Demographic features of the population of the Republic of the Congo include population density, ethnicity, education level, health of the populace, economic status, religious affiliations and other aspects of the population.

The Republic of the Congo's sparse population is concentrated in the southwestern portion of the country, leaving the vast areas of tropical jungle in the north virtually uninhabited. Thus, Congo is one of the most urbanized countries in Africa, with 85% of its total population living in a few urban areas, namely in Brazzaville, Pointe-Noire, or one of the small cities or villages lining the railway which connects the two cities. In rural areas, industrial and commercial activity has declined rapidly in recent years, leaving rural economies dependent on the government for support and subsistence. Before the 1997 civil war, about 15,000 Europeans and other non-Africans lived in Congo, most of whom were French. Presently, only about 9,500 remain. Pygmies make up 2% of Congo's population.

Population

According to the total population was in , compared to only 808 000 in 1950. The proportion of children below the age of 15 in 2010 was 40.6%, 55.7% was between 15 and 65 years of age, while 3.7% was 65 years or older.Population Division of the Department of Economic and Social Affairs of the United Nations Secretariat, World Population Prospects: The 2010 Revision Total populationPopulation aged 0–14 (%)Population aged 15–64 (%)Population aged 65+ (%) 1950 808 00040.156.43.5 1955 899 00040.555.93.6 19601 014 00041.455.03.7 19651 158 00042.553.73.8 19701 335 00043.552.73.8 19751 555 00044.252.03.8 19801 798 00044.851.43.8 19852 081 00044.651.73.7 19902 389 00043.752.53.7 19952 733 00042.553.73.7 20003 136 00041.554.73.7 20053 533 00041.355.03.7 20104 043 00040.655.73.7

Population estimates by sex and age group (01.VII.2009): Age groupMaleFemaleTotal% Total 1 891 558 1 946 680 3 838 238 100 0–4 294 305 292 273 586 578 15.28 5–9 238 682 237 182 475 864 12.40 10–14 208 162 208 912 417 074 10.87 15–19 186 405 196 268 382 673 9.97 20–24 167 519 191 226 358 745 9.35 25–29 160 897 178 236 339 133 8.84 30–34 152 642 151 367 304 009 7.92 35–39 131 794 123 203 254 997 6.64 40–44 103 248 95 346 198 594 5.17 45–49 76 921 71 877 148 798 3.88 50–54 54 925 56 887 111 812 2.91 55–59 38 051 42 791 80 842 2.11 60–64 27 592 32 009 59 601 1.55 65-69 20 879 25 827 46 706 1.22 70-74 14 954 20 007 34 961 0.91 75-79 8 820 13 048 21 868 0.57 80+ 5 762 10 221 15 983 0.42Age groupMaleFemaleTotalPercent 0–14 741 149 738 367 1 479 516 38.55 15–64 1 099 994 1 139 210 2 239 204 58.34 65+ 50 415 69 103 119 518 3.11

Population estimates by sex and age group (01.VII.2020): Age groupMaleFemaleTotal% Total 2 693 804 2 774 818 5 468 622 100 0–4 411 671 412 877 824 548 15.08 5–9 340 319 337 291 677 610 12.39 10–14 303 346 306 542 609 889 11.15 15–19 271 095 289 989 561 084 10.26 20–24 243 060 282 727 525 788 9.61 25–29 241 223 253 353 494 576 9.04 30–34 218 257 209 888 428 145 7.83 35–39 183 437 169 496 352 933 6.45 40–44 138 775 128 121 266 896 4.88 45–49 104 065 98 609 202 673 3.71 50–54 72 724 79 083 151 807 2.78 55–59 52 219 57 918 110 137 2.01 60–64 39 423 46 323 85 746 1.57 65-69 30 885 38 323 69 207 1.27 70-74 21 747 29 537 51 285 0.94 75-79 12 425 18 699 31 124 0.57 80-84 5 168 9 115 14 283 0.26 85+ 3 964 6 928 10 891 0.20Age groupMaleFemaleTotalPercent 0–14 1 055 336 1 056 710 2 112 046 38.62 15–64 1 564 279 1 615 506 3 179 785 58.15 65+ 74 189 102 602 176 791 3.23

Vital statistics Registration of vital events in the Republic of the Congo is incomplete. The Population Department of the United Nations prepared the following estimates. PeriodMid-year populationLive birthsDeathsNatural changeCBRCDRNCTFRIMRLife expectancy (years)1950 835,000 38,000 20,000 18,00044.923.621.36.07154.540.061951 853,000 38,000 20,000 18,00044.823.221.66.07151.240.651952 872,000 39,000 20,000 19,00044.622.622.06.06147.641.361953 892,000 40,000 20,000 20,00044.522.022.56.06143.742.161954 912,000 40,000 20,000 21,00044.321.522.86.05139.642.851955 933,000 41,000 19,000 22,00044.220.823.36.07135.343.651956 956,000 42,000 19,000 23,00044.020.123.96.07130.944.561957 979,000 43,000 19,000 24,00043.819.524.46.07126.445.431958 1,003,000 44,000 19,000 25,00043.818.924.96.09122.046.291959 1,029,000 45,000 19,000 26,00043.618.225.46.09117.747.121960 1,056,000 46,000 19,000 27,00043.417.625.76.09113.647.981961 1,083,000 47,000 19,000 28,00043.217.126.16.09109.948.701962 1,112,000 48,000 18,000 30,00043.116.526.56.10106.449.501963 1,143,000 49,000 18,000 31,00043.216.127.16.15103.250.121964 1,174,000 51,000 18,000 32,00043.315.727.66.18100.250.701965 1,207,000 52,000 19,000 34,00043.515.428.16.2397.451.201966 1,242,000 54,000 19,000 35,00043.615.028.66.2794.651.771967 1,278,000 56,000 19,000 37,00043.614.828.96.2992.352.101968 1,316,000 58,000 19,000 39,00043.814.429.46.3389.752.721969 1,356,000 59,000 19,000 40,00043.914.129.86.3587.453.201970 1,397,000 61,000 19,000 42,00044.013.830.26.3885.353.631971 1,440,000 64,000 19,000 44,00044.213.530.76.4283.354.041972 1,485,000 66,000 20,000 46,00044.313.331.06.4481.454.361973 1,532,000 68,000 20,000 48,00044.113.031.06.4279.654.701974 1,580,000 69,000 20,000 49,00043.912.831.16.3978.055.061975 1,625,000 71,000 20,000 51,00043.712.631.16.3676.455.321976 1,665,000 72,000 21,000 52,00043.312.330.96.3274.955.601977 1,706,000 73,000 21,000 53,00042.912.230.76.2773.555.811978 1,747,000 74,000 21,000 53,00042.411.930.56.2172.156.071979 1,788,000 75,000 21,000 54,00041.911.730.26.1470.656.311980 1,829,000 76,000 21,000 55,00041.511.530.06.0769.356.591981 1,871,000 77,000 21,000 56,00041.211.229.95.9867.956.831982 1,912,000 79,000 21,000 57,00040.911.129.95.9066.557.021983 1,952,000 80,000 21,000 59,00040.810.929.95.8165.157.231984 2,002,000 81,000 21,000 60,00040.610.630.05.7363.757.451985 2,063,000 83,000 22,000 61,00040.310.629.75.6562.357.521986 2,125,000 85,000 22,000 63,00040.010.529.55.5761.257.551987 2,189,000 87,000 23,000 64,00039.810.529.25.4960.457.431988 2,253,000 89,000 24,000 65,00039.510.728.85.4060.057.011989 2,319,000 91,000 25,000 66,00039.210.928.35.3160.056.511990 2,385,000 93,000 27,000 66,00038.811.127.75.2160.555.931991 2,453,000 95,000 28,000 67,00038.711.527.25.1661.455.241992 2,521,000 97,000 30,000 68,00038.611.726.95.1162.754.661993 2,594,000 100,000 31,000 68,00038.412.026.45.0664.454.151994 2,669,000 102,000 33,000 70,00038.312.226.15.0066.153.741995 2,742,000 105,000 34,000 71,00038.212.325.94.9768.153.641996 2,817,000 108,000 35,000 73,00038.212.425.84.9770.053.491997 2,875,000 110,000 47,000 64,00038.316.222.14.9675.147.191998 2,937,000 111,000 41,000 71,00038.013.824.14.9375.150.891999 3,017,000 114,000 38,000 75,00037.712.725.04.8574.052.762000 3,134,000 115,000 38,000 77,00037.212.225.04.7673.153.682001 3,254,000 122,000 39,000 84,00037.611.825.84.7171.454.402002 3,331,000 125,000 38,000 87,00037.511.526.14.7268.855.092003 3,425,000 127,000 37,000 90,00037.311.026.34.7065.655.952004 3,543,000 132,000 37,000 95,00037.410.427.04.6961.756.992005 3,673,000 137,000 36,000 101,00037.49.827.54.6657.858.132006 3,813,000 142,000 36,000 107,00037.59.428.14.6654.058.882007 3,956,000 148,000 36,000 113,00037.79.128.64.6750.759.642008 4,090,000 156,000 36,000 121,00038.28.729.54.7347.760.432009 4,257,000 162,000 35,000 127,00038.48.430.04.7945.361.092010 4,438,000 172,000 36,000 136,00038.98.130.74.8243.661.682011 4,584,000 175,000 36,000 139,00038.27.930.34.7942.161.992012 4,713,000 177,000 37,000 141,00037.57.829.84.7541.062.322013 4,828,000 177,000 36,000 140,00036.57.529.04.6940.062.702014 4,945,000 176,000 36,000 140,00035.57.428.24.6338.762.952015 5,064,000 176,000 37,000 139,00034.67.227.54.5637.663.232016 5,187,000 175,000 36,000 139,00033.77.026.74.4936.563.582017 5,312,000 176,000 37,000 139,00033.06.926.14.4335.463.762018 5,441,000 176,000 37,000 139,00032.36.825.54.3734.564.052019 5,571,000 177,000 41,000 135,00031.77.424.34.3035.462.752020 5,702,000 178,000 39,000 138,00031.26.924.24.2332.663.792021 5,892,000 185,000 41,000 140,000 31.46.923.74.2830.764.22022 6,035,000 187,000 40,000 146,00030.96.624.24.2229.765.02023 6,183,000 189,000 39,000 149,00030.66.324.24.1628.865.8 Source: UN DESA, World Population Prospects, 2022

Demographic and Health Surveys Total Fertility Rate (TFR) (Wanted Fertility Rate) and Crude Birth Rate (CBR):

Year CBR (total) TFR (total) CBR (urban) TFR (urban) CBR (rural) TFR (rural) 2005 40,0 4,8 (4,4) 34,6 3,8 (3,5) 46,1 6,1 (5,7) 2011-2012 41,4 5,1 (4,5) 40,6 4,5 (4,1) 42,8 6,5 (5,5) 2025 27.0 3.5 25.0 3.0 33.0 5.3

Fertility data as of 2011-2012 (DHS Program):

Department Total fertility rate Percentage of women age 15-49 currently pregnant Mean number of children ever born to women age 40-49Kouilou 6.8 11.4 6.2Niari 5.9 11.9 5.4Lékoumou 6.5 9.9 5.7Bouenza 5.7 8.5 5.6Pool 6.4 10.2 5.5Plateaux 6.3 11.4 5.6Cuvette 6.4 12.5 5.6Cuvette-Ouest 6.0 10.1 6.1Sangha 5.8 11.9 5.4Likouala 7.0 11.7 6.4Brazzaville 4.3 8.7 4.3Pointe-Noire 4.6 9.2 4.5

Ethnic groups Kongo 40.5%, Teke 16.9%, Mbochi 13.1%, Sangha 5.6%, Europeans and other 23.9%

Languages

Languages spoken here include French (official), Kituba or Monokutuba (lingua franca), Kongo or Kikongo, Lingala, and many local languages and dialects.

The majority of the population is concentrated along the railroad between Pointe-Noire and Brazzaville in the south where Kituba (a creole language based on Kikongo) is the primary language. Lingala is influential in the sparsely inhabited northern half of the country.

Religion Roman Catholic 33.1%, Awakening Churches/Christian Revival 22.3%, Protestant 19.9%, Salutiste 2.2%, Islam 1.6%, Kimbanguiste 1.5%, other 8.1%, none 11.3% (2010 est.)

Health Life expectancy for the population was estimated at 54.91 years in 2011: 53.62 for males and 56.25 for females. The adult prevalence rate for HIV/AIDS was 3.4% as of 2009, representing 77,000 people living with the disease and 5,100 deaths. The Republic of the Congo is considered to have a high degree of risk of infectious diseases, particularly bacterial diarrhea, hepatitis A and typhoid fever (all food- or waterborne), and malaria (vectorborne).

PeriodLife expectancy in years1950–195543.151955–1960 46.831960–1965 50.161965–1970 52.491970–1975 54.111975–1980 55.441980–1985 56.631985–1990 56.661990–1995 54.831995–2000 51.992000–2005 52.122005–2010 57.952010–2015 62.55

References