Kinshasa: population, health, schools, water, jobs and provincial transfers
Kinshasa is a city-province (capital) of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, the largest of 26 by population. The Institut National de la Statistique projected the population of Kinshasa at 13,916,000 for 2019 (7,006,000 men and boys, 6,910,000 women and girls), 14.1% of the DR Congo's 98.37 million; the largest of the 26 provinces. The country has not held a census since 1984, so every provincial figure is a projection.
In depth
- Economy, jobs and prices in Kinshasa: 74.6% of people in Kinshasa used at least a basic drinking water service (an improved source within a 30-minute round trip) in 2017-18, the highest of the 26 provinces (DR Congo: 33.6%).
- Health in Kinshasa: 41.6% of children aged 12 to 23 months in Kinshasa had received all basic vaccines (BCG, three doses each of DTC-HepB-Hib and polio, and measles) in the 2023-24 Demographic and Health Survey, and 0.8% had received none; the full-vaccination rate is the highest of the 26 provinces (DR Congo: 20.9% fully vaccinated, 22.7% none).
- Education in Kinshasa: 92.0% of primary-school-age children in Kinshasa were attending school in the 2017-18 MICS-Palu survey and 7.4% were out of school; attendance was 93.2% for boys and 90.7% for girls, the highest of the 26 provinces overall (DR Congo: 78.2%).
- Poverty and living standards in Kinshasa: Almost none of people in Kinshasa lived in households in the poorest fifth of the country by household assets and housing in 2017-18, and 78.3% in the richest fifth; the share in the poorest fifth was the lowest of the 26 provinces (20% would be the national average).
How fast is Kinshasa's population growing?
The INS projections add 2,341,000 people between 2015 and 2019, about 4.7% a year (DR Congo: 3.4% a year).
Source: Institut National de la Statistique (Ministry of Planning) · saved copyHow big is Kinshasa?
Kinshasa covers 9,965 km² with its provincial capital at Kinshasa, giving about 1,396 people per km² in 2019; the most densely populated of the 26 provinces.
Source: Institut National de la Statistique (Ministry of Planning) · saved copyHow much money does Kinshasa receive from the national budget?
The draft 2026 finance law allocates FC 1.18 trillion to Kinshasa from the 40% of national revenue shared with the provinces, 14.77% of the FC 8.00 trillion total; the largest of the 26 provinces.
Source: Ministère du Budget · saved copyWas Kinshasa's budget transfer cut?
In the 2025 budget the province's share was cut from FC 1.40 trillion in the initial law to FC 969.3 billion in the amended law, a fall of 31%, as the amended law reduced the total shared with all provinces from FC 9.51 trillion to FC 6.56 trillion while keeping each province's percentage.
Source: Ministère du Budget · saved copyHow much does Kinshasa get from the equalisation fund?
Kinshasa is also due FC 12.8 billion from the national equalisation fund (Caisse nationale de péréquation) in the 2026 draft, 0.77% of the fund and the smallest of the 26 provinces; the fund pays for investment in provinces that are behind.
Source: Ministère du Budget · saved copyMore figures
- That transfer is about FC 84,858 per resident (using the 2019 population projection), 13th lowest of the 26 provinces. Source: Ministère du Budget · saved copy
How city-provinces are governed in the Democratic Republic of the Congo
Provinces (26, including the city-province of Kinshasa). Provincial assembly directly elected (last in December 2023), with some seats for co-opted customary chiefs; the assembly elects the governor. Provincial laws and services, sharing many powers with the national government.
Every tier of government in the Democratic Republic of the Congo
Other city-provinces of the Democratic Republic of the Congo
- Nord-Kivu 7,574,000
- Sud-Kivu 6,565,000
- Kongo Central 6,365,000
- Kwilu 6,169,000
- Haut-Katanga 5,378,000
- Ituri 4,008,000
- Kasaï-Central 3,743,000
- Kasaï-Oriental 3,601,000
- Tanganyika 3,570,000
- Haut-Lomami 3,444,000
- Kasaï 3,165,000
- Lualaba 2,993,000
- Lomami 2,801,000
- Sud-Ubangi 2,755,000
- Maniema 2,654,000
- Tshopo 2,582,000
- Sankuru 2,417,000
- Kwango 2,416,000
- Mai-Ndombe 2,082,000
- Haut-Uele 2,046,000
- Mongala 1,950,000
- Tshuapa 1,789,000
- Équateur 1,712,000
- Nord-Ubangi 1,425,000
- Bas-Uele 1,250,000
Up a level: the Democratic Republic of the Congo · government and power in the Democratic Republic of the Congo
Sources
- Institut National de la Statistique and École de Santé Publique de Kinshasa (with ICF): Enquête Démographique et de Santé 2023-24 (EDS-RDC III), Rapport des indicateurs clés: Tableaux 4, 6, 9, 10, 12, 14, 18, 22 and 23 by province, read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 a9c8355303a4…)
- Institut National de la Statistique / Ministère de l'Enseignement Primaire, Secondaire et Technique: Annuaire statistique RDC 2020 (9th edition), Tableaux 104, 107 and 109: primary enrolment, teachers and completion by province, 2017-18 (Ministry of Primary, Secondary and Technical Education), read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 0b8e8667e2d9…)
- Institut National de la Statistique (with UNICEF): Enquête par grappes à indicateurs multiples MICS-Palu 2017-2018, rapport de résultats: Tableaux SR.2.3, SR.9.2, WS.1.2, WS.3.2.1, LN.2.3.1, PR.1.1 and PR.3.3 by province, read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 8ff6141f9aeb…)
- Ministère du Budget: Projet de loi de finances pour l'exercice 2026 (Doc. n°1, September 2025): Annexe XI (40% share of national revenue to provinces), Annexe XII (equalisation fund) and Annexe XIX (local development programme by territory), read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 02250658e4dd…)
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