First Woman Governor Faces Major Challenges
Democratic Republic of Congo's new central bank governor faces serious hurdles besides being the first woman to hold the position.
The Democratic Republic of the Congo
Includes The Democratic Republic of the Congo real Gross Domestic Product growth rate, with latest forecasts and historical data, GDP per capita, and GDP composition by sector.
Browse additional economic indicators and data sets, selected by Global Finance editors, to learn more about The Democratic Republic of the Congo economic outlook, debt to GDP ratio, international trade performance and population trends.
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International Reserves
USD 0.7 billion (2018)
International Monetary Fund (IMF), data retrieved October 2019
Real GDP growth
| 2007 | 2008 | 2009 | 2010 | 2011 | 2012 | 2013 |
| 6.3% | 6.2% | 2.9% | 7.1% | 6.9% | 7.1% | 8.5% |
| 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018* | ||
| 9.5% | 6.9% | 2.4% | 3.4% | 3.9% |
*Estimate
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GDP (PPP) - share of world total
| 1980 | 1990 | 2000 | 2010 | 2018* |
| 0.14% | 0.11% | 0.04% | 0.04% | 0.06% |
*Estimate
Source
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GDP - composition by sector
- agriculture: 19.1%
- industry: 44.1%
- services: 32.7%
(2018 estimate)
Inflation
| 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018* | 2019* |
| 0.7% | 3.2% | 35.8% | 29.3% | 5.5% |
*Estimate
Source
Unemployment rate
| 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 |
| N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A |
*Estimate
Source
Public debt (General government gross debt as a % of GDP)
| 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018* | 2019* |
| 17% | 21.7% | 19.1% | 15.3% | 13.5% |
*Estimate
Source
Public deficit (General government net lending/borrowing as a % of GDP)
| 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018* | 2019* |
| -0.4% | -0.5% | 1.4% | 0.4% | -0.1% |
*Estimate
Source
Government bond ratings
Standard & Poor's: CCC+
Moody's: Caa1
Standard & Poor's / Moody's
Source
Market value of publicly traded shares
| 2016 | 2017 | 2018 |
| N/A | N/A | N/A |
Source
Exports as percent of GDP (Exports of goods and services)
29.5% (2015)
Shares in world total merchandising export
0.03% (2015)
Shares in world total commercial services export
0.01% (2014)
Export commodities
Diamonds, copper, gold, cobalt, wood products, crude oil, coffee
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Import commodities
Foodstuffs, mining and other machinery, transport equipment, fuels
Exports - major partners
China 43.5%, Zambia 25%, South Korea 4.9%, Belgium 4.8% (2015)
Imports - major partners
China 20.6%, South Africa 17.7%, Zambia 12.3%, Belgium 6.9%, Zimbabwe 5.1%, India 4.7% (2015)
FDI inflows
| 2013 | 2014 | 2015 |
| USD 2,098 million | USD 1,843 million | USD 1,674 million |
FDI outflows
| 2013 | 2014 | 2015 |
| USD 401 million | USD 344 million | USD 508 million |
Value of cross-border M&A, by country of purchaser
| 2012 | 2013 | 2014 | 2015 |
| USD 18.8 million | N/A | N/A | N/A |
Cross-border M&A deals worth over $3 billion completed in 2014
N/A
Cross-border M&A deals worth over $3 billion completed in 2015
N/A
Best countries for doing business
Economies are ranked on their ease of doing business. A high ease of doing business ranking means the regulatory environment is more conducive to the starting and operation of a local firm.
Overall ranking: 184 out of 190 countries (2016)
Subcategories:
Starting a business: 96 out of 190 countries
Enforcing Contracts: 171 out of 190 countries
Registering Property: 156 out of 190 countries
Getting credit: 139 out of 190 countries
Protecting investors: 162 out of 190 countries
Trading across border: 188 out of 190 countries
Paying Taxes: 177 out of 190 countries
Dealing with Construction Permits: 114 out of 190 countries
Getting Electricity: 175 out of 190 countries
Resolving Insolvency: 169 out of 190 countries
Source
Global competitiveness ranking
129 out of 138 countries
(2016-2017)
Index of Economic Freedom
Ranking: 163 / Score: 46.38 (Repressed) (2017)
(100=totally free 0=totally repressed)
Source
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Languages
French (official), Lingala (a lingua franca trade language), Kingwana (a dialect of Kiswahili or Swahili), Kikongo, Tshiluba
Religions
Roman Catholic 50%, Protestant 20%, Kimbanguist 10%, Muslim 10%, other (includes syncretic sects and indigenous beliefs) 10%
Total population
| 1990* | 2000* | 2010* | 2016* | 2021* |
| 39.725 million | 52.427 million | 70.458 million | 84.13 million | 97.53 million |
*Estimate
Source
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Urban population as % of total population
| 1960 | 1980 | 2000 | 2015 |
| 22% | 27% | 35% | 43% |
Literacy
Total population: 63.8%
Male: 78.1%
Female: 50% (2015 est.)
(age 15 and over can read and write French, Lingala, Kingwana, or Tshiluba)
% of population living on less than $3.10 a day
57% (2012)
Inequality of wealth distribution (Gini index)
42.1 (2012)
(0=perfect equality, 100=absolute inequality)
Source
Freedom House rating
Political Rights: 7
Civil Liberties: 6 (2017)
(1 represents the most free, 7 the least free rating)
Source
Total telephone subscribers as % of population
Fixed 0.00% Mobile 52.99% (2015)
(fixed-telephone subscribers and mobile-cellular subscribers)