Quick facts
Kolwezi overview
Kolwezi (orange) and the other large cities of DR Congo
Kolwezi lies in Lualaba in the Democratic Republic of the Congo at 10.71°S, 25.47°E, about 1,485 m above sea level. The local time zone is Africa/Lubumbashi (UTC+2); GeoNames classifies it as a district seat.
It is smaller than Bukavu (816,811) and larger than Likasi (635,768). The largest city in the Democratic Republic of the Congo is Kinshasa with 16,000,000 people; the capital, Kinshasa, has 16,000,000.
The national capital, Kinshasa, is about 1,325 km away; the nearest large city is Likasi, 142 km from Kolwezi.
the Democratic Republic of the Congo as a whole has a live population of 117,500,730 (+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 Kolwezi
| City | Distance | Population |
|---|---|---|
| Likasi Haut-Katanga | 142 km | 635,768 |
| Bukama Haut-Lomami | 173 km | 105,530 |
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 Kolwezi?
Kolwezi has about 790,248 inhabitants according to the latest official census or estimate compiled by GeoNames. This is the city proper; the metropolitan area is larger.
Is Kolwezi the capital of the Democratic Republic of the Congo?
No. The capital of the Democratic Republic of the Congo is Kinshasa (16,000,000 people), about 1,325 km away. Kolwezi is the 7th largest city of the country and a district seat.
How big is Kolwezi compared with the rest of the Democratic Republic of the Congo?
Its 790,248 residents are 0.7% of the 117,500,730 people living in the Democratic Republic of the Congo today. Kinshasa is larger with 16,000,000 people.
Where is Kolwezi?
In Lualaba, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, at latitude -10.7148 and longitude 25.4667, 1,485 m above sea level. Nearby large cities include Likasi (142 km), Bukama (173 km).
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Cite or link to this page
Glostats. (2026). Kolwezi Population 2026 — DR Congo. Retrieved October 20, 2026, from https://glostats.com/cities/dr-congo/kolwezi/<a href="https://glostats.com/cities/dr-congo/kolwezi/">Kolwezi 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.