Kwango
Province
Province du Kwango
Coordinates: 4°49′18.64″S 17°2′23.57″E / 4.8218444°S 17.0398806°E / -4.8218444; 17.0398806
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  (2005 est.)
• Total	1,994,036
• Density	22/km2 (57/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.

Towns/territories

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:

• Feshi
• Kahemba
• Kasongo Lunda
• Kenge
• Popokabaka

History

Kwango 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. Kwango returned to full provincial status with its capital of Kenge on 18 July 2015.^[5]