Kongo Central ( kg, Kongo dia Kati ), formerly Bas-Congo is one of the 26

provinces of the Democratic Republic of the Congo Article 2 of the Constitution of the Democratic Republic of the Congo divides the country into the capital city of Kinshasa and 25 named provinces. It also gives the capital the status of a province. Therefore, in many contexts Kinshasa is ...

. Its capital is Matadi.

History

At the time of independence, the area now encompassing Kongo Central was part of the greater province of

Léopoldville Kinshasa (; ; ln, Kinsásá), formerly Léopoldville ( nl, Leopoldstad), is the capital and largest city of the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Once a site of fishing and trading villages situated along the Congo River, Kinshasa is now one of ...

, along with the capital city of

Kinshasa Kinshasa (; ; ln, Kinsásá), formerly Léopoldville ( nl, Leopoldstad), is the capital and largest city of the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Once a site of fishing and trading villages situated along the Congo River, Kinshasa is now one of ...

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. (Article 1) Under the regime of

Mobutu Sese Seko Mobutu Sese Seko Kuku Ngbendu Wa Za Banga (; born Joseph-Désiré Mobutu; 14 October 1930 – 7 September 1997) was a Congolese politician and military officer who was the president of Zaire from 1965 to 1997 (known as the Democratic Republic o ...

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. It borders the provinces of

to the north-east, Kwango to the east, and the

Republic of Angola , national_anthem = "Angola Avante"() , image_map = , map_caption = , capital = Luanda , religion = , religion_year = 2020 , religion_ref = , coordinat ...

to the south as well as the

Republic of the Congo The Republic of the Congo (french: République du Congo, ln, Republíki ya Kongó), also known as Congo-Brazzaville, the Congo Republic or simply either Congo or the Congo, is a country located in the western coast of Central Africa to the w ...

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:

Notable People From Kongo Central

Afonso I of Kongo Mvemba a Nzinga, Nzinga Mbemba, Funsu Nzinga Mvemba or Dom Alfonso. (c. 1456–1542 or 1543), also known as King Afonso I, was the sixth ruler of the Kingdom of Kongo from the Lukeni kanda dynasty and ruled in the first half of the 16th century ...

, the sixth ruler of the

Kingdom of Kongo The Kingdom of Kongo ( kg, Kongo dya Ntotila or ''Wene wa Kongo;'' pt, Reino do Congo) was a kingdom located in central Africa in present-day northern Angola, the western portion of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and the Republic of the ...

. *

Joseph Kasa-Vubu Joseph Kasa-Vubu, alternatively Joseph Kasavubu, ( – 24 March 1969) was a Congolese politician who served as the first President of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (then Republic of the Congo) from 1960 until 1965. A member of the Kon ...

, Democratic Republic of the Congo first president. * Simon Kimbangu, founder of Christian new religious movement Kimbanguism. *Writer Zamenga Batukezanga was born in Kongo Central. * Thomas Kanza, Congolese diplomat. He was one of the first Congolese nationals to graduate from a university. *Ne Muanda Nsemi,

Bundu dia Kongo Bundu dia Kongo (Kikongo; "Gathering of Kongo"), known as BDK, is a new religious movement with a political and cultural agenda that is associated with the Kongo ethnic group. It was founded in June 1969 but officially in 1986 by Ne Muanda Ns ...

leader. *

Franco Luambo François Luambo Luanzo Makiadi (6 July 1938 – 12 October 1989) was a Congolese musician. He was a major figure in 20th-century Congolese music, and African music in general, principally as the leader for over 30 years of TPOK Jazz, the most po ...

Makiadi, virtuoso Congolese Rumba guitarist and singer. * Ray Lema, France-based pianist, guitarist, and songwriter. *

Sophie Kanza Sophie Lihau-Kanza or Zala Lusibu N'Kanza (8 February 1940 – 2 April 1999) was a Congolese politician and sociologist. She was the first woman of her country to receive a secondary education, the first to graduate from a university, and the firs ...

, first Congolese woman to obtain a university degree (politician and sociologist). * Longo-Mbenza Benjamin, Professor of Medicine, Cardiologist.

References

Bibliography

*Gillet, J. (1927) Catalogue des plantes du jardin d'essais de la mission de Kisantu. Bruxelles 166 pp. *Pauwels, L. (1993) Nzayilu N'ti – guide des arbres et arbustes de la région de Kinshasa – Brazzaville. Meise , 495 pp. *Latham, P. (2003) ''Edible caterpillars and their food plants in Bas-Congo'' Mystole Publications. , 60 pp. *Kibungu Kembelo, A.O. (2004) ''Plantes medicinales du Bas-Congo et leurs usages'' DFID. 197 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. {{Authority control Provinces of the Democratic Republic of the Congo 1962 establishments in the Republic of the Congo (Léopoldville) States and territories established in 1963 Geopolitical corridors