Bas-Congo

For the virus, see Bas-Congo virus.
Bas-Congo Province
Province du Bas-Congo
Province
Coordinates: 05°49′S 13°29′E / 5.817°S 13.483°E / -5.817; 13.483Coordinates: 05°49′S 13°29′E / 5.817°S 13.483°E / -5.817; 13.483
Country  Democratic Republic of the Congo
Capital Matadi
Largest city Matadi
Government
  Governor Simon Mbaki Batshia
Area
  Total 53,920 km2 (20,820 sq mi)
Population (2010 est.)
  Total 4,522,942
  Density 84/km2 (220/sq mi)
Demonym(s) Bakongo
Official language French
National language Kikongo
Website kongocentral.net

Bas-Congo or Kongo Central is one of the 26 provinces of the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

History

Bas-Congo was formerly known as Kongo Central[1][2] and then Bas-Zaïre. At the time of the independence of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, the province was part of the greater province of Leopoldville, along with the city of Kinshasa and the districts of Kwango, Kwilu and Mai-Ndombe.

Geography

Landscape of Kongo Central
BaKongo voodoo masks from the Kongo Central region

Bas-Congo is the only province with a coastline (Atlantic Ocean). It borders the provinces of Kinshasa to the north-east, 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.

Divisions

The provincial capital is Matadi. The only other official city is Boma. The remainder of the province is divided into the districts of Bas-Fleuve, Cataractes and Lukaya. Towns with their 2010 populations are:

Name District Territory Pop. 2010[3] Coordinates[3]
Boma - - 167,326 5°51′S 13°03′E / 5.85°S 13.05°E / -5.85; 13.05 (Boma)
Inga Bas-Fleuve District Tshela Territory 10,417 5°39′S 13°39′E / 5.65°S 13.65°E / -5.65; 13.65 (Inga)
Inkisi Lukaya District Kasangulu Territory 77,797 5°08′S 15°04′E / 5.13°S 15.07°E / -5.13; 15.07 (Inkisi)
Kasangulu Lukaya District Kasangulu Territory 30,724 4°35′S 15°11′E / 4.58°S 15.18°E / -4.58; 15.18 (Kasangulu)
Kimpese Cataractes District Songololo Territory 53,660 5°33′S 14°26′E / 5.55°S 14.43°E / -5.55; 14.43 (Kimpese)
Kimvula Lukaya District Kimvula Territory 5°43′03″S 15°57′44″E / 5.717412°S 15.962191°E / -5.717412; 15.962191 (Kimvula)
Kinzau-Mvuete Bas-Fleuve District Tshela Territory 17,870 5°29′S 13°17′E / 5.48°S 13.28°E / -5.48; 13.28 (Kinzau-Mvuete)
Lukula Bas-Fleuve District Lukula Territory 31,394 5°23′S 12°57′E / 5.38°S 12.95°E / -5.38; 12.95 (Lukula)
Luozi Cataractes District Luozi Territory 13,258 4°57′S 14°08′E / 4.95°S 14.13°E / -4.95; 14.13 (Luozi)
Madimba Lukaya District Madimba Territory 4°58′48″S 15°08′46″E / 4.980084°S 15.14622°E / -4.980084; 15.14622 (Madimba)
Matadi - - 291,338 5°49′S 13°29′E / 5.82°S 13.48°E / -5.82; 13.48 (Matadi)
Mbanza-Ngungu Cataractes District Mbanza-Ngungu Territory 97,037 5°15′S 14°52′E / 5.25°S 14.86°E / -5.25; 14.86 (Mbanza-Ngungu)
Muanda - Muanda Territory 86,896 5°56′S 12°21′E / 5.93°S 12.35°E / -5.93; 12.35 (Muanda)
Seke-Banza Bas-Fleuve District Seke-Banza Territory 6,015 5°20′S 13°16′E / 5.33°S 13.27°E / -5.33; 13.27 (Seke-Banza)
Songololo Cataractes District Songololo Territory 12,382 5°42′S 14°02′E / 5.70°S 14.03°E / -5.70; 14.03 (Songololo)
Tshela Bas-Fleuve District Tshela Territory 45,588 4°58′0″S 12°56′0″E / 4.96667°S 12.93333°E / -4.96667; 12.93333 (Tshela)

Following the 2005 Constitution (effective 18 February 2006), the Democratic Republic of the Congo was to be divided into 25 provinces within 36 months (18 February 2009); with Bas-Congo being renamed Kongo Central. As of October 2010, this had not taken place.[4]

References

Bibliography

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