Demographics of Zaire

Population

62,660,551

Note: estimates for this country explicitly take into account the effects of excess mortality due to AIDS; this can result in lower life expectancy, higher infant mortality and death rates, lower population and growth rates, and changes in the distribution of population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July 2006 est.)

Age structure

0-14 years: 47.4% (male 14,906,488/female 14,798,210)

15-64 years: 50.1% (male 15,597,353/female 15,793,350)

65 years and over: 2.5% (male 632,143/female 933,007) (2006 est.)

Median age

Total: 16.2 years

Male: 16 years

Female: 16.4 years (2006 est.)

Population growth rate

3.07% (2006 est.)

Birth rate

43.69 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Death rate

13.27 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Net migration rate

0.25 migrant(s)/1,000 population

Sex ratio

At birth: 1.03 male(s)/female

Under 15 years: 1.01 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 0.99 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.68 male(s)/female

Total population: 0.99 male(s)/female (2006 est.)

Infant mortality rate

Total: 188.62 deaths/1,000 live births

Male: 196.9 deaths/1,000 live births

Female: 180.1 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)

Life expectancy at birth

Total population: 46.46 years

Male: 45.01 years

Female: 47.94 years (2006 est.)

Total fertility rate

6.45 children born/woman (20006 est.)

HIV/AIDS

Adult prevalence rate: 4.2% (2003 est.)

People living with HIV/AIDS: 1.1 million (2003 est.)

Deaths: 100,000 (2003 est.)

Major infectious diseases

Degree of risk: very high

Food or waterborne diseases: bacterial and protozoal diarrhea, hepatitis A, and typhoid fever

Vectorborne diseases: malaria, plague, and African trypanosomiasis (sleeping sickness) are high risks in some locations

Water contact disease: schistosomiasis (2005)

Nationality

Noun: Zairian (singular and plural)

Adjective: Zairian

Ethnic groups

over 200 African ethnic groups of which the majority are Bantu; the four largest tribes - Mongo, Luba, Kongo (all Bantu), and the Mangbetu-Azande (Hamitic) make up about 45% of the population

Religions

Roman Catholic 50%, Protestant 20%, Kimbanguist 10%, Muslim 10%, other syncretic sects and indigenous beliefs 10%

Languages

French (official), Lingala (a lingua franca trade language), Kingwana (a dialect of Kiswahili or Swahili), Kikongo, Tshiluba

Literacy

Definition: age 15 and over can read and write French, Lingala, Kingwana, or Tshiluba

Total population: 65.5%

Male: 76.2%

Female: 55.1%