Poverty and living standards in Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of the Congo: official figures
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 common is child labour in Kinshasa?
7.4% of children aged 5 to 17 in Kinshasa were in child labour in the week before the 2017-18 survey, joint 3rd lowest of the 26 provinces (DR Congo: 14.7%).
Source: Institut National de la Statistique (with UNICEF) · saved copyAre births registered in Kinshasa?
72.2% of children under five in Kinshasa had their birth registered with the civil authorities in 2017-18, the highest of the 26 provinces (DR Congo: 40.1%).
Source: Institut National de la Statistique (with UNICEF) · saved copyMore figures
- 0.4% of people in Kinshasa had no toilet and practised open defecation in 2017-18, and 0.5% drank from unimproved sources such as unprotected wells and springs or surface water (DR Congo: 11.6% and 46.1%). Source: Institut National de la Statistique (with UNICEF) · saved copy
- 8.2% of children under five in Kinshasa were underweight in 2023-24, the lowest of the 26 provinces (DR Congo: 25.0%). Source: Institut National de la Statistique and École de Santé Publique de Kinshasa (with ICF) · saved copy
How Kinshasa compares with other city-provinces
People in the poorest national wealth fifth (2017-18)
Kinshasa ranks 26 of 26, highest first.
| Rank | Region | People in the poorest national wealth fifth |
|---|---|---|
| 20 | Haut-Uele | 17.3% |
| 21 | Nord-Kivu | 14.0% |
| 22 | Lualaba | 14.0% |
| 23 | Haut-Katanga | 13.5% |
| 24 | Sud-Kivu | 11.3% |
| 25 | Kongo Central | 6.7% |
| 26 | Kinshasa | 0.0% |
Children 5-17 in child labour (2017-18)
Kinshasa ranks 23 of 26, highest first.
| Rank | Region | Children 5-17 in child labour |
|---|---|---|
| 20 | Tanganyika | 9.3% |
| 21 | Kongo Central | 7.8% |
| 22 | Kwilu | 7.7% |
| 23 | Kinshasa | 7.4% |
| 24 | Tshuapa | 7.4% |
| 25 | Sankuru | 7.0% |
| 26 | Mai-Ndombe | 4.8% |
More on Kinshasa: overview · economy and jobs · health · education and schools · 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 (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…)
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