Kongo Central
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Kongo Central Province Province du Kongo Central |
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|---|---|
| Province | |
_-_Bas-Congo.svg) |
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| Coordinates: 05°49′S 13°29′E / 5.817°S 13.483°ECoordinates: 05°49′S 13°29′E / 5.817°S 13.483°E | |
| 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 |
Kongo Central, formerly Bas-Congo, is one of the 26 provinces of the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Its capital is Matadi.
At the time of independence, the area now encompassing Kongo Central was part of the greater province of Leopoldville, along with the 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 Mobutu regime when the Congo river was renamed "Zaire", it became Bas-Zaïre and then reverted to Bas-Congo. It was subsequently renamed Kongo Central in 2015.
Kongo Central 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.
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:
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Wikipedia