Congo at its true size
Congo covers 342,000 km², number 65 of 194 countries by area. Home to 6,484,437 people (2025). Sitting near the equator, it is one of the few places Mercator gets almost right.
Equal-area projection · Natural Earth 50m
| Area | 342,000 km² Wikidata |
|---|---|
| Population | 6,484,437 World Bank, 2025 |
| Density | 19 per km² |
| Capital | Brazzaville |
| Local time in Brazzaville | |
| Time zone | UTC+1 IANA |
| Currency | Central African CFA franc (XAF) Wikidata |
| Languages | French |
| Traffic | On the right |
| Region | Middle Africa, Africa |
| Status | Independent state |
| Member of | OPEC |
| Coast | Has a coastline |
| Calling code | +242 |
| Codes | CG · COG · 178 |
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Where Congo ranks
Among the independent states, in 41 rankings. Each links to its table.
People
- Population#110 of 1946.5 million people#36 of 54 in Africa
- Population density#169 of 19419 people per km²#46 of 54 in Africa
- Urban population#92 of 19264% urban#12 of 54 in Africa
- Fertility rate#23 of 1924.11 births per woman#21 of 54 in Africa
- Population growth#31 of 192+2.36% a year#22 of 54 in Africa
- Birth rate#28 of 19230.4 births per 1,000 people#26 of 54 in Africa
- Death rate#129 of 1926.2 deaths per 1,000 people#35 of 54 in Africa
- Children under 15#26 of 19239.9% under 15#24 of 54 in Africa
- People over 65#166 of 1923.1% aged 65 and over#35 of 54 in Africa
- Net migration#100 of 192−0.5 per 1,000 people#21 of 54 in Africa
- Refugees abroad#42 of 1902.03 refugees abroad per 1,000 people#18 of 54 in Africa
Health & education
- Life expectancy#163 of 19266.0 years#27 of 54 in Africa
- Infant mortality#54 of 19127.0 infant deaths per 1,000 live births#42 of 54 in Africa
- Doctors#155 of 1780.17 doctors per 1,000 people#31 of 51 in Africa
- University enrolment#130 of 14510.4% gross enrolment#16 of 29 in Africa
- Human Development Index#135 of 190an index of 0.649#15 of 54 in Africa
Economy
- GNI per capita#144 of 185$2,280 a person#21 of 52 in Africa
- Internet users#146 of 18447% online#21 of 52 in Africa
- GDP per capita (PPP)#140 of 184$7,248 a person#21 of 52 in Africa
- GDP growth#96 of 187+3.1% a year#38 of 52 in Africa
- Inflation#103 of 176+2.4% a year#33 of 50 in Africa
- Unemployment#6 of 17819.9% of the labour force#6 of 53 in Africa
- Jobs in agriculture#44 of 17836.4% of jobs#30 of 53 in Africa
- Jobs in industry#84 of 17819.5% of jobs#12 of 53 in Africa
- Jobs in services#138 of 17844.2% of jobs#25 of 53 in Africa
- Foreign investment#52 of 1843.7% of GDP#17 of 52 in Africa
- Exports#49 of 16848.0% of GDP#8 of 49 in Africa
- Military spending#97 of 1551.3% of GDP#26 of 50 in Africa
- Mobile subscriptions#135 of 19196 subscriptions per 100 people#28 of 54 in Africa
Energy & environment
- CO₂ per person#118 of 1851.34 tonnes a person#12 of 53 in Africa
- Forest area#21 of 19264% forest#5 of 54 in Africa
- Renewable energy#26 of 19071.4% renewable#22 of 54 in Africa
- Access to electricity#175 of 19253.0% with electricity#38 of 54 in Africa
- Air pollution (PM2.5)#29 of 19136.5 µg/m³#14 of 54 in Africa
- Protected land#21 of 19136.6% of the land protected#6 of 54 in Africa
- Arable land#167 of 1901.6% of the land arable#47 of 54 in Africa
- Water stress#176 of 1760.0% of its available fresh water#53 of 53 in Africa
- Precipitation#49 of 1801,646 mm a year#9 of 54 in Africa
Governance & safety
Countries of a similar size
Every country within 25% of the Congo’s area, lit up on the map →
- Philippines1.0×Congo and Philippines are almost exactly the same size.
- Finland1.01×Congo and Finland are almost exactly the same size.
- Vietnam1.03×Congo is 3% larger than Vietnam.
- Malaysia1.03×Congo is 3% larger than Malaysia.
- Germany0.96×Congo is 4% smaller than Germany.
- Côte d'Ivoire1.06×Congo is 6% larger than Côte d'Ivoire.
How many times does Congo fit into…
- Russia: about 50 times
- Canada: about 29 times
- United States: about 29 times
The land itself
Rivers, summits and lakes Congo shares with the rest of the world. Turn on “Rivers & lakes” and “Physical names” in the atlas to see them on the map.
Rivers
- Congo4,700 km
- Ubangi1,060 km
- Sangha785 km
Summits
- Mont Nabemba1,020 m
Rivers are listed by the published length of their whole course, not the part inside Congo. Figures from Wikidata, features from Natural Earth.
Neighbours
Questions about Congo
- How big is Congo?
- Congo covers 342,000 km², which makes it number 65 of 194 countries by area. About 6,484,437 people live there (2025), 19 per km².
- Is Congo bigger than Philippines?
- Congo and Philippines are almost exactly the same size. Congo: 342,000 km²; Philippines: 343,448 km².
- How much does the Mercator map distort Congo?
- Congo lies close to the equator, so Mercator draws it at nearly its true size. It is the countries far from the equator that Mercator inflates.
- Which countries border Congo?
- Congo shares a land border with DR Congo, Angola, Central African Republic, Cameroon, Gabon.