 Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of the Congo
Kinshasa is the capital and largest city in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. It is located on the southern bank of the Congo River, within sight of Brazzaville on the opposite bank.
Guide to Kinshasa Hotels
Here's a list of hotels in Kinshasa that you can book online, with full description, star rating, address, location map, evaluation, and prices as offered by different booking sites. This helps you to make your room booking with the site that offers the best price.
Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of the Congo
Author: Moyogo (Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Unported)
More on Kinshasa
The city of Kinshasa holds a provincial status. It covers 9,965 sq km (3,848 sq mi), some 60% of which are rural areas outside the urban core. The population of Kinshasa is close to ten million people (2012 estimate). It is the second biggest city in Central Africa after Lagos, and the third biggest on the continent after Cairo and Lagos. Although most of the native of Kinshasa are not ethnic French, the city is regarded as the largest French-speaking city outside of Paris, as French is the language here for administration and commerce.
The site of Kinshasa was founded by Welsh explorer Henry Morton Stanley in 1881. He named it Léopoldville, in honor of King Leopold II of Belgium, who owned the territory as his private property. It developed as a river port, the first navigable port on the Congo River above Livingstone Falls.
In 1966, after a coup staged by Joseph-Désiré Mobutu the preceding year, L&eaucte;opoldville was renamed Kinshasa, after the village of Kinchassa that was once located in the area. Under Mobutu, Kinshasa grew rapidly, receiving an influx of refugees from the strive-torn countryside as well as squatters looking to make a better living in the city. As a result, Lingala became the predominant language spoken in Kinshasa, although the natives of the area are the Bateke and Bahumbu people.
Mobutu's excesses eventually led to his downfall. Kinshasa however continued to flourish as the cultural and intellectural center for Central Africa.
Visiting Kinshasa
Kinshasa International Airport (FIH), also called the N'djili Airport, receives flights from Abidjan, Addis Ababa, Bamako, Brazzaville, Brussels, Casablanca, Cotonou, Douala, Entebbe, Goma, Istanbul, Johannesburg, Kananga, Kigali, Kindu, Kisangani, Lomé, Luanda, Lubumbashi, Lusaka, Mbandaka, Nairobi, Paris, Pointe-Noire and Tripoli. Note that though the situation has improved somewhat, the airport has a reputation for corrupt officials. To enter the country, you need to show a vaccination certificate for yellow fever. Avoid any "helpful people" wanting to carry your luggage.
People's Palace, Kinshasa
Author: Radio-Okapi (Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Unported)
View Brazzaville & Kinshasa, Congo in a larger map
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Places of Interest in Kinshasa
- Bonobo Sanctuary
- Chutes de Lukia
- Congo River
- Kinkole Fish Market
- Kisantu Botanical Gardens
- Lac de ma Vallé
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