📜 A long story
DR Congo, 1800 → today
The DR Congo grew from 5.16 million in 1800 to 106 million; a newborn can expect 23.7 more years of life than in 1950, and output per person is 0.9× its 1950 level, adjusted for inflation.
Told with long-run reconstructions, not the yearly series used elsewhere on the site: each chapter names its source. Scroll to move through the years.
☺ Chapter 1 · Population
How many people live there?
1800
In 1800, about 5.16 million people lived in the DR Congo.
1900
9.45 million people.
1.8× the 1800 level
1950
12.3 million people.
1.3× the 1900 level
Reached twice the 1800 level in 1940.
2023
106 million people, the latest year in this series.
8.6× the 1950 level
Reached 5 times the 1800 level in 1979.
Reached 10 times the 1800 level in 2001.
Reached 20 times the 1800 level in 2023.
Long-run series: before 1950, reconstructions by HYDE and Gapminder, filled in between benchmark years by those sources. Log scale: equal steps up mean equal growth rates.
✚ Chapter 2 · Life expectancy
How long do people live?
1950
In 1950, a newborn in the DR Congo could expect to live 38.2 years, on average.
2023
61.9 years, the latest year in this series.
+24 years since 1950
Passed 40 years in 1957.
Passed 50 years in 1995.
Passed 60 years in 2019.
Long-run series: before 1950, historical estimates (Riley, Clio Infra, Human Mortality Database), only for years they cover.
◎ Chapter 3 · GDP per person (PPP)
How much is produced per person?
1950
In 1950, the DR Congo produced about Int$909 per person, in 2011 prices.
2022
Int$844, the latest year in this series.
about the same as in 1950
The sharpest fall in the data: down 43% between 1986 and 1994 (Int$923 → Int$525).
Long-run series (Maddison Project) in 2011 international dollars: adjusted for inflation, so not the same unit as today’s PPP figure. Log scale: equal steps up mean equal growth rates.
❦ Chapter 4 · CO₂ per person
How much CO₂ does each person emit?
1920
In 1920, fossil fuels and industry in the DR Congo emitted about 0.00045 t of CO₂ per person.
1950
0.1 t.
268× the 1920 level
Reached twice the 1920 level, reached 5 times the 1920 level, reached 10 times the 1920 level, reached 20 times the 1920 level in 1922.
Reached 50 times the 1920 level in 1924.
The sharpest fall in the data: down 99% between 1930 and 1933 (0.042 t → 0.00038 t).
2024
0.1 t, the latest year in this series.
55% lower than in 1950
Long-run series: fossil CO₂ emitted within each country’s borders (Global Carbon Budget); early estimates are less certain. Log scale: equal steps up mean equal growth rates.
☕ Chapter 5 · Years of schooling
How long do people go to school?
1870
In 1870, people aged 15–64 in the DR Congo had spent 0.01 years in school, on average.
1900
0.02 years.
about the same as 1870
1950
0.6 years.
+0.6 years since 1900
2015
4.3 years, the latest year in this series.
+3.7 years since 1950
Passed 2 years in 1980.
Passed 4 years in 2015.
Long-run series (Lee & Lee, Barro & Lee) for people aged 15–64, every 5 years until 2015: a different age group than today’s figure (25 and older).