Kwango
Province du Kwango (French) | |
---|---|
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 | Jean-Marie Peti Peti Tamata[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 |
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 elevated to capital city of the province.
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.
The capital of Kwango district is Kenge.[3] Other towns include Popokabaka, Feshi, Kasongo Lunda, Lusanga and Kahemba. The province is in the southwest of the DRC, bordering Angola to the south.[4] Territories are:
Kwango previously existed as a province from 1962 to 1966. Presidents (from 1965, governors)
From 1966 to 2015, Kwango was administered as a district as part of Bandundu Province. Kwango returned to full provincial status with its capital of Kenge on 18 July 2015.[5]