World Factbook
Republic of the Congo
République du Congo
Last updated: 2026-03-28 (today)
Languages
Languages
French (official), French Lingala and Monokutuba (trade languages), many local languages and dialects (of which Kikongo is the most widespread)
major-language sample(s)
Buku oyo ya bosembo ya Mokili Mobimba Ezali na Makanisi ya Liboso Mpenza. (Lingala) The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information.
Religions
Roman Catholic 33.1%, Awakening Churches/Christian Revival 22.3%, Protestant 19.9%, Salutiste 2.2%, Muslim 1.6%, Kimbanguist 1.5%, other 8.1%, none 11.3% (2007 est.)
Sex ratio
at birth
1.03 male(s)/female
0-14 years
1.02 male(s)/female
15-64 years
1.01 male(s)/female
total population
1 male(s)/female (2024 est.)
65 years and over
0.75 male(s)/female
Birth rate
28.34 births/1,000 population (2025 est.)
Death rate
4.64 deaths/1,000 population (2025 est.)
Median age
male
20.5 years
total
20.9 years (2025 est.)
female
20.9 years
Population
male
3,045,973
total
6,097,665 (2024 est.)
female
3,051,692
Nationality
noun
Congolese (singular and plural)
adjective
Congolese or Congo
Tobacco use
male
30% (2025 est.)
total
15.8% (2025 est.)
female
1.7% (2025 est.)
Urbanization
urban population
69.2% of total population (2023)
rate of urbanization
3.19% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)
Age structure
0-14 years
37.8% (male 1,162,298/female 1,143,668)
15-64 years
57.8% (male 1,770,337/female 1,756,925)
65 years and over
4.3% (2024 est.) (male 113,338/female 151,099)
Ethnic groups
Kongo (Bakongo) 40.5%, Teke 16.9%, Mbochi 13.1%, foreigner 8.2%, Sangha 5.6%, Mbere/Mbeti/Kele 4.4%, Punu 4.3%, Pygmy 1.6%, Oubanguiens 1.6%, Duma 1.5%, Makaa 1.3%, other and unspecified 1% (2014-15 est.)
Child marriage
men married by age 18
5.6% (2018 est.)
women married by age 15
6.9% (2015)
women married by age 18
27.3% (2015)
Dependency ratios
total dependency ratio
72.9 (2024 est.)
youth dependency ratio
65.4 (2024 est.)
potential support ratio
13.3 (2024 est.)
elderly dependency ratio
7.5 (2024 est.)
Physician density
0.17 physicians/1,000 population (2022)
Health expenditure
Health expenditure (as % of GDP)
3.9% of GDP (2021)
Health expenditure (as % of national budget)
3.5% of national budget (2022 est.)
Net migration rate
-0.08 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2025 est.)
Total fertility rate
3.72 children born/woman (2025 est.)
Education expenditure
Education expenditure (% GDP)
3.3% of GDP (2023 est.)
Education expenditure (% national budget)
14.7% national budget (2023 est.)
Infant mortality rate
male
33.5 deaths/1,000 live births
total
29.9 deaths/1,000 live births (2025 est.)
female
27.7 deaths/1,000 live births
Population growth rate
2.36% (2025 est.)
Gross reproduction rate
1.83 (2025 est.)
Population distribution
the population is primarily located in the south, in and around the capital of Brazzaville, as shown in this population distribution map
Life expectancy at birth
male
71.5 years
female
74.3 years
total population
72.9 years (2024 est.)
Maternal mortality ratio
241 deaths/100,000 live births (2023 est.)
Alcohol consumption per capita
beer
5.11 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
wine
0.1 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
total
5.74 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
spirits
0.52 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
other alcohols
0.01 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
Major urban areas - population
2.638 million BRAZZAVILLE (capital), 1.336 million Pointe-Noire (2023)
Obesity - adult prevalence rate
9.6% (2016)
Mother's mean age at first birth
19.6 years (2011/12 est.)
note: data represents median age at first birth among women 20-49
Currently married women (ages 15-49)
51.8% (2023 est.)