The Congo ranked 141/197 by economy size with a GDP of $15.7B and 148/197 by GDP per capita at $2,482. The Congo has $15B in government debt, with a debt-to-GDP ratio of 91.4%.
In 2025, the Congo made up 0.01% of the world's economy, compared to 0.01% in 1960.
The chart below shows GDP in nominal terms, GDP adjusted for inflation (in constant dollars), and a bar chart of year-over-year inflation-adjusted growth.
| Year | GDP | GDP growth | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Current $ | Constant $ | ||
| 1960 | $131,731,863 | $1,260,529,281 | - |
| 1961 | $151,675,739 | $1,365,792,637 | 15.1% |
| 1962 | $166,521,240 | $1,436,845,387 | 9.79% |
| 1963 | $172,233,431 | $1,378,950,570 | 3.43% |
| 1964 | $185,693,725 | $1,431,582,304 | 7.82% |
| 1965 | $198,318,064 | $1,484,213,966 | 6.8% |
| 1966 | $220,613,582 | $1,504,384,173 | 11.2% |
| 1967 | $237,397,428 | $1,536,221,035 | 7.61% |
| 1968 | $251,247,458 | $1,653,455,074 | 5.83% |
| 1969 | $265,040,036 | $1,778,266,547 | 5.49% |
| 1970 | $274,960,700 | $1,891,337,095 | 3.74% |
| 1971 | $322,128,019 | $2,037,973,138 | 17.2% |
| 1972 | $410,669,264 | $2,213,596,510 | 27.5% |
| 1973 | $541,973,363 | $2,395,801,821 | 32% |
| 1974 | $585,364,634 | $2,584,723,272 | 8.01% |
| 1975 | $767,102,680 | $2,784,563,655 | 31% |
| 1976 | $754,549,601 | $2,810,078,243 | -1.64% |
| 1977 | $765,224,029 | $2,558,479,911 | 1.41% |
| 1978 | $878,771,772 | $2,721,192,761 | 14.8% |
| 1979 | $1,198,749,667 | $2,988,229,522 | 36.4% |
| 1980 | $1,705,796,853 | $3,515,251,773 | 42.3% |
| 1981 | $1,993,512,323 | $4,134,629,380 | 16.9% |
| 1982 | $2,160,640,565 | $5,110,306,815 | 8.38% |
| 1983 | $2,097,274,290 | $5,409,462,277 | -2.93% |
| 1984 | $2,193,581,365 | $5,786,833,455 | 4.59% |
| 1985 | $2,160,872,540 | $5,718,221,236 | -1.49% |
| 1986 | $1,849,268,212 | $5,325,863,974 | -14.4% |
| 1987 | $2,297,753,652 | $5,335,949,917 | 24.3% |
| 1988 | $2,212,536,312 | $5,430,196,849 | -3.71% |
| 1989 | $2,389,593,026 | $5,571,375,261 | 8% |
| 1990 | $2,798,746,050 | $5,627,089,213 | 17.1% |
| 1991 | $2,724,853,506 | $5,761,878,676 | -2.64% |
| 1992 | $2,933,222,703 | $5,912,375,954 | 7.65% |
| 1993 | $2,684,323,623 | $5,854,453,400 | -8.49% |
| 1994 | $1,769,365,438 | $5,532,863,840 | -34.1% |
| 1995 | $2,116,003,868 | $5,753,366,412 | 19.6% |
| 1996 | $2,540,697,539 | $6,000,213,536 | 20.1% |
| 1997 | $2,322,719,103 | $5,962,723,473 | -8.58% |
| 1998 | $1,949,481,379 | $6,185,583,409 | -16.1% |
| 1999 | $2,354,772,960 | $6,025,859,314 | 20.8% |
| 2000 | $3,227,927,698 | $6,482,377,235 | 37.1% |
| 2001 | $2,796,704,604 | $6,728,876,234 | -13.4% |
| 2002 | $3,034,250,924 | $7,037,184,600 | 8.49% |
| 2003 | $3,503,723,088 | $7,094,415,494 | 15.5% |
| 2004 | $4,656,974,940 | $7,341,062,187 | 32.9% |
| 2005 | $6,650,001,680 | $7,910,417,276 | 42.8% |
| 2006 | $8,072,305,029 | $8,542,162,056 | 21.4% |
| 2007 | $8,782,703,437 | $7,977,183,901 | 8.8% |
| 2008 | $11,649,857,673 | $8,480,255,109 | 32.6% |
| 2009 | $9,723,299,915 | $9,467,126,892 | -16.5% |
| 2010 | $13,148,396,212 | $10,407,332,392 | 35.2% |
| 2011 | $15,655,383,577 | $10,636,909,753 | 19.1% |
| 2012 | $17,692,911,296 | $11,694,979,455 | 13% |
| 2013 | $17,958,720,699 | $11,611,660,392 | 1.5% |
| 2014 | $17,919,321,078 | $12,383,378,937 | -0.22% |
| 2015 | $12,434,793,867 | $12,434,793,867 | -30.6% |
| 2016 | $10,931,328,151 | $11,354,801,749 | -12.1% |
| 2017 | $11,834,473,039 | $10,719,526,285 | 8.26% |
| 2018 | $14,773,900,289 | $10,472,514,332 | 24.8% |
| 2019 | $13,976,637,780 | $10,590,275,025 | -5.4% |
| 2020 | $11,468,687,464 | $9,926,500,702 | -17.9% |
| 2021 | $14,825,690,211 | $10,027,261,670 | 29.3% |
| 2022 | $15,817,030,157 | $10,175,199,490 | 6.69% |
| 2023 | $15,321,055,818 | $10,369,226,733 | -3.14% |
| 2024 | $15,719,985,776 | $10,636,718,190 | 2.6% |
Economic Statistics of the Congo
Congo
|
Rank | |
|---|---|---|
| Gross domestic product |
$15.7B
2024 |
141/197 |
| GDP growth |
2.6%
2023-2024 |
155/196 |
| GDP per capita |
$2,482
2024 |
148/197 |
| GDP per capita, PPP |
$7,026
2024 |
147/197 |
| Government debt |
$15B
2024 |
111/185 |
| Debt-to-GDP ratio |
91.4%
2025 |
33/185 |
| Government debt per person |
$2,369
2024 |
113/185 |
| Average annual personal income after taxes |
$2,263
2025 |
159/197 |
| Income share by richest 10% |
37.9%
2011 |
11/169 |
| Income share by poorest 10% |
1.6%
2011 |
154/169 |
| Government expenditure, % of GDP |
21.9%
2025 |
144/195 |
| Consumer prices inflation |
3.6%
2024-2025 |
84/195 |
| Unemployment rate |
10%
2012 |
39/196 |
| Population |
6607609
|
112/197 |
Congo's GDP per capita
The Congo has a GDP per capita of $2,482, ranking 148/197, a GDP per capita based on purchasing power parity (PPP) of $7,026, ranking 147/197, and a median annual after tax income of $2,263, ranking 159/197.
| Year | Current $ | |
|---|---|---|
| GDP per capita | GDP per capita, PPP | |
| 1960 | $124.7 | - |
| 1961 | $139.9 | - |
| 1962 | $149.6 | - |
| 1963 | $150.7 | - |
| 1964 | $158.1 | - |
| 1965 | $164.2 | - |
| 1966 | $177.6 | - |
| 1967 | $185.7 | - |
| 1968 | $190.8 | - |
| 1969 | $195.4 | - |
| 1970 | $196.7 | - |
| 1971 | $223.5 | - |
| 1972 | $276.3 | - |
| 1973 | $353 | - |
| 1974 | $370 | - |
| 1975 | $471 | - |
| 1976 | $453 | - |
| 1977 | $448 | - |
| 1978 | $503 | - |
| 1979 | $670 | - |
| 1980 | $933 | - |
| 1981 | $1,066 | - |
| 1982 | $1,131 | - |
| 1983 | $1,075 | - |
| 1984 | $1,097 | - |
| 1985 | $1,049 | - |
| 1986 | $872 | - |
| 1987 | $1,052 | - |
| 1988 | $984 | - |
| 1989 | $1,033 | - |
| 1990 | $1,176 | $3,437 |
| 1991 | $1,113 | $3,536 |
| 1992 | $1,164 | $3,608 |
| 1993 | $1,034 | $3,550 |
| 1994 | $662 | $3,327 |
| 1995 | $770 | $3,434 |
| 1996 | $899 | $3,547 |
| 1997 | $804 | $3,510 |
| 1998 | $660 | $3,602 |
| 1999 | $776 | $3,464 |
| 2000 | $1,024 | $3,667 |
| 2001 | $855 | $3,748 |
| 2002 | $906 | $3,888 |
| 2003 | $1,017 | $3,887 |
| 2004 | $1,306 | $3,992 |
| 2005 | $1,799 | $4,279 |
| 2006 | $2,104 | $4,588 |
| 2007 | $2,206 | $4,243 |
| 2008 | $2,832 | $4,448 |
| 2009 | $2,271 | $4,801 |
| 2010 | $2,947 | $5,125 |
| 2011 | $3,396 | $5,175 |
| 2012 | $3,732 | $6,058 |
| 2013 | $3,697 | $5,834 |
| 2014 | $3,601 | $5,733 |
| 2015 | $2,439 | $4,715 |
| 2016 | $2,093 | $4,016 |
| 2017 | $2,212 | $4,445 |
| 2018 | $2,694 | $5,593 |
| 2019 | $2,488 | $5,720 |
| 2020 | $1,994 | $4,771 |
| 2021 | $2,516 | $6,263 |
| 2022 | $2,621 | $6,647 |
| 2023 | $2,478 | $6,850 |
| 2024 | $2,482 | $7,026 |
Congo's government spending, deficit, and chart
This chart shows the Congo's government spending, budget balance, and debt over time, each expressed as a share of GDP.
Over the past 37 years, the Congo recorded a fiscal deficit in 16 years — average annual surplus equal to +0.79% of GDP. In 2024, government spending reached $3.58B (21.9% of GDP), with a surplus of +3.54%.
The national debt reached $15B, ranking 111th out of 185 countries by total size, with a debt-to-GDP ratio of 91.4%, ranking 33rd.
| Year | % of GDP | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Government spending | Government debt | Government deficit/surplus | |
| 1989 | 20.3% | 151.7% | 0.78% |
| 1990 | 30.4% | 0% | -4.1% |
| 1991 | 34.1% | 0% | -11.2% |
| 1992 | 32.8% | 0% | -12.7% |
| 1993 | 32.8% | 0% | -11.3% |
| 1994 | 30.7% | 0% | -10.6% |
| 1995 | 27.6% | 0% | -6.38% |
| 1996 | 15.7% | 0% | 9.2% |
| 1997 | 22.2% | 0% | 3.67% |
| 1998 | 25.1% | 0% | -5.16% |
| 1999 | 28.8% | 0% | -4.75% |
| 2000 | 22.6% | 145% | 1.05% |
| 2001 | 29.1% | 180.1% | -0.71% |
| 2002 | 32.1% | 163.5% | -7.34% |
| 2003 | 27% | 185.3% | 0.37% |
| 2004 | 24.4% | 122.6% | 3.33% |
| 2005 | 22.1% | 99.8% | 13.4% |
| 2006 | 26.6% | 94.7% | 16% |
| 2007 | 28.6% | 93.8% | 8.99% |
| 2008 | 24.2% | 69.6% | 23.9% |
| 2009 | 24.4% | 83.8% | 4.76% |
| 2010 | 23% | 43.5% | 15.5% |
| 2011 | 27.9% | 34.4% | 16.1% |
| 2012 | 30.7% | 30.2% | 7.24% |
| 2013 | 42.4% | 33.9% | -2.85% |
| 2014 | 48.6% | 42.3% | -10.7% |
| 2015 | 41.3% | 74.2% | -17.8% |
| 2016 | 38.8% | 84.6% | -14.5% |
| 2017 | 26.6% | 88.5% | -5.57% |
| 2018 | 17.8% | 71.2% | 5.22% |
| 2019 | 20.2% | 77.6% | 4.3% |
| 2020 | 21.1% | 102.5% | -1.1% |
| 2021 | 20.9% | 97.8% | 1.63% |
| 2022 | 22.8% | 92.5% | 8.94% |
| 2023 | 20.7% | 99% | 5.81% |
| 2024 | 22.8% | 95.4% | 2.61% |
| 2025 | 21.9% | 91.4% | 3.54% |
Inflation rate by year
Over the past 20 years, the Congo has had an average annual inflation rate of 2.81%. In 2025, inflation was 3.6%. The bar chart below shows consumer price inflation by year.
| Year | Inflation |
|---|---|
| 1980 | 7.3% |
| 1981 | 0.8% |
| 1982 | 3.5% |
| 1983 | 3.5% |
| 1984 | 3.5% |
| 1985 | 3.5% |
| 1986 | 3.5% |
| 1987 | 3.5% |
| 1988 | -13% |
| 1989 | -9.6% |
| 1990 | 0.3% |
| 1991 | 9.4% |
| 1992 | -3.2% |
| 1993 | -4.1% |
| 1994 | 7.5% |
| 1995 | 6.3% |
| 1996 | 7.4% |
| 1997 | 12.7% |
| 1998 | 2.2% |
| 1999 | 3% |
| 2000 | 0.5% |
| 2001 | 0.8% |
| 2002 | 3% |
| 2003 | 1.7% |
| 2004 | 3.7% |
| 2005 | 2.5% |
| 2006 | 4.7% |
| 2007 | 2.6% |
| 2008 | 6% |
| 2009 | 4.3% |
| 2010 | 0.4% |
| 2011 | 1.8% |
| 2012 | 5% |
| 2013 | 4.6% |
| 2014 | 0.9% |
| 2015 | 3.2% |
| 2016 | 3.2% |
| 2017 | 0.4% |
| 2018 | 1.2% |
| 2019 | 0.4% |
| 2020 | 1.4% |
| 2021 | 2% |
| 2022 | 3% |
| 2023 | 4.3% |
| 2024 | 3.1% |
| 2025 | 3.6% |
Balance of trade
|
Congo
|
Rank | |
|---|---|---|
Current account balance
|
$1.72B
2021 |
47/189 |
| Current account balance, % of GDP |
+11.6%
2021 |
14/189 |
| Goods imports |
$2.78B
2021 |
145/188 |
| Goods exports |
$7.51B
2021 |
107/188 |
| Service imports |
$1.71B
2021 |
126/188 |
| Service exports |
$240M
2021 |
158/188 |
| Imports of goods and services, % of GDP |
40.4%
2024 |
100/180 |
| Exports of goods and services, % of GDP |
52.8%
2024 |
48/193 |
The Congo's top 10 trading partners
The Congo's biggest trading partner accounting for 45.1%% of all exports and imports is China, with a trade balance between the two of +$3.85B — the Congo exports $5.15B worth of goods and services to China and imports $1.3B.
Below is the list of the top 10 trade partners of the Congo.
| Rank | Country | Trade value | Share of total trade | Export to | Import from | Top export to | Top import from |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |
China
|
$6.45B | 45.1% | $5.15B | $1.3B | Raw materials & minerals | Machinery & equipment |
| 2 |
Netherlands
|
$1.18B | 8.23% | $1B | $176M | Raw materials & minerals | Machinery & equipment |
| 3 |
India
|
$620M | 4.34% | $525M | $95M | Raw materials & minerals | Raw agricultural goods |
| 4 |
United States
|
$561M | 3.92% | $337M | $224M | Machinery & equipment | Animal & marine products |
| 5 |
France
|
$460M | 3.22% | $45.4M | $415M | Machinery & equipment | Machinery & equipment |
| 6 |
Gabon
|
$416M | 2.91% | $105M | $311M | Machinery & equipment | Machinery & equipment |
| 7 |
Togo
|
$312M | 2.18% | $153M | $158M | Raw materials & minerals | Raw materials & minerals |
| 8 |
Malaysia
|
$299M | 2.09% | $252M | $46.9M | Raw materials & minerals | Processed food, beverages & tobacco |
| 9 |
Belgium
|
$297M | 2.08% | $31.8M | $265M | Wood & paper products | Machinery & equipment |
| 10 |
Brazil
|
$255M | 1.79% | $146M | $110M | Raw materials & minerals | Animal & marine products |
Congo's top 10 exports
|
Congo
|
Rank | |
|---|---|---|
| Raw materials & minerals | $8.17B | 62/193 |
| Machinery & equipment | $896M | 83/193 |
| Wood & paper products | $238M | 74/192 |
| Business & finance services | $142M | 121/188 |
| Metals | $121M | 117/192 |
| Transport & tourism services | $79.8M | 163/188 |
| Textiles & consumer goods | $19.4M | 141/193 |
| Processed food, beverages & tobacco | $9.43M | 163/192 |
| Government & miscellaneous services | $8.42M | 143/180 |
| Animal & marine products | $5.04M | 160/192 |
Congo's top 10 imports
|
Congo
|
Rank | |
|---|---|---|
| Machinery & equipment | $2.01B | 124/193 |
| Business & finance services | $649M | 103/188 |
| Chemicals & pharma | $598M | 126/193 |
| Animal & marine products | $579M | 82/193 |
| Metals | $465M | 127/193 |
| Raw materials & minerals | $353M | 155/193 |
| Processed food, beverages & tobacco | $279M | 145/193 |
| Transport & tourism services | $264M | 157/188 |
| Textiles & consumer goods | $186M | 150/193 |
| Raw agricultural goods | $176M | 149/193 |
Economic freedom indices
|
Congo
|
Rank | |
|---|---|---|
| Economic freedom | 48.6 | 169/197 |
| Property rights | 30.8 | 140/182 |
| Government integrity | 13.2 | 140/182 |
| Judicial effectiveness | 14.9 | 140/182 |
| Tax burden | 75.5 | 123/181 |
| Government spending | 86.2 | 40/180 |
| Fiscal health | 80.4 | 69/181 |
| Business freedom | 36.9 | 163/182 |
| Labor freedom | 52.5 | 133/182 |
| Monetary freedom | 77.7 | 15/180 |
| Trade freedom | 49.6 | 172/181 |
| Investment freedom | 35 | 142/181 |
| Financial freedom | 30 | 137/181 |
Congo's economic freedom by year
The Congo is ranked 155/180 for economic freedom with a score of 48.6, compared to 147/163 and a score of 46.2 in 2005.
| Year | Index | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Economic freedom | Judicial effectiveness | Tax burden | Government spending | Fiscal health | |
| 1996 | 40.3 | - | 49.6 | 54.8 | - |
| 1997 | 42.2 | - | 54.1 | 59.8 | - |
| 1998 | 33.8 | - | 54.5 | 67.5 | - |
| 1999 | 41.6 | - | 54.5 | 67.3 | - |
| 2000 | 40.6 | - | 54.6 | 56.7 | - |
| 2001 | 44.3 | - | 54.3 | 89.2 | - |
| 2002 | 45.3 | - | 54.5 | 67.3 | - |
| 2003 | 47.7 | - | 58.8 | 80.5 | - |
| 2004 | 45.9 | - | 59.4 | 70 | - |
| 2005 | 46.2 | - | 60.2 | 62.2 | - |
| 2006 | 43.8 | - | 51 | 73.5 | - |
| 2007 | 44.4 | - | 59.8 | 75.5 | - |
| 2008 | 45.3 | - | 60.1 | 83.1 | - |
| 2009 | 45.4 | - | 60.2 | 77.6 | - |
| 2010 | 43.2 | - | 60.3 | 69.3 | - |
| 2011 | 43.6 | - | 61.8 | 79.7 | - |
| 2012 | 43.8 | - | 61.3 | 78 | - |
| 2013 | 43.5 | - | 61.4 | 80.3 | - |
| 2014 | 43.7 | - | 67.5 | 79.6 | - |
| 2015 | 42.7 | - | 67.4 | 60.7 | - |
| 2016 | 42.8 | - | 66.9 | 55.8 | - |
| 2017 | 40 | 22.6 | 66.8 | 36.2 | 11.6 |
| 2018 | 38.9 | 28.2 | 60.8 | 33.4 | 6.2 |
| 2019 | 39.7 | 29.6 | 59.5 | 40.6 | 0 |
| 2020 | 41.8 | 30 | 63.3 | 56.2 | 0.6 |
| 2021 | 50.7 | 25.7 | 80.4 | 84 | 81.8 |
| 2022 | 48.5 | 14.9 | 82.4 | 86 | 80 |
| 2023 | 48.1 | 13 | 75.5 | 84.7 | 80 |
| 2024 | 47.8 | 13.8 | 75.5 | 86 | 82.9 |
| 2025 | 48.6 | 14.9 | 75.5 | 86.2 | 80.4 |
More economic indicators
|
Congo
|
Rank | |
|---|---|---|
| Services, % of GDP |
45%
2024 |
158/191 |
| Industry, % of GDP |
40.1%
2024 |
18/194 |
| Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, % of GDP |
9.44%
2024 |
75/193 |
|
GNI, Atlas method
|
$15.2B
2024 |
142/194 |
| GNI per capita, PPP |
$6,700
2024 |
144/191 |
| Total reserves including gold |
$715M
2023 |
148/177 |
|
Net foreign direct investment
|
$330M
2021 |
31/188 |
|
Net inflows of foreign direct investment
|
$604M
2024 |
111/193 |
|
Net outflows of foreign direct investment
|
$25.4M
2024 |
114/187 |
|
Servicing debt to the IMF, % of GNI
|
5.31%
2023 |
43/119 |
| Poverty at national poverty lines |
40.9%
2011 |
37/176 |
|
Gross capital formation, % of GDP
|
26.8%
2024 |
53/176 |
Compare countries by 7 more topics
GDP per capita map
GDP per capita
Relevant pages:
Congo topic pages:
Economy comparisons
The current account balance is the sum of net trade in goods and services, net earnings from cross-border investments, and net transfer payments. It reflects a country's economic transactions with the rest of the world and is a fundamental component of the balance of payments. A surplus indicates that a country exports more than it imports, while a deficit shows the opposite.
Gross National Income (GNI) measures a country's total income. It encompasses income earned by residents, businesses, and foreign sources, defined as employee compensation and investment profits. GNI adds product taxes not included elsewhere and subtracts subsidies. It accounts for income from residents working abroad but excludes earnings from foreigners within the country.
A negative value for Net Foreign Direct Investment indicates a country is a net receiver of investments, as foreign inflows exceed outflows after Balance of Payments adjustments. A positive value indicates a net provider, with outflows exceeding inflows. Inflows are credits (increasing foreign claims on domestic assets), while outflows are debits (increasing domestic assets abroad).
Foreign direct investment (FDI, net inflows) shows how much capital foreign investors bring into a country after accounting for any funds that flow back in the opposite direction. It represents the net value of overseas companies establishing, expanding, or financing businesses in the reporting country. A positive number means more capital entered the country than was withdrawn, while a negative number means foreign investors pulled out more than they invested.
Foreign direct investment (FDI, net outflows) shows how much capital residents of a country invest abroad after accounting for any funds that flow back in the opposite direction. It represents the net value of domestic companies establishing, expanding, or financing businesses in other countries. A positive number means more capital was invested abroad than withdrawn, while a negative number means residents pulled back more than they invested.
Principal and interest payments to the IMF in currency, goods, or services on long-term debt expressed as a share of GNI.
Formerly gross domestic investment, gross capital formation measures the share of a country’s economic output invested in fixed assets, including buildings, machinery, and infrastructure. It indicates how much of the economy is devoted to building productive capacity.