Includes The Democratic Republic of the Congo real Gross Domestic Product growth rate, with latest forecasts and historical data, GDP per capita, and GDP composition by sector.
Browse additional economic indicators and data sets, selected by Global Finance editors, to learn more about The Democratic Republic of the Congo economic outlook, debt to GDP ratio, international trade performance and population trends.
Basic Information
Government Type: Semi-presidential republic
Capital City: Kinshasa
GDP & Economic Information
Macroeconomy & Sovereign Data
| Central Bank |
Central Bank of Congo |
|---|---|
| Currency |
Congolese francs (CDF) |
| International Reserves |
USD 0.7 billion (2018) International Monetary Fund (IMF), data retrieved October 2019 |
| Gross Domestic Product – GDP |
USD 42.6 billion (2018, estimate) |
| GDP (Purchasing Power Parity) |
Intl$ 72.9 billion (2018, estimate) |
GDP Data
| Real GDP growth |
2007 6.3% 2008 6.2% 2009 2.9% 2010 7.1% 2011 6.9% 2012 7.1% 2013 8.5% 2014 9.5% 2015 6.9% 2016 2.4% 2017 3.4% 2018* 3.9% *Estimate |
|---|---|
| GDP per capita – current prices |
USD 448.7 (2018, estimate) |
| GDP per capita – PPP |
Intl$ 767.4 (2018, estimate) |
| GDP (PPP) – share of world total |
1980 0.14% 1990 0.11% 2000 0.04% 2010 0.04% 2018* 0.06% *Estimate |
| GDP – composition by sector |
agriculture: 19.1% industry: 44.1% services: 32.7% (2018 estimate) |
| Gross domestic expenditure on R&D; (% of GDP) | N/A |
| Inflation |
2015 0.7% 2016 3.2% 2017 35.8% 2018* 29.3% 2019* 5.5% *Estimate |
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Democratic Republic of the Congo: Rich Nation, Risk NationInflation & Debt
| Inflation |
2015 0.7% 2016 3.2% 2017 35.8% 2018* 29.3% 2019* 5.5% *Estimate |
|---|---|
| Government Bond Ratings |
Standard & Poor’s: CCC+ Moody’s: Caa1 Standard & Poor’s / Moody’s |
| Unemployment rate | N/A |
| Household saving rates | N/A |
| Public debt (General government gross debt as a % of GDP) |
2015 17% 2016 21.7% 2017 19.1% 2018* 15.3% 2019* 13.5% *Estimate |
| Public deficit (General government net lending/borrowing as a % of GDP) |
2015 -0.4% 2016 -0.5% 2017 1.4% 2018* 0.4% 2019* -0.1% *Estimate |
| Market value of publicly traded shares | N/A |
| Largest Companies | N/A |
Import/Export
| Exports as percent of GDP (Exports of goods and services) |
29.5% (2015) |
|---|---|
| Shares in world total merchandising export |
0.03% (2015) |
| Shares in world total commercial services export |
0.01% (2014) |
| Total exports |
USD 9.3 billion (2016 estimate) |
| Export commodities |
Diamonds, copper, gold, cobalt, wood products, crude oil, coffee |
| Total imports |
USD 10.2 billion (2016 estimate) |
| Import commodities |
Foodstuffs, mining and other machinery, transport equipment, fuels |
| Exports – major partners |
China 43.5%, Zambia 25%, South Korea 4.9%, Belgium 4.8% (2015) |
| Imports – major partners |
China 20.6%, South Africa 17.7%, Zambia 12.3%, Belgium 6.9%, Zimbabwe 5.1%, India 4.7% (2015) |
Competitiveness & Trade
| Current account balance |
USD 2.2 billion (2017 estimate) |
|---|---|
| Current account balance by percentage of GDP |
5.2% (2017 estimate) |
| FDI inflows |
2013 USD 2,098 million 2014 USD 1,843 million 2015 USD 1,674 million |
| FDI Outflows |
2013 USD 401 million 2014 USD 344 million 2015 USD 508 million |
| Value of cross-border M&A, by country of purchaser |
2012 USD 18.8 million 2013 N/A 2014 N/A 2015 N/A |
| Cross-border M&A deals worth over $3 billion completed in 2014 | N/A |
| Cross-border M&A deals worth over $3 billion completed in 2015 | N/A |
| Best countries for doing business |
Economies are ranked on their ease of doing business. A high ease of doing business ranking means the regulatory environment is more conducive to the starting and operation of a local firm. Overall ranking: 184 out of 190 countries (2016) Subcategories: Starting a business: 96 out of 190 countries Enforcing Contracts: 171 out of 190 countries Registering Property: 156 out of 190 countries Getting credit: 139 out of 190 countries Protecting investors: 162 out of 190 countries Trading across border: 188 out of 190 countries Paying Taxes: 177 out of 190 countries Dealing with Construction Permits: 114 out of 190 countries Getting Electricity: 175 out of 190 countries Resolving Insolvency: 169 out of 190 countries |
| Global competitiveness ranking |
129 out of 138 countries (2016-2017) |
| Index of Economic Freedom |
Ranking: 163 / Score: 46.38 (Repressed) (2017) (100=totally free 0=totally repressed) |
Population & Geographic Data
| Time Zone |
UTC+1 |
|---|---|
| Total Area |
2,344,858 sq km |
| Total Population |
1990* 39.725 million 2000* 52.427 million 2010* 70.458 million 2016* 84.13 million 2021* 97.53 million *Estimate |
| Urban population as % of total population |
1960 22% 1980 27% 2000 35% 2015 43% |
| Population median age |
18.4 years (2016 estimate) |
| Population growth rate |
2.42% (2016 estimate) |
| Life expectancy |
57.3 years (2016 estimate) |
| % of population living on less than $3.10 a day |
57% (2012) |
| Inequality of wealth distribution (Gini index) |
42.1 (2012) (0=perfect equality, 100=absolute inequality) |
| Freedom House rating |
Political Rights: 7 Civil Liberties: 6 (2017) (1 represents the most free, 7 the least free rating) |
| Total telephone subscribers as % of population |
Fixed 0.00% Mobile 52.99% (2015) (fixed-telephone subscribers and mobile-cellular subscribers) |
| Internet users as % of total population |
3.8% (2015) |
Language & Religon
| Languages |
French (official), Lingala (a lingua franca trade language), Kingwana (a dialect of Kiswahili or Swahili), Kikongo, Tshiluba |
|---|---|
| Literacy |
Total population: 63.8% Male: 78.1% Female: 50% (2015 est.) (age 15 and over can read and write French, Lingala, Kingwana, or Tshiluba) |
| Religions |
Roman Catholic 50%, Protestant 20%, Kimbanguist 10%, Muslim 10%, other (includes syncretic sects and indigenous beliefs) 10% |
World Rankings
| Population | 97.53 M |
|---|---|
| Mercer Cost of living index |
Kinshasa: 6th (2016) |
| C02 Emissions per capita |
0.0 (2013) |
Global Finance Rankings & Awards: Africa & The Democratic Republic of the Congo
Global Finance Magazine holds several conferences and awards ceremonies throughout the year to recognize the winning financial institutions and companies in a host of categories including World’s Best Trade Finance Banks, World's Biggest Banks, World's Safest Banks, World's Best Developed & Emerging Markets Banks, World's Best Internet Banks, and World’s Best Investment Banks.
Data Sources:
IMF World Economic Outlook
UN World Population Prospects
World Inequality Report
S&P Global Ratings
Moody’s
Fitch Ratings
IMF Direction of Trade Statistics (DOTS)
UN Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD)
CIA The World Factbook
World Bank’s World Integrated Trade Solution
Forbes Global 2000