MigrantoCongolese Diaspora
2.1M Congolese live abroad — 2% of the population of DR Congo
Congolese diaspora by country
The top 3 countries are home to 52% of the diaspora
| Country | Emigrants |
|---|---|
| Uganda | 637206 |
| Rwanda | 236385 |
| Burundi | 224091 |
| Republic of Congo | 168387 |
| France | 120178 |
| South Sudan | 97364 |
| Angola | 93210 |
| Belgium | 88896 |
| Tanzania | 76772 |
| Zambia | 67171 |
| South Africa | 57519 |
| Kenya | 41186 |
| Canada | 39790 |
| Malawi | 27099 |
| Central African Republic | 19448 |
| Sudan | 17897 |
| Mozambique | 11941 |
| Gabon | 9660 |
| Australia | 8028 |
| Sweden | 7671 |
| Italy | 7127 |
| Cameroon | 5273 |
| Greece | 5069 |
| Namibia | 4597 |
| Norway | 3111 |
| Mali | 2931 |
| Portugal | 2340 |
| Finland | 2332 |
| Denmark | 2032 |
| Brazil | 1524 |
| Eritrea | 1324 |
| Botswana | 1192 |
| China | 1091 |
| Luxembourg | 1066 |
| Ethiopia | 1041 |
| Mexico | 1016 |
| Cyprus | 720 |
| Eswatini | 683 |
| Togo | 661 |
| Libya | 489 |
| Chad | 399 |
| Senegal | 371 |
| Israel | 241 |
| India | 234 |
| Chile | 207 |
| Mauritania | 104 |
| Hungary | 83 |
| Guinea | 71 |
| Nicaragua | 50 |
| Ghana | 37 |
| Bulgaria | 18 |
| Estonia | 12 |
| Slovenia | 12 |
| Slovakia | 9 |
| Latvia | 4 |
| Liechtenstein | 4 |
| Costa Rica | 4 |
| Iceland | 3 |
| Lithuania | 3 |
| Bolivia | 3 |
| Sierra Leone | 0 |
By region
86% of the diaspora lives in Africa
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Key facts
The Congolese diaspora in numbers
The community in Zambia is growing fastest
The number of Congolese living in Zambia has grown 154% since 2015, from 26.4K to 67.2K.
Most Congolese abroad live in Uganda
30% of the diaspora lives in Uganda, while the next country accounts for just 11%.
The map of the diaspora has changed since 1990
4 countries have entered the top 20 since 1990: South Sudan, Kenya, Australia. South Sudan climbed from outside the top 20 to #6.
The diaspora is more concentrated than in 1990
The largest country's share rose from 17% to 30%, and today that country is Uganda.
Congolese diaspora population over time
People living abroad, by year
| Year | Emigrants |
|---|---|
| 1990 | 393133 |
| 1995 | 505090 |
| 2000 | 794799 |
| 2005 | 1097069 |
| 2010 | 1242847 |
| 2015 | 1512153 |
| 2020 | 1916852 |
| 2024 | 2097387 |
Largest communities over time
Congolese living in the 5 largest countries, by year
| Year | Uganda | Rwanda | Burundi | Republic of Congo | France |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990 | 48439 | 62526 | 36654 | 67316 | 25468 |
| 1995 | 57379 | 89770 | 41447 | 110720 | 25784 |
| 2000 | 59982 | 163420 | 37951 | 183780 | 29886 |
| 2005 | 80038 | 197717 | 99099 | 230684 | 50146 |
| 2010 | 161865 | 207397 | 147611 | 252142 | 66968 |
| 2015 | 299572 | 233744 | 175768 | 170368 | 86202 |
| 2020 | 526428 | 236657 | 199585 | 169268 | 104663 |
| 2024 | 637206 | 236385 | 224091 | 168387 | 120178 |
Fastest-changing communities
How the number of Congolese in each country has changed since the selected year
Congolese among immigrants in other countries
Where Congolese make up the largest share of a country's immigrants
Data source: International Migrant Stock 2024 (UN DESA, Population Division)
Frequently asked questions
How many Congolese live outside DR Congo?
Around 2.1M Congolese live abroad, the world's #36 largest diaspora.
Where do most Congolese abroad live?
Most Congolese live in Uganda, Rwanda and Burundi — these three countries account for about 52% of all Congolese living abroad.
Which country has the largest Congolese population outside DR Congo?
Uganda is home to the largest Congolese community abroad — 637.2K people, about 30% of all Congolese living abroad.
What share of the population of DR Congo lives abroad?
About 2% of the population of DR Congo lives abroad — that's 2.1M out of a total population of 109.3M.
Is the Congolese diaspora growing?
Yes — over the past decade, the number of Congolese living abroad has grown from 1.5M to 2.1M, about 39%.
Where does the data on the Congolese diaspora come from?
The source is International Migrant Stock 2024 (UN DESA, Population Division). It counts people born in DR Congo who now live in other countries. Descendants of emigrants born abroad are not included.
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Living in DR Congo
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