GeoRealityMatch

The UK Foreign Office advises against all travel to parts of the country, and all but essential travel to other areas. FCDO travel advice, read 29 October 2026.

Aerial view of city under a bright blue sky with scattered clouds.A lone tree standing by the riverbanks in Brazzaville, Congo.

DR Congo

Africa · Middle Africa

Very low safetyModerate cost of livingLow development

It is among the least peaceful countries.

Safety

159th most peaceful of 161

Global Peace Index
3.189lower is more peacefulVery low safety
#159 of 161
IEP GPI · 2026
Safety index
33.3Numbeo's safety index, higher is saferLowNumbeo · 2026
Money

Incomes below the median country

GNI per person
$720national income per person, US dollarsVery low
World Bank · 2025
Rent index
32.8New York = 100Very expensiveNumbeo · 2026

Income and inflation over time

Income per person rose 216% in current dollars from 2006 to 2025, and rose 59% after inflation.

GDP per person, current US$At purchasing power parityInflation

$0$1.0K$2.0K$1,920 PPP$807Inflation, % a year20%0200620102015202020252006, $255 a person, $545 at PPP, inflation 13.1%2007, $294 a person, $590 at PPP, inflation 16.9%2008, $353 a person, $627 at PPP, inflation 17.3%2009, $280 a person, $615 at PPP, inflation 2.8%2010, $352 a person, $654 at PPP, inflation 7.1%2011, $373 a person, $644 at PPP, inflation 15.3%2012, $410 a person, $648 at PPP, inflation 9.7%2013, $460 a person, $761 at PPP, inflation 0.8%2014, $489 a person, $859 at PPP, inflation 1.2%2015, $496 a person, $910 at PPP, inflation 0.7%2016, $460 a person, $950 at PPP, inflation 2.9%2017, $431 a person, $991 at PPP2018, $518 a person, $1,049 at PPP2019, $504 a person, $1,056 at PPP2020, $486 a person, $1,089 at PPP2021, $596 a person, $1,402 at PPP2022, $688 a person, $1,590 at PPP2023, $660 a person, $1,732 at PPP2024, $693 a person, $1,823 at PPP2025, $807 a person, $1,920 at PPP$0$1.0K$2.0KInflation, % a year20%0200620102015202020252006, $255 a person, $545 at PPP, inflation 13.1%2007, $294 a person, $590 at PPP, inflation 16.9%2008, $353 a person, $627 at PPP, inflation 17.3%2009, $280 a person, $615 at PPP, inflation 2.8%2010, $352 a person, $654 at PPP, inflation 7.1%2011, $373 a person, $644 at PPP, inflation 15.3%2012, $410 a person, $648 at PPP, inflation 9.7%2013, $460 a person, $761 at PPP, inflation 0.8%2014, $489 a person, $859 at PPP, inflation 1.2%2015, $496 a person, $910 at PPP, inflation 0.7%2016, $460 a person, $950 at PPP, inflation 2.9%2017, $431 a person, $991 at PPP2018, $518 a person, $1,049 at PPP2019, $504 a person, $1,056 at PPP2020, $486 a person, $1,089 at PPP2021, $596 a person, $1,402 at PPP2022, $688 a person, $1,590 at PPP2023, $660 a person, $1,732 at PPP2024, $693 a person, $1,823 at PPP2025, $807 a person, $1,920 at PPP

World Bank: GDP per person in current US dollars and at PPP, real GDP per person, consumer price inflation. Observed years only.

Health

Among the shortest life expectancies

Life expectancy
62.1years, at birthVery low
#182 of 195
World Bank · 2024
Health coverage
41WHO universal health coverage index, 0 to 100Very lowWHO · 2023
Air pollution
27.5PM2.5, micrograms per cubic metre, national averageHighWHO · 2023
Work and internet

Moderate home internet speeds

Unemployment rate
4.4%share of the labour force without a jobWorld Bank · 2025
Home internet
45 Mbpsmedian download speedModerateOokla Speedtest · 2025
English proficiency
400EF English Proficiency Index scoreVery lowEF EPI · 2025

Internet speeds

Home internet45 MbpsModerate

Ookla Speedtest Global Index, median download speed, ranked among the countries Ookla lists.

A lone tree standing by the riverbanks in Brazzaville, Congo.
How it changed

DR Congo's Human Development Index

0.522Low human development

171st of 193 in UNDP's 2023 ranking, 34th of 54 in Africa.

UNDP builds the index from three dimensions: a long and healthy life, being knowledgeable, and a decent standard of living. They are measured by life expectancy at birth, mean and expected years of schooling, and gross national income per capita. UNDP Human Development Report 2025.

Nearest countries by HDI

  1. #169Senegal0.530
  2. #170Gambia0.524
  3. #171DR Congo0.522
  4. #172Malawi0.517
  5. #173Benin0.515
Full HDI ranking, all 193 countries

HDI since 1990

Year by year

Human development rose from 0.388 in 1990 to 0.522 in 2023.

0.350.450.550.52219902000201020231990: 0.3881991: 0.3891992: 0.3871993: 0.3851994: 0.3821995: 0.3851996: 0.3861997: 0.3881998: 0.3851999: 0.3832000: 0.3912001: 0.3892002: 0.3922003: 0.3982004: 0.4032005: 0.4082006: 0.4132007: 0.4172008: 0.4262009: 0.4312010: 0.4402011: 0.4472012: 0.4512013: 0.4562014: 0.4672015: 0.4772016: 0.4872017: 0.4912018: 0.4972019: 0.5012020: 0.5062021: 0.5082022: 0.5142023: 0.5220.350.450.5519902000201020231990: 0.3881991: 0.3891992: 0.3871993: 0.3851994: 0.3821995: 0.3851996: 0.3861997: 0.3881998: 0.3851999: 0.3832000: 0.3912001: 0.3892002: 0.3922003: 0.3982004: 0.4032005: 0.4082006: 0.4132007: 0.4172008: 0.4262009: 0.4312010: 0.4402011: 0.4472012: 0.4512013: 0.4562014: 0.4672015: 0.4772016: 0.4872017: 0.4912018: 0.4972019: 0.5012020: 0.5062021: 0.5082022: 0.5142023: 0.522

UNDP Human Development Report, 2025 edition. 34 annual values, none interpolated.

Twenty years here

Year by yearThe world report
Life expectancy at birth
62.1 years2024at birthUp 8.1 years from 54 years in 2005
Internet users
20%2024of people onlineUp 19 points from 0% in 2006
Urban population
45%2025of people in towns and citiesUp 7 points from 38% in 2006
Births per woman
5.982024births per womanDown 0.55 from 6.53 in 2005
Renewable share of energy
96%2021of energy usedDown 2 points from 98% in 2004
Access to electricity
23%2024of people with electricityUp 17 points from 6% in 2005
Infant mortality
562024deaths before age one, per 1,000 birthsDown 16 from 72 in 2005
CO2 emissions per person
0.1 t2024of CO2 per person a yearLevel with 2005
Forest area
54%2023of land under forestDown 8 points from 62% in 2004

World Bank, from the first to the last observed year of each indicator; each has its own window.

Our take

Vast mineral wealth and chronic instability; home to the world's second largest rainforest. The case against is a low peace ranking, low incomes and short lives.

About DR Congo

The Democratic Republic of Congo is the second largest country in Africa and one of the most biodiverse places on earth, home to the Congo rainforest, rare mountain gorillas, and the powerful Congo River. The culture is enormously rich, with a music tradition that gave the world Congolese rumba and soukous. It is a challenging destination requiring careful planning, but those who make it will encounter something genuinely extraordinary.

Practical facts

  • CapitalKinshasa
  • LanguagesFrench, Kikongo, Lingala, Tshiluba
  • CurrencyCongolese franc (CDF)
  • Area2,267,050 km²
  • Plug typeType C/E
  • Drives on theright
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Borders

AngolaBurundiCentral African RepublicRepublic of the CongoRwandaSouth SudanTanzaniaUgandaZambia

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Quick answers

What is DR Congo's Human Development Index?

DR Congo's Human Development Index is 0.522 for 2023 (UNDP Human Development Report 2025), ranked #171 of 193 by UNDP.

Is DR Congo safe?

DR Congo scores 3.19 on the Global Peace Index (lower is more peaceful), ranked #159 of 161 countries by the Institute for Economics & Peace. That measures national-level peace, not street crime; both are covered below.

How expensive is DR Congo?

Numbeo's cost-of-living index puts DR Congo at 50.2 (New York = 100); that is #98 cheapest of 143 countries with data.

What is life expectancy in DR Congo?

Life expectancy at birth in DR Congo is 62.1 yrs (World Bank), ranked #182 of 195 countries.