Number of armed conflicts in Democratic Republic of Congo
Democratic Republic of Congo: Number of armed conflicts was 8 conflicts in 2025. ◆ Volatile
Number of armed conflicts in Democratic Republic of Congo, 1989–2025
Source: Uppsala Conflict Data Program and Peace Research Institute Oslo (2026); geoBoundaries (2023) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in conflicts.
Analysis
In 2025, number of armed conflicts in Democratic Republic of Congo stood at 8 conflicts.
That represents a change of down 20.0% on the previous year and up 60.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, number of armed conflicts in Democratic Republic of Congo peaked at 15 conflicts in 2022 and was at its lowest, 1 conflicts, in 1989.
That places Democratic Republic of Congo 1st out of 197 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the top 10%.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Number of armed conflicts in Democratic Republic of Congo, year by year
| Year | conflicts | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1989 | 1 conflicts | — |
| 1990 | 1 conflicts | +0.0% |
| 1991 | 1 conflicts | +0.0% |
| 1992 | 1 conflicts | +0.0% |
| 1993 | 3 conflicts | +200.0% |
| 1994 | 2 conflicts | -33.3% |
| 1995 | 2 conflicts | +0.0% |
| 1996 | 9 conflicts | +350.0% |
| 1997 | 4 conflicts | -55.6% |
| 1998 | 5 conflicts | +25.0% |
| 1999 | 6 conflicts | +20.0% |
| 2000 | 7 conflicts | +16.7% |
| 2001 | 4 conflicts | -42.9% |
| 2002 | 13 conflicts | +225.0% |
| 2003 | 9 conflicts | -30.8% |
| 2004 | 9 conflicts | +0.0% |
| 2005 | 4 conflicts | -55.6% |
| 2006 | 3 conflicts | -25.0% |
| 2007 | 4 conflicts | +33.3% |
| 2008 | 5 conflicts | +25.0% |
| 2009 | 5 conflicts | +0.0% |
| 2010 | 6 conflicts | +20.0% |
| 2011 | 2 conflicts | -66.7% |
| 2012 | 8 conflicts | +300.0% |
| 2013 | 7 conflicts | -12.5% |
| 2014 | 4 conflicts | -42.9% |
| 2015 | 5 conflicts | +25.0% |
| 2016 | 6 conflicts | +20.0% |
| 2017 | 8 conflicts | +33.3% |
| 2018 | 4 conflicts | -50.0% |
| 2019 | 6 conflicts | +50.0% |
| 2020 | 13 conflicts | +116.7% |
| 2021 | 6 conflicts | -53.8% |
| 2022 | 15 conflicts | +150.0% |
| 2023 | 11 conflicts | -26.7% |
| 2024 | 10 conflicts | -9.1% |
| 2025 | 8 conflicts | -20.0% |
Democratic Republic of Congo compared with similar countries
- Democratic Republic of Congo's 8 conflicts is above the median for low income countries, which is 1 conflicts, 8.0× the median. (25 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Number of armed conflicts in Democratic Republic of Congo changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1996 | +350.0% | 2 conflicts | 9 conflicts |
| 2012 | +300.0% | 2 conflicts | 8 conflicts |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 1 conflicts | 1 conflicts | 1 conflicts | 1 |
| 1990s | 3.4 conflicts | 1 conflicts | 9 conflicts | 10 |
| 2000s | 6.3 conflicts | 3 conflicts | 13 conflicts | 10 |
| 2010s | 5.6 conflicts | 2 conflicts | 8 conflicts | 10 |
| 2020s | 10.5 conflicts | 6 conflicts | 15 conflicts | 6 |
Countries ranked near Democratic Republic of Congo
More social development data for Democratic Republic of Congo
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 503,732 (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 1.18 million (2025)
- Political Rights Rating 7 (2025)
- Electoral democracy 0 (2025)
- Political rights rating fh, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Political rights rating fh, gaps filled 7 (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 0.0104 units per person (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 1.18 million (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 0.0045 units per person (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is number of armed conflicts in Democratic Republic of Congo?
- Number of armed conflicts in Democratic Republic of Congo was 8 conflicts in 2025, according to Uppsala Conflict Data Program and Peace Research Institute Oslo (2026); geoBoundaries (2023) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest number of armed conflicts recorded in Democratic Republic of Congo?
- The highest recorded value was 15 conflicts in 2022.
- What is the lowest number of armed conflicts recorded in Democratic Republic of Congo?
- The lowest recorded value was 1 conflicts in 1989.
- How does Democratic Republic of Congo rank for number of armed conflicts?
- Democratic Republic of Congo ranks 1st out of 197 countries with data for 2025.
- Is number of armed conflicts rising or falling in Democratic Republic of Congo?
- Over the last ten years it is up 60.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Democratic Republic of Congo data come from?
- The figures come from Uppsala Conflict Data Program and Peace Research Institute Oslo (2026); geoBoundaries (2023) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Number of armed conflicts. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Included is one-sided violence that was ongoing that year.