Largest cities in DR Congo, 1975 to 2050

Kinshasa leads DR Congo with 10.94 million people in 2025, ahead of Kasaï-Oriental at 3.61 million in the UN city ranking.

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What the data shows

In 2025, Kinshasa ranks #1 with 10.94M, ahead of Kasaï-Oriental (3.61M) and Lubumbashi (2.83M).
By 2050, on the UN's projections, Kinshasa is projected to rank #1 with 13.21M, ahead of Lubumbashi (5.26M) and Kasaï-Oriental (5.12M).
Kinshasa holds #1 for the whole period, 1975 to 2025.
Biggest climber: Kananga, from #14 in 1975 to #5 in 2050.

About this chart

Kinshasa stands well above the other cities in DR Congo: its 10.94 million people in 2025 are about 3.03 times the 3.61 million in second-place Kasaï-Oriental. Kinshasa also led the 1975 ranking, when the UN series put it at 1.04 million. Lubumbashi occupies third place in 2025 at 2.83 million. These are populations of urban areas defined consistently by the UN, rather than administrative city limits.

The UN projects Kinshasa to lead in 2050 at 13.21 million people. The figures after 2025 are projections. The Degree of Urbanization identifies contiguous dense settlements, so these totals can differ from municipal and metropolitan statistics. The historical ranking is useful for comparing positions; changing settlement boundaries mean it should not be treated as a measure of growth within fixed city limits. The Kasaï-Oriental label is reproduced from the UN city table, not presented as a provincial population total.

The data

Source: UN DESA, World Urbanization Prospects: The 2025 Revision (File 21), city population, millions, 1975–2050 (projected after 2025). Retrieved November 5, 2026. Cities as defined by the Degree of Urbanization (contiguous dense areas), so figures differ from city-proper or metro counts. Blank cells indicate that the source supplies no city value for that year, not zero population. Kasaï-Oriental is the label of a city row in this UN table, not a provincial population total.

Largest cities in DR Congo, Population in millions, 1975–2050; projected after 2025, 1975–2050
Date	🇨🇩 Kinshasa	🇨🇩 Kasaï-Oriental	🇨🇩 Beni	🇨🇩 Bukavu	🇨🇩 Boma	🇨🇩 Kisangani	🇨🇩 Kikwit	🇨🇩 Gemena	🇨🇩 Lubumbashi	🇨🇩 Idiofa	🇨🇩 Bunia	🇨🇩 Tshikapa	🇨🇩 Goma	🇨🇩 Kananga	🇨🇩 Kalemie	🇨🇩 Kamina	🇨🇩 Likasi
1975	1.04M	0.89M	0.48M	0.34M	0.32M	0.25M	0.24M	0.20M	0.19M	0.19M	0.18M	0.18M	0.17M	0.11M
1976	1.14M	0.92M	0.49M	0.34M	0.32M	0.25M	0.24M	0.20M	0.21M	0.18M	0.19M	0.19M	0.18M	0.12M
1977	1.24M	0.95M	0.51M	0.34M	0.32M	0.25M	0.24M	0.20M	0.22M	0.18M	0.19M	0.19M	0.19M	0.13M
1978	1.34M	0.98M	0.52M	0.34M	0.32M	0.26M	0.25M	0.20M	0.24M	0.18M	0.20M	0.20M	0.19M	0.14M
1979	1.45M	1.00M	0.54M	0.35M	0.32M	0.26M	0.25M	0.21M	0.25M	0.18M	0.20M	0.21M	0.20M	0.15M
1980	1.55M	1.03M	0.55M	0.35M	0.31M	0.26M	0.25M	0.21M	0.26M	0.17M	0.21M	0.21M	0.21M	0.16M
1981	1.69M	1.07M	0.57M	0.35M	0.31M	0.27M	0.25M	0.21M	0.28M	0.17M	0.21M	0.22M	0.21M	0.17M
1982	1.83M	1.10M	0.58M	0.36M	0.31M	0.27M	0.25M	0.21M	0.29M	0.17M	0.22M	0.23M	0.22M	0.18M
1983	1.97M	1.13M	0.60M	0.36M	0.31M	0.28M	0.26M	0.21M	0.30M	0.17M	0.22M	0.23M	0.22M	0.19M
1984	2.11M	1.17M	0.62M	0.37M	0.31M	0.28M	0.26M	0.21M	0.31M	0.16M	0.23M	0.24M	0.23M	0.20M
1985	2.25M	1.20M	0.63M	0.37M	0.31M	0.29M	0.26M	0.22M	0.32M	0.16M	0.23M	0.25M	0.24M	0.22M	0.05M	0.05M
1986	2.41M	1.24M	0.66M	0.38M	0.31M	0.30M	0.27M	0.22M	0.34M	0.16M	0.24M	0.25M	0.25M	0.23M	0.06M	0.06M
1987	2.57M	1.28M	0.68M	0.40M	0.30M	0.31M	0.27M	0.22M	0.35M	0.15M	0.25M	0.26M	0.25M	0.24M	0.06M	0.06M
1988	2.73M	1.32M	0.70M	0.41M	0.30M	0.32M	0.28M	0.22M	0.37M	0.15M	0.25M	0.27M	0.26M	0.26M	0.07M	0.07M
1989	2.89M	1.36M	0.72M	0.42M	0.30M	0.32M	0.28M	0.22M	0.38M	0.15M	0.26M	0.28M	0.27M	0.27M	0.07M	0.07M
1990	3.06M	1.40M	0.74M	0.44M	0.30M	0.33M	0.29M	0.23M	0.40M	0.15M	0.26M	0.29M	0.28M	0.28M	0.07M	0.07M
1991	3.30M	1.46M	0.77M	0.45M	0.30M	0.34M	0.30M	0.23M	0.43M	0.15M	0.27M	0.30M	0.29M	0.30M	0.08M	0.08M
1992	3.54M	1.53M	0.80M	0.47M	0.30M	0.36M	0.31M	0.24M	0.45M	0.15M	0.29M	0.32M	0.31M	0.32M	0.09M	0.09M
1993	3.77M	1.59M	0.83M	0.48M	0.30M	0.37M	0.32M	0.25M	0.48M	0.15M	0.30M	0.33M	0.32M	0.33M	0.11M	0.10M
1994	4.01M	1.66M	0.86M	0.50M	0.30M	0.38M	0.33M	0.26M	0.50M	0.15M	0.31M	0.35M	0.33M	0.35M	0.12M	0.10M
1995	4.25M	1.72M	0.89M	0.51M	0.30M	0.39M	0.34M	0.27M	0.53M	0.15M	0.32M	0.37M	0.34M	0.37M	0.13M	0.11M	0.08M
1996	4.47M	1.76M	0.91M	0.52M	0.29M	0.40M	0.35M	0.27M	0.57M	0.15M	0.33M	0.38M	0.35M	0.39M	0.14M	0.12M	0.09M
1997	4.68M	1.80M	0.94M	0.54M	0.29M	0.42M	0.35M	0.27M	0.61M	0.15M	0.33M	0.39M	0.36M	0.41M	0.14M	0.13M	0.10M
1998	4.90M	1.84M	0.96M	0.55M	0.28M	0.43M	0.36M	0.28M	0.65M	0.15M	0.34M	0.40M	0.37M	0.43M	0.15M	0.14M	0.11M
1999	5.11M	1.88M	0.98M	0.57M	0.27M	0.44M	0.37M	0.28M	0.69M	0.15M	0.35M	0.42M	0.38M	0.45M	0.16M	0.14M	0.12M
2000	5.33M	1.92M	1.00M	0.58M	0.27M	0.46M	0.38M	0.28M	0.73M	0.14M	0.36M	0.43M	0.39M	0.47M	0.17M	0.15M	0.12M
2001	5.39M	1.99M	1.04M	0.60M	0.27M	0.47M	0.39M	0.29M	0.80M	0.14M	0.37M	0.45M	0.40M	0.50M	0.19M	0.17M	0.14M
2002	5.46M	2.05M	1.08M	0.61M	0.26M	0.49M	0.40M	0.30M	0.87M	0.15M	0.38M	0.47M	0.42M	0.53M	0.21M	0.18M	0.15M
2003	5.52M	2.12M	1.11M	0.63M	0.26M	0.50M	0.40M	0.31M	0.94M	0.15M	0.39M	0.49M	0.43M	0.56M	0.22M	0.20M	0.17M
2004	5.58M	2.19M	1.15M	0.64M	0.26M	0.52M	0.41M	0.32M	1.01M	0.15M	0.40M	0.51M	0.44M	0.59M	0.24M	0.21M	0.18M
2005	5.65M	2.25M	1.18M	0.66M	0.26M	0.53M	0.42M	0.32M	1.08M	0.15M	0.41M	0.53M	0.46M	0.61M	0.25M	0.23M	0.19M
2006	5.77M	2.32M	1.22M	0.67M	0.25M	0.55M	0.42M	0.33M	1.15M	0.15M	0.42M	0.55M	0.47M	0.65M	0.28M	0.25M	0.21M
2007	5.90M	2.39M	1.26M	0.68M	0.25M	0.56M	0.43M	0.34M	1.22M	0.15M	0.43M	0.58M	0.48M	0.68M	0.30M	0.27M	0.23M
2008	6.03M	2.47M	1.30M	0.69M	0.25M	0.58M	0.43M	0.35M	1.30M	0.15M	0.44M	0.60M	0.50M	0.71M	0.32M	0.29M	0.25M
2009	6.15M	2.54M	1.34M	0.71M	0.25M	0.59M	0.44M	0.35M	1.37M	0.15M	0.45M	0.62M	0.51M	0.75M	0.34M	0.31M	0.27M
2010	6.28M	2.61M	1.37M	0.72M	0.25M	0.61M	0.45M	0.36M	1.45M	0.15M	0.46M	0.64M	0.53M	0.78M	0.36M	0.34M	0.28M
2011	6.62M	2.68M	1.41M	0.73M	0.24M	0.62M	0.45M	0.37M	1.52M	0.15M	0.47M	0.67M	0.55M	0.82M	0.39M	0.36M	0.31M
2012	6.95M	2.75M	1.45M	0.74M	0.24M	0.64M	0.46M	0.37M	1.60M	0.15M	0.48M	0.69M	0.57M	0.86M	0.42M	0.39M	0.33M
2013	7.29M	2.82M	1.49M	0.75M	0.24M	0.66M	0.46M	0.38M	1.68M	0.15M	0.49M	0.72M	0.60M	0.89M	0.45M	0.41M	0.35M
2014	7.62M	2.89M	1.53M	0.76M	0.23M	0.68M	0.46M	0.38M	1.76M	0.14M	0.50M	0.74M	0.62M	0.93M	0.48M	0.44M	0.38M
2015	7.96M	2.97M	1.56M	0.77M	0.23M	0.69M	0.47M	0.39M	1.83M	0.14M	0.51M	0.77M	0.65M	0.97M	0.51M	0.47M	0.40M
2016	8.46M	3.05M	1.60M	0.79M	0.23M	0.72M	0.47M	0.39M	1.95M	0.14M	0.51M	0.80M	0.66M	1.03M	0.54M	0.50M	0.43M
2017	8.96M	3.13M	1.64M	0.80M	0.22M	0.75M	0.48M	0.40M	2.06M	0.14M	0.51M	0.84M	0.68M	1.08M	0.58M	0.52M	0.46M
2018	9.46M	3.21M	1.68M	0.82M	0.22M	0.77M	0.48M	0.40M	2.17M	0.14M	0.52M	0.87M	0.70M	1.14M	0.61M	0.55M	0.49M
2019	9.95M	3.29M	1.72M	0.83M	0.22M	0.80M	0.48M	0.41M	2.28M	0.14M	0.52M	0.91M	0.72M	1.19M	0.65M	0.58M	0.52M
2020	10.45M	3.37M	1.75M	0.85M	0.21M	0.82M	0.49M	0.41M	2.39M	0.14M	0.52M	0.94M	0.74M	1.25M	0.68M	0.61M	0.55M
2021	10.55M	3.42M	1.79M	0.87M	0.22M	0.84M	0.50M	0.42M	2.48M	0.14M	0.54M	0.97M	0.75M	1.30M	0.70M	0.64M	0.58M
2022	10.65M	3.46M	1.82M	0.89M	0.22M	0.85M	0.51M	0.42M	2.57M	0.15M	0.55M	0.99M	0.77M	1.35M	0.71M	0.66M	0.60M
2023	10.75M	3.51M	1.86M	0.91M	0.23M	0.87M	0.53M	0.43M	2.66M	0.15M	0.56M	1.01M	0.78M	1.40M	0.73M	0.68M	0.63M
2024	10.85M	3.56M	1.89M	0.93M	0.24M	0.89M	0.54M	0.43M	2.74M	0.16M	0.57M	1.03M	0.79M	1.45M	0.74M	0.70M	0.65M
2025	10.94M	3.61M	1.92M	0.95M	0.24M	0.90M	0.55M	0.44M	2.83M	0.16M	0.58M	1.05M	0.81M	1.50M	0.76M	0.72M	0.67M
2026	11.08M	3.68M	1.96M	0.98M	0.25M	0.92M	0.56M	0.45M	2.93M	0.17M	0.59M	1.08M	0.83M	1.56M	0.78M	0.75M	0.70M
2027	11.21M	3.75M	2.00M	1.00M	0.25M	0.94M	0.58M	0.46M	3.03M	0.17M	0.61M	1.11M	0.85M	1.61M	0.79M	0.77M	0.73M
2028	11.35M	3.82M	2.04M	1.03M	0.26M	0.96M	0.59M	0.47M	3.13M	0.17M	0.62M	1.14M	0.86M	1.66M	0.81M	0.80M	0.76M
2029	11.48M	3.89M	2.08M	1.06M	0.27M	0.98M	0.61M	0.47M	3.22M	0.18M	0.63M	1.16M	0.88M	1.72M	0.83M	0.82M	0.79M
2030	11.62M	3.96M	2.12M	1.08M	0.27M	1.00M	0.62M	0.48M	3.32M	0.18M	0.64M	1.19M	0.90M	1.77M	0.85M	0.85M	0.82M
2031	11.70M	4.01M	2.15M	1.11M	0.28M	1.01M	0.64M	0.49M	3.41M	0.18M	0.65M	1.21M	0.91M	1.82M	0.86M	0.87M	0.85M
2032	11.79M	4.07M	2.19M	1.13M	0.28M	1.03M	0.65M	0.49M	3.51M	0.19M	0.66M	1.24M	0.93M	1.87M	0.88M	0.89M	0.88M
2033	11.87M	4.12M	2.22M	1.16M	0.29M	1.04M	0.66M	0.50M	3.60M	0.19M	0.67M	1.26M	0.94M	1.91M	0.89M	0.91M	0.90M
2034	11.96M	4.18M	2.26M	1.19M	0.29M	1.06M	0.68M	0.51M	3.70M	0.20M	0.67M	1.29M	0.96M	1.96M	0.90M	0.94M	0.93M
2035	12.04M	4.23M	2.29M	1.21M	0.30M	1.07M	0.69M	0.51M	3.79M	0.20M	0.68M	1.31M	0.97M	2.01M	0.92M	0.96M	0.96M
2036	12.14M	4.29M	2.33M	1.24M	0.30M	1.09M	0.70M	0.52M	3.89M	0.21M	0.69M	1.34M	0.98M	2.06M	0.93M	0.98M	0.99M
2037	12.24M	4.36M	2.37M	1.26M	0.31M	1.11M	0.71M	0.53M	3.99M	0.21M	0.70M	1.37M	1.00M	2.11M	0.95M	1.01M	1.02M
2038	12.34M	4.42M	2.41M	1.29M	0.31M	1.12M	0.73M	0.53M	4.09M	0.22M	0.71M	1.39M	1.02M	2.16M	0.96M	1.03M	1.05M
2039	12.44M	4.48M	2.44M	1.31M	0.32M	1.14M	0.74M	0.54M	4.18M	0.22M	0.73M	1.42M	1.03M	2.21M	0.98M	1.06M	1.08M
2040	12.54M	4.54M	2.48M	1.34M	0.32M	1.16M	0.75M	0.55M	4.28M	0.23M	0.74M	1.44M	1.05M	2.26M	1.00M	1.08M	1.11M
2041	12.60M	4.60M	2.51M	1.37M	0.33M	1.17M	0.76M	0.55M	4.38M	0.23M	0.75M	1.47M	1.06M	2.32M	1.01M	1.10M	1.14M
2042	12.66M	4.65M	2.55M	1.40M	0.33M	1.19M	0.77M	0.56M	4.48M	0.23M	0.76M	1.49M	1.07M	2.37M	1.02M	1.12M	1.17M
2043	12.72M	4.71M	2.58M	1.43M	0.34M	1.20M	0.78M	0.56M	4.57M	0.23M	0.77M	1.52M	1.08M	2.43M	1.04M	1.15M	1.21M
2044	12.78M	4.76M	2.61M	1.46M	0.34M	1.21M	0.79M	0.57M	4.67M	0.24M	0.78M	1.54M	1.09M	2.49M	1.05M	1.17M	1.24M
2045	12.84M	4.82M	2.64M	1.49M	0.35M	1.23M	0.80M	0.58M	4.77M	0.24M	0.79M	1.57M	1.10M	2.54M	1.06M	1.19M	1.27M
2046	12.91M	4.88M	2.68M	1.53M	0.35M	1.24M	0.81M	0.58M	4.87M	0.25M	0.80M	1.60M	1.12M	2.59M	1.08M	1.21M	1.30M
2047	12.99M	4.94M	2.72M	1.57M	0.36M	1.26M	0.82M	0.59M	4.96M	0.25M	0.81M	1.62M	1.13M	2.64M	1.09M	1.24M	1.33M
2048	13.06M	5.00M	2.75M	1.60M	0.36M	1.27M	0.83M	0.60M	5.06M	0.25M	0.82M	1.65M	1.14M	2.69M	1.11M	1.26M	1.36M
2049	13.14M	5.06M	2.79M	1.64M	0.37M	1.29M	0.85M	0.61M	5.16M	0.26M	0.83M	1.68M	1.16M	2.74M	1.12M	1.28M	1.39M
2050	13.21M	5.12M	2.82M	1.68M	0.37M	1.30M	0.86M	0.61M	5.26M	0.26M	0.84M	1.70M	1.17M	2.80M	1.13M	1.31M	1.42M

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Frequently asked questions

What is the largest city in DR Congo?

Kinshasa is the largest city in DR Congo in the UN 2025 series, with about 10.94 million people. Kasaï-Oriental follows at 3.61 million. These figures use the UN Degree of Urbanization definition, not municipal boundaries.

Which city is projected to be largest in DR Congo in 2050?

The UN projects Kinshasa to rank first in 2050, with about 13.21 million people. This is a projection, not an observed population count.

Was Kinshasa also the largest city in 1975?

The 1975 ranking was led by Kinshasa, with 1.04 million people. The table preserves every city that reached the top ten in any year shown, including cities outside the top ten today.

Where does this data come from?

UN DESA, World Urbanization Prospects: The 2025 Revision (File 21), city population, millions, 1975–2050 (projected after 2025). Retrieved November 5, 2026. Cities as defined by the Degree of Urbanization (contiguous dense areas), so figures differ from city-proper or metro counts. Blank cells indicate that the source supplies no city value for that year, not zero population. Kasaï-Oriental is the label of a city row in this UN table, not a provincial population total. You can download the full table as a CSV from this page.

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