Zaire (province)
| Zaire | |
|---|---|
| Province | |
 Zaire, province of Angola |
|
| Country | Angola |
| Capital | M'Banza Congo |
| Government | |
| • Governor | José Joana André |
| Area | |
| • Total | 40,130 km2 (15,490 sq mi) |
| Population (2014 census) | |
| • Total | 567,225 |
| • Density | 15/km2 (40/sq mi) |
| ISO 3166 code | AO-ZAI |
| Website | www |
Zaire is one of the 18 provinces of Angola. It occupies 40,130 square kilometres (15,490 sq mi) in the north west of the country and has a population of about 600,000 inhabitants. It is bordered on the west by the Atlantic Ocean, on the north by the Democratic Republic of Congo, on the east by the Uíge Province, and on the south by the Bengo Province.
The Bakongo people occupied the valley of the Congo River in the mid-thirteenth century, and formed the Kingdom of Kongo. This kingdom existed from 1390 until 1891 as an independent state, and from 1891 to 1914 as a vassal state of the Kingdom of Portugal. In 1914, the Kongo monarchy was abolished, following the Portuguese victory against several revolts of this kingdom.
During the Portuguese Colonial War, much of the Bakongo people fled to the then Zaire, leading to a considerable decrease of the presence of this ethnic group in Angolan soil. However, after the Independence of Angola, many refugees (and their descendants) returned to Angola.
Zaire Province has a rich historical and cultural heritage, namely:
M'Banza Congo (formerly São Salvador do Congo) is the provincial capital. The city is located around 481 kilometres (299 mi) of Luanda and 314 kilometres (195 mi) of Uíge.
In total, the province of Zaire consists of 6 municipalities:
And it has 37 communes.
Zaire Province has two seasons: from November to May, the rainy season; and from June to October, the dry season. The predominant types of weather in the province are tropical wet climate and semi-arid. The temperature in the area varies between 24 °C and 26 °C.
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Wikipedia