Democratic Republic of the Congo Capital

Map showing the location of Republic of the Congo

Although the area has been inhabited for over 90,000 years by the Bantu people as a fishing and trading village, the city of Kinshasa was given official status in 1881 by King Leopold II of Belgium. Leopoldville, as it was known, was founded as private property but this area has now burgeoned into a mega-city. The city is located in the western part of the country and is near the Congo River.

Over 11 million people live in Kinshasa today, and this equates to roughly 15% of the population of the country. Kinshasa is the third-largest city in Africa after Cairo and Lagos and remains an important trading hub in the continent today. The city is the largest urban area that speaks French as the primary language, recently surpassing Paris. The indigenous people of the region include the Humbu and Teke peoples who have resided in the area for centuries.

Well-known attractions in the city include the National Museum which houses over 45,000 objects, the Serpents du Congo, a snake farm 28km from downtown, as well as Livingstone Falls. Within the city, the local restaurants and bars provide for great nightlife as well as a diverse range of cuisine to sample. The local bars and restaurants also offer great platforms to see the local music and entertainment scene which is incredibly unique.

The climate of Kinshasa is classified as a tropical wet and dry environment with a long rainy season that occurs from October-May. The dry season in the country runs from June-September and is considered somewhat short in comparison to other African countries in the same area. The average high temperature during March and April (the hottest months of the year) is 32 degrees Celsius (89.6 degrees Fahrenheit). The dry season in Kinshasa provides average temperatures that are slightly cooler than the rainy season although the temperature remains somewhat consistent throughout the year.

This page was last modified on May 1st, 2018

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Published on 2019-11-06


Capital	Brazzaville
Languages	French (official), Lingala and Monokutuba (lingua franca trade languages), many local languages and dialects (of which Kikongo is the most widespread)
Ethnic Groups	Kongo 48%, Sangha 20%, M'Bochi 12%, Teke 17%, Europeans and other 3%
Religion	Roman Catholic 33.1%, Awakening Churches/Christian Revival 22.3%, Protestant 19.9%, Salutiste 2.2%, Muslim 1.6%, Kimbanguiste 1.5%, other 8.1%, none 11.3% (2010 est.)
Government	Presidential republic
Independance	15 August 1960 (from France)
Area	342,000.00 km²
Water Area	500.00 km²
Land Area	341,500.00 km²
Population	4,852,412.00
Location	Central Africa, bordering the South Atlantic Ocean, between Angola and Gabon
No. Bordering Countries	5
Bordering Countries	Angola 231 km, Cameroon 494 km, Central African Republic 487 km, Democratic Republic of the Congo 1,229 km, Gabon 2,567 km
GDP(PPP)	$30,270,000,000.00 (USD)
Export Partners	Its major export partners are China, Italy, and India.
Export Commodities	Its main exports are petroleum, lumber, and plywood.
Import Partners	Its major import partners are China, France, and South Korea.
Import Commodities	Its major imports include capital equipment, construction materials, and foodstuffs.
Climate	Tropical; rainy season (March to June); dry season (June to October); persistent high temperatures and humidity; particularly enervating climate astride the Equator
Terrain	Coastal plain, southern basin, central plateau, northern basin
Learn More	Republic of the Congo

Democratic Republic of the Congo Capital

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