Bukavu Population 2026

Bukavu has a population of 816,811, making it the #6 biggest city in 🇨🇩 DR Congo, located in South Kivu. Roughly 0.7% of DR Congo's population lives here. It is about 20× smaller than Kinshasa, the country's biggest city.

Location of Bukavu (capital Kinshasa shown for reference). Boundaries: Natural Earth.

Population (city proper)

816,811

Rank in DR Congo

Coordinates

2.49°S, 28.84°E

~1,631 m elevation · Africa/Lubumbashi

Distance to capital (Kinshasa)

1,515 km

941 miles, straight line

Other big cities in South Kivu

City	Population	Rank in DR Congo
Uvira	407,092	#15
Kabare	37,034	#106

Cities near Bukavu

Kabare37,034 people · ~6 km away
Goma432,587 people · ~100 km away
Sake17,151 people · ~104 km away
Uvira407,092 people · ~106 km away
Rutshuru82,680 people · ~160 km away
Kirumba52,041 people · ~164 km away

FAQ

What is the population of Bukavu?

Bukavu has a population of 816,811 (city proper, latest official figure via GeoNames), making it the #6 biggest city in DR Congo.

What region is Bukavu in?

Bukavu is located in South Kivu, DR Congo.

Is Bukavu the capital of DR Congo?

No, the capital of DR Congo is Kinshasa, about 1,515 km away.

Sources & notes

Population refers to the city proper (municipal boundaries), not the metropolitan area. Source: GeoNames (CC BY 4.0), retrieved 2026-07-07. Country data: UN World Population Prospects 2024.

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