Kongo Central

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Province of the Democratic Republic of the Congo

title: "Kongo Central" type: doc version: 1 created: 2026-02-28 author: "Wikipedia contributors" status: active scope: public tags: ["kongo-central", "1962-establishments-in-the-republic-of-the-congo-(léopoldville)", "geopolitical-corridors", "provinces-of-the-democratic-republic-of-the-congo", "states-and-territories-established-in-1963", "strategic-corridors"] description: "Province of the Democratic Republic of the Congo" topic_path: "general/kongo-central" source: "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kongo_Central" license: "CC BY-SA 4.0" wikipedia_page_id: 0 wikipedia_revision_id: 0

::summary Province of the Democratic Republic of the Congo ::

::data[format=table title="Infobox settlement"]

FieldValue
nameKongo Central
native_nameProvince du Kongo Central (French)
Kizunga kia Kongo dia Kati (Kikongo)
typeProvince
image_skyline{{Photomontage
photo1aZongo Falls.jpg
photo2aNKAMBA 2018.jpg
photo3aPlace Gouvernaurat à Matadi Par Shaloom Yave.jpg
spacing2
space2
size200
positioncenter
color_borderblack
colorblack
image_captionTop: Zongo Falls,
image_captionTop: Zongo Falls,
image_sealEmblem of Kongo Central Province.png
image_mapDemocratic Republic of the Congo (26 provinces) - Bas-Congo.svg
coordinates
subdivision_typeCountry
subdivision_name[[Image:Flag of the Democratic Republic of the Congo.svg
seat_typeCapital
and largest city
seatMatadi
blank_name_sec1Official language
blank_info_sec1French
blank1_name_sec1National languages
blank1_info_sec1Kikongo ya Leta, lingala
blank1_name_sec2Non-national language
blank1_info_sec2Kikongo
area_total_km253920
governing_bodyProvincial Assembly of Kongo Central
leader_titleGovernor
leader_name
population_total6,923,500
population_as_of2024
population_density_km2auto
demographics_type1Ethnic groups
demographics1_title1Native:
timezoneWest Africa Time
utc_offset+1
registration_plate_typeLicense Plate Code
registration_plateDemocratic Republic of the Congo CGO / 10
blank_name_sec2HDI (2017)
blank_info_sec20.432

| | iso_code | CD-BC | | demographics1_info1 | BaKongo | ::

| name = Kongo Central | native_name = Province du Kongo Central (French) Kizunga kia Kongo dia Kati (Kikongo) | official_name = | type = Province | image_skyline = {{Photomontage |photo1a = Zongo Falls.jpg |photo2a = NKAMBA 2018.jpg |photo3a = Place Gouvernaurat à Matadi Par Shaloom Yave.jpg |spacing = 2 |space = 2 |size = 200 |position = center |color_border = black |color = black |image_caption = Top: Zongo Falls, Middle: Kimbanguist Temple in Nkamba, Bottom: Governorat Building in Matadi}} | image_caption = Top: Zongo Falls, Middle: Kimbanguist Temple in Nkamba, Bottom: Governorat Building in Matadi | image_flag = | image_seal = Emblem of Kongo Central Province.png | image_map = Democratic Republic of the Congo (26 provinces) - Bas-Congo.svg | mapsize = | coordinates = | subdivision_type = Country | subdivision_name = [[Image:Flag of the Democratic Republic of the Congo.svg|25px]] DR Congo | seat_type = Capital and largest city | seat = Matadi | named_for = | blank_name_sec1 = Official language | blank_info_sec1 = French | blank1_name_sec1 = National languages | blank1_info_sec1 = Kikongo ya Leta, lingala | blank1_name_sec2 = Non-national language | blank1_info_sec2 = Kikongo | area_total_km2 = 53920 | government_type = | governing_body = Provincial Assembly of Kongo Central | leader_title = Governor | leader_name = | population_total = 6,923,500 | population_as_of = 2024 | population_density_km2 = auto | population_demonym = | demographics_type1 = Ethnic groups | demographics1_title1 = Native: | timezone = West Africa Time | utc_offset = +1 | registration_plate_type = License Plate Code | registration_plate = Democratic Republic of the Congo CGO / 10 | blank_name_sec2 = HDI (2017) | blank_info_sec2 = 0.432

| iso_code = CD-BC | footnotes = | demographics1_info1 = BaKongo

Kongo Central (), formerly Bas-Congo, is one of the 26 provinces of the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Its capital is Matadi.

History

At the time of independence, the area now encompassing Kongo Central was part of the greater province of Léopoldville, along with the capital city of Kinshasa and the districts of Kwango, Kwilu and Mai-Ndombe. Under Belgian colonial rule, the territory of the current province was a district known as Bas-Congo (as in "Lower Congo River") and was renamed Kongo Central after independence.

Under the regime of Mobutu Sese Seko from 1965 to 1997, the Congo river was renamed as Zaire. The province was named as Bas-Zaïre. The name was later reverted to Bas-Congo. It was subsequently renamed as Kongo Central in 2015.

Geography

::figure[src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/1/1f/Bas-congo.JPG" caption="Landscape of Kongo Central"] ::

Kongo Central is the only province in the country with an ocean coastline; it has narrow frontage on the Atlantic Ocean to the west. It borders the city-province of Kinshasa to the north-east, the province of Kwango to the east, and the Republic of Angola to the south as well as the Republic of the Congo and Cabinda to the north.

The lower Congo River traverses the province from the north-east to the south-west. It is navigable from the Atlantic Ocean to the port city of Matadi after which there are a series of rapids that make it unnavigable until the Malebo Pool.

Divisions

The provincial capital is Matadi, with Boma being the other official city. The remainder of the province is administratively divided into ten territories, the most of any province:

Before 2015 these territories were divisions of the Bas-Fleuve, Cataractes and Lukaya districts; except for Moanda, which was attached to Boma (a city/district hybrid).

Towns with their 2010 populations are:

::data[format=table] | Name | Former District | Territory | url=http://world-gazetteer.com/wg.php?x=1263071407&men=gcis&lng=en&des=gamelan&geo=-46&srt=npan&col=abcdefghinoq&msz=1500&pt=c&va=&geo=-851 |title=Bas-Congo: largest cities and towns and statistics of their population |publisher=World Gazetteer |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://archive.today/20121216155903/http://world-gazetteer.com/wg.php?x=1263071407&men=gcis&lng=en&des=gamelan&geo=-46&srt=npan&col=abcdefghinoq&msz=1500&pt=c&va=&geo=-851 |archive-date=2012-12-16 }} | Coordinates | |---|---|---|---|---| | Boma | – | – | 167,326 | | | Inga | Bas-Fleuve | Tshela | 10,417 | | | Inkisi | Lukaya | Kasangulu | 77,797 | | | Kasangulu | Lukaya | Kasangulu | 30,724 | | | Kimpese | Cataractes | Songololo | 53,660 | | | Kimvula | Lukaya | Kimvula | | | | Kinzau-Mvuete | Bas-Fleuve | Tshela | 17,870 | | | Lukula | Bas-Fleuve | Lukula | 31,394 | | | Luozi | Cataractes | Luozi | 13,258 | | | Madimba | Lukaya | Madimba | | | | Matadi | – | – | 291,338 | | | Mbanza-Ngungu | Cataractes | Mbanza-Ngungu | 97,037 | | | Muanda | Boma | Muanda | 86,896 | | | Seke-Banza | Bas-Fleuve | Seke-Banza | 6,015 | | | Songololo | Cataractes | Songololo | 12,382 | | | Tshela | Bas-Fleuve | Tshela | 45,588 | | ::

Notable people from Kongo Central

Citations

General and cited references

  • Gillet, J. (1927). Catalogue des plantes du jardin d'essais de la mission de Kisantu. Brussels. 166 pp.
  • Kibungu Kembelo, A. O. (2004). Plantes medicinales du Bas-Congo et leurs usages. DFID. 197 pp.
  • Latham, P. (2003) Edible Caterpillars and Their Food Plants in Bas-Congo. Mystole Publications. , 60 pp.
  • Latham, P. (2004). Useful Plants of Bas-Congo Province. DFID. , 320 pp.
  • Latham, P. (2008). Les chenilles comestibles et leurs plantes nourricières dans la province du Bas-Congo DFID. , 44 pp.
  • Latham, P. et Konda ku Mbuta, A. (2010). Plantes utiles du Bas-Congo. Mystole Publications. , 372 pp.
  • Latham, P. et Konda ku Mbuta, A. (2011). Some Honeybee Plants of Bas-Congo Province. DFID. , 248 pp.
  • Latham, P. & Konda ku Mbuta, A. (2014). Useful plants of Bas-Congo province. , 553 pp.
  • Pauwels, L. (1993). Nzayilu N'ti – guide des arbres et arbustes de la région de Kinshasa – Brazzaville. Meise. , 495 pp.

References

  1. "Kongo-central : le kikongo en voie de disparition, le lingala gagne progressivement du terrain [Enquête]". L'Opinion Info.
  2. (26 June 2024). "Grâce Bilolo prend officiellement ses fonctions de Gouverneur du Kongo Central". Voix du Kongo Central.
  3. "Sub-national HDI - Area Database - Global Data Lab".
  4. M. J. Hambrey and W. B. Harland, ''Earth's Pre-Pleistocene Glacial Record'', Cambridge University Press, 2011, p. 157
  5. Godefroid Muzalia Kihangu, ''Bundu dia Kongo, une résurgence des messianismes et de l’alliance des Bakongo?'', Universiteit Gent, België, 2011, p. 1
  6. (1964). "Constitution de la République Démocratique du Congo du 1er août 1964". Global Legal Information Network.
  7. (1967). "Constitution de la République Démocratique du Congo du 24 juin 1967". Global Legal Information Network.
  8. (March 2017). "Annuaire statistique 2015".
  9. (July 2015). "Annuaire statistique 2014".
  10. "Bas-Congo: largest cities and towns and statistics of their population". World Gazetteer.

::callout[type=info title="Wikipedia Source"] This article was imported from Wikipedia and is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 License. Content has been adapted to SurfDoc format. Original contributors can be found on the article history page. ::

kongo-central1962-establishments-in-the-republic-of-the-congo-(léopoldville)geopolitical-corridorsprovinces-of-the-democratic-republic-of-the-congostates-and-territories-established-in-1963strategic-corridors