MigrantoMigration trends in DR Congo
Africa
DR Congo loses more people than it takes in: 2.1M emigrants against 1M immigrants. Net balance −1.1M — 1% of the country's population
109.3M
Population
1M
Immigrants
2.1M
Emigrants
−1.1M
Outflow
1 in 104 residents of DR Congo was born abroad — and 1 in 53 people born in DR Congo lives abroad
#36 in the world by net migration loss
Top corridors
The largest migration flows in DR Congo
Where people come from
Key moments
How migration has changed since 1990
1990
663K immigrants · 393.1K emigrants
1995
- A surge of arrivals — the foreign-born population jumped 159%
- Rwanda overtook Angola as the largest source of new arrivals
- Entered the world's 20 biggest immigrant destinations
- Rose into the 3 biggest immigrant destinations in Africa
2000
- The country became a place of departure — more people leaving than arriving
- An accelerating exodus — the diaspora grew by 57%
- Surge of departures to Tanzania — 90.5K people left
2005
- The diaspora passed 1M people
- The outflow deepened — net losses doubled to 603.1K
2010
- Surge of departures to Uganda — 81.8K people left
- Emigration to Tanzania declined sharply — 88K fewer migrants there
- South Sudan became a significant new destination — 60.8K residents had moved there
2015
- Rwanda overtook Angola as the largest source of new arrivals
- Uganda replaced Republic of Congo as the main destination for those leaving
- A surge of arrivals — the foreign-born population jumped 81%
- Surge of immigrants from Rwanda — 151.3K new arrivals
2020
- Surge of immigrants from South Sudan — 82.4K new arrivals
Today
- The foreign-born population passed 1M residents
- Since 1990: 383.9K more foreign-born residents and 1.7M more emigrants
Data source: International Migrant Stock 2024 (UN DESA, Population Division)
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