The Deadliest War in this Century was in Congo

Super fact 95 : More than 4-5 million people died in Congo Civil War 1998 to 2003 and its aftermath (until 2007). In addition, some of the other of the deadliest wars in the 21^st century are not well known.

Below : 21st Century death toll from different wars, current and recent.

Notes on the graphics above:

• The 16 wars included in the graphics above roughly correspond to the deadliest wars in the 21^st century. However, a few of the wars included in the graphics are not among the 16 deadliest wars of the 21^st century.
• Some of the wars included above started in the 20^th century. The number of deaths estimates corresponds to the portions that happened in the 21^st century.
• The number of deaths from the Congo Civil War include famine and plagues that resulted from the war.
• I had a hard time finding an estimate for just the 21^st century portion of the Congo Civil War. However, the vast majority of the deaths happened in the 21^st century.
• The death estimates for the Russo-Ukrainian War might be underestimated due to unreliable reporting by Russian authorities.
• The Israeli-Gaza war may seem smaller than expected. However, media attention does not necessarily correspond to the size of the devastation of a conflict.
• The estimate for the number of deaths for the current Iran-US-Israel war is between 3,600 to nearly 5,400 deaths, which is too small to be part of this post.
• There are / were hundreds of wars and conflicts in the 21^st century.

I consider this a super fact because it is true, an important history fact and despite the enormous losses in the Congo Civil War a lot of people do not know much about it and may not even have heard about it.

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Deadliest Wars in the Twenty First Century

• The Second Congo Civil War 1998 to 2007. With an estimated 3 million to 5.4 million deaths. Read about it here, here, or here.
• The Syrian civil war 2011 to 2024. With an estimated 580 thousand to 610 thousand deaths.
• Second Sudanese Civil War 1983 to 2005. With an estimated 2 million deaths in total, with 300,000 to 600,000 deaths occurring in 21^st century.
• Tigray War 2020 to 2022. With an estimated 160 thousand to 600 thousand deaths.
• War in Darfur 2003 to 2020. With an estimated 400 thousand deaths.
• Russo-Ukrainian War 2014 to present. With an estimated 350 thousand to 480 thousand deaths.
• Mexican drug war 2006 to present. With an estimated 350 thousand to 400 thousand deaths.
• South Sudanese Civil War 2013 to 2020. With an estimated 380 thousand deaths.
• Yemeni civil war 2014 to present. With an estimated 370 thousand deaths.
• War in Afghanistan 2001–2021. With an estimated 360 thousand deaths.
• Boko Haram insurgency 2009 to present. With an estimated 350 thousand deaths.
• Iraqi war 2003 to 2017. With an estimated 270 thousand to 300 thousand deaths.
• Colombian conflict 1964 to present. With an estimated 450 thousand deaths but with about half of those deaths happening in the intense fighting of the 21st century.
• Chechen conflict 1994 to 2009. With an estimated 80 thousand to 230 thousand deaths, most  of those, 150 thousand, happening in the 21^st century.
• Angolan Civil War  1975 to 2002. With an estimated 800 thousand deaths many in the final years of the conflict with an estimated 100 thousand in the 21^st century.
• Burundian Civil War 1993 to 2005. With an estimated 550 thousand to 800 thousand deaths, many in the final years of the conflict with an estimated 50 thousand deaths in the 21^st century.
• The Arab Israeli conflict 1948 to present (multiple wars) . With an estimated 200 thousand deaths in total with 80 thousand deaths happening in the 21^st century.
• The Israel Gaza conflict (2023 to present). With an estimated 75 thousand deaths.

To read related posts of mine see “We are living in relatively peaceful times“ and “Deadliest Civil War Was the Taiping Rebellion”.

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To see the other Super Facts click here