Kindu is a city in the Democratic Republic of Congo, the capital of Maniema province. It has a population of about 200,000 and is situated on the Lualaba River at an altitude of about 500 metres, and is about 400 km west of Bukavu.
Kindu
Jiji la Kindu (Swahili) | |
|---|---|
Provincial capital and city | |
 Monument in Kindu | |
  Kindu Location in Democratic Republic of the Congo | |
| Coordinates: 2°57′S 25°57′E / 2.950°S 25.950°E | |
| Country |  DR Congo |
| Province | Maniema |
| City status | 1988 |
| Communes | Alunguli, Kasuku, Mikelenge |
| Government | |
| • Mayor | Augustin Mulamba[1] |
| Area | |
• Total | 150 km2 (60 sq mi) |
| Elevation | 504 m (1,654 ft) |
| Population (2012) | |
• Total | 172,321 |
| • Density | 1,100/km2 (3,000/sq mi) |
| Time zone | UTC+2 (CAT) |
| Climate | Aw |
| National language | Swahili |
Kindu is linked by rail to the mining areas of Kalemie, Kamina and Kananga to the south. It also has an airport with a 2,200 metre runway and has historically been an important port along the Congo River system.
History
edit
The town was an important centre for the ivory, gold and the slave trade during the nineteenth century. Arab-Swahili slave traders were based here from about 1860 and sent caravans overland to Zanzibar.[2]
Henry Morton Stanley came upon "this remarkable town" on 5 Dec. 1876, describing it as "remarkably long" with a "broad street, thirty feet wide, and two miles in length" and "behind the village were the banana and the palm groves."[3]: Vol.Two, 132–133
In November 1961, during the Congo Crisis, the Kindu atrocity took place in Kindu. During the rule of Mobutu Sese Seko Kindu was also the capital of the former Maniema subregion of Kivu region.
Geography
editKindu is located 2°57′S, 25°55′E at an elevation of approximately 1500 ft (450 m) above sea level.
Demographics
editThe city's population is estimated at between 140,000[4] and 200,000[5] residents. As with the rest of Congo, the vast majority adhere to Christianity. Just under half of the population is Catholic.[6] Slightly under 10% of the population are Anglican[5] and there is also a small Muslim community in the city.
Economy
edit
The main economic activity in Maniema Province is mining. Diamonds, copper, gold and cobalt are mined outside of Kindu.[7] There is also a market in Kindu as well as shops throughout the town.
Government and politics
editKindu is the provincial capital and is home to the provincial assembly and ministries.
Transportation
edit
Kindu is served by Kindu Airport. Most of the goods coming to town come from Goma, Bukavu and Kinshasa by air.
It is also the northern terminus of the Congo Railway line which connects it to Lubumbashi among other destinations.[8] Goods from Kisangani or further must change from ship to train and vice versa a couple of times to reach Lubumbashi.
There is also a port in Kindu which is located on the western bank of the Lualaba River.
Kindu lies along National Road 31 (N31) as well as Primary Regional Road 508 (R508).[9]
Roads in Maniema Province are unsurfaced and in a generally poor condition.
Education
editThe town has primary and secondary education facilities. The University of Kindu is also located in the city.
Notable residents
editClimate
editKindu has a tropical savanna climate (Köppen Aw) bordering upon a tropical monsoon climate (Am) with a short dry season in June and July.
| Climate data for Kindu | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Mean daily maximum °C (°F) | 30 (86) |
31 (87) |
31 (87) |
31 (87) |
31 (88) |
31 (87) |
29 (84) |
30 (86) |
31 (87) |
31 (87) |
31 (87) |
30 (86) |
31 (87) |
| Mean daily minimum °C (°F) | 21 (70) |
21 (69) |
21 (70) |
21 (70) |
21 (70) |
20 (68) |
19 (67) |
20 (68) |
20 (68) |
21 (69) |
21 (69) |
21 (70) |
21 (69) |
| Average rainfall cm (inches) | 18 (7) |
15 (6) |
19 (7.6) |
16 (6.2) |
11 (4.2) |
3.0 (1.2) |
3.3 (1.3) |
7.1 (2.8) |
11 (4.3) |
16 (6.2) |
20 (7.8) |
21 (8.2) |
160.4 (62.8) |
| Source: Weatherbase [10] | |||||||||||||
See also
editReferences
edit- ^ Mwambilayi, Ivan (19 January 2023). "Kindu: Le maire sortant laisse 350 Fc dans la caisse et des dettes évaluées à 652 millions CDF". Le Barométre (in French). Retrieved 19 January 2023.
- ^ "The Editors of Encyclopædia Britannica".
- ^ Stanley, H.M., 1899, Through the Dark Continent, London: G. Newnes, Vol. One ISBN 0486256677, Vol. Two ISBN 0486256685
- ^ "Geonames 2013 calculation". Archived from the original on 2014-10-16. Retrieved 2014-10-11.
- ^ a b Diocese of Kindu
- ^ "Lavigerie : Site officiel des Missionnaires d'Afrique (Soeurs Blanches et Pères Blancs belges) - Notre confrère Willy Ngumbi, nouvel évêque du diocèse de Kindu, R.D.C."
- ^ "Maniemamining LTD, 2014". Archived from the original on 2014-10-16.
- ^ "OpenStreetMap".
- ^ "ARRÊTÉ DÉPARTEMENTAL 79/BCE/TPAT/60/004/79 portant fixation des listes des routes constituant le réseau des routes nationales et régionales dans la République du Zaïre" (PDF) (PDF) (in French). 28 February 1979. Retrieved 22 November 2021.
- ^ "Weatherbase: Historical Weather for Kindu, Democratic Republic of the Congo". Weatherbase. 2011. Retrieved on November 24, 2011.
External links
edit- "Villes de RD Congo - Kindu" (in French). MONUC. 2006-05-29. Retrieved 2008-09-16.
- Repairs to railway