Middle Africa

Congo

Absolute number

Prevalence

141.1 thousand

Married by 15: Number of girls and women (left) and percentage of women 20-24 years (right) married before age 15

7%
469.3 thousand

Married by 18: Number of girls and women (left) and percentage of women 20-24 years (right) married before age 18

27%

Prevalence of child marriage

  • Congo
  • Middle Africa
Child marriage age

The line chart shows the prevalence of child marriage (before age 18) in Congo and Middle Africa from 1990 to 2024.

In Congo, 32% of girls in 1990 married before age 18, compared with 27% in 2015, which is the latest available value.

In Middle Africa, the prevalence was 44% in 1999 and was 33% in 2024.

Show data table
YearCongoMiddle Africa
199032.0%
199532.2%
199943.9%
200026.0%
200443.5%
200531.2%
200940.1%
201032.6%
201440.0%
201527.3%
201937.1%
202433.3%
Child marriage age

Congo

Child Marriage
Prevalence

Residence

  • Rural
  • Urban
Show Residence data table
YearRuralUrban
201544.9%21.9%

Wealth

  • Poorest
  • Second
  • Middle
  • Fourth
  • Richest
Show Wealth data table
YearPoorestSecondMiddleFourthRichest
201547.6%35.4%26.7%25.7%9.4%

Education

  • No schooling
  • Primary education
  • Secondary or higher
Show Education data table
YearNo schoolingPrimary educationSecondary or higher
201555.3%40.7%23.0%
Child marriage age

Compare regions of Congo

Understand differences inside the country

Touch the timeline to see how the child marriage affect differently each sub-region of Congo in the last decades.

Levels of child marriage vary across different parts of Congo. See the range of values within the country, and explore the map for details.

Prevalence of child marriage

Compare regions of Congo

Understand differences
inside the country

Child marriage age

Region with no data

2015

Prevalence of child marriage in each region of Congo in 2015

0%100%
Map view not available for this data

Region with no data

2015

Prevalence of child marriage in each region of Congo in 2015

0%100%

The map shows the prevalence of child marriage (before age 18) across Congo. Data refer to 2015, the latest year with available data.

The practice is most common in Plateaux (59%), Pool (54%), Kouilou (50%), and Likouala (44%).

Show data table
YearBouenzaCuvetteCuvette-OuestKouilouLékoumouLikoualaNiariPlateauxPoolSanghaBrazzavillePoint-Noire
34.2%37.1%33.8%49.6%31.1%43.9%34.3%59.5%53.8%38.5%20.9%23.7%
Child marriage age

Compare countries

How does Congo compare to other countries?

Prevalence of child marriage

  • Congo
Child marriage age

The line chart shows the prevalence of child marriage (before age 18) in Congo from 1990 to 2015.

In Congo, 32% of girls in 1990 married before age 18, compared with 27% in 2015, which is the latest available value.

Show data table
YearCongo
199032.0%
199532.2%
200026.0%
200531.2%
201032.6%
201527.3%

Residence

Child marriage prevalence

Review the data to find if girls living in rural areas are more likely to marry in childhood than girls in urban areas

The bubble chart shows the prevalence of child marriage (before age 18) disaggregated by residence in Congo. Data refer to the latest available year.

In Congo, 27% of girls married before age 18. The prevalence is 45% of girls in rural areas, compared with 22% in urban areas.

Show data table
CountryRuralUrbanTotal
Congo44.9%21.9%27.3%
Child marriage age

For more data related to child marriage, please see the child marriage country profiles available on the UNICEF Data website

UNICEF Data

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Where does child marriage occur?

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