Kwango is a province of the Democratic Republic of the Congo. It's one of the 21 provinces created in the 2015 repartitioning. Kwango, Kwilu, and Mai-Ndombe provinces are the result of the dismemberment of the former Bandundu province.[2] Kwango was formed from the Kwango district whose town of Kenge was made the provincial capital and thus gained city status.
Kwango
Province du Kwango (French) | |
|---|---|
_-_Kwango.svg) | |
| Coordinates: 4°49′18.64″S 17°2′23.57″E / 4.8218444°S 17.0398806°E | |
| Country |  DR Congo |
| Established | 2015 |
| Named for | Kwango River |
| Capital | Kenge |
| Government | |
| • Governor | Willy Bitwisila[1] |
| Area | |
| • Total | 89,974 km2 (34,739 sq mi) |
| Population (2020 est.) | |
| • Total | 2,618,700 |
| • Density | 29/km2 (75/sq mi) |
| Time zone | UTC+1 (West Africa Time) |
| License Plate Code | CGO / 11 |
| Official language | French |
| National language | Kikongo ya leta |
The province takes its name from the Kwango River, a tributary of the Kasai River that defines part of the international boundary between the DRC and Angola.
Towns/territories
editThe capital of Kwango district is Kenge,[3] and other towns in the region are Popokabaka, Feshi, Kasongo Lunda, Lusanga and Kahemba. The province is in the southwest of the DRC, bordering Angola to the south.[4] Territories are:
History
editKwango previously existed as a province from 1962 to 1966. Presidents (from 1965, governors)
- 23 September 1962 – 11 November 1962 Albert Delvaux (fl. 1918)
- November 1962 Emmanuel Mayamba
- 1962 – April 1963 Alphonse Pashi
- August 1963 – April 1964 Pierre Masikita (1st time)
- April 1964 – 30 September 1964 Belunda Kavunzu
- 30 September 1964 –24 August 1965 Joseph Kulumba
- 24 August 1965 – 25 April 1966 Pierre Masikita (2nd time)
From 1966 to 2015, Kwango was administered as a district as part of Bandundu Province, later returning to full provincial status with its capital based at Kenge on 18 July 2015.[5]
References
edit- ^ "Le nouveau gouverneur du Kwango prend ses fonctions". Radio Okapi (in French). 4 July 2024. Retrieved 4 July 2024.
- ^ "RDC: démembrement effectif du Bandundu". Radio Okapi (in French). 19 July 2015. Archived from the original on 20 July 2015. Retrieved 4 June 2020.
- ^ "Provinces of the Democratic Republic of Congo". Statiods.com.
- ^ Blaes, X. (October 2008). "Découpage administratif de la République Démocratique du Congo" (PDF). UNOCHA and PNUD. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2016-08-18.
- ^ "Provinces of the Democratic Republic of Congo (Congo Kinshasa)". Statoids. Retrieved 2011-11-22.
