Urban population vs. female labor force participation rate in Democratic Republic of Congo
Democratic Republic of Congo: Urban population vs. female labor force participation rate was 45.1% in 2025. ▲ Rising
Latest (2025)
45.1%
Change on year
up 0.8%
World rank
174th
of 236 countries
All-time high
45.1%
in 2025
All-time low
18.8%
in 1950
Years of data
76
1950–2025
Urban population vs. female labor force participation rate in Democratic Republic of Congo, 1950–2025
Source: United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Population Division (2025) – with minor processing by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
In 2025, urban population vs. female labor force participation rate in Democratic Republic of Congo stood at 45.1%. That is the highest value across all 76 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 0.8% on the previous year and up 9.1% over ten years.
Over the whole period, urban population vs. female labor force participation rate in Democratic Republic of Congo peaked at 45.1% in 2025 and was at its lowest, 18.8%, in 1950.
Democratic Republic of Congo ranks 174th of 236 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 76 years of available data.
Urban population vs. female labor force participation rate in Democratic Republic of Congo, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1950 | 18.8% | — |
| 1951 | 19.8% | +5.3% |
| 1952 | 20.6% | +4.3% |
| 1953 | 21.3% | +3.2% |
| 1954 | 21.7% | +2.2% |
| 1955 | 22.0% | +1.0% |
| 1956 | 22.1% | +0.4% |
| 1957 | 22.1% | +0.3% |
| 1958 | 22.2% | +0.2% |
| 1959 | 22.2% | +0.2% |
| 1960 | 22.3% | +0.3% |
| 1961 | 22.4% | +0.5% |
| 1962 | 22.5% | +0.5% |
| 1963 | 22.7% | +0.6% |
| 1964 | 22.8% | +0.7% |
| 1965 | 23.0% | +0.7% |
| 1966 | 23.2% | +0.8% |
| 1967 | 23.4% | +0.9% |
| 1968 | 23.6% | +0.9% |
| 1969 | 23.8% | +0.9% |
| 1970 | 24.0% | +1.0% |
| 1971 | 24.3% | +1.0% |
| 1972 | 24.5% | +1.1% |
| 1973 | 24.8% | +1.1% |
| 1974 | 25.1% | +1.1% |
| 1975 | 25.4% | +1.1% |
| 1976 | 25.6% | +1.1% |
| 1977 | 25.9% | +1.1% |
| 1978 | 26.2% | +1.2% |
| 1979 | 26.5% | +1.2% |
| 1980 | 26.8% | +1.2% |
| 1981 | 27.2% | +1.2% |
| 1982 | 27.5% | +1.2% |
| 1983 | 27.8% | +1.1% |
| 1984 | 28.1% | +1.1% |
| 1985 | 28.4% | +1.2% |
| 1986 | 28.8% | +1.2% |
| 1987 | 29.1% | +1.2% |
| 1988 | 29.5% | +1.3% |
| 1989 | 29.9% | +1.3% |
| 1990 | 30.3% | +1.3% |
| 1991 | 30.7% | +1.4% |
| 1992 | 31.1% | +1.4% |
| 1993 | 31.5% | +1.4% |
| 1994 | 32.0% | +1.4% |
| 1995 | 32.5% | +1.4% |
| 1996 | 32.9% | +1.4% |
| 1997 | 33.4% | +1.5% |
| 1998 | 33.9% | +1.5% |
| 1999 | 34.4% | +1.5% |
| 2000 | 34.9% | +1.5% |
| 2001 | 35.4% | +1.5% |
| 2002 | 35.9% | +1.5% |
| 2003 | 36.5% | +1.5% |
| 2004 | 37.0% | +1.5% |
| 2005 | 37.4% | +1.1% |
| 2006 | 37.8% | +1.1% |
| 2007 | 38.2% | +1.1% |
| 2008 | 38.6% | +1.0% |
| 2009 | 39.0% | +1.0% |
| 2010 | 39.4% | +1.0% |
| 2011 | 39.8% | +1.0% |
| 2012 | 40.2% | +1.0% |
| 2013 | 40.6% | +1.0% |
| 2014 | 41.0% | +1.0% |
| 2015 | 41.3% | +0.9% |
| 2016 | 41.7% | +0.9% |
| 2017 | 42.1% | +0.9% |
| 2018 | 42.5% | +0.9% |
| 2019 | 42.9% | +0.9% |
| 2020 | 43.3% | +0.9% |
| 2021 | 43.6% | +0.9% |
| 2022 | 44.0% | +0.9% |
| 2023 | 44.4% | +0.8% |
| 2024 | 44.7% | +0.8% |
| 2025 | 45.1% | +0.8% |
Democratic Republic of Congo compared with similar countries
- Democratic Republic of Congo's 45.1% is above the median for low income countries, which is 34.5%, 1.3× the median. (25 countries reporting)
- Democratic Republic of Congo's 45.1% is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 44.9%, 1.0× the median. (48 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1950s | 21.3% | 18.8% | 22.2% | 10 |
| 1960s | 23.0% | 22.3% | 23.8% | 10 |
| 1970s | 25.2% | 24.0% | 26.5% | 10 |
| 1980s | 28.3% | 26.8% | 29.9% | 10 |
| 1990s | 32.3% | 30.3% | 34.4% | 10 |
| 2000s | 37.1% | 34.9% | 39.0% | 10 |
| 2010s | 41.1% | 39.4% | 42.9% | 10 |
| 2020s | 44.2% | 43.3% | 45.1% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Democratic Republic of Congo
- 171 Sierra Leone 45.9% compare
- 172 Zambia 45.9% compare
- 173 Seychelles 45.5% compare
- 175 Lesotho 44.7% compare
- 176 Central African Republic 44.6% compare
- 177 Togo 44.4% compare
More work & labour data for Democratic Republic of Congo
- Persons outside the labour force (ILO modelled estimates) 23,407 (2027)
- Labour force participation rate (ILO modelled estimates) 64.13 (2027)
- Labour force (ILO modelled estimates) 41,856 (2027)
- Unemployment rate (ILO modelled estimates) 4.48 (2027)
- Labour dependency ratio 2 (2027)
- Output per worker, GDP constant 2021 international $ at PPP 4,595 (2027)
- Output per worker, GDP constant 2015 US $ 1,696 (2027)
- Employment-to-population ratio (ILO modelled estimates) 61.26 (2027)
- Persons outside the labour force (ILO modelled estimates) (15+) 3.69 % change on previous year (2027)
- Labour force (ILO modelled estimates) (15+), annual growth rate 3.33 % change on previous year (2027)
Frequently asked questions
- What is urban population vs. female labor force participation rate in Democratic Republic of Congo?
- Urban population vs. female labor force participation rate in Democratic Republic of Congo was 45.1% in 2025, according to United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Population Division (2025) – with minor processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest urban population vs. female labor force participation rate recorded in Democratic Republic of Congo?
- The highest recorded value was 45.1% in 2025.
- What is the lowest urban population vs. female labor force participation rate recorded in Democratic Republic of Congo?
- The lowest recorded value was 18.8% in 1950.
- How does Democratic Republic of Congo rank for urban population vs. female labor force participation rate?
- Democratic Republic of Congo ranks 174th out of 236 countries with data for 2025.
- Is urban population vs. female labor force participation rate rising or falling in Democratic Republic of Congo?
- Over the last ten years it is up 9.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Democratic Republic of Congo data come from?
- The figures come from United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Population Division (2025) – with minor processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Urban population vs. female labor force participation rate. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Share of the population living in urban areas, based on each country's national definition.