, Percent, Female, 25-49				n/a			n/a
ADOLESCENT REPRODUCTIVE HEALTH INDICATORS			1990			Most Recent
Proportion of Population 15-24				19.1			20.2
Median Age at First Sexual Intercourse, Female, 25-49				n/a			n/a
Age-Specific Fertility Rate per 1000 Women, 15-20				n/a			230.5
Mean Age at Marriage, Male				n/a			n/a
Mean Age at Marriage, Female				n/a			n/a
HIV knowledge, Women 15-24 Who Know That a Person Can Protect Herself from HIV by Consistent Condom Use, Per Cent				n/a			46
HIV knowledge, Men 15-24 Who Know That a Person Can Protect Himself from HIV by Consistent Condom Use, Per Cent				n/a			n/a
HIV/AIDS Prevalence, 15-24, Lower Bound, Female				n/a			4.3
HIV/AIDS Prevalence, 15-24, Upper Bound, Female				n/a			7.6
HIV/AIDS Prevalence, 15-24, Lower Bound, Male				n/a			2.1
HIV/AIDS Prevalence, 15-24, Upper Bound, Male				n/a			3.7
Estimated HIV/AIDS Prevalence, 15-24, Total				n/a			4.4
GENDER EQUALITY INDICATORS			1990			Most Recent
Gender Empowerment Measure, Value				n/a			n/a
Gender Empowerment Measure, Rank				n/a			n/a
Labor Force Participation Rate, 15-64, Total				n/a			74.4
Labor Force Participation Rate, 15-64, Male				n/a			85.8
Labor Force Participation Rate, 15-64, Female				n/a			63.4
Women in Managerial or Technical Positions, Thousands				n/a			n/a
Seats in Parliament Held by Women, Per Cent				n/a			5.0
RH COMMODITY SECURITY INDICATORS			1990			Most Recent
Projected Increase/Decrease in Women of Reproductive Age 2000-2015, Thousands				n/a			5,811.2
Projected Increase/Decrease in Women of Reproductive Age 2000-2015, Per Cent				n/a			53.6
Unmet Need for Family Planning, Spacing, Per Cent				n/a			n/a
Unmet Need for Family Planning, Limiting, Per Cent				n/a			n/a
Unmet Need for Family Planning, Total, Per Cent				n/a			n/a
Unmet Need for Family Planning, Millions				n/a			n/a
INTERNAL DISPARITIES
Total Fertility Rate per Woman 15-49			Most Recent			Province
Urban