Life Expectancy in Congo (DRC) (2024): Men 60.0, Women 64.2

Life expectancy in Congo (DRC) since 1960

Women
Men

Since 1960, life expectancy in Congo (DRC) has risen by 21.3 years, from 40.8 to 62.1. Women live 4.2 years longer than men (64.2 vs 60.0).

Expected age at death in Congo (DRC) by age

Life expectancy at birth includes deaths in childhood. Once people reach adulthood they can expect to live longer — here is the average expected age at death for people who have already reached each age:

Current age	Birth	20	40	60	80
Men	60.0	66.4	67.7	71.8	82.8
Women	64.2	71.0	72.0	75.1	84.2

Birth: World Bank. Other ages: our survival model calibrated to Congo (DRC)’s figures (method).

How people die in Congo (DRC)

Chronic diseases: 34.1%
Infections, maternal & nutritional: 57.5%
Injuries: 8.4%

In 2019, 34% of deaths in Congo (DRC) were caused by chronic diseases such as heart disease, stroke, cancer and diabetes (world: 74%). A Congo (DRC) man has a 26% chance and a woman 24% of dying of one of these diseases between the ages of 30 and 70 (world: 21% and 16%). Road traffic accidents kill 34.9 people per 100,000 each year (world: 16.7).

See which causes of death are most likely for you →

Child mortality

Out of every 1,000 babies born in Congo (DRC), about 89.7 die before their fifth birthday (world: 37.4). This is one of the main reasons life expectancy at birth differs so much between countries.

Congo (DRC) compared with its region

Congo (DRC) is in the World Bank’s Sub-Saharan Africa region, where the average life expectancy is 64.8 years. It ranks #35 of 48 countries there.

#	Country	Overall	Men	Women
31	Mozambique	63.8	60.5	66.7
32	Zimbabwe	63.1	60.5	65.3
33	Togo	62.9	62.7	63.2
34	Liberia	62.3	61.0	63.6
35	Congo (DRC)	62.1	60.0	64.2
36	Côte d'Ivoire	62.1	60.2	64.3
37	Sierra Leone	62.0	60.2	63.7
38	Niger	61.4	60.5	62.4
39	Burkina Faso	61.3	59.1	63.4

See all 217 countries ranked →

Frequently asked questions

What is the life expectancy in Congo (DRC)?

62.1 years in 2024: 60.0 for men and 64.2 for women, according to the World Bank.

Do women live longer than men in Congo (DRC)?

Yes. Women in Congo (DRC) live about 4.2 years longer than men. Worldwide the gap is 4.9 years in favour of women.

How does Congo (DRC) rank for life expectancy?

Congo (DRC) ranks #204 out of 217 countries and territories with data. That is 11.4 years below the world average of 73.5.

What is the average age of death in Congo (DRC)?

Life expectancy at birth (62.1) is pulled down by deaths in childhood. Adults live longer: a 40-year-old man in Congo (DRC) can expect to live to about 67.7, and a 40-year-old woman to about 72.0.

Sources

World Bank, World Development Indicators: life expectancy at birth (SP.DYN.LE00.IN, SP.DYN.LE00.MA.IN, SP.DYN.LE00.FE.IN), under-5 mortality (SH.DYN.MORT), causes of death (SH.DTH.NCOM.ZS, SH.DTH.INJR.ZS), mortality from major chronic diseases (SH.DYN.NCOM.MA.ZS, SH.DYN.NCOM.FE.ZS) and road traffic deaths (SH.STA.TRAF.P5). Licensed under CC BY 4.0. Link

Data updated October 25, 2026.