Largest Cities and Urban Localities by Population in the Republic of the Congo

59 cities and urban localities in the Republic of the Congo, ranked by population at the census of May 17, 2023 (by National Institute of Statistics, Republic of the Congo).

RankCity or Urban LocalityPopulation
1Brazzaville2,138,236
2Pointe-Noire1,398,812
3Dolisie (Loubomo)178,172
4Nkayi (Jacob)104,083
5Ouesso75,095
6Kintélé71,629
7Oyo63,598
8Bétou59,563
9Gamboma52,652
10Owando48,642
11Madingou43,787
12Impfondo38,240
13Makoua34,408
14Sibiti33,887
15Mossaka31,347
16Mindouli29,603
17Pokola28,570
18Ewo28,229
19Bouansa26,265
20Loutété26,176
21Djambala24,734
22Kinkala23,413
23Loudima21,623
24Mouyondzi21,215
25Ngo19,508
26Boundji16,637
27Mossendjo15,003
28Ignié14,932
29Enyellé14,674
30Dongou13,433
31Loukoléla12,406
32Ollombo11,878
33Tchiamba-Nzassi11,167
34Etoumbi10,631
35Souanké10,599
36Sembé9,416
37Kindamba9,270
38Makabana7,347
39Mokéko5,723
40Epéna5,190
41Komono5,122
42Lékana4,707
43Ngabé4,630
44Kellé4,541
45Okoyo4,270
46Kimongo3,996
47Mbinda3,825
48Zanaga3,588
49Divénié3,486
50Boko3,221
51Mabombo3,200
52Kibouendé3,133
53Abala3,067
54Ongogni (Ongoni)3,047
55Hinda2,265
56Kibangou1,743
57Tchikapika1,670
58Mvouti1,643
59Madingou-Kayes813

Source: National Institute of Statistics, Republic of the Congo (2023 census), via City Population by Thomas Brinkhoff.

Why don't these match official city populations?Official figures typically count only the population within administrative boundaries. UN urban area figures cover the entire built-up area, which can include multiple cities and towns.

Tokyo

33,338,852

Urban area

9,953,160

23 wards

Essen

2,709,375

Urban area

573,618

City of Essen

Ankara

3,630,865

Urban area

5,186,002

Metropolitan municipality

What counts as an urban area? The UN uses satellite imagery to map built-up land, and treats each continuous stretch of built-up land as an urban area. This means that urban areas can extend beyond official city boundaries, and may include multiple cities and towns within a single urban area.

Can an urban area be smaller than its city? Yes. While most cities have urban areas larger than their administrative boundaries, some cities have extensive administrative limits that include sparsely populated areas.

4 urban areas in the Republic of the Congo with 50,000 or more inhabitants, ranked by the UN's population estimates for 2026.

RankUrban AreaPopulation Estimate (2026)Yearly ChangeLand Area (km²)Density (P/km²)World RankProjections (2030)Projections (2050)
1Brazzaville3,737,458+2.17%27913,4061244,062,0025,730,423
2Pointe-Noire1,705,646+2.53%2177,8532911,878,0842,846,263
3Dolisie135,996+2.83%275,0374,532151,364262,915
4Nkayi59,651+3.30%144,20110,48967,518129,070

Source: United Nations, Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Population Division (2025). World Urbanization Prospects: The 2025 Revision, Online Edition.

See also