Economy - overview:
The economy of the Democratic Republic of the Congo - a nation endowed with vast natural resource wealth - continues to perform poorly. Systemic corruption since independence in 1960, combined with countrywide instability and intermittent conflict that began in the early-90s, has reduced national output and government revenue, and increased external debt. With the installation of a transitional government in 2003 after peace accords, economic conditions slowly began to improve as the government reopened relations with international financial institutions and international donors, and President KABILA began implementing reforms. Progress on implementing substantive economic reforms remains slow because of political instability, bureaucratic inefficiency, corruption, and patronage, which also dampen international investment prospects.
Renewed activity in the mining sector, the source of most export income, boosted Kinshasa's fiscal position and GDP growth until 2015, but low commodity prices have led to slower growth, volatile inflation, currency depreciation, and a growing fiscal deficit. An uncertain legal framework, corruption, and a lack of transparency in government policy are long-term problems for the large mining sector and for the economy as a whole. Much economic activity still occurs in the informal sector and is not reflected in GDP data.
Poverty remains widespread in DRC, and the country failed to meet any Millennium Development Goals by 2015. DRC also concluded its program with the IMF in 2015. The price of copper – the DRC’s primary export - plummeted in 2015 and remained at record lows during 2016-17, reducing government revenues, expenditures, and foreign exchange reserves, while inflation reached nearly 50% in mid-2017 – its highest level since the early 2000s.
GDP (purchasing power parity):
$68.6 billion
(2017 est.)
$66.33 billion
(2016 est.)
$64.78 billion
(2015 est.)
note: data are in 2017 dollars
country comparison to the world (CIA rank, may be based on non-current data):
103
[see also: GDP country ranks ]
GDP (official exchange rate):
$41.44 billion
(2017 est.)
[see also: GDP (official exchange rate) country ranks ]
GDP - real growth rate:
3.4%
(2017 est.)
2.4%
(2016 est.)
6.9%
(2015 est.)
country comparison to the world (CIA rank, may be based on non-current data):
101
[see also: GDP - real growth rate country ranks ]
GDP - per capita (PPP):
$800
(2017 est.)
$800
(2016 est.)
$800
(2015 est.)
note: data are in 2017 dollars
country comparison to the world (CIA rank, may be based on non-current data):
226
[see also: GDP - per capita country ranks ]
Gross national saving:
11.5% of GDP
(2017 est.)
8.7% of GDP
(2016 est.)
16.5% of GDP
(2015 est.)
country comparison to the world (CIA rank, may be based on non-current data):
154
[see also: Gross national saving country ranks ]
GDP - composition, by end use:
household consumption: 78.5%
(2017 est.)
[see also: GDP - composition, by end use - household consumption country ranks ]
government consumption: 12.7%
(2017 est.)
[see also: GDP - composition, by end use - government consumption country ranks ]
investment in fixed capital: 15.9%
(2017 est.)
[see also: GDP - composition, by end use - investment in fixed capital country ranks ]
investment in inventories: 0%
(2017 est.)
[see also: GDP - composition, by end use - investment in inventories country ranks ]
exports of goods and services: 25.7%
(2017 est.)
[see also: GDP - composition, by end use - exports of goods and services country ranks ]
imports of goods and services: -32.8%
(2017 est.)
[see also: GDP - composition, by end use - imports of goods and services country ranks ]
GDP - composition, by sector of origin:
agriculture: 19.7%
(2017 est.)
[see also: GDP - composition, by sector of origin - agriculture country ranks ]
industry: 43.6%
(2017 est.)
[see also: GDP - composition, by sector of origin - industry country ranks ]
services: 36.7%
(2017 est.)
[see also: GDP - composition, by sector of origin - services country ranks ]
Agriculture - products:
coffee, sugar, palm oil, rubber, tea, cotton, cocoa, quinine, cassava (manioc, tapioca), bananas, plantains, peanuts, root crops, corn, fruits; wood products
Industries:
mining (copper, cobalt, gold, diamonds, coltan, zinc, tin, tungsten), mineral processing, consumer products (textiles, plastics, footwear, cigarettes), metal products, processed foods and beverages, timber, cement, commercial ship repair
Industrial production growth rate:
1.6%
(2017 est.)
country comparison to the world (CIA rank, may be based on non-current data):
140
[see also: Industrial production growth rate country ranks ]
Labor force:
31.36 million
(2017 est.)
country comparison to the world (CIA rank, may be based on non-current data):
18
[see also: Labor force country ranks ]
Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture:
NA
[see also: Labor force - by occupation - agriculture country ranks ]
industry:
NA
[see also: Labor force - by occupation - industry country ranks ]
services:
NA
[see also: Labor force - by occupation - services country ranks ]
Unemployment rate:
NA
[see also: Unemployment rate country ranks ]
Population below poverty line:
63%
(2014 est.)
[see also: Population below poverty line country ranks ]
Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: 2.3%
[see also: Household income or consumption by percentage share - lowest 10% country ranks ]
highest 10%: 34.7%
(2006)
[see also: Household income or consumption by percentage share - highest 10% country ranks ]
Distribution of family income - Gini index:
42.1
(2012 est.)
country comparison to the world (CIA rank, may be based on non-current data):
53
[see also: Distribution of family income - Gini index country ranks ]
Budget:
revenues: 4.634 billion
(2017 est.)
[see also: Budget - revenues country ranks ]
expenditures: 5.009 billion
(2017 est.)
[see also: Budget - expenditures country ranks ]
Taxes and other revenues:
11.2% (of GDP)
(2017 est.)
country comparison to the world (CIA rank, may be based on non-current data):
211
[see also: Taxes and other revenues country ranks ]
Budget surplus (+) or deficit (-):
-0.9% (of GDP)
(2017 est.)
country comparison to the world (CIA rank, may be based on non-current data):
72
[see also: Budget surplus (+) or deficit (-) country ranks ]
Public debt:
18.1% of GDP
(2017 est.)
19.3% of GDP
(2016 est.)
country comparison to the world (CIA rank, may be based on non-current data):
192
[see also: Public debt country ranks ]
Fiscal year:
calendar year
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
41.5%
(2017 est.)
18.2%
(2016 est.)
country comparison to the world (CIA rank, may be based on non-current data):
224
[see also: Inflation rate (consumer prices) country ranks ]
Central bank discount rate:
20%
(31 December 2017)
20%
(31 December 2011)
country comparison to the world (CIA rank, may be based on non-current data):
4
[see also: Central bank discount rate country ranks ]
Commercial bank prime lending rate:
20.62%
(31 December 2017 est.)
19.05%
(31 December 2016 est.)
country comparison to the world (CIA rank, may be based on non-current data):
13
[see also: Commercial bank prime lending rate country ranks ]
Stock of narrow money:
$1.044 billion
(31 December 2017 est.)
$1.192 billion
(31 December 2016 est.)
country comparison to the world (CIA rank, may be based on non-current data):
157
[see also: Stock of narrow money country ranks ]
Stock of broad money:
$1.044 billion
(31 December 2017 est.)
$1.192 billion
(31 December 2016 est.)
country comparison to the world (CIA rank, may be based on non-current data):
162
[see also: Stock of broad money country ranks ]
Stock of domestic credit:
$3.252 billion
(31 December 2017 est.)
$3.582 billion
(31 December 2016 est.)
country comparison to the world (CIA rank, may be based on non-current data):
136
[see also: Stock of domestic credit country ranks ]
Market value of publicly traded shares:
NA
[see also: Market value of publicly traded shares country ranks ]
Current account balance:
-$200 million
(2017 est.)
-$1.215 billion
(2016 est.)
country comparison to the world (CIA rank, may be based on non-current data):
98
[see also: Current account balance country ranks ]
Exports:
$10.98 billion
(2017 est.)
$8.228 billion
(2016 est.)
country comparison to the world (CIA rank, may be based on non-current data):
89
[see also: Exports country ranks ]
Exports - partners:
China 41.4%, Zambia 22.7%, South Korea 7.2%, Finland 6.2%
(2017)
Exports - commodities:
diamonds, copper, gold, cobalt, wood products, crude oil, coffee
Imports:
$10.82 billion
(2017 est.)
$10.21 billion
(2016 est.)
country comparison to the world (CIA rank, may be based on non-current data):
100
[see also: Imports country ranks ]
Imports - commodities:
foodstuffs, mining and other machinery, transport equipment, fuels
Imports - partners:
China 19.9%, South Africa 18%, Zambia 10.4%, Belgium 9.1%, India 4.3%, Tanzania 4.2%
(2017)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
$457.5 million
(31 December 2017 est.)
$708.2 million
(31 December 2016 est.)
country comparison to the world (CIA rank, may be based on non-current data):
155
[see also: Reserves of foreign exchange and gold country ranks ]
Debt - external:
$4.963 billion
(31 December 2017 est.)
$5.35 billion
(31 December 2016 est.)
country comparison to the world (CIA rank, may be based on non-current data):
134
[see also: Debt - external country ranks ]
Exchange rates:
Congolese francs (CDF) per US dollar -
1,546.8
(2017 est.)
1,010.3
(2016 est.)
1,010.3
(2015 est.)
925.99
(2014 est.)
925.23
(2013 est.)