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Kinshasa

#13 largest metro areaAfrica

In DR Congo

Metro population
17,071,000
0.206% of world population
Archive estimate
Annual growth
+4.10%
About 1,918 people a day
Archive estimate
Density
1,713/km²
9,965 km² metro area
City proper
16,000,000
Within the administrative boundary
GeoNames

About Kinshasa

Kinshasa, in the Democratic Republic of Congo, is home to 16,000,000 people within city proper boundaries, making it one of Africa's largest urban centers. The metropolitan area reaches 17,071,000 residents and expands at 4.1% annually, reflecting sustained demographic growth. At 1,713 people per km², the city maintains substantial density across its territory.

Established in 1881, Kinshasa sits at an elevation of 281 m. The city is served by Ndjili International Airport (FIH), which provides regional and international connectivity.

This summary is AI-generated from the statistics on this page. The figures themselves come from the sources cited beside each value.

Key Facts

Country
DR Congo
Continent
Africa
World rank
#13 of 140
Share of country
15.1%
Founded
1881
Elevation
281 m
Coordinates
-4.328, 15.314

Airports

Scheduled-service airports within 100 km, nearest first.

  • Ndjili International AirportFIH

    16 km from the city centre

Source: OurAirports, matched by distance.

Compared with the World's Largest Cities

Metropolitan population against the fifteen largest metro areas.

  1. Tokyo37.4M
  2. Delhi32.9M
  3. Shanghai29.2M
  4. São Paulo22.6M
  5. Dhaka22.5M
  6. Mexico City22.3M
  7. Cairo22.2M
  8. Mumbai21.7M
  9. Beijing21.5M
  10. Osaka19M
  11. New York18.9M
  12. Karachi17.1M
  13. Kinshasa17.1M
  14. Chongqing16.9M
  15. Lagos15.9M
Metro populations are archive estimates; boundaries differ between national statistical agencies.
Kinshasa compared with the fifteen largest metropolitan areas
NameMetro population
Tokyo37.4M
Delhi32.9M
Shanghai29.2M
São Paulo22.6M
Dhaka22.5M
Mexico City22.3M
Cairo22.2M
Mumbai21.7M
Beijing21.5M
Osaka19M
New York18.9M
Karachi17.1M
Kinshasa17.1M
Chongqing16.9M
Lagos15.9M

Population Trend in DR Congo

No free source publishes metropolitan population back to 1950, so the parent country's series is shown instead.

0100M200M300M400M1950197520002025205020752100projected →
This is DR Congo's national population, not Kinshasa's. The legacy city series this page previously carried was generated by scaling the current figure, so it has been dropped rather than presented as history. Source: UN World Population Prospects 2024.
DR Congo population, 1950 to 2100
YearPopulation
195012,294,287
196015,264,846
197020,137,436
198026,711,099
199036,684,063
200050,507,442
201068,563,038
202095,989,998
2030131,532,201
2040172,595,582
2050218,246,072
2060266,679,133
2070314,382,310
2080358,920,647
2090398,480,921
2100430,709,445

Nearest Major Cities

Closest cities in our dataset by great-circle distance.

Kinshasa Population FAQ

What is the population of Kinshasa?

Kinshasa's metropolitan area has about 17,071,000 people, making it the 13th largest metro area in our dataset of 140 major cities.

What is the difference between Kinshasa's city and metro population?

About 16,000,000 people live within the city proper, while the wider metropolitan area holds roughly 17,071,000. Metro figures include surrounding commuter areas that fall outside the city's administrative boundary.

Is Kinshasa growing or shrinking?

Kinshasa is growing at +4.10% a year.

What share of DR Congo's population lives in Kinshasa?

Kinshasa's metro area holds about 15.1% of DR Congo's total population.

How densely populated is Kinshasa?

Kinshasa has roughly 1,713 people per km² across a metro area of about 9,965 km².

Which airports serve Kinshasa?

The nearest major airports are Ndjili International Airport (FIH).

Which country is Kinshasa in?

Kinshasa is in DR Congo, in Africa.

Explore More Cities

All 140 cities →DR Congo country profile →