Kinshasa - Geography, Buildings and institutions, History, Media, Transport

4°18S 15°18E, pop (2000e) 4 221 600. River-port capital of Democratic Republic of Congo; on the R Congo opposite Brazzaville; founded by Stanley, 1887; capital of Belgian colony, 1926; US troops stationed here during World War 2; airport; railway; university (1954); commerce, food processing, textiles, chemicals, brewing.

Kinshasa (formerly Léopoldville) is the capital and largest city of the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

Ville-Province de Kinshasa

(City flag)
Nickname: Kin la belle
Country	Democratic Republic of the Congo
City Capital	Gombe
Largest commune	Maluku
National language	Lingala
Land area	9,965 km²
Governor	Kimbembe Mazunga
Population Density	7.500.000 (est. 2005) 752,63/km²
Communes	24
Territorial Organisation - Cities

Geography

Kinshasa is a city of sharp contrasts, with affluent residential and commercial areas, three universities, and sprawling slums coexisting side by side.

It is located along the southern bank of the Congo River, directly opposite the city of Brazzaville, capital of the Republic of the Congo.

Buildings and institutions

Major areas of the city include the Cité de l'OUA, home to the Government of the Democratic Republic of Congo, Zone de Matonge, known internationally for its nightlife, and the residential area of Gombe.

Notable features of the city include the SOZACOM Building and Hotel Memling skyscrapers, the central market, the Kinshasa Museum and the Kinshasa Fine Arts Academy.

Kinshasa is served by the Kinshasa International Airport, with connections to other African countries, and to Brussels, Paris, and Madrid in Europe.

Education

Kinshasa is home to several higher-level education institutes, covering a wide range of specialties, from civil engineering to nursing, to journalism. The city is also home to three large universities:

The University of Kinshasa The Congo Protestant University The National Pedagogy University

History

The city was founded as a trading post by Henry Morton Stanley in 1881 and named Léopoldville in honor of King Léopold II of Belgium, who ruled the vast territory that is now the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

Media

Kinshasa is home to a large number of radio and TV stations.

Transport

Kinshasa is linked by ferry from the river port (called the "Beach Ngobila"), across the Congo river, to Brazzaville.