Arms imports in Democratic Republic of Congo
Democratic Republic of Congo: Arms imports was 35.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values in 2024. ◆ Volatile
Latest (2024)
35.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values
Change on year
up 29.6%
World rank
74th
of 173 countries
All-time high
445.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values
in 1975
All-time low
0 SIPRI trend indicator values
in 1995
Years of data
52
1960–2024
Arms imports in Democratic Republic of Congo, 1960–2024
Source: Arms Transfers Programme, Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI). Measured in SIPRI trend indicator values.
Analysis
The most recent figure for arms imports in Democratic Republic of Congo is 35.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values, measured in 2024.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 29.6% on the previous year and up 3,400.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, arms imports in Democratic Republic of Congo peaked at 445.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values in 1975 and was at its lowest, 0 SIPRI trend indicator values, in 1995.
Democratic Republic of Congo ranks 74th of 173 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Arms imports in Democratic Republic of Congo, year by year
| Year | SIPRI trend indicator values | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1960 | 2.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values | — |
| 1961 | 9.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values | +350.0% |
| 1962 | 13.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values | +44.4% |
| 1963 | 32.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values | +146.2% |
| 1964 | 64.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values | +100.0% |
| 1965 | 23.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values | -64.1% |
| 1966 | 26.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values | +13.0% |
| 1967 | 16.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values | -38.5% |
| 1968 | 7.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values | -56.2% |
| 1969 | 28.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values | +300.0% |
| 1970 | 19.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values | -32.1% |
| 1971 | 165.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values | +768.4% |
| 1972 | 15.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values | -90.9% |
| 1973 | 5.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values | -66.7% |
| 1974 | 9.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values | +80.0% |
| 1975 | 445.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values | +4844.4% |
| 1976 | 132.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values | -70.3% |
| 1977 | 31.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values | -76.5% |
| 1978 | 38.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values | +22.6% |
| 1979 | 15.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values | -60.5% |
| 1980 | 10.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values | -33.3% |
| 1981 | 12.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values | +20.0% |
| 1982 | 15.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values | +25.0% |
| 1983 | 5.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values | -66.7% |
| 1984 | 16.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values | +220.0% |
| 1985 | 1.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values | -93.8% |
| 1986 | 1.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values | +0.0% |
| 1987 | 36.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values | +3500.0% |
| 1988 | 1.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values | -97.2% |
| 1990 | 5.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values | +400.0% |
| 1992 | 2.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values | -60.0% |
| 1995 | 0 SIPRI trend indicator values | -100.0% |
| 1996 | 61.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values | — |
| 1997 | 6.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values | -90.2% |
| 1998 | 10.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values | +66.7% |
| 1999 | 46.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values | +360.0% |
| 2000 | 89.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values | +93.5% |
| 2001 | 11.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values | -87.6% |
| 2002 | 18.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values | +63.6% |
| 2005 | 26.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values | +44.4% |
| 2006 | 24.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values | -7.7% |
| 2008 | 18.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values | -25.0% |
| 2009 | 37.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values | +105.6% |
| 2010 | 156.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values | +321.6% |
| 2012 | 15.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values | -90.4% |
| 2013 | 1.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values | -93.3% |
| 2015 | 3.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values | +200.0% |
| 2016 | 43.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values | +1333.3% |
| 2018 | 1.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values | -97.7% |
| 2020 | 6.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values | +500.0% |
| 2023 | 27.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values | +350.0% |
| 2024 | 35.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values | +29.6% |
Democratic Republic of Congo compared with similar countries
- Democratic Republic of Congo's 35.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values is above the median for low income countries, which is 5.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values, 7.0× the median. (25 countries reporting)
- Democratic Republic of Congo's 35.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 8.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values, 4.4× the median. (46 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Arms imports 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1975 | +4844.4% | 9.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values | 445.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values |
| 1987 | +3500.0% | 1.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values | 36.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values |
| 2016 | +1333.3% | 3.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values | 43.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 22.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values | 2.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values | 64.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values | 10 |
| 1970s | 87.40 million SIPRI trend indicator values | 5.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values | 445.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values | 10 |
| 1980s | 10.78 million SIPRI trend indicator values | 1.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values | 36.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values | 9 |
| 1990s | 18.57 million SIPRI trend indicator values | 0 SIPRI trend indicator values | 61.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values | 7 |
| 2000s | 31.86 million SIPRI trend indicator values | 11.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values | 89.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values | 7 |
| 2010s | 36.50 million SIPRI trend indicator values | 1.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values | 156.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values | 6 |
| 2020s | 22.67 million SIPRI trend indicator values | 6.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values | 35.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values | 3 |
Countries ranked near Democratic Republic of Congo
- 71 Iran 42.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values compare
- 72 Burkina Faso 37.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values compare
- 72 Rwanda 37.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values compare
- 75 Switzerland 33.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values compare
- 76 Trinidad and Tobago 32.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values compare
- 77 South Africa 30.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values compare
More public sector data for Democratic Republic of Congo
- Democracy, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Men's universal right to vote, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Universal right to vote, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Universal right to vote in practice, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Elected parliament, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Chief executive of the government is elected, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Democracy 3 (2025)
- Chief executive of the government is elected 1 (2025)
- Elected parliament 1 (2025)
- Men's universal right to vote 1 (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is arms imports in Democratic Republic of Congo?
- Arms imports in Democratic Republic of Congo was 35.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values in 2024, according to Arms Transfers Programme, Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI).
- What is the highest arms imports recorded in Democratic Republic of Congo?
- The highest recorded value was 445.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values in 1975.
- What is the lowest arms imports recorded in Democratic Republic of Congo?
- The lowest recorded value was 0 SIPRI trend indicator values in 1995.
- How does Democratic Republic of Congo rank for arms imports?
- Democratic Republic of Congo ranks 74th out of 173 countries with data for 2024.
- Is arms imports rising or falling in Democratic Republic of Congo?
- Over the last ten years it is up 3,400.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Democratic Republic of Congo data come from?
- The figures come from Arms Transfers Programme, Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI), published as part of Arms imports (SIPRI trend indicator values). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 52 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data).
About this data
Arms transfers (imports) cover the volume of transfers of major arms through sales and gifts, and those made through manufacturing licenses. Data cover major conventional weapons such as aircraft, armored vehicles, artillery, radar systems, missiles, and ships. Figures are SIPRI Trend Indicator Values (TIVs). A '0' indicates that the volume of deliveries is between 0 and 0.5 million SIPRI TIV.