Kongo Central

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 province was 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

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:

Notable people from Kongo Central

* Afonso I of Kongo, the sixth ruler of the Kingdom of Kongo.
* Zamenga Batukezanga, writer, was born in Kongo Central.
* Paul Panda Farnana, first Congolese with Belgian diploma of higher education.
* Thomas Kanza, Congolese diplomat. He was one of the first Congolese nationals to graduate from a university.
* Sophie Kanza, first Congolese woman to obtain a university degree; politician and sociologist).
* Joseph Kasa-Vubu, Democratic Republic of the Congo first president.
* Simon Kimbangu, founder of Christian new religious movement Kimbanguism.
* Ray Lema, France-based pianist, guitarist, and songwriter.
* François Luambo Luanzo Makiadi, virtuoso Congolese Rumba guitarist and singer.
* Ne Muanda Nsemi, Bundu dia Kongo leader.

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.

External links

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{{Authority control

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