The Democratic Republic of Congo (a vast Central African nation of an estimated 112 million people) has launched its first national census since 1984, when the country was still called Zaire, with authorities deploying teams equipped with tablets and smartphones to map and count communities across more than 2.3 million square kilometres. For many citizens, the exercise carries personal urgency: decades of conflict, political instability, and weak administrative systems have left millions without identity cards or any official state recognition of their existence. The effort faces significant obstacles, including active armed groups in the east, mass population displacement, and concerns from opposition figures that the results could be manipulated ahead of elections expected in 2028.