Quick facts
Kinshasa overview
Kinshasa (orange) and the other large cities of DR Congo
Kinshasa lies in DR Congo at 4.33°S, 15.31°E, about 281 m above sea level. The local time zone is Africa/Kinshasa (UTC+1); GeoNames classifies it as a national capital.
It is the biggest urban centre of DR Congo: the next largest cities are Lubumbashi (2,221,925), Mbuji-Mayi (2,101,332), Kisangani (1,602,144). Together, the three largest cities hold 17.3% of the national population.
The nearest large city is Inkisi, about 94 km away, followed by Mbanza-Ngungu (115 km).
DR Congo as a whole has a live population of 117,501,247 (+3.1% a year) and ranks #15 of 238 countries — see the DR Congo population page for the full statistics and the DR Congo atlas for provinces, terrain and society maps.
Cities near Kinshasa
| City | Distance | Population |
|---|---|---|
| Inkisi Bas-Congo | 94 km | 115,317 |
| Mbanza-Ngungu Bas-Congo | 115 km | 142,773 |
Largest cities in DR Congo
| # | City | Region | Population |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | KinshasaCapital | Kinshasa | 16,000,000 |
| 2 | Lubumbashi | Haut-Katanga | 2,221,925 |
| 3 | Mbuji-Mayi | East Kasai | 2,101,332 |
| 4 | Kisangani | Tshopo | 1,602,144 |
| 5 | Kananga | Kasai-Central | 1,271,704 |
| 6 | Bukavu | South Kivu | 816,811 |
| 7 | Kolwezi | Lualaba | 790,248 |
| 8 | Likasi | Haut-Katanga | 635,768 |
| 9 | Tshikapa | Kasai | 634,529 |
| 10 | Kikwit | Kwilu | 509,367 |
Frequently asked questions
What is the population of Kinshasa?
Kinshasa has about 16,000,000 inhabitants according to the latest official census or estimate compiled by GeoNames. This is the city proper; the metropolitan area is larger.
Is Kinshasa the capital of DR Congo?
Yes — Kinshasa is the national capital of DR Congo.
How big is Kinshasa compared with the rest of DR Congo?
Its 16,000,000 residents are 13.6% of the 117,501,247 people living in DR Congo today. It is the largest city in the country.
Where is Kinshasa?
In DR Congo, at latitude -4.33 and longitude 15.31, 281 m above sea level. Nearby large cities include Inkisi (94 km), Mbanza-Ngungu (115 km).
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Cite or link to this page
Glostats. (2026). Kinshasa Population 2026 — DR Congo. Retrieved October 20, 2026, from https://glostats.com/cities/dr-congo/kinshasa/<a href="https://glostats.com/cities/dr-congo/kinshasa/">Kinshasa Population 2026 — DR Congo</a> — GlostatsFigures on this page may be quoted, charted or republished as long as the page is credited with a link. Terms · Download the data as CSV · Embed a live counter.
City populations are GeoNames figures (CC BY 4.0): the latest official census or estimate for the city proper — the municipality, not the wider metropolitan area — so they can differ from "metro area" numbers you see elsewhere. Country populations are live Glostats estimates from the UN World Population Prospects. Distances are great-circle distances between city centres. Page generated 2026-10-20. More about our data.