Kinshasa is the capital of the Democratic Republic of the Congo. The country, which is sometimes called Congo (Kinshasa), was known as Zaire from 1971 to 1997. One of the largest cities in Africa, Kinshasa was known as Léopoldville until 1966. Kinshasa is located in the western part of the country. The city spreads out from the south bank of the Congo River at a wide section known as the Malebo Pool. Across the river is Brazzaville, capital of the Republic of the Congo, a country sometimes called Congo (Brazzaville). Places of interestKinshasa is a modern city in a poor country. Government buildings and business offices line broad boulevards. The neighborhoods of the wealthy have tree-lined streets. The poor live in simple houses of concrete blocks on unpaved streets, while recent arrivals have only makeshift shelters on narrow pathways. Kinshasa is also a center for education and culture for central Africa. The National University of Kinshasa has been in operation since 1954. The city has a museum with many African carvings and masks. It also has an academy of arts where paintings and sculptures are shown and sold. EconomyKinshasa is the headquarters of major companies, banks, and government agencies. Kinshasa is also the country's main industrial center. Its factories process foods, beverages, and chemicals and produce fabrics. Kinshasa is a transportation and shipping hub. Its river port serves a vast inland region of mines and farms. Export goods, including coffee and minerals, are loaded on trains for the trip around the Congo River rapids to the port of Matadi. There they are transferred to oceangoing ships. Oil pipelines and a highway also connect the two cities. Ndjili airport provides flights between Congo-Kinshasa and other countries. HistoryPeople have lived along the Congo River for many thousands of years. The modern city of Kinshasa grew from the villages of Nshasa and Ntamo, which were often visited by fishermen and traders. In 1881 Sir Henry Morton Stanley established the city as a trading post. He named it Léopoldville in honor of Léopold II, king of the Belgians, who sponsored his travels. Rapids and waterfalls blocked Congo River boat traffic downstream from the city. A railway bypassing the obstacles was completed in 1898, linking Léopoldville and Matadi. Meanwhile, steamboats had begun making regular trips upriver from Léopoldville. As a link between the interior regions and the outside world, Léopoldville grew rapidly. The city had about 23,000 residents in 1923, when it became the capital of the colony known by then as Belgian Congo. As the city became more important, it attracted workers who migrated from the interior. By 1960, when the country became independent, Léopoldville had more than 400,000 people. The city was renamed Kinshasa in 1966. In 2000 some government offices were moved to Lubumbashi, but Kinshasa remained the home of the president. Population (1994 estimate), 4,655,300. |